Weighing In

"Whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." I Corinthians 10:31

Good morning, ladies!

It's the end of January, which means it's that time of year again.

Time to confess to God my lack of perseverance in my New Year's resolutions.

Every year, it's the same one, that gets harder and harder to make, and even harder to stick to.  This year I'm going to do it.  I will not quit.  I will do whatever I need to do to meet my goal.

You know which resolution I'm talking about.  On a completely unrelated topic, it's hard to type with an Oreo cookie in my hand.

Getting back in shape is hard, isn't it?  Let's face it--it's so much more fun to put on weight than it is to take it off!  Living in France is like living in a country of Barbie dolls, with the occasional overweight person thrown in just to make things interesting.  Most clothes sold in the stores stop at size 16.  Forget finding control top panty hose unless you're a size 4.  If that's the case, why do you need it anyway?

As difficult as it is to get back in shape physically, getting back into spiritual shape after straying from God’s Word is even harder!  Thinking about one problem, led me to think about the other:

How do I get my body and my spirit back in shape?

 1.  Dissatisfaction with my appearance.

Usually the first signs begin with that long look in the mirror.  How did I let myself get to this point?  I hardly recognize myself anymore! Time to get my body under control.

When I stray from God, I should hate how I look!  Ephesians 3:14-19 shows me what I should strive for in my spiritual appearance: I should ressemble Christ, and reflect Him to others.  Anything else should warn me that there are changes that need to be made.

2.  Decision to act upon my dissatisfaction.

Admitting how I looked in the mirror (ugh) and before God (ugh ugh) are not enough.  I must change.  I must accept responsibility for my poor food choices. That bag of chips didn't empty itself, that donut didn't walk itself into my mouth.  I alone am responsible for my current state.

In my spiritual walk, I must confess my sins, repent, and ask God to help me live a godlier lifestyle.  Daniel 1:8:   Daniel “purposed in his heart” not to be impure either in his eating habits or in his walk with God. 

3.  Daily habit transformation.

What are the keys for dieting?   Less snacking, more fruits and veggies, drinking water, smaller portions, setting boundaries.  In a nutshell, my habits cannot remain as they are.  I have to change.

How do I grow to be more like Christ?  I must change my daily habits: starting the morning with the Bible instead of Facebook, less TV, more prayer.   Remember the Bereans and their (daily) hunger for God? (Acts 17:11)  II Corinthians 5:17 reminds me that I am now in Christ, which should transform my habits!

4.  Direction for my feet
Dieting alone isn’t enough.  I need to move!  Here’s the “why” of gaining weight:  taking in calories (yum) but never putting them out!  The same is true with God:  what I take in, I must give out!

When I start having a pity party, I need to get out and serve others.  When I am sluggish about reading my Bible or prayer time, I need to remember that God has called me to work for Him, and get busy equipping myself for this task!

I Timothy 4:8 reminds me that while exercising the body is okay, exercising my spirit is far better.  James 2:14-20 reminds me that faith must have its exercise, in order to be a help to others.

Even the world understands that in order for an athlete to have temporal success, he must “get a grip” on his destructive habits, and make sacrifices to be the best in his sport.  How much more should I, a child of God, be willing to “get a grip” on my spiritual laziness so that I can live a life pleasing to God?

What is keeping me from reaching my goals today?  Maybe it's time for a new direction...

Watch Your Step!

"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Good morning, ladies!

One of my favorite aspects of life in France is walking.  The fact that I don't have a driver's license is one of the reasons, but even if I did, I think I would walk just about anywhere.  There is so much to discover on foot:  the joy of walking down ancient cobblestones, looking up and seeing the façade of a building almost 1000 years old, the pleasure of discovering a "new" café.  

Walking in France, however, is not without its hazards.  I like to think of them as "poochie presents." Enough said.

When my children were first learning to walk, there were two rules:  hold my hand, and watch where you step.  They would be meandering along, chasing pigeons or watching the clouds, blissfully ignorant of the landmines all around them.  And yes, I have cleaned more shoes than I care to recollect.  

Aah, sweet memories. 

As they get older, they are mastering the look-down-on-the-sidewalk-several-meters-in-front-of-you-and-plan-your-course-wisely technique.  Look down, and then look up.  Look down, and then talk to those around you.  Even at this, we have had to steer them around hidden dangers that they missed as they were caught up in the moment.

A few "near misses" on the way to school this morning got me thinking about my daily walk around town, and my daily walk with the Lord.

Ephesians 5 is an entire chapter that talks about our walk with the Lord.  We are to "follow" God, as dear children (v. 1), "walk in love" (v. 2), and to "walk as children of light." (v.8)  My attention was captivated by verse 15, which reminds me to walk "circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise..."  The word circumspectly means purposefully, paying attention in all directions (think "circumference").  

Not watching where I walk physically has disagreeable temporary consequences.  Not watching where I walk spiritually can have deadly eternal consequences.

The French expression for stepping in a "poochie present" is "marcher dedans."  Simply put, it means "walk into." No further explanation is needed.  Everyone knows what was walked into.

How many situations have I "walked into" in life, that if I had just been "walking circumspectly," I could have avoided?

God calls those who live their lives oblivious to the dangers around them, "fools." The reason that it is so important to live wisely is found in the next verse: "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." (v.16)  The world is not a pristine laboratory.  I am called to walk every day with purpose, avoiding temptations, sins, and all spiritual obstacles on the dirty pathways of life.  God will grant me the wisdom that I need, if I just take the time to ask Him today. (James 1:5)

If my feet stray from my life's purpose, and I "walk into", then I have the promise that God will clean me up.  (I John 1:9)

So, where will my feet take me today?  Hopefully, they will stay clean...

Daily

"But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." Hebrews 3:13

Good morning, ladies!

Many times as missionaries we are "out of the loop" of what's popular in the U.S.  The onset of the Internet, Facebook, Pinterest, and Amazon have changed a lot of that for our family.  My husband grew up as an MK in France, and remembers the painful awkwardness of returning to a foreign country (the U.S.)  and being clueless about the latest trends.  Many times he has marvelled over how much our children are aware of the happenings in the U.S.

Other times we rejoice that we are not as "up to date" as our American friends.

Two words:  "Awesome sauce." Really???

Many times we miss out on the spiritual trends as well.  We don't always know the newest programs, the trending authors, the latest ladies' retreat speaker, the fashion trends, the new Christianese.

(Sometimes, that's not a bad thing.)

A question that has been raised on Facebook since the beginning of the New Year by several of my American friends, however, has really intrigued me, and has allowed me a lot of prayer and Bible reflection for this month:

What word do I want to characterize my spiritual walk for 2015?

(Perhaps by reading my first blog posts, you might have an idea.)  

My answer?  Daily.

I am amazed at the number of times God mentions the word "day" in the Bible (1759) and the word "daily" (62.)  (No, I did not count them personally).  A word that is so ordinary, and yet used in such a specific way in the Bible merits further attention on my part.  

Here are some references that jump out at me:

Jesus taught daily in the Temple. (Mark 14:49).

I must deny myself daily to serve the Lord. (Luke 9:23)

The Lord adds to the church daily. (Acts 2:47)

The Bereans searched the Scriptures daily. (Acts 17:11)

Paul had the labour and care of the church fall upon him daily. (2 Corinthians 11:28)

And, who can forget:  our daily bread?  (Luke 11:3)

I should not be surprised at the emphasis the Lord puts on the word "daily," or "to day" or "this day," because as Christians, aren't we encouraged to live this life day by day?

Should I not seek to please the Lord daily?  Should I not read His Word, and pray daily?

Should I not forgive daily? (or many times a day, as the case warrants.)

Should I not encourage daily?  Serve daily?  Love daily?

Write a blog post daily?  Who knows?  Maybe...

So, what will I do today?  Time to find out!

Maybe it will be the beginning of a new "daily"...

One Life

"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." I Corinthians 4:2

Good morning, ladies!

It's been three weeks now since the attack on Charlie Hebdo here in Paris.  As many of you may have heard, twelve people were killed and more injured in a shooting that rocked Paris, and then the world.  A few days later, the men responsible for the attacks were killed in turn by the authorities. The following Sunday, many political leaders from around the world joined thousands of others in a "solidarity march," and many more took up the rallying cry, "Je suis Charlie" (I am Charlie) on Facebook and other social media.

Many of you wrote to make sure we were okay, and physically we are.  France as a nation, however, was deeply scarred, and many in shock that this happened on their doorstep.

Now, three weeks after the fact, those who died have been buried.  There is less talk in the media.  People are less afraid to leave their homes and feel free to return to their "normal" lives.

As sad as I am for this entire turn of events, I cannot help but grieve what was truly lost.

Life.

In spite of our political views, race or even religious boundaries, the one element that unites everyone in this world is that we have been entrusted with the precious gift of life.  No one on earth knows how long or short it will be.  Our lives will be marked by the choices and decisions that we make today.

The real tragedy was not only life that was lost, but also life that was misspent, on both sides of the issue.

The writers at Charlie Hebdo made their livings by openly mocking every ideal that French people value.

The men in charge of the killings retalliated with senseless violence, led by the misguided ideal that their god is only to be feared, and not lovingly honored.

But this is what these men and women DID.  This is not who they WERE.

These men and one woman were someone's children, parents, friends. They had food preferences and fashion sense, pets and hobbies.  They filled their hours living out their dreams and ambitions, only to have it stripped away in a moment's time.

They also have souls.

The truth is, one day my life will be over.  I will live my allotted days, portioned out by God's wisdom and His gracious hand, and then my life on earth will be done.

Life, however, does not end when I die.  How I live THIS life, matters to the next.

I can choose to waste this life in selfish pursuits, not caring how my actions destroy the lives of others.  I can seek to divide and conquer, oppress those weaker than myself, disappoint, hurt or even kill those around me.

But not for forever.

The Bible is clear that my life is a gift over which I am just the overseer.  And, like all those entrusted with the goods of someone else, one day I will have to explain to the Master what I did with what He gave.

Standing before the Lord, I want Him to be pleased with the life He entrusted to me.  And so, as I live the day He has given me today, I need to remember that when this life is done, it cannot be undone.

What will I do today, that will change my eternity forever?

January Discovery Bible Club

"Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." Romans 4:3

Good morning, ladies!

Saturday was our first children's Bible club of the year.  The last several clubs we were few in number, so it was good to see new children coming, and to enjoy continuing the stories with those who have been coming for a while.

We are following a series called "The Summit Peaks of the Bible", relating key stories  from Genesis to Revelation.  

We start our club time with snack.  Is it possible to have a children's meeting without feeding the kids? This week's snack featured brownies and a king's cake, provided by our coworker Damaris. A king's cake is a traditional French pastry served in January on Epiphany, to celebrate the arrival of the "kings" who visited baby Jesus.  Inside one piece of the king's cake is a little porcelin figurine.  The person who finds the figure in their piece of cake becomes king for the day.  Today we had a king Timothy.

Our snack time is followed by singing and Bible study.  The kids in general listen well, and it's exciting to share for the first time these beloved stories of the Bible.   This week's lesson was on the journey of faith of Abraham.  We talked about cooking with the right recipes and the right ingredients, the key ingredient to our lives being that of faith.  This lesson spoke volumes to me as we persevere in the work here in France.  Without faith, even our best efforts for the Lord are in vain. 

Our club time finishes with a game or a craft, the highlight of the afternoon for the kids (after the snack, of course.)    This week's game was a version of the board game Time's Up, where the children had to describe or mime the Bible words from the stories we have been studying during our lessons.  As you can imagine, it was a time filled with lots of laughs and silliness.

 Please continue to pray for these clubs.  This is an important outreach for our children, as they faithfully invite their friends.  Juliana at age 13 has taken over the responsibility of the nursery for the lessons, and helps to organize the games as well.  It encourages this mom's heart to see her children get excited about serving the Lord, and serving others.

See you in two weeks for our next club!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

"My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck." Proverbs 1:8,9

Good morning, ladies!

Personally, Mother's Day in May is a day to reflect on my role as a mom, and the blessings and responsibilities that the Lord has placed on my shoulders.  Thinking about my own mother, and the influence she had in my life, however, is reserved for today, January 25th.

Today would have been my mom's 76th birthday.

My mom passed away in March 1996 after a lengthy battle with breast cancer.  I was a senior in college at the time.  That seems almost like another lifetime ago, and in many ways it really is.  She never met my future husband, held her grandkids, or saw us to the airport as we left the U.S. to come to France.  So many birthdays, anniversaries, Christmases and "occasions" have passed by as she passed on.

In many ways, however, her presence in my life is just as real as the day she left.

My mom was known as being a "smiley" person.  Everywhere she went, she made friends easily and laughed.  She was never happier than when she was making someone else's day a little bit lighter.

My mom loved "occasions" of all kinds.  Birthdays, Christmases, Thanksgivings, Anniversaries, all held fun surprises and Mom was always in the center.  She made the holidays fun.

My mom loved to organize special days for us kids as well.  In the summertime she would gather our friends for picnics in the park, or trips to a waterpark, or a special shopping day as I got older. She enjoyed being the chaperone as much as she enjoyed being the center of attention.

My mom loved music, played the piano and accordion, and accompanied her church's polka band.  I never got to hear her play as much as I would have liked, but what I remember was always beautiful.


My mom taught me to love learning, reading, studying, anything and everything I could get my hands on. Encyclopedias, dictionaries, books on all subjects and difficulties were always on call.  How many times did I hear mom tell me, "I don't know, look it up!"

(For you younger whipper-snappers, that's the 80s equivalent of "Google it.")

My mom was a great teacher.  She taught second grade and then tackled the "troubled kids" that no one else wanted to teach.  She made learning fun because the students never realized that she was teaching them. She had a way of making concepts as mudane as math and reading become life lessons and hands-on experiments.

And she did it without Google or Pinterest.  Go figure.

My mom was an artist, whether with her crafts or with a paintbrush.  While her talent (and my dad's as well) may have skipped a generation, it helped me to appreciate beauty and the joy of creating.


Most of all, my mom taught me the value of hard work.  My mom put herself through college while raising us kids.   She took care of us, did the canning, the gardening, the yard work, the hanging of laundry on the line. I never saw my mom's hands idle as a kid.  If she was watching TV, she had plastic canvas or yarn in her hand.  She went to bed early, got up early, and the times I saw her sitting down in between were very few.  Her rare treats were an RC Cola and her feet propped up in a recliner, reading a mystery story.

As I re-read these lines, I realize the impact of my mom in every area of my life.  My actions, attitudes, even my habits, professions, and preferences are an echo of the woman who raised me, and then passed away before she could see the "final" product.

None of us are guaranteed a life where we see the fruits of our labors.  As much as I hope that I will see my children leave home, go into the Lord's calling, hold my grandchildren, and befriend my adult children, I do not have the promise that will occur.

I do have the promise of my Lord.  He has promised never to leave me nor forsake me, and gives the same promise to my children.  If I am no longer able to be a physical presence in their lives, it is comforting to know that the time and instruction I invest in them now is more than enough--with God's grace-- to see them through their journey as adults.

I encourage you today not to wait until Mother's Day to honor the special ladies in your lives.  Hold them close, thank them for their tireless efforts, and let them share in your daily walk.

You'll be forever glad you did.

A Stitch in Time...

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

Good morning, ladies!

Once upon a time, in another lifetime I call B.C. (before children), I had several meticulous, painstaking hobbies. 

Like thinking.  

In complete sentences.

And...cross stitch.  

Writing that reminds me that I have several unfinished projects in a canvas tote behind the door, waiting for that moment of inspiration and clarity when I will sit down again, needle in hand, and create objects of beauty like the one in the photo here.

Maybe.  When I'm a grandma.

I am not an artistic person.  I have never been able to draw or paint.  I leave that honor to my very talented 13 year old daughter.  However, needle in one hand and pattern in the other, I could pretend that I was creating a masterpiece stitch by stitch, like brush strokes on a master's canvas.  I love that moment when the last backstitching is done, the final initials sewn, the edges basted and the whole project delicately washed, ironed, and framed.  

Beautiful.  

At least, on one side.

Once the cross stitch is framed, no one sees the missed stitches, the loose threads, the general messiness of the underside of the canvas.  No one ever asks to look at the other side, and I am certainly not going to show it off.  That secret, as the creator of the canvas,  is mine alone.

Life sure seems like a mess at times, doesn't it?  My life ressembles the underside of that canvas.  Some parts are so clear that the finished pattern is almost recognizable.  Other parts are full of imperfect lines and uneven threads snagged in seemingly random chaos.  While I catch glimpses of the finished product while I'm stitching away, I realize that until the last touches are completed, it will still look like, well, a mess in progress.

My "masterpiece" here on earth is not complete.  God is still perfecting the finished product.  He is adding colors, pulling threads tighter, snipping away what is not needed, so that one day I will ressemble the perfect image of His Son Jesus.

I am looking up at the underside of the canvas, but He looks down on the finished picture.

And it's beautiful.

When things arrive today that I don't understand, when "bad things" happen and I am tempted to quit along the way, may God help me to remember the beautiful work He is accomplishing in my life.  And when the joys arrive, may I praise Him for the wonderful grace He gives me for another day as His canvas.

Maybe, I will be less of a mess at the end of the day, than I was when it started.

Just A Weaver

by Benjamine Malachi Franklin

My life is but a weaving Between the Lord and me; I may not choose the colors– He knows what they should be. For He can view the pattern Upon the upper side While I can see it only On this, the under side. Sometimes He weaves in sorrow, Which seems so strange to me; But I will trust His judgment And work on faithfully. ‘Tis He who fills the shuttle, And He knows what is best; So I shall weave in earnest, And leave to Him the rest. Not ’til the loom is silent And the shuttles cease to fly Shall God unroll the canvas And explain the reason why. The dark threads are as needed In the Weaver’s skillful hand As the threads of gold and silver In the pattern He has planned.

  

Tasked...with love

"Let all your things be done with charity." I Corinthians 16:14

Good morning, ladies!

France is, as you may have heard, a country of strikes.  When things do not happen the way workers want, they randomly shut down public transportation, schools, businesses, airports.  Sometimes you are warned ahead of time.  Sometimes you show up at the appointed time, at the correct location, to find that the service you need just will not be attended to that day.  Désolé, Madame.

I think my laundry fairy, dishwashing fairy, floor mopping fairy, and ironing fairy must be French.  I can't find them anywhere, and there is work to be done.

I need to put on my big girl panties and get to work.

But I can't.  They're in the wash, along with every other article of clothing in this house.

SIGH

I am not an obsessive housekeeper.  I like things to be fairly orderly, and excessive clutter does drive me crazy.  Keeping house in France however is another category entirely.  French ladies on the whole are very particular about their neatness.  They mop their tile floors religiously.  They unclutter countertops and iron their dish towels (and just about every other article of clothing.)

Do you know what the French word is for being obsessive about cleaning?

Maniaque.  As in, maniac.  Enough said.

Some days, the day to day tasks seem overwhelming, don't they?  Many times the everyday sameness of life--washing dishes, caring for children, cleaning the house, fixing meals, preparing clothes--are not in themselves difficult jobs.  I have the luxury of vacuum cleaners, clothes dryers, steam irons and every conceivable help with the push of a button.

The burden for me many times is not so much in the DOING of the tasks, but WANTING to do the tasks.  

The Bible verse at the top of this blog is a great reminder to me:  "Let all your things be done with charity."  Not just the things that are easy, or enjoyable.  Like many verses that refer to my attitude, this is a choice that I make, a conscious decision to accomplish whatever my things happen to be for that day with the right mindset.

The motivation is there as well:  I should do all my things with charity.  I'll leave the deep Greek studies to my husband and other scholars, but I know this Greek word is agape, the self-sacrificial God love that only wants the best for the other person.  This love puts the needs of others above my own desires.  This is the love that compelled Jesus to die on the cross.

I don't have to love doing the dishes, or the ironing, or any other task that God allows me to do today.  I do need to see myself as an instrument of God's love to my family and the others for whom I will labor today.  Not only will the job get done, but I will receive the reward of serving my Lord as well.

Time to get to work.

Mixed Messages

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." I Corinthians 2:14

Good morning, ladies!

There are many hurdles to overcome as missionaries first arrive in their country, that the term "culture shock" doesn't even begin to cover it. "Culture electrocution" is more accurate.  I remember at one point being so frustrated with the metric system that I cried to my husband, "I don't even know what a centimeterliter is!" The very strangeness of arriving in a country where EVERYTHING is different is completely overwhelming.

Perhaps the most humbling part is learning a new language.  Anyone who has ever tried at some point probably exclaimed, “How do the natives ever learn this?”

While I majored in French in college, I was more comfortable talking about French literature and architecture than I was asking for a vacuum cleaner.  Arriving in France showed me how little I actually knew, and how much more I had to learn.  

And still have to learn today.

There are times when I receive the vacant stare, the blank look, the suppressed giggle from the person with whom I am talking, and I wonder, "What did I say wrong now?'

Learning to speak a foreign language has made me realize even more the importance of communicating with others.  No communication is more important than trying to convey spiritual truths to someone who does not know Christ.

To these folks, I am literally speaking a foreign language.

Many times now I have been guilty of being impatient with people who, after sharing God's Word with them, just don't get it.  I marvel in disbelief:  How can they not understand what is so obvious and real?  Why won't they believe?

The Bible verse at the top of this blog reminds me that at some point in the past, I didn't understand the language of God, either.  I had to have a translator: the Holy Spirit.  He alone took the incomprehensible truths of God's love and made it plain to my understanding.

Today, instead of getting frustrated when people do not understand God's Word, I must remember that it takes time to learn a new language.  Lots of time.  And a good teacher.  The Holy Spirit is the revealer of God's truths, and He is a perfect teacher.

And I must remember that, just as the French people are patient with my lumbering attempts to speak their language, I must be patient as others learn God's.

Daily bread

"Give us day by day our daily bread." Luke 11:3

Good morning, ladies!

When we were last in the U.S., many times we were asked the question, "What things do you miss from the U.S.?" Usually I could think of a few things to satisfy the curious:  Chick-Fil-A, Reese's Cups, chewing gum that doesn't lose its flavor right away.  (I happen to be a recovering chewing gum addict--don't judge.)

Once in a while, someone would ask me what things we miss from France while we're travelling in the U.S.

I don't have to think.  I don't even have to bat an eyelash.  I don't have to pray about it, or run my answer by my husband first.

I know.

Bread.

Ladies living in the U.S., you have my sympathies.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy yeast rolls, biscuits, and Texas toast as much as the next person, but bread, a nice crusty loaf, soft and delicate on the inside, still warm from the bakery, served with real butter and a cup of strong coffee...

(Insert sigh of satisfaction here.)

Before living outside the U.S., I didn't realize so much the importance of getting my bread daily.  Here in France it's almost a pilgrimage.  Every morning, every noon, every night, French people flock to their bakeries in search of a baguette (the long skinny French loaves that have nothing to do with American French bread), or a pain de campagne--a larger baguette--or a pain à 6 céréales--six grain bread.  While most stores here are closed on Sundays, most villages have at least ONE bakery open to serve the stomachs of their fellow bread-lovers.

My son Joshua,
 reading this completed blog,
eating, of course, some bread.

My youngest son Joshua shares my love of French bread.  He could (and would, if we let him) eat a whole baguette by himself.  Bread doesn't usually last long in our house.  Occasionally, however, the bread does make it to the next day, but it's not the same.  Exposed to the air, or wrapped in its bag, unless it's stored in the freezer, a baguette can turn from glorious manna to an inedible baseball bat.  It's on those occasions that my son, looking longingly at the leftover bread, asks, "Mom, is the bread still good?"

Is it?

I think about Jesus teaching His disciples to pray, reminding them to ask day by day for their bread from God's hand.  Of course, to Jewish readers, the connection is clear:  the manna that God provided in the wilderness, to sustain and feed His people as they travelled to the promised land, was only good for one day at a time.  In order to eat, the children of Israel had to gather manna every day. 

It's true that God's Word sustains me, just as much as physical bread sustains me.  And yes, I could go for a day without reading His Word.  I could try to let the words that I have read in the past week, or in the past month, or even in the past years, sustain me for today.  

But, why would I?

Why would I content myself to gnaw through a loaf of stale bread, when just a ten-minute walk from my house, the baker has been stockpiling loaf after loaf of freshly-baked bread?  It could be mine, just for the taking, if I only make the effort to go and get it.

God's Word is also right there, as fresh as the day it was written, waiting for me to open its pages and lose myself in its truths.

I think it's time for some fresh bread...and a fresh look at God's Word.

Taking Out the Trash

"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight:  but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." Hebrews 4:13

Good morning, ladies!

In my village, there are two garbage pick-ups a week.  On Tuesday mornings, we place our trash in opaque black trash cans, and on Friday all of our recyclables (milk boxes, 2L bottles, cans and cardboard) head out to the curb in transparent yellow bags.  

Once a week I get an intimate look at the private world of my French neighbors.  Now, at first that might sound stalker-creepy, but given how hard it is to meet people here, I take what I can get.

My neighbor that I never get to see has just had her baby, since there are formula bottles and diaper boxes in the trash.  Families with small children have bags filled with milk cartons.  Our retired neighbors go for weeks before placing ONE offering on the curb.  I always forget to put out the recyclables, so sometimes I have three, four, five bags to put out at a time. I am aware of my trash as others must be of theirs—“What are my neighbors thinking when they see my…?” 

My trash bags remind me of several spiritual truths:

1.  My life is not always as “tidy” as my outward appearance shows.

When God was choosing a future king for Israel, it was easy for Samuel to be distracted by the outward packaging, and God's rebuke to him is not far from my thoughts:  "...for the Lord seeth not as a man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." (I Samuel 16:7)  How easy it is to cover up the trash in my life, put on a smile, and face the world as Super Mom, Super Christian, Wonder Woman.  (Don't tell my family, though--they think I really AM Wonder Woman.)  The Lord knows my heart, my attitudes, my sins, my motivations.  Many times they are FAR from the appearance I paste on for others to see.

2.  Our view into the lives of others is incomplete.

If I judged my neighbors only according to their trash, I might think they only ate cereal and drank beer.  Matthew 7:1 reminds me not to judge, because I don’t have all the facts.  God alone knows what hurts, trials, joys, and blessings those around me are experiencing.    I must listen to the Holy Spirit to discern the best way to talk to and help others.  Only HE has all the facts.

3.  One day, everything that was hidden from view shall be revealed. (I Corinthians 3:11-15)

One day, the real motivations behind what I do and say will be shown to all.  Everything that I have hidden in the “black” trash can of my life will be revealed, and only what is done for Christ will be allowed to stand.  No more pretending.  The things that I value in this life will one day be put on display, for all to see.  Am I living for that day?

Maybe it's time to take out the trash...permanently.

Invisible

"But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience...as unknown, and yet well known..." II Corinthians 6:4,9

Good morning, ladies!

Have you ever wished you could be invisible?

I was a pretty awkward kid, and a very awkward teen.  OK, I was a nerd--big, thick glasses, clunky clothes, all angles and tripping over myself.  Never played sports, so P.E. class was a torture to endure.  Give me a book any day.

Yes, there were plenty of times growing up that I wished I could have been invisible.

Some days I think I have gotten my wish.

France in many ways is a country where, if you don"t make an effort to connect with people, you just don't.  Our village Boves is a small village that touches the larger city of Amiens, in the north of France.  It's called a "dormitory city," because during the day, there is no one around.  Both parents work.  From 9am-6 pm, it's a ghost town.  Then, people start trickling home, and then they shut themselves in their houses and don't come out again until the next day, to do it all over again.

On Wednesdays, I have a 15 minute train ride from Amiens to Boves, as I return home from teaching English.  I try (usually in vain) to start up conversations with folks on the train, especially since I see many of the same faces each week.  Their glowing, magic boxes have all of their undivided attention.  We know there are others around us, but we have learned how to ignore.

Invisible.

Many times in the U.S., when we relate the struggles of starting a church work in France, people have asked us (sometimes in admiration, sometimes in disbelief) why we keep going back, how we stay focused and motivated to serve in a country where so few people care about God.

There have been many days when I have asked myself the same question. Am I really making a difference here?  Do people really care?  If we left tomorrow, would we even be missed?

Probably not.

But there is one to whom I am always known:  God.  The verse at the top of this blog jumped off the page yesterday as our pastor preached on it:  "as unknown...and yet well known."  I may feel alone, isolated, discouraged as day after day, week after week, time goes by without being able to connect fully to others around us, and share the wonderful news of God's love to them.

I may be invisible to those around me, but not to my God.

This is my encouragement, to go out again today, and meet with people, and share God's Word with them.  There are so many people around me, who go through life wondering if anyone cares about them, and don't have the comfort of knowing that God cares.

Maybe today will be the day, that someone does.

Up and At Em!

"This is the day that the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Good morning, ladies!

Yes, there it is, another day staring me in the face.  24 hours.  1440 minutes.  And so, coffee in hand, persistent cat in my lap, I sit at the computer and think about today.  This day.

Those that know me know that I am a morning person.  I am my most productive between 5am-9am.  Please don't hate me--that's just the only way I can get some peace before the craziness of the day.  You know how it is, the constant demands, pressures, expectations, to-do lists.  Life in all its messiness.  Before 7:30, before the kids come down the stairs and another day begins, I think about my day.  And I want to share this time with you.

Today, I am starting something new.  For all you dear ladies, friends, family, near and far, I want to share my days with you.  As a missionary wife and mom, I am used to being considered a "public entity."  When we travel in the States from church to church, answering questions about what it's like to live in France, what do I do all day long, I often ask myself, "How much time do you have?" It's not an easy question.  Are all of your days the same?  My desire to write this blog is to share my experiences with you, so that you have some idea of how my days are spent.  Some are exciting.  Some are not.  Some days are full of joys to be treasured.  Some are hours counted down until bedtime (don't judge--you have those days too.)

I'm just a normal person. Even morning people have THOSE kind of mornings.  You know, the ones when the alarm goes off and you wish you had something large and heavy enough to pound it into oblivion.  The days when you know that life is just lying in wait, ready to attack, and you just say to yourself, "No!  I can't do this again!"

For some time now, before my head leaves the pillow and my feet touch the floor, I have been quoting Psalm 118:24.  Have you ever noticed that the verse is a CHOICE that the Psalmist made?  "I will be glad and rejoice in it."  And so, like the Psalmist I choose to rejoice in THIS day.

Each day that comes is such a unique experience, a gift to be unwrapped, explored, treasured.  To sum up my life, I have been given THIS day, and so have you.

Thanks for letting me start mine with you.