I just drove across town in my pajamas. Pink pajamas with pink and white love hearts, and pink slippers, also adorned with love hearts. It did cross my mind before I left about packing some spare clothes in case I ran out of petrol or got a flat, but I thought it would make a good story if I got caught in my PJ’s so drove off with a little smile on my face.
I was going to a friends house to watch a movie. There are some friends you can do that with: hang out in your PJ’s, raid the fridge, drop in unannounced, share anything with, talk, pray and encourage each other through the ups and downs of life.
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Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. Matthew 23:26 NIV
He came in late and sat down with no apologies. Stunned, my eyes were immediately drawn to the large skull and crossbones tattooed prominently on the back of his neck. Next I took in the black knit stocking cap on top of his head. It stood out on a spring day with temperatures in the seventies. I waited for him to remove it, but somewhere deep within, I knew he wouldn’t. I thought about the time it took me to pick out the skirt I was wearing and glanced at his slick basketball shorts and wondered if he took any time at all.
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“The whole earth is at rest and quiet.” –Isaiah 14:7a (NRSV)
When I read that verse recently, I laughed to myself. Everyone else on the earth maybe, but not me.
Blame it on my genes. Or my personality. Or both. I just can’t sit still.
I know it’s good to rest and take time out. I know that. I really do. But, of all the areas I need to work on (and believe me, there are plenty) this is one I need to work on the most.
I’ve always envied people who can sit on the couch in the morning and watch Regis and Kelly without thinking about the grocery list or the dishwasher that needs to be emptied.
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There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1
Have you ever shaken a bottle of something to make what’s inside come out faster? You know… the shampoo bottle, the ketchup bottle, or the squeezable jelly bottle. Sometimes when you shake the contents of a bottle to the opening, you get what’s inside to move faster.
This morning my daughter and I were in the bathroom getting dressed for school. We have those two minute sand timers for the kids to use while brushing their teeth so they know exactly how long to brush.
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One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” ( Mark 12:28-31)
Do you ever feel like your faith has been cluttered by Christianity?
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Have you ever experienced the joy of the Lord? No, I’m not talking about happiness. Happiness is not the same at all. Happiness relies solely on the external. Things like pleasure, personal experience and circumstance. The joy of the Lord is wholly different. Let me give you a few examples. Chocolate-peanut-butter ice cream makes me very happy. Blue jeans that fit make me very happy. Children who don’t argue in the car make me very happy. But, smiling while I’m grieving, being able to hug someone who has hurt me, and having indescribable peace when my world is falling apart, now that is the joy of the Lord.
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I’ve been thinking a lot this week about how much of life I take for granted. Especially the time with my children.
I have 6 very healthy sons. The twins who were premature and had a risky first couple years, have come out of that completely unscathed.
As moms, the health and well-being of our children is pretty much at the very top of the list of things we make sure are taken care of daily. As I read about baby Stellan and many, many others in dire circumstances I am reminded once again of two very important things…
First, do NOT take anything in life for granted, realize the gift each moment we have is and celebrate it.
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The other day, I was looking through some old magazine articles I’ve written and I came across this poem I wrote for a teen devotional magazine a couple of years ago:
Lord, help me know
That I’m your design.
Unique, of your hands,
Of your heart
And your mind.
It’s easy to look in the mirror and see
That I am not perfect,
But I am me.
Sometimes I think I’m too short or too tall.
My stomach’s too big.
My chest is too small.
My skin is a mess.
My teeth are not straight.
I try to be God-like,
But just make mistakes.
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