I Will Lift My Eyes

Psalm 121:1-2 I lift my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Ever since we spent our honeymoon there in April 2005, Danny and I have faithfully returned to the Nantahala Mountains in North Carolina for our vacations. We usually visit in April for our anniversary (this year, we went over the February break to take the boys skiing) and over Thanksgiving in lieu of giving each other Christmas gifts. We have enjoyed delightful stays in a number of different luxury log cabins - my idea of "roughing it" - and, while each experience created unique memories for us, there has always been one constant: the indescribable peace found in these ancient mountains.

In the Nantahalas, Danny and I share in days literally filled with mountain-top moments. We never tire of watching the play of the sun and clouds across the majestic vistas during the day or standing outdoors at night to view the myriad of stars that city lights conceal. We are at once awed, humbled and comforted by the infinite glory of God's creation surrounding us. His presence is palpable in His handiwork and in us as He rejuvenates and reconnects us to Him and to one another. Our time of recreation is truly one of RE-creation! By the time our bittersweet departure day arrives, we are enabled to return to our valleys, counting our blessings, knowing that the Lord is with us through it all.

When you find yourself walking in a valley of shadow, sadness, fear, or doubt, can you lift your eyes to the mountains? Can you persevere through trials and tribulations knowing that your help, your salvation, comes from the Lord who loves you without measure? If you are slogging your way through a seemingly hopeless valley right now, know that Jesus is with you every step of the way. Place your hand in His. Trust Him. Let Him guide you, help you, heal you. In Him, find the tranquility of the mountain top amidst life's stormy seas.

Hanging Out to Dry

John 3:8 - The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

Last week, a dear friend e-mailed me a list of some eco-friendly things one could do for Lent. As my husband, Danny, is a regional director for Energy Star, we already engage in many of the suggested activities: using LED or compact-florescent lights; composting; recycling paper, plastic, and cans; using cloth shopping bags and cloth, instead of paper, napkins; installing occupancy sensors; sealing air ducts; insulating the attic, and, my all-time favorite, drying clothes outside. The latter activity is always the one that evokes horrified gasps of disbelief from his audience when Danny gives presentations on energy efficiency. They are literally shocked at the notion of anyone hanging out clothes, especially in winter, when dryers are so handy and accessible.

Danny explains that dryers are basically motors and motors use energy; there is no such creature as an Energy Star dryer! We pay for the electricity our dryers use, but the sun and wind are free for the taking. When someone protests that their homeowner's association doesn't permit clotheslines, Danny urges them to go to the board and argue the facts: energy costs will continue to escalate, crunching families' precarious budgets even further; energy that is free is the sensible alternative.

While the practical advantages of hanging clothes outdoors are manifold, I find the aesthetic aspects even more appealing. Nothing beats snuggling in bed between sheets that have been dried outside; their soothing fragrance and softness reminds me of lying on cool, green grass in the early spring sunshine. When I open my wardrobe to dress in the morning, I am greeted by that same comforting scent. I even relish the rough texture of our towels; being dried on the line, they absorb moisture more readily and stay smelling fresh longer.


For those of you doubting the lure of the clothesline at this juncture, allow me to address some questions others have asked me in the past.

• Aren't your jeans too stiff? Yes, at first, but they soften up within ten minutes of wearing.
• Don't your clothes wrinkle? No, especially on a breezy day; it blows the wrinkles right out (wish it would do that for my face!).
• Is summer the best time to hang laundry outside? Not if you live below the Mason-Dixon line. You can dry clothes outside anytime unless it is a) raining, or b) below freezing.
• Aren't you self-conscious about drying, er, you know, your intimates outdoors for all to see? Not an issue for me as our backyard is secluded. You can always hang underwear, etc. indoors on a wooden rack.

• Isn't hanging up and taking down clothes from the line an extra chore? It is, if you choose to look at it that way, but if I threw my clothes in the dryer, I'd miss out on the mesmerizing show I call "Clothes with the Wind".

I don't care if it's full sun, partly cloudy, or mostly cloudy. If there is a stiff, consistent breeze, my clothes will dry in half the anticipated time. That's not the best part, though. What I adore is watching the wind whipping the napkins like so many frantic flags, lifting the sheets until they hover horizontally, cracking and snapping like a flustered sail, tossing the t-shirts manically up and over the line. I can "see" the wind in the shifting, shuddering dance of the clothes; I can hear it when it slaps the sheets or snaps the napkins. In this witness, I am always reminded of the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life, sent first by God as promised through Christ to the disciples as a mighty, rushing wind. He tells me that when I, like my clothes, am feeling "hung out to dry", He is here with me, working through me, renewing my strength, reviving my soul.

How do you see, hear and feel the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, in your life at this moment? Whether it is in a roaring wind or a whispered breath, know He is always there with you.

How Is Your Lenten Season Progressing?

Mark 8:34 - Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."


One week has passed since Ash Wednesday. How are you coming along with your give-ups/take-ons this Lenten season? I will share with you my experiences thus far and invite you to reciprocate with your own in the comments section of my blog or on Facebook.

My give-up this Lent was computer solitaire. I must admit, for the first several days, my fingers itched to click that icon on my desktop. I literally had to stop and consciously recall why I had chosen to do this and think about what I should be doing in it's place. Last Sunday, our first "mini-Easter", I did allow myself to play several rounds only to discover that the allure it held for me less than a week before had waned significantly. My take-ons were thankfully superseding my desire for the game.

My first take-on for Lent was to write a blog at least once a week; so far, so good. I've been blessed with some wonderful ideas as of late and my new aim is to complete at least two each week.

The second take-on was to maintain a written prayer list (I am on a prayer chain at my church) and to conscientiously pray for each individual/family on a daily basis. On average, I might receive three requests per week, but that did not hold true this week and last. In seven days, my list burgeoned from three to thirty; God certainly knows how to keep things challenging! I have become, through praying consistently for others, much more mindful of C. S. Lewis' statement: Prayer doesn't change God, it changes me". Focusing on the needs and concerns of others and lifting them up to the Lord in prayer removes my "me" factor and increases my capacity for compassion toward all God's children.

Take-on three was a Bible study entitled Peter - Learning to Be Like Jesus. As there are only twelve chapters, I am completing two per week. The first two lessons centered on obedience and prayer. Both coerced me to take a good, hard look at my walk with Christ. Am I following Him in the ways He ordained for me? Loving others as He commanded? Seeking His will for my life? Praying that His will, not mine, be done? Thanking and praising Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength? We were discussing questions similar to these in our Monday Bible study group when Gabe offered this simple yet profound insight.

"I may have said out loud only once before, 'I love you, God'. Maybe that's what He wants most to hear from us."

If light-bulbs had been suspended above our heads, they would have blazed simultaneously. How obvious it should have been to us all that the One who first loved us would want to hear that we love Him back? He knows our needs before we ask, but doesn't He value our prayers and supplications offered to Him? Of course! I realized in a flash what my prayers, what my life, needed. I resolved to tell God daily how much I love Him, to make this Lenten revelation a life-long and joyful practice.

Now, it's your turn. What insights or lessons or struggles or miracles have you encountered during Lent? I pray that your stories shared will be a blessing to all who read them!

Lent - Part Two

Many heartfelt thanks to all of you who responded to the blog, Lent - Part One! I hope in sharing your terrific ideas here, someone who has yet to decide what to give-up/take-on for Lent will be inspired to choose one of your disciplines. I've put these in list form for easier reading.

GIVING UP:

• Chocolate
• Condiments
• Milk
• Dessert
• All meat and animal by-products (I'm impressed!)
• Facebook
• Computer games, on-line and off
• I-pod
• Profanity
• Negative thoughts about others

TAKING ON:

• Spending more time with family
• Establishing set prayer times and routines
• Studying a particular book in the Bible
• Developing a grateful attitude in all things
• Praying daily for our troops
• Saying extra prayers for family members
• Reading Christian blogs subscribed to but too often ignored
• Doing everything daily to recall Christ's great sacrifice for us
• Breaking habits that lead to weight gain (One could argue that this could go under "Giving Up", too.)

So, what am I giving-up/taking-on for Lent? I am abstaining from playing computer solitaire - I am SO addicted to it and it is nothing but a colossal waste of time. Instead, I plan to complete a Bible study entitled "Peter - Learning to Be Like Jesus", to write down (already started this one) all prayer requests and pray daily for those listed, and to write at least one inspirational blog per week.

Know, too, my friends: If the going gets tough, each Sunday throughout Lent is considered a "mini-Easter", a time when you are allowed, if you choose, to indulge in that piece of chocolate or glass of milk. And, should a negative thought pop into your head when someone cuts you off in traffic or a curse escape your lips, ask God to forgive you and don't forget to forgive yourself, too. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither were your habits. View the changes you are making as opportunities to form a closer and more intimate relationship with Christ. Take up your cross and follow with joy the One who banished sin and death by His death and resurrection.

May this Lenten season be filled with unexpected and wondrous blessings for all of you!

Lent - Part One

Lent is the season in the church year when Christians emulate Jesus' retreat into the wilderness for 40 days after His baptism. It is a time for reflection, prayer, penitence, and self-denial as we prepare to be virtually buried with Christ in the tomb and resurrected with Him on that glorious Easter morning.

In both ancient and medieval times, Lenten practices revolved around food consumption; meat and, in many cases, animal by-products were forbidden although fish was an allowed substitute. "Carnival", the celebration on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, literally means "farewell to meat"! Today, many people still choose this discipline, embracing vegetarianism for Lent or banning a particularly favored food item from their diet such as chocolate, coffee, or ice cream.

Going the food route is all well and good, especially if your denial of these particular pleasures turns your heart and mind toward God for strength to resist temptation and to focus on Him. I would also suggest, however, in this age of technological tempters, that there may be other pastimes we too often fall prey to instead of reading our Bibles or enriching our prayer lives. You might want to analyze how much television you are watching, how often you are hopping on Facebook to play Farmville, or how frequently you are surfing the web when it's not work-related. Are you "Tweeting" like mad? Is there a game on your computer that daily calls your name? Have you just about worn out your Wii?

As much as giving up a food or an activity is crucial during Lent, I have found it just as important to take on a new discipline to fill the void, one which constructively helps me to grow in my spiritual walk. Could you consider joining a prayer group or Bible study or start one yourself? Can you designate more time at home for prayer and meditation? Are you available to volunteer at a homeless shelter, a retirement home, or a food pantry?

As Lent approaches, I hope each one of you will honestly and humbly reflect upon what pastimes are hindering a closer relationship with God and prayerfully consider what needs to be both set aside and done during these 40 days. I invite you to leave your comments on what you will be doing for Lent, either here on my blog or on Facebook. In Lent - Part Two, I will share these anonymously with other readers and also disclose what I have decided to give up and take on for the season.

I'm looking forward to hearing from all of you! Blessings!

Go Ye Therefore and Teach All Nations

Mark 14:15 - And He said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation."

As Christians, we are exhorted time and again to promote the Kingdom of God and the good news of Jesus Christ who has entered our lives and transformed them forever. I hate to admit it, but evangelism has never been my strong suit; the only persons around whom I've ever felt comfortable sharing my faith walk were other Christians. Until an incident that occurred last week, I thought by inviting someone to my church or sharing that my husband and I are in the praise band, I was fulfilling the commandment to spread the Gospel. God revealed to me, gently but firmly, that this was not enough and decided it was high time I understood what true evangelism looks like.

As my daughter, granddaughter and I exited Walmart and neared my car, we were approached by a petite, wiry woman of middle-age wearing a knit beanie cap that appeared cemented to her head. It was the only piece of clothing she sported that was suitable for winter weather. With no wisps of hair escaping from beneath the cap to soften the woman's scarred, pinched face, it formed a cruel frame for her features, making her brown, pleading eyes an anomaly in her otherwise hardened visage. When she spoke, her voice, while not unpleasant, betrayed a slight rasp that suggested years of abuse.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but I'm homeless. Could you spare something to help me get out of this cold?"

Hesitantly, I answered in the affirmative and was instantly inundated by a Pandora's box of conflicting thoughts. "What if she's scamming me? She does look pretty rough, though, like she really has been through the wringer. I don't like her in my space, especially with Sarah and the baby here. Oh, come on, look at her; she's so tiny, the wind could knock her over any minute. Does Walmart know they have a homeless person hitting people up for money right here in their parking lot? Why me, Lord, do I look like a sucker? For heaven's sake, she's God's child, too. Unto the least of these . . ."

I handed the woman five dollars for which she politely thanked me and darted away with surprising speed, either eager to escape the cold or to stalk her next victim. When the three of us were finally settled in the car, she was nowhere in sight. I sighed, said a prayer for her, and cranked the engine for the drive home.

For several days after this encounter, I found myself thinking about the pitiful waif of a woman who had asked me for help. I replayed the scene, trying to determine if I had been duped or if she was truly in the dire straits she claimed to be. I wondered if any other people had opened their purses for her that day as I had and, unexpectedly, I discovered I was praying that they had. That was the moment the Lord opened the eyes of my heart: I had prayed for her, all well and good, but I should have prayed with her! I missed a perfect opportunity to tell her how much Jesus loves her. Had I done so, she would have walked away with so much more than five dollars. I pray that someone else did on that day what I should have done, but I do know that I will never allow a golden moment to share the love of Christ slip from my fingers again.

With whom will you pray today?

Come and See!

John 1:46 - Nazareth? Can anything good come from there?" Nathaniel asked.
"Come and see," said Philip.

It was on a Monday shortly after Christmas that I strolled into Chick-fil-A, kindle in hand, to indulge in an unusual, for me, splurge on my favorite fast food and enjoy some quiet reading time. There they were, gathered in a generous corner of the restaurant, laughing and talking animatedly as our vivacious associate pastor, Emily, led this college group in weekly Bible study. I recognized so many of their faces as they regularly attend the contemporary service at our church where my husband, Danny, leads our praise band, Crossroads. Emily graciously extended an invitation to join them which, thinking these kids probably wouldn't want someone old enough to be their mom crashing their group and having my heart already set on some downtime with a novel, I politely declined.

As I ate my meal and read, the intermittent sound of their voices punctuated my thoughts. I began to wonder if I should have accepted the invitation after all. Although I have attended many different Bible studies over the years, I had not done so for quite some time; I realized with an unexpected urgency that this was a void in my spiritual growth, a gap begging to be filled. By the time I exited the restaurant and climbed into my car, I had decided to e-mail Emily that very afternoon to ask if, in truth, she thought the young folks would mind my presence at their weekly gatherings. She assured me that they would love having me in attendance; after all, I was part of what they considered to be their band and their service. How graciously did God move on my behalf that day!

I have reveled in every Monday since, growing in the Word and the spirit with these marvelous young people. Their candidness, their questions and doubts, and their insights never cease to amaze me. Their fresh perspectives have helped me to view scriptures in a whole new light and I hope my thoughts, seasoned by age, are valuable to them, too.

Before we begin our study, those gathered share what is happening in their lives and at the church. This is how I first learned that the youth praise band, after practicing for six months together, finally felt prepared enough to lead the contemporary service at the end of January. Was I thrilled! Although we in Crossroads love and are profoundly blessed by our ministry, we haven't had a back-up praise band for years - we are it! We could hardly wait for January 30th to roll around so we could listen and give support to these young musicians. There was only one problem to surmount at this point: the group could not decide on a name.

To make a long story short, the youth group's debut was a joyful and praise-filled success. I preened like a proud mama as I watched Gabe, the bass player and very witty member of our study group, perform without a hitch. Sure, there were some nerves evident in the band from time to time, but, in the long run, they pulled it off like pros and were an instant hit with the congregation of which we, for a blessed change, were a part. The band still lacked a moniker, but I prayed that would come in God's time and choosing.

The next day found us once again gathered for lively Bible study, fellowship and, of course, more conversation on how well the youth band had led worship on Sunday. As we prepared to leave, Gabe and Josh were right behind me, so I decided to share a thought.

"Why don't you guys hold a 'Name Our Band' contest at church?"

Both young men transformed into beams of sunlight.

"We decided on one last night," Gabe said brightly and pointed to Josh. "It was his idea. We're Nazareth."

"Nazareth," I repeated, taking on their glow. "I really like that. Way to go!"

Six months ago, when even the drummer couldn't keep rhythm, there were anxious youth leaders wondering if anything good would come out of this group. Certainly, the musicians had their doubts, too, but they persevered and won the day. God gave them, through Josh, the perfect name. It says it all.

The next time Nazareth leads our contemporary service with praise and thanksgiving, I hope you will come and see and worship our Lord through their music. Thanks be to God!