"I Can Do It Myself, Gammie!" Revisited

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who gives me strength.

I have altered this post, which was originally featured here on January 19th of this year, because it so aptly fit Chapter Eight in Jerry Bridges' book, The Discipline of Grace.  If you've read the post before, please bear with me, and see for yourself how the lessons resonate.

My husband, Danny, and I have our granddaughter, Virginia Rose, over to spend a Friday night with us.  We wanted to have her in the worst way over the Christmas holidays, but because everyone in her household was sick, we couldn't risk it.  So it's been a while since we've spent any one-on-one time with our little angel, and we are looking forward to every minute together.

The biggest change I observe in Virginia is her self-assured demeanor.  It's not that she hasn't displayed confidence in the past; she is always willing to try new things, but now she firmly verbalizes her self-reliance.

"I can do it myself, Gammie."

I hear that phrase time and time again, whether it's breaking eggs into the cookie mixture, stirring in the M&Ms, placing teaspoons of dough on the baking sheets, lugging a board game upstairs from its storage place in the downstairs closet, readying the game for a round of fun, or changing into pajamas, the mantra repeats.

"I can do it myself, Gammie."

But where Virginia's declared confidence truly shines is when she insists she can clean up after having her way with flour play on the kitchen counter.  This Gammie is skeptical (and, yes, I do help some), but I'm amazed at how much she is able to accomplish without a smidgen of help from me.

Not bad for a five-year-old!

While I understand how important it is for children to develop their abilities and skills, the "do-it-myself" mentality can become an obstacle, a stumbling block, to their spiritual and emotional growth down life's road.  Children must also learn that asking for help when the task before them is daunting is not a sign of weakness or shame.  It is life-giving.

In Chapter Eight of The Discipline of Grace, author, Jerry Bridges, writes:  "If we are to make any progress in the pursuit of holiness, we must assume our responsibility to discipline and train ourselves.  But we are to do all this in the total dependence on the Holy Spirit to work in us and strengthen us with the strength that is in Christ."

Virginia, observing and then following the actions taught her, is learning to discipline and train herself.  But the challenge remains for her parents and grandparents to show her the path that leads to holiness.  The path that leads to dependence upon the Holy Spirit, the One who inspires and enables her to have the strength and determination to complete the work to which God has called her.

Life-long, life-giving dependence.

The best kind there is.

Amen.

~

For the next five weeks, I will be participating in a study of Jerry Bridges' The Discipline of Grace.  It is facilitated by fellow Christian bloggers, Jason Stasyszen and Sarah Salter, who invite you to read the book along with us.  Join me here next Wednesday for a new reflection.  God bless!

New Every Morning

Lamentations 3:22-23
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

I'm not a morning person.

Don't get me wrong.  I love getting up in the morning, especially when everyone else is still sleeping.  It's so quiet and peaceful on our deck, with only the soothing sound of melodious bird song.  That's where I sit with my first cup of coffee, weather permitting.

But I'm not a morning person.

My head stays cloudy, fuzzy, until I'm draining my second cup.  I can peruse emails and check who has a birthday on Facebook, but half the time, with a few exceptions, I don't recall a thing I've read.  Whose birthday was it again today?  Did I remember to tweet that excellent blog?

And I won't, I can't, listen to any music or video before ten o'clock.  Period!

Do I talk with God?  Yes, but these are hazy bits and pieces of prayer.  Usually, the only things I'm lucid enough to verbalize are prayers of thanksgiving.  That's good, I suppose.  But it's only later in the day when I can pray in earnest, read scripture, and feel fully awake to His presence.

I'm not a morning person.

The irony in this is that I've thought of myself as a morning person for most of my life.  Maybe that is due to how early I had to rise in order to get my kids to school and me to work.  I had to jump start.  I had to rush (I despise rushing).  I had to push, push, push my reluctant self.

When I leave teaching, everything begins to shift.  I become more aware of my natural body rhythms when I begin blogging, and later, embarking on what would become the three novels in my Adventures in The Glade series.  What I discover is that my mornings are better suited to mundane tasks, like the gym and errands, whereas my afternoons, ideally between one and four o'clock, are my peak writing hours.

My mind is sharp, awake and aware.  My creative juices flow like torrent.

I am in my element!

So it should come as no surprise that today's blog takes shape in those afternoon hours so ideal for me.

No, I'm not a morning person.

But I am glad and grateful for each new morning the Lord gives me, and for His unfailing compassion and faithfulness.

~

Are you an early bird, an afternoon achiever, or a night owl?

Prayer:  Father, we thank You for Your great love for us and Your compassions that never fail.  No matter what time of the day or night it is, let us ever give thanks for the mercy and grace You show us each and every day.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

I Love You, Mrs. Orlando!

John 14:21
"Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.  The one who loves me will be loved by my father, and I too will love them and show myself to them."

When I teach seventh grade, I set high expectations for my students, both in the academic and behavioral arenas.  I know there will always be some children who never meet either one, but every day, I'm determined to try my best by encouraging them individually, and letting them know I genuinely care for each one of them.

The students, by and large, strive to achieve excellence.  But there are always the exceptions:  Those children, who no matter what effort is made on my part, refuse to stay the course.  In fact, they seem to reap an unhealthy satisfaction in making life difficult for their teachers.

One young man, in particular, floats to the surface of my memories; we'll call him "Max."  Max never walks into the classroom, he bounces in, chattering and jostling his fellow students.  Finding his seat is a daily challenge.  Focusing on the topic at hand is never high on his priority list.  Entertaining his classmates with silly faces, and turning around to talk to the person behind him?  That's Max's M.O.!

Needless to say, Max demands much of my attention, which detracts from the moments I could be interacting with my other students.  I must admit, there are times I find myself wishing Max would miss a day of school.

He never does . . .

One day, when it seems as though I've visited Max's desk for the umpteenth time to quietly correct him, he devises a new tactic.  As I'm moving down the row to help another student, Max calls out, "I love you, Mrs. Orlando!"  Of course, the entire class dissolves into hilarity, and it takes everything I have inside me to settle them down in the calmest way I can muster.

The dismissal bell rings.  "Max!"  I say sternly as he scrambles for the door.  "Come here a minute, please."

Reluctantly, Max approaches my desk.  I detect a slight flush rising on his cheeks.  Could he actually be feeling embarrassed, or is he fearful I will be calling his parents tonight?  "What is it, Mrs. Orlando?"  Max asks.  There is definitely a quaver of uncertainty in his voice.

"It's about what you blurted out in class today," I tell him.  "Calling out 'I love you, Mrs. Orlando' right after I had refocused you on your work, and disrupting the entire class.  That is inappropriate and unacceptable."

"But I do love you, Mrs. Orlando!"  Max adamantly insists.

"Look at me," I say, locking my gaze on his.  "Max, if you really loved me, you would obey me."

~

In Chapter Seven of his book, The Discipline of Grace, author, Larry Bridges, states:  "If we are to love God with all our heart and soul and mind, and if obedience is a major part of such love, then it follows that we are to obey Him with all our heart and soul and mind.  We are to put everything we have into obedience to Him."

Are we, then, as professing Christians, merely giving God lip-service when we declare our love for Him, or are we submitting all that we have and are to Him in complete obedience to His will?  Are we, like Max, declaring one thing, yet doing another that in no way reflects true love for the Lord?

May we all pause today, and reflect intently upon where we stand on the obedience scale when it comes to Jesus' commandments.

Amen.

For the next six weeks, I am participating in a study of Jerry Bridges' The Discipline of Grace.  It is led by fellow Christian bloggers, Jason Stasyszen and Sarah Salter, who invite you to read the book along with us.  Tune in next Wednesday when I will be writing a reflection on Chapter Eight.

God bless!

Whatever! (Part 2)

Crossroads; L-R:  Zac, electric guitar; Mark, drums; me, vocals and percussion; Danny, lead vocals and guitar; Rob, bass

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.

If you have followed Meditations of My Heart for a time now, you may recall that my word for the year is "whatever."  Yes, I know how flippant that sounds, but taken in the context of Paul's words quoted above, it has developed rich dimensions for me as the year has progressed.  You can read my original "Whatever!" post here.

When our praise band, Crossroads, gathers together in the choir room to rehearse before church one Sunday in January, Danny makes a random comment, which I can't recall at the moment, and Mark, our drummer, responds good-naturedly, "Whatever!"  Of course, we all laugh, even Danny, and I take that opportunity to share with the band why that is my word of the year.

"Whatever" becomes, at that moment, not just my word, but the buzzword for the entire group.  Though we still us it jokingly during Sunday morning rehearsals, we are cognizant of its deeper meaning:  "Whatever" happens, God has our backs.  He will see us through.

Recently, Danny and I are faced with a tough decision regarding the future of Crossroads.  Our mothers are getting up in years, and Danny's mom's health is declining.  Weekends are the only time we can visit either one of them.  With Sundays being taken up week after week with leading contemporary worship, this places constraints upon our flexibility.

We determine that it's time to leave.

After thirteen years of service to the church, this is a heart-wrenching decision for Danny, but he knows it's the right one to make.  The loss grieves us; there has been nothing more satisfying in our marriage than these precious times when we've had the honor to worship God together through the gifts of music He has so graciously given us.

As I ramble through my first churchless Sunday in I can't remember when, my heart is heavy and tears well unbidden.  Yet God, in His infinite mercy, brings to mind the words spoken by Maria (Julie Andrews) in The Sound of Music:  When God closes a door, somewhere He opens a window.

Danny and I have yet to see the window, but we know by faith it is there and waiting.

Just around the next bend in the road.  Or maybe, after the next hundred bends and twists and turns.

Whatever!

God has our backs.

He will see us through.

Always!

~

When and where has God closed a door in your life, but opened a window?

Prayer:  Father, in faith we come before You today, submitting in obedience to Your will.  Whatever may happen, Lord, we know we are Your children for whom You care immeasurably.  May our hearts and minds be focused on all that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable in Your sight that we might shine Your love into all the world.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall . . .

2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

As my brother and I are growing up, our family makes the 1,000 mile trek from Georgia to Massachusetts every summer to visit grandparents, aunts and uncles and, of course, our cousins.  One of the highlights of this trip is the pilgrimage to Lincoln Park, a pre-Disney/Six-Flags amusement venue replete with rides including the Ferris wheel, carousels, one of which features cars and motorcycles instead of the traditional horses, and a towering, wooden roller coaster, dubbed The Comet, which we were either not tall enough to ride, or too chicken to try.

But our all-time favorite attraction in the park is the iconic Fun House.  It is a veritable maze of crooked, sinuous walkways, stifling tunnels, unexpected twists and turns, all designed to provoke amusement and surprise.  The part I recall the most, however, is the row of distorting mirrors that alter our reflections in tortuous and disturbing ways.  Although I humor my cousins by laughing right along with them at our bulbous heads, extended bellies, and elongated arms and legs, I find it more unsettling than anything else.

In Chapter Six of his book, The Discipline of Grace, author, Jerry Bridges, writes:  "Our specific responsibility in the pursuit of holiness as seen in 2 Corinthians 3:8, then, is to behold the glory of the Lord as it is displayed in the gospel.  The gospel is the 'mirror' through which we now behold His beauty.  One day we shall see Christ, not as in a mirror, but face to face.  Then, 'we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is' (1 John 3:2).  Until then we behold Him in the gospel."

Just as you and I look into our mirrors every day when brushing our teeth or combing our hair, and we see only a reflection of our true selves, so the gospel gives us a reflection of who Christ really is.  That is how, on this side of heaven, we can be transformed by the Spirit to become more Christ-like with each passing day.

And unlike the Fun House mirrors, flawed things of this world that aim to distort and misrepresent the truth, the gospel mirror is clear and unadulterated, reflecting nothing but the Truth.

The Truth that we, as Christians, should pursue with every fiber of our being.

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. ~1 Corinthians 13:12

Until that day, you and I can only imagine . . . 

(Click on "I Can Only Imagine" to hear the song.)

Amen!

~

For the next seven weeks, I will be participating in a study of Jerry Bridges' The Discipline of Grace.  It is led by fellow Christian bloggers, Jason Stasyszen and Sarah Salter, who welcome you to read the book along with us, and chime in at any time you feel moved to do so.  Hope to see you here next Wednesday as we reflect on Chapter Seven.  God bless!

When It Rains . . .

Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it be measured to you.

Last Friday is a long workday for my husband, Danny, who most of you know does the cooking here at the Orlando Cafe.  "Why don't we just order a pizza?"  I suggest.

Danny is visibly relieved.  "That sounds great to me," he says, and promptly proceeds to go on line to place an order with our newest, favorite pizza chain, Marco's.  (If you like thin crust, friends, theirs is to die for!)

"Scheduled delivery time: 7:12," Danny announces, glancing at his watch.  "Thirty minutes sounds too good to be true, but we'll see."  And changing the subject, he adds, "After we eat, I'm going to have to run the sprinklers again.  This ninety-degree heat is going to kill the moss."

"Not to mention kill our water bill," I observe.  "Isn't there any chance of a pop-up storm tonight?"

"Doesn't look that way right now," says Danny.

I sigh, and decide to spend some time on Facebook before the pizza arrives.  Danny does the same.  Before we know it, there is a knock on the door.  "Can that be the Marco's delivery guy so quickly?"  I ask in amazement.

"Seven-twelve!"  Danny declares.  "Right on the button!"

He pays the driver while I hurriedly grab napkins, plates and forks.  Danny sets the pizza box and an order of chicken wings on the table.  Chicken wings???  He never orders chicken wings!  Oh, well, maybe he had a hankering for them.  Come to think of it, I'm in the mood for wings, too.  No sooner are the pizza slices on our plates and the first bites taken, when there is another knock on the door.  Danny and I exchange quizzical looks as he gets up to answer it.

Momentarily, Danny returns to the table with another pizza box and an order of chicken nuggets.  "What's all this?"  I wonder aloud.

"This is the order I originally placed," Danny explains.  "The driver got them mixed up, so it looks like we got two meals for the price of one!"

"What a deal!"  I exclaim, laughing.  "When it rains, it pours!"

"Sure wish it would," Danny responds.

We enjoy our meal, and store the leftovers, which are plenteous, in the fridge.  As I begin to load the dishwasher, I hear it faintly, still in the distance.  It is the unmistakable sound of thunder.  Can it be?  Could we possibly be in the path of this pop-up?  Oh, Lord, let it rain!

As if on cue, I hear the first pitter-patter of rain hitting the stove vent.  The leaves on the maple tree outside the kitchen window reflect the first shimmering drops.  And then?

The bottom drops out!

No wishy-washy rain here.  It's a gully-washer!

As Danny and I watch gleefully from our French doors that look out on our deck, we both feel overwhelmingly blessed.  Unexpected food in the fridge and no sprinklers tonight!

Danny looks at me and smiles.  "When it rains, it pours!"

~

When did God last shower you with unexpected blessings?

Prayer:  Father, thank You for all the good things You give to us in abundance, more than we could ask for, and much more than we deserve.  May we continue to give to and love others as You commanded, showing them Your light and grace.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Good Job!

Romans 11:6
And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell us how difficult parenting can be.  When my children are growing up, I make a few, some, a LOT of mistakes along the way.  One of these blunders, which is recently called to my attention here, is the use of the seemingly innocuous accolade:  Good job!

Why, you ask, should parents avoid saying good job to their children if, indeed, they have done particularly well at a particular task?  There are two reasons: 1) It doesn't show engagement with the activity, only a reaction to it, and 2) it is praise based on the child's performance.  While some of you may still be thinking there is nothing inherently wrong with that, it can become an addictive tool in the hands of a child.  He or she sees that what is done and done right earns parental praise, so strives to perform (or out-perform for the Type A) just to feel accepted and loved.

In Chapter Five of The Discipline of Grace, author, Larry Bridges, writes:  "We are performance oriented by nature, and our culture and sometimes our upbringing reinforces this legalistic mind-set.  All too often a child's acceptance by his or her parent is based on the child's performance, and this certainly tends to be true in our society.  We carry this same type of thinking into our relationship with God.  So, whether it is our response to God's discipline of us or our practice of those spiritual disciplines that are so good and helpful, we tend to think it is the 'law' of God rather than the grace of God that disciplines us."

We can, and too often do, as Christians, mistakenly suppose that our good jobs in this world will make God love us even more.  Impossible!  Because God already loves us immeasurably.  We can do nothing to add to or detract from His great love.

But because we have God's salvation through grace, that grace, in turn, flows through us, convicting us to do good works in His name and for His glory.  It is a discipline that encourages us to move forward in faith, and shapes us to become more and more like Jesus every day.

God's grace will change us for the better when we submit our wills, fully and unconditionally, to His.

We will no longer crave to hear those two little word, good job.  Instead, we will rest in the promise found in Philippians 1:6 " . . . he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." 

Amen!

~

For the next eight weeks, I will be participating in a study of Jerry Bridges' The Discipline of Grace.  It is led by fellow Christian bloggers, Jason Stasyszen and Sarah Salter, who welcome you to read the book along with us and join in on the discussion.  Hope to see you back here next Wednesday.  God bless!