Sacred Mundane: The Blog

I am honored to have a few friends the age of my mom. Four in particular stand out to me, and they have come to be real, true friends in every sense. We pray together, talk together, and learn from each other. The other day one of these sister-mother-friends wrote me an email in response to one of my posts and shared a little story. I’d like to share it with you …

It reminds me of the time I was learning to scuba dive.  My dear man, Damon, was my master diver instructor, so I trusted him with my life.  One time he put me in the middle of a small lake that was muddy and had poor visibility.  It was used for teaching rescue/recovery techniques, so there was a submerged car and an airplane at the bottom of the lake.  He told me to sit on the wing of the airplane and stay there until he came back for me.  Then he left, disappearing into the murky water.  He was gone for awhile, and so I just sat there, listening to myself breath, since I couldn’t see anything further than a foot away.  And then I saw the dark shadow moving near me, and he appeared and motioned for me surface.  He told me that he was so proud of me to sticking it out and not panicking, as he had actually seen grown men do.

But I’m sure the difference is that I knew whom I trusted.  I knew he would not put me in danger.  

Do you see the implication that I am making?  I can draw the parallel, and realize that Jesus would never put me in danger, that I can trust Him with my life, even when the water is murky and I can’t see more than a few inches in front of me.

Oh, by the way, did I tell you, I can’t swim?!  (the secret is in the equipment)

Her simple story brought tears to my eyes that day and it does today as well.

Friends, our beloved Heavenly Husband is our trusted Instructor. And perhaps today He’s called you to sit alone in the midst of dark, murky waters, and sit on the wing of a crashed airplane with no instructions whatsoever except, “Wait for me here.”

That’s it. Just, “Wait for me here.”

What will you do? Panic? Bolt for the surface? Begin a frenzied search for Him? Will you do? What will I do? Will I focus on the blackness, the murkiness, the fact that I can’t swim! Or will I focus on remembering Whom I have trusted? Will I focus on remembering His goodness, His faithfulness, His love. That fact that He can do immeasurably more than I could ever ask or imagine.

I am, by the grace of God, going to sit on that airplane wing today. In the dark and murky waters, alone, and wait for my God.

Because He will show up. That I know.  

Thank you, my mother-sister-friend for sharing your story with me. And thank you all for reading.

Strangely enough, I can still remember asking my mom the question when I was all of 7-years-old:

“Mommy, can I have a report card like the kids at school?”

I can still remember her smile. Her looking down at me. Her reply: “Honey, you are doing great. You work hard, you have a great attitude, and you’re learning lots. I’m so pleased with you. Why do you want a report card?”

Why did I want a report card? I don’t know. I was homeschooled. I didn’t have to have one. But I remember her kindly humoring me and taking a sheet of paper, writing my name, and making a list of A’s down the side with categories such as “cares for others,” “works hard,” and “listens well.” I clutched the hand-written report and beamed.

Now I have to chuckle and shake my head at this story. Partly because I still find myself 25 years later walking around the world and looking for a report card. Please? Or, worse–seeing everything in the world as one giant report card. Each day ends with a giant letter grade scribbled across the page of my life. Have you ever been there?

Sometimes it’s my kids. If we have a smooth day with cheerful attitudes or they sit quietly in church, I have an A. If they’re particularly sour or we had an incident at the store, I’m down to a D- and wish I weren’t even in the class.

Sometimes it’s my husband.  Even though my man is awesome, way too often I have believed the lie that if he’s struggling it’s because I’ve somehow failed on my end. Haven’t submitted enough or been joyful enough or haven’t given him enough lovin’. No matter what the issue is, surely his struggle must indicate my failure. It’s just another unfortunate report card.

Sometimes it’s my writing. Can I just be brutally honest and say that sometimes I hate all the tweets and pins and shares? Can I just say that sometimes, just sometimes, Facebook “likes” can feel like a giant report card? Sometimes, when my eyes are not on Jesus or my heart is in a bad space, it can feel like daily standing naked before an audience and watching a thousand thumbs point up or down. Is it any wonder writer’s block plagues us at times?

Sometimes it’s ministry, friendships, the state of my house or the number on the scale or a whole host of other ridiculous “whatevers” that that particular day might hold. Anything can be taken by the enemy and folded into a nice paper report card, by which my happiness can come …

… and go.

The truth is, whatever the report card of the day might say, if we look to it to find our worth we are well on our way to misery.

The truth is, the world is not your report card. 

The truth is, some days your kids are angels and some days they are … something else. Some days your man will be flourishing and some days he will struggle too … just like you. Some days you will be celebrated and some days you will be forgotten.

Just like Jesus. 

His children misbehave sometimes. His Bride struggles often. His Word usually isn’t “liked” much at all. 

What does that mean?

It means we must remember that our report card was a list of F’s for every category. But there is now, written in His blood, the name JESUS printed across the top, cancelling out every debt, every failure, every shortcoming.

We no longer need a report card. Jesus Christ nailed ours to the cross and told us, once and for all, we are accepted and beloved in Him. My mom’s words, “I”m so pleased with you. Why do you need a report card?”

You’re right, Mom.

I don’t. 

~

{Because Jesus is enough and His blood covers it all. Be free today from the shackles of a report-card existence. I pray blessing for you today … thanks for reading}

Chalk it up to hormones, fatigue, or just the whole it’s-49-degrees-and-raining-in-June thing, but sometimes we just get the blues. You know, right? Almost as soon as your feet hit the floor you’re tempted to tuck them back in that warm bed and stay most the day.

I had one of those days last week. I think it was just a culmination of the life-weeding, mice-hunting, soul-searching , sky-raining, and a touch of writer’s block. Somehow everywhere I looked I just saw more reason to be bummed. Why?

Because all the places I’d looked had been at myself. 

A surefire way to sink straight down into the mire. Thankfully, my husband refuses to let me stay in that place, and he suggested that a run might be in order.  I laced up my shoes with a scowl on my face.

Within a couple steps someone’s face came to mind. A friend who I dearly love, who I knew was having a rough go of things. Immediately I knew the reason God had wanted me to run, as I could go by her house and pray for her before she started her day. I turned the corner off my normal route and headed to her house.

Instantly I felt better. Instantly.

After leaving her place, I sniffed up my tears (it was so good to see her!), and headed back home, at a little quicker pace and with energy I hadn’t felt before. I clicked my ipod on and this worship song came on … the words:

When we give our life away … oh the earth starts spinning again.

When we’re in our funk doesn’t it feel like the earth is standing still? That’s how it felt for me. Like nothing was changing. I wasn’t changing. Circumstances weren’t changing. Just stuck. Stuck in my funk. Stuck tired. Stuck, stuck, stuck. Like the earth–my world–was stuck in one place.

When we give our life away … oh the earth starts spinning again.

Providence just so had it that the day was filled with more opportunities for others. We visited and took a gift to someone we love who was going through a painful situation. More tears, more prayers, more laughs, more smiles. Then we headed to Doernbecher children’s hospital to visit a dear friend whose son was having surgery. Another blessed opportunity to love, to forget about my silly self and embrace the joy of relationship. Since we were out and about past noon, I decided to surprise the kids with a treat, and we snagged a Trader Joe’s pizza for lunch. They were deliriously happy!

By the time we returned home, I’d all but forgotten my funk. Now please hear my heart, I’m not saying that clinical depression or real, true sorrow is just “quick fixed” by going to visit someone or getting your kids a treat. But, if you’re anything like me, life just hits with little funks and moods that threaten my joy more often than I care to admit. And it is these little leaks that deflate us and leave us dragging in discouragement.

So besides the obvious–prayer, worship, meditating on Scripture–the next best RX for the blues is to just get out there and do something for someone else. Write a card. Visit. Pray for someone. Call someone. Think through your friends and consider who might need some encouragement, then think through her love language and figure out the best way you can bless her. Think about a way you can surprise your husband with something out of the ordinary. Think of what treat your kids might enjoy and spoil them–just a little–for the day.

Do you need a little extra  umph today? A little energy and joy to bring back that spring in your step? Take 5 minutes this morning to think through who you might bless today. Then give your life away and receive a dose of joy in return…

{Thanks for reading.}

Needless to say, I’m feeling a little blessed by friendships right now. My weekend was full of friend’s faces, hugs, laughter, and way too much amazing dessert. But that’s what birthdays are for!

Now, we’re 2/3 the way through our challenge … hang in there! Keep with it; let’s continue to the end and learn all we can from meditating on these scriptures and living them out each day, ok? Ready for week 4? Lord, give us grace and strength to continue in these this week …

Monday, June 11: Romans 15:14: “Instruct one another.”

This probably isn’t the most instinctive “one another” for most of us. Encouraging each other, yes. Loving each other, yes. Instructing each other? Yes. Sure, we’re not all gifted teachers and not all called to formal teaching settings, but we all teach each other. A perfect example was my weekend. Some girlfriends and I gathered and through the natural course of conversation we instructed each other. Melissa told us all about homesteading and her lavender business and keeping bees and Candi and I were hanging on every word. I almost started taking notes. Candi taught us about makeup and skincare. Abbey taught us about fashion. Janae taught me about friendship. All of them taught me by their actions, words, example. We all instruct each other, all the time. The question is: What does your life teach? What words come out of your mouth? What are you instructing people in by the words that you say and the actions you live? What do people learn from you? Something to consider today … 

Tuesday, June 12: Ephesians 4:25: “Speak truthfully.”

This last weekend I was so blessed by a friend who went out of her way to clarify a situation so that she was completely truthful and not misleading. She easily could have let it go but she went out of her way to just be over-the-top clear and not misleading or misrepresenting herself in any way. I love that! SUCH integrity. Such honesty and humility. That is so attractive to me and makes me want to be her friend even more.  Another friend and I had a long talk about our hopes and expectations for the future, and shared some really honest things that helps us understand each other better. I can tend to be a people-pleaser, so I’d rather just agree than really speak the truth and risk disagreeing. But real friends are able to disagree and still love each other. The key–speak the truth in love. Is this honesty helpful? Pray today about ways you can become more honest in your friendships, in ways that edify you and your friend. Then take action!

Wednesday, June 13: Ephesians 4:2: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

Without a doubt, we will have opportunity to practice this with our friends. Are we patient when someone irritates us? Are we humble when they say something that bruises our ego? Are we gentle or do we just spew out whatever is on our minds? Are we careful and tender and patient and gentle, or are we harsh? This is a great balance with yesterday’s challenge, because we must always temper our honesty with humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearance. This verse is worth memorizing. Tape this one up above your kitchen sink and memorize today. It just might come in handy … 🙂

Thursday, June 14: Colossians 3:13: “Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.”

Take some time this morning and ask God is there is any trace of unforgiveness in your heart. So often we forgive something once, and then it creeps back up in our minds and hearts and next thing you know you’re holding it back over that person. Choose to forgive again. Really go to battle this day and ask God to help you gain ground and victory in forgiveness. Ask Him to help you understand the gospel and how great was the debt that He paid. Spend time in prayer today and choose to forgive that person, whoever he or she is who comes to mind.

Friday, June 15: Galatians 5:25: Don’t provoke or envy one another.

Envy is one we always must be on guard against. What is it that you most tend to envy? Another woman’s success? Home? Children? Husband? Status? Looks? Whatever it is that we most tend to envy is a clue to what our idol is. We tend to envy whatever it is that we find our identity in, or what we’ve made our false god, our idol. We tend to think, “I’d be happy if I only had ______________ that she has.” That is a lie from the pit of hell. Everything that we need for life and godliness is given to us. Today, identify what it is you most tend to envy in others, and ask God to give you freedom from that idol. On a related note, be purposeful today not to provoke each other. We often unwittingly provoke each other by our silent competition. When we try to be better, we’re silently provoking others to join into our deadly competition. Don’t compete. Lose the race. Sit down on the sidelines and bask in who God made you to be.

Saturday, June 16: James 4:11: “Do not slander one another.”

Ok girls, slander sounds harsh, but we’ve done it. All of us.  How do you choose to describe someone? Do you use a palette of grace? Or do you paint people in a way that highlights their blemishes and accentuates your own worth? Do you talk about another woman in a way that she’d be happy to hear? Always think: If the person I am taking about were listening to me, would they be happy with what I’m saying. That doesn’t mean we’re fake, but it does mean we’re fair.  Always, always, always, believe the best. Paint people in a forgiving light. Love covers a multitude of sins. Cover sin by your words and paint people with grace.

Sunday, June 17: Matthew 5:23-24; 18:15: Re-establish broken relationships with one another.

This is the culmination of everything we’ve done this week. As we’ve asked God to help us forgive, we’ve chosen not to slander, we’ve been truthful and yet patient, gracious, gentle. And now … take a step. Is there anyone God brings to mind who you need to re-establish a broken relationship with? Who is it? What face comes to mind? Ask God what His will is regarding this relationship and what you can do to heal it, if at all possible. Read through the Matthew 5 & 18 passages today and ask Him for specific guidance for possibly approaching this person. Perhaps, even, on Father’s Day, it is your father? Go the extra mile today to reach out and bless your dad, no matter what he’s been like. And most of all, as much as depends on you, live at peace with all people.

Praying you have a blessed Monday! Thanks so much for reading.