It feels like a while since this blog has contained some raw footage. Raw exposure to my environment. Raw- unedited. Raw-natural, unrefined, untouched-virtually beautifully pure. Raw-no moral of the story applied. Raw-no life lesson gleaned. Just plain, word pictures of what my eyes have encountered in the eyes of those I've met. Eyes of the orphans. Eyes of the beggars. Eyes of the stressed workers. Eyes of people I haven't seen for a while and reveling in their presence. Eyes of people who know no hope. Eyes of people who have sought but haven't found, and gave up. The cry for love and grace is everywhere. Sometimes it rises to the surface. Sometimes it's buried beneath layers and requires shoveling.
When we meet the raw, we make choices. What will I do with this? Am I willing to feel what they are feeling? Or will I choose to walk away and refuse to offer? Am I going to say this is just how life is and stay out of it or am I willing to get messy?
For the long term, what should my involvement be? What is going to help them and not hurt them more?
In the meantime as I'm contemplating all this, 2 different people pass away back in America. 2 different families are grieving the sudden loss of a parent this week. The children of both are people I've either studied with or worked with for a longer period of time. And I can't really understand how they feel right now or what their description of raw would look like. There aren't any answers. And all this has added a whole new thread to my thoughts on raw reality.
This thread adds an urgency to make the most of life. To love well. To be wise about how I use my resources. To reach out and touch those around me who are seeking for love. To be intentional in loving my family from long distance. To not allow the woes of the world to keep me from friending the people in it. To not allow small annoyances and raw issues to become so Big...
Each of us is an uncompleted story. The raw fibers are still be woven and none of us know exactly what the end result is going to be. None of us know what today's pain will weave into our journal. None of us completely can grasp the raw character of another person. None of us choose the pain, the joy, or the circumstances we experience in life. And that pretty much levels the playing field of life.
So why not enjoy each "raw" individual for who they are? Why not just freely love when the other option is? Why not cut ourselves and others some slack and grant grace where it isn't merited?
Today I choose to believe there is beauty in the raw... I choose to believe that God knows what He is making... and I choose to accept that life will always have pain. I choose to allow God to use the messy things in life to make me a better person. And yes, there's a part of me that screaming, "NOOO! don't say that!" I accept the fact that I'm still raw, unfinished, and unrefined. And I accept the truth that God won't leave me in my natural state. I also accept the truth that God will use me to make a difference even while I'm 'undone.'
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Friday, August 10, 2012
Values
What do you always find time for?
What matters to me?
What will I give all my savings to?
What or Who am I allowing to be my Master?
Take a dollar for example. The way I'd spend it is probably different from the way you'd spend it and neither of us may be wrong in how we use it. TM used this as an example at the homeless shelter this week in his message. Values... mine...yours... God's...
As I've been telling people recently that I'm going back to Asia, I've gotten a variety of responses. Some positive. Some questioning that I would go "Again." When it comes down to it, I think it's basically a difference in our values.
For me, Asia/Burmese ppl/human trafficking/member care floats about the top of my list. For starters, I've felt God calling me in this direction. For another reason, it's God's heart that His people go and tell about His glory. He didn't bless me to hog it all to myself. He's blessed me to share the teaching that I've gotten, the money I've made, the faith I have with anyone that crosses my path and anything else He's given me.
Having said all that, there is a part of me that would love to just not be so "out of the box." To just be more "normal." Whatever that is?!!!!!!!!! At the same time, I have zero regrets about where God has taken me over the years. It's been an amazing ride and most certainly is far from boring.
So because I already love these people and care about them on both sides of the globe, I'm going to dive into learning a language that is very different from my own. I'm gonna go in over my head and because I know God, I know I'll survive with crazy stories that are full of His fingerprints. And whatever He's going to teach me along the way may create more "unique and unusual" things in my worldview but I know it's going to be good.
"My Thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My Ways." That means a shift in values. It means being a "peculiar person" for His glory. It means I no longer try to be my kind of "normal" but His kind of 'normal'.
Pray with me as I go on this journey of faith.
What matters to me?
What will I give all my savings to?
What or Who am I allowing to be my Master?
Take a dollar for example. The way I'd spend it is probably different from the way you'd spend it and neither of us may be wrong in how we use it. TM used this as an example at the homeless shelter this week in his message. Values... mine...yours... God's...
As I've been telling people recently that I'm going back to Asia, I've gotten a variety of responses. Some positive. Some questioning that I would go "Again." When it comes down to it, I think it's basically a difference in our values.
For me, Asia/Burmese ppl/human trafficking/member care floats about the top of my list. For starters, I've felt God calling me in this direction. For another reason, it's God's heart that His people go and tell about His glory. He didn't bless me to hog it all to myself. He's blessed me to share the teaching that I've gotten, the money I've made, the faith I have with anyone that crosses my path and anything else He's given me.
Having said all that, there is a part of me that would love to just not be so "out of the box." To just be more "normal." Whatever that is?!!!!!!!!! At the same time, I have zero regrets about where God has taken me over the years. It's been an amazing ride and most certainly is far from boring.
So because I already love these people and care about them on both sides of the globe, I'm going to dive into learning a language that is very different from my own. I'm gonna go in over my head and because I know God, I know I'll survive with crazy stories that are full of His fingerprints. And whatever He's going to teach me along the way may create more "unique and unusual" things in my worldview but I know it's going to be good.
"My Thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My Ways." That means a shift in values. It means being a "peculiar person" for His glory. It means I no longer try to be my kind of "normal" but His kind of 'normal'.
Pray with me as I go on this journey of faith.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Proposals
"Will you ______________?"
"Yes!!!!!"
Do you remember a day when God got intimate with you and asked you a question that would change the rest of your life?
I still remember the day I decided God was a "hopeless" romantic... and will always treasure it...
Recently I've been contemplating what it feels like to God to have us as "lovers." I doubt that He feels that same warm, fuzzy, lovey dovey feeling that I get when I have a special divinely appointed day that reminds me that Someone cares for my heart.
I can't imagine what it must feel like when we come wanting to discuss our work, our journey, our goals and our purpose...everything except our mutual love during those prayer moments. "Good grief! can't we just talk about 'us??!!'
"When are you going to change this or that..." or "God, couldn't You do_____________" or "Please open the door to______________" the list goes on and on...It's a miracle He keeps us alive when the very things we complain about are His gifts of love working for our greater good.
Another classic I'm sure the Trinity rolls their eyes over is when we get a break through. We run all over, telling everyone and then forget to say "Thanks!" Oh, we may utter a thankful thought or two, but we don't sit down and revel in His Love.
If we really think God is awesome, amazing, all-powerful, magnificant, and worthy of all honor and praise, shouldn't we find time to delight in Him? To bow in awe before Him? To find ways to "romance" God?
So in what ways can we romance God?
In what ways can we enjoy Him?
What does it mean to bring Him pleasure?
I don't have answers but I do know that our Relationship with Him is why we exist. Not our work, not our journey, not our goals...no, our purpose is a relationship with God Himself. And then to love all the others-unreached, black, white, brown, creamy, and tanned people by telling them about this amazing Love relationship.
"Yes!!!!!"
Do you remember a day when God got intimate with you and asked you a question that would change the rest of your life?
I still remember the day I decided God was a "hopeless" romantic... and will always treasure it...
Recently I've been contemplating what it feels like to God to have us as "lovers." I doubt that He feels that same warm, fuzzy, lovey dovey feeling that I get when I have a special divinely appointed day that reminds me that Someone cares for my heart.
I can't imagine what it must feel like when we come wanting to discuss our work, our journey, our goals and our purpose...everything except our mutual love during those prayer moments. "Good grief! can't we just talk about 'us??!!'
"When are you going to change this or that..." or "God, couldn't You do_____________" or "Please open the door to______________" the list goes on and on...It's a miracle He keeps us alive when the very things we complain about are His gifts of love working for our greater good.
Another classic I'm sure the Trinity rolls their eyes over is when we get a break through. We run all over, telling everyone and then forget to say "Thanks!" Oh, we may utter a thankful thought or two, but we don't sit down and revel in His Love.
If we really think God is awesome, amazing, all-powerful, magnificant, and worthy of all honor and praise, shouldn't we find time to delight in Him? To bow in awe before Him? To find ways to "romance" God?
So in what ways can we romance God?
In what ways can we enjoy Him?
What does it mean to bring Him pleasure?
I don't have answers but I do know that our Relationship with Him is why we exist. Not our work, not our journey, not our goals...no, our purpose is a relationship with God Himself. And then to love all the others-unreached, black, white, brown, creamy, and tanned people by telling them about this amazing Love relationship.
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