Moving Buddy

"Has everyone got a moving buddy?" A classic line from Toy Story, but so true in our lives, too. And not just when you're moving to a new house or a new apartment. But we need a moving buddy to help us as we move from one place in our lives to another. A person to help us see the Lord's hand in hard times and share the joy in the good. Or just listen while you tell her all your life updates over lunch (seriously, non-stop sentences, until her entire lunch was gone. Sorry, Kathy. But thank you.)

"If you don't have one, get one!"

Even in the Crowd

I like crowds. I like the momentum
a crowd can bring. I like the noise
and the excitement a crowd can create.

But I am so grateful to know that to my Lord I am more than just part of a crowd. And that I have friends that He uses to remind me of that when I start to feel alone, even in the crowd.

Yesterday, He told me twice He knew exactly where I was and how I was. Once in a text. Once in our Journey Group.

How awesome is my Lord that He would do that for me! And how awesome are the friends He has given me that He moves in and through!

Totally Random Discoveries

Some things have come across my path and/or brain the last couple of days that have impressed me:

First, Sunday's service was one of the most powerful I have been in. Ross' message was strong, the cardboard testimonies were compelling and the baptisms were so moving. The tears were flowing, rejoicing at the privilege to be a part of what God is using to help people where they are.

Second, I heard the best message I have ever heard addressed

to women. You need to hear this.

http://www.newspring.cc/series/beautiful

Get the audio or watch the video. It's worth your time.







Finally, I believe I have discovered the cause of ADD:

Babies cannot see clearly when they are born. Controlling the direction that they look and the ability to focus develops over the first 6-8 months. So what do we do. Put this mass of bright colors and objects in their face. What must they think? Their eyes are seeing big, bright objects, dangling in their face. One giant color blob comes in and out of their view, continually, as long as they are left laying under this. What a scary sight that must be. "AHHH, what's that, or that, or that?" Nonstop colors, objects, and movements. They are constantly being bombarded beyond their ability to process the brain impulses. I think it sets their brain into a pattern of being shocked from every angle, and as they grow, their brain never gets a chance to settle down!!! Donations to continue this research will be gladly accepted in the form of cash or Starbucks cards.

Lost

I hate when things get lost. I can spend a lot of time looking for something that I lost. Especially if I know, or think I know, the general area where it may have gone astray. I really, really, need things to be where they are suppose to be, which is where I want them, of course!


So this is the story of a lost ring. But not just any ring. The ring that my dad made when he was a teenager, from a quarter. He made a hole in the middle of the quarter with a nail, and then beat it with a hammer, around and around and around until, over the course of several weeks, he fashioned a ring. It was a pretty amazing ring. You could still make out some of the ridges from the edge of the quarter on the inside of the ring. But from the outside, you would have never known that it was made from a coin. The ring came up in conversation at my parents house about a year ago, and the decision was made to give the ring to Stuart. This is where my concerns begin. This is a sentimental ring. Stuart is 16. Stuart is a guy. I'm not sure this is such a good idea.


But Stuart liked the idea. And the ring. He wore it. A lot. A few months later, I noticed he hadn't wore it for several days. I asked the dreaded question. Where's the ring?


"I lost it".


My heart sank. My stomach ached. But where? How? Why didn't you tell me? (ok, that was a no brainer. ) It turned out, he had taken the ring off in fear of losing it while he was playing a game, and the shorts had a hole in the pocket........They had back tracked and searched but with no luck. For several days, I felt sick. This ring was what my dad had made. It couldn't be replaced. For several weeks, I would think about calling the places he had been to see if it had turned up. And after several months, I accepted that it was lost. I still felt sad when I thought of it, but I conceded that life would go on, and I went on.


Many months later I walked into my kitchen and found a silver ring lying on the counter. I held my breath, picked up the ring and looked inside. There were the ever so slightly visible ridges. The ring was back! But how? When? Where? It turned out that Stephen had been cleaning out his truck and found this ring, not even realizing that it was THE ring. But how did it get in his truck? We didn't look there. It wasn't where I thought it was lost. It wasn't found by any of the methods that I was sure would work. How could this have happened this way? Ok, it doesn't matter. The ring is back, and the heart that had sank, now soared.


Immediately when that thought crossed my mind, the Spirit said to my heart, " And those who you love that are lost, will be found. It may not be how you think, by what methods or means you would plan. But, I, the God who knows where that ring has been all this time, know where the lost are, as well as I know the time and place they will be found."


And my heart that had sank, now soars.

Burnt Pancakes

This morning I burned the pancakes. Well, not all the pancakes, but more than one. The problem is that I can't do just one thing at a time. I mean, with all there is to be done, I can't just stand here, wasting time, waiting for this pancake to cook. I could be logging onto the internet, or checking my daytimer for today's appointments. So, I would pour the batter, run to the desk, log on, and open my email, run back to the kitchen and flip the pancake. Rats! It burnt. Toss that one, pour the next scoop of batter, run back to the desk, open the first email, delete it, run back to the kitchen and flip the pancake. Rats! Again. Repeat 2 more times. At this point I made myself stay in the kitchen and finish the pancakes.

As the smell of the burnt pancakes filtered through the house, I thought to myself, "What is the obsession with doing so many things at once?" Do I always have to have seven things going? I do. It seems the more there is to do, the happier I am. But the next question made me stop. "Was Jesus a multi-tasker?" No. He did one thing at a time, and He gave it His complete attention. It wasn't that He didn't have a lot going on in His life. He had the mind of God. He knew what people around Him were thinking. His mind was on everyone at all times. Yet He met each person and event completely focused.

When He was healing, He healed all the sickness. No mention of Him turning to the disciples between illnesses and saying, "Hey, Peter, you want to go down by the bait shop and pick up some minnows. It looks like a nice afternoon for fishing." He focused on the sick.

When He taught, He sat in a boat and focused on the crowd on the shore that had followed to hear His words. There isn't any indication that He asked John what the weather forecast was for that day. Don't want to be down here on the lake when a squall comes up......

Even when He prayed, He didn't go to the local IHOP to pray and worship with the crowd. He went to a lonely place and focused on His Father.
(Not knocking IHOP--in fact, Jesus gave the directions for the first IHOP meeting "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised..")

When He was walking in the crowd, the woman reached out and touched his hem, and he stopped. I'm sure while Jesus was talking to the woman she felt like she was the only person in the world in His eyes.

In a world that facilitates constant and immediate connections to everyone and everything we want, instantly and simultaneously,

Lord, let my eyes focus like Yours.

The Adventure Begins

So, welcome to my blog. Stacie told me to make one, and, being the good parent that I am, I agreed. But putting your life's perspective into two words took a bit longer than I had anticipated. I couldn't get past the title. So, after a time of focusing on what I think my life is about, I decided on the title, Caffinated Adventure.

The caffinated part was easy. My life is definately caffinated. And, though I have spent a good part of the last year complaining of my confined life, recently I have come to realize, indeed my life is an adventure. I just didn't know it. The Lord has moved me, drastically, this last year. And in the last six months especially, to a place that is beyond anywhere I have been with Him. My perspective has changed. I see with new vision. How can I possibly be confined, lonely, and bored when the God of all creation is not only with me daily, but has purposely created THIS day in THIS place just for me. He planned for me to be right here, today. What part of anything that He orchestrates is boring? I have just missed the adventure He had in each day for me. I have learned:

"An adventure is not taking a trip to an exciting place, it's having the vision to see His plan in your place."

He has some amazing ideas. I'm watching for every chance to be a part of them. And now I will share them with you, too! So bring your coffee, and check back soon!