Aliens and Tenants

Even though these are the words God spoke to Moses regarding the possession of land, leading to the year of Jubilee, it wondered how much better our lives would be if we took the same perspective:

"The land must not be sold permanently because the land is mine and you are but aliens and tenants."

How much contentment might there be in remembering that it is all His. We're just enjoying it for a while.  And, while there is nothing wrong with having nice things, holding those things loosely gives a new-found freedom.  Enjoy what you have, but if the price of having something else, something more costs too much of your life, your heart, your love, your peace; let it go.  It's not worth such a price for something that is so temporary.

Those "Nevertheless" Folks

I'm sure everyone has those "nevertheless" folks in your life.  You know, the ones that ask you for advice, help, suggestions, and then do just the opposite.  I am following a chronological Bible reading plan for this year, it caught my attention that Moses dealt had those in his crowd, too.

They were told, 'Hey! Since you're grumbling so, God's going to send you some food.  It will show up in the morning.  Get just what you need for the day and don't keep it overnight.'

"Some of them paid no attention to Moses and kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots...."

SMH.

Give it a couple of days and now it's the day before the Sabbath.  Moses tells them, 'Look, gather enough for today and tomorrow because there isn't going to be any out here on the Sabbath.'

"Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none."


Nevertheless people exasperate me.  I have little patience or pity for those who won't take instruction. And my tendency is to shake my head and wipe my hands and walk away mumbling under my breath, "I told you so."

But Moses had compassion on these 'nevertheless' people.  Yes, he got angry.  Yes, he lost it a few times.  But he always came back to a place of compassion for them.  He prayed for them, he pleaded for them and he never walked away from his opportunity to lead them to follow God.

My challenge is to stop shaking my head and shake off my impatience. To pray for the 'nevertheless' folks that I know, to plead on their behalf.  And then, when given the opportunity, continue to lead them to what God has for their next steps.

Back to the Scratchpad

Wow.  Looking back it's been 3 years since I've attempted to blog, or post, or share, or whatever you call putting your thoughts down somewhere and letting other people read them. I've decided it would be better called a scratchpad.  Just some where to scribble down my thoughts, whether they are inspired by me, or Him, or the salsa that I ate last night.  I like having a scratchpad that I can look back at, read through again and decide if those thoughts represent something I need to act on, or just something I needed to say out loud, or in writing, and then continue on with my day.

And having them here will help clear off my desk from stacks like this:

Note pads scribbled with thoughts and ideas and other distractions that occur to me when I'm in the middle of doing something else!

So if no one else ever benefits from anything written here, at least I should end up with a cleaner desk. 

Here's to a better scratchpad.

Budgeting the Bible

Over the weekend I was reading Romans 12 and decided that my "budgeting" mode for the month of March, might just apply to my Bible study, too.  Well, not so much to budget how I study, but more, to budget how I apply it. 

As I read through verses 9 to the end of the chapter, Paul lists out a whole, long series of instructions:

"Love must be sincere."

"Hate what is evil, cling to what is good."

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love."

"Honor one another above yourselves."

"Never be lacking in zeal."....

And he goes on to list 17 more instructions.  This is just in half of one chapter! 

My thoughts as I read this was, I'm just glossing over this as I read.  I'm thinking, yes, those are all good things.  I need to be good.  But really, I need to do all of these.  Individually.  And not lose them in the fact that it's a long list.  So I'm going to (fully intending here, at least on day 1) take one a day and focus on it and look for opportunities to live out that point.  My hope being that if I can focus on one a day, that will help me remember, ongoing, to live that out when presented with the opportunity.  

So, I'm budgeting my Bible.  Today is Day 1: Love must be sincere. 

I'd love for you to join me if you'd like.  While I doubt I will blog every day, I will definitely tweet my "Budgeting Bible of the Day" so you will see there what point I'm on each day.

I want to be a doer of the Word, not a hearer, or a "glosser", only. 

I

Budgets, Lists & Life

So getting back into a blogging rhythm is taking a little longer than I thought.. but here's to hoping March will be more "budgeted" than February has been!  In my quest to make time to breathe, I am learning that old habits are easy to fall back into, and, let me just be honest, budgeting isn't one of my natural gifts.  Ok, it's not one of my gifts, it's not one of my priorities, nor is it something I even like.  And budgets don't apply to just money.  We budget our time, we budget our energy, and, yes, we budget our money, too.  Here's my issue:

Budgets have limits and I don't like limits.

Especially when I know that I have more to do than those limits will allow.  That's why I don't want to put it on paper.  There's no way.  It can't be done.  And writing those things down only makes it even more plain to see that I can't do all that I want to do.  So, I tend to make mini-budgets and daily to-do lists.  And leave the big picture stuff off the paper completely.  I like to live each day, doing all that must be done that day, and beyond that working on all the other "non-urgent" projects and duties as they present themselves.

Sometime back I watched David Allen's Do Lecture "The Mind is for Having Ideas Not Holding Them".     He lays out a template for staging idea, projects and getting all the stuff swirling in your brain OUT of your brain and ON a file, a to-do list, a calendar.  Whatever your mode of follow-up, put your ideas there.  First, it frees up your brain for new ideas and second, it gives you a systematic way to approach those unending projects that, for me, end up lost between today's urgent and next month's project, never to be accomplished.

I'm going to attempt to put some of this into practice this month.  And while much of what I have unending, the house, the yard, the laundry, doesn't ever get finished, there are many other projects that I have dabbled with for years that may benefit from a bit of budgeting.

 I will share how that goes.  Here's to teaching an old dog new tricks!

Breathe

So, I'm back at this again!  I have chased away all the spiders that had made themselves at home in my blog space and cleared a spot for my ever-tumbling mind to dump it's contents again.

Thanks, both of you, for returning to read what I post!  

It has been a year and a half since I have posted here.  That's a long time for someone who loves to read and write and talk.  But during that time I was having trouble breathing, mentally, much less doing the things I love.  I'm thankful to say that the chaos and mayhem was not caused by any tragedy or illness in my family, simple a complete upheaval of life.  In fact, I stepped into my dream job in the middle of this.  And in all of that, I did what I have told so many others not to do.  I didn't rest.  I didn't stop.  I didn't force myself to balance.  

I didn't breathe.

I didn't breathe mentally and I even found myself often holding my breath physically.  As I would be thinking though pressing situations and making plans to accommodate those, I would realize I was actually holding my breath as I thought. 

I pushed and struggled and stayed up late and got up early.  And while it's inevitable to have to push and struggle and stay up late and get up early if you are going to make a difference in the world, you can't live that way night and day, day in and day out.   

I know that. I've taught that in conferences on how to lead.  But how often do we do what we know we should do?  And how often do we do what we know we shouldn't do?

It all comes back to that sabbath thing.  We know what we should do.  We know that it's wise and sensible and logical.  But how often, when we are pressed, do we give that up first.  

Before I miss a deadline, I miss my sabbath.  

Before I cancel a meeting, I cancel my sabbath.

Before I let the laundry go, I let my sabbath go.  (Ok.  That one's not a struggle for me)

God gave commandments to keep order in our lives.  Don't kill, don't steal, keep the Sabbath. 

And while we would never consider killing or stealing, it just doesn't seems as big of a deal to let the Sabbath go.  

It became apparent to me this last year that He listed that one as well and it's that important.  I've learned (am learning still) to let somethings wait.  And somethings, I have let go completely. 

And I'm breathing.  You can do so much more when you breathe.

Celebrating Heros: Chipper & More.. Much More

You know I'm a Braves fan.  And you know that I am as sentimental as any over this being Chipper's last year.  It has been fun watching him play with all the amazing talent that he has, in the good years and the not-so-good years of Braves baseball.  Stephanie was the Chipper fan when she was young, while Stacie wore the Lopez jersey, so it was even more special since the girls were into the Braves, too.  As I watched the farewell ceremony last night prior to the game, my eyes teared up more than once and I was jealous of those in the stadium who got to celebrate in person and thank him for his loyalty and entertainment.  I have tickets for the game Sunday afternoon, purchased in case this last regular season game at home would turn out to be his last game at Turner field.  I wanted to be there.  I wanted to be able to clap and cheer and say "thanks".

This morning, in the back of my  head, I'm contemplating making a sign to take to the game.  What can I say that would be camera-worthy and get noticed and maybe get on the big screen?  That would be awesome!  And in mid-thought, this question came to mind:

"Have you ever gone to a fraction of this much thought or trouble to thank those who have made a life long impact on your kids?"

Ouch.  I don't think there is anything wrong with celebrating a phenomenally talented Braves player.  We have enjoyed his entertainment.  But, honestly, that's all it was.  Entertainment.  Have I ever taken time to say thank you for those who have invested their lives into my children and made a lasting impression on them?

Do I have to answer that?

So, mid-Saturday morning, I'm stopping here to make a small step in that direction.  There are some people who have poured into my children's lives, and today, I'm thinking particularly of the girls.  I need to say thanks:

Eric Gordon:  you have been the big brother to them both, and the spiritual mentor to Steph that goes beyond human understanding.  I'm thankful God put you in our lives back in Neverland and that you are now part of our family.  There are not words in the English language that express how grateful I am and what you mean to me or them.

Sheldon and Cassie Sundell:  you were the youth pastors that led my girls through the hardest part of their spiritual lives as well as those lovely teenage years.  I can't thank God enough for leading you to Smyrna.  The fact that you are still some of Stacie's dearest friends speaks more than I can say about the influence you have had on her life.  Thank you for your years, for your love, for the tears, for all you endured, and the way that you lived that has been such an impression on them.

Matt Wilkie:  you led Steph into a journey with Convoy of Hope that forever changed her persepective on life, on missions and on serving others.  And though your time of leading officially was only for that summer, you have forever changed the course of her life.  Thank you for using your life to shape the lives and hearts of interns; especially Steph's.

I don't have banners to wave.  30,000 people will not gather in a stadium today to applaud you.
But I know the angels of Heaven, along with my Father, will agree with me today.

Thank you!