First we named our ministry Whole Heart Ministries
Then we have a website called Wholeheart.org
We wrote a book called Educating the Whole Hearted Child
Clay and I want to publicly thank Quaker Oats for naming a cereal after us.
We are so very honored! :)
Saturday night homemade wholewheat pizza--Hamburger, onions and green peppers--our personal family favorite!
Favorite family recipes can reflect heritage, experiences, stories, traditions, backgrounds,--so many different attributes that encompass the personality of a family. And so, that which characterizes the unique specifics of family definitions reflects the variety facets of a family's preferences and story.
The recipe of a family's definition offers such color and variety.
Some are more intellectual, some athletic, some very active, some more practical, others more introverted some arts and literary and some math and science. Yet, all of these possibilities are more are valid and worthy within the bounds of their own unique family culture. God is a God of variety and diversity as can be seen in so many different aspects of creation. Yet, I have seen many families, and more particularly moms, who are always comparing themselves to others and falling short of someone else’s list of attributes.
Comparing ourselves to others will almost always lead to disappointment. God made us for His glory as we are and as our children are within the limitations of their own personality, which limitations do define a part of what our family culture will be. My children are so vastly different from each other---in personality, looks, body type, preferences, growth and development, intelligence and skills. To compare them or discipline them the same or to expect that they would all behave the same would place undo pressure on them to conform to a box that they could not fit into.
When Sarah was a little girl, if I just glanced the least bit disapprovingly in her direction, she would immediately repent of whatever she was doing—often even thinking I was disappointed in her because she had such a sense of her own internal excellence. Joel is such an abstract person, that often he would be in his own thoughts and totally oblivious if I had even been talking to him. To train him, I had to make sure I had his attention and then he was willing to obey. Nathan was my confident, strong willed child, much like me. I had to spend lots of time with him talking, playing and doing his school work, and training personally, because his extroversion and active little mind and body required different focus. Joy started out very self-sufficient and calm and is very intuitive about our expectations and what we expect of her. I motivated her by giving her the opportunity to spill all that was on her heart and just pointing her in the right direction. All children needed a different twist in their recipe to make them adequate. No system or formula exactly fit any of my children.
I believe that God offers us great freedom in exercising our authority over out children and home. There are “many ways to skin a cat,” as the saying goes. There are also many ways to love and discipline and instruct children. The result of many ways of such training is excellent.
Many women with whom I speak and work live under a phantom all the time that there is only one way to get it right.
I find it unfortunate when speakers or books place great burdens on women’s shoulders to live up to or who define success by such rigid rules, that most feel like failures not living up to the standards.
Satan is the one who loves to use these standards to kill the spirits of moms so that they will live constantly under the “feeling” that they have disappointed the Lord.
Many seek to live by formula—the exact rules and values and decisions of some arbitrary leader who has spelled out such lists for others to follow. Such legalism kills the spirit of a family, produces an atmosphere of performance and uses guilt to motivate. Not only that, but such an atmosphere of strictness and regulation can ruin our testimony with other non-believers.
That is not to say we throw all rules out! God is a god of order and variety. But we must balance them in order to have a good result through the recipes of our family lives. I have to keep my water from being boiling hot or icy cold if I am going to see my yeast rise. Yet, I have a pretty big margin to work within in order to insure my yeast rises.
If we are too lax in the training of our children, they will be puff-balls and have little self-control or personal strength in their character. If we are too harsh in our discipline and instruction, our children will become performance and works based in their desire to receive our approval and will be subject of great criticism of others---future Pharisees of America, as I have said before. Yet, both are needed to bring a balance, resulting in great souls—love and grace; discipline and training.
How does this work itself in real life? I must establish my standards on scriptural principles. For instance, we have always used the verse in Phiillipians, “Whatever is true, whatever is lovely, whatever is pure,” and so on, as our standard for the kinds of things we should allow into our minds and hearts. Yet, when Clay and I decide what standards those are for our family, some of the movies my children are allowed to watch may be too offensive for your family. Some of our standards may seem too strict. Our choice of clothes style might fit well with your values but might compromise the values of others. Same with choices about books, movies, food, school, college, internet limitations, and so on. . There is not an exact way to make these choices. We are expected by God to operate from our hearts and our consciences and to live by faith and allow the word of God to inform our decisions.
I was praying about an issue with my children one day. The Lord made it very clear to me that my children would be used by Him in different ways to reach different people. Sarah leans more to the introverted-intellectual side of things; Joel is an artist and musician and loves to espouse a certain value system in his preferences; Nathan is quite gregarious and very people oriented and a performer and actor and musician—a little more contemporary and extroverted in his clothing and behavior; Joy is still in the process of choosing her values and ways of expressing her own personality, but loves speaking, ministry and influencing people. Each child has had their own areas of Achille's heal, but as long as each is progressing in their heart, I validate their unique personality and design..
Yet, I judge how they are doing not by the externals alone, but by their hearts—
Do they love and respond to us? Do they love the Lord and are they advancing in their walk with God and developing their heart for others. If the answers to these questions are yes, then we allow them freedom to be who they are. As young adults, they are learning to forge their own “recipes” of life if you will. There will be a Clarkson value system at the base, but I am sure they will add their own imprimatur to the living out of their stories, because they were uniquely made by God for His purposes.
Through this process of growth, over the years, I have had to understand that not all of our own choices of how to live will please everyone. Yet , as long as we feel we are obeying and pleasing God, we are free to express our faith through the integrity of our own family culture. Variety indeed is the spice of life—may we celebrate the unique ways we reflect God’s glory, enjoy life to His glory, and live in the freedom He has provided. Each family culture will have its own flavor, but hopefully, by God’s grace, each can be flavored with God’s beauty and unique design.
Indeed it is a true statement, “The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.” Romans 14: 22
What creates insecurity or condemnation in your life? What pressures make you feel like you need to conform to others?
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Matthew 6: 24
We live in a time in history when culture tries to convince us that we can do it all---but each of us only has one life to invest in what matters. Each of us is limited in the amount of time we can use to invest in the priorities of our lives.
But, the truth is, we have to choose what we will focus our limited time on and our choices will have consequences.
Choices have consequences. What a man sows he will reap--the way one invests time, money, mind, heart and energy will indeed have long term consequences.
In regards to motherhood, and the lives of our children, excellence of character must be intentionally developed. Moral foundations take hundreds of hours of teaching and modeling to cultivate such a life. Pouring into the souls of our children, developing sharp minds, protecting them from the draw of culture, passing on faith--all of this does not come about by chance. God will hold us responsible for the ways we used our lives to cultivate these attributes in the lives of our children.
I do not think there is one formula in regards to accomplishing these things, and all of us have different pressures, issues, puzzles to figure out in regards to motherhood.
But, we cannot foster a divided heart and be able to truly pass on a legacy of righteousness. Our heart must be devoted to the stewardship of the lives that have been trusted into our hands. We cannot serve the world and God's purposes.
The reality is we can only serve one master and God does not put up with idols or competition to see who will win--in our lives or in the lives of our children or ministry or church. Obedience is simple and straightforward and not a matter of opinion.
He allows us to ignore wisdom and go against Biblical logic and wisdom, but he usually leaves the consequences of our unwise and poor choices in tact, because he has given us the opportunity to seek holy choices and to pursue wisdom.
This is indeed a difficult issue to address in this culture as we want to have it our way. Yet, I have seen after all these years of mothering and knowing many families, that if children do not find stability, love, training, spiritual reality, purpose, comfort in their own home, they will look for it wherever they can find it--and they will become like the place they spend the most time or like the people they spend the most time with, because they are shaped by the culture in which they invest their hearts.
For more about this subject, join me today for more at Momheart.org for an article, questions and discussion about the blessing of cultivating an undivided heart--a heart free to serve, to submit, to work, for the glory of God without restraint.
And join us in our book study of The Mission of Motherhood
Baking Day at my house
Apple spice bread, spinach quiches, Oatmeal Honey Wholewheat bread and Light as a Feather Dinner Rolls
Many years ago when Clay and I were first living in Vienna, I became interested in bread making. Though we loved the different choices of bread available in the local bakery, we really missed our American sandwich bread. The Europeon breads available for sandwiches, at the time, were either white-flour wonder type of bread, or very chewy rye or doughy whole grain bread. (I just returned from a trip to Vienna and found the variety to be much wider than when we first lived there many years ago!)We longed for a normal, soft wheat bread for our sandwiches.
The drive for familiar bread sent me to several cook books. I read many articles on bread, tried many recipes and started an adventure that turned me into a full-fledged baker. In our small neighborhood market, I could go and have my wheat ground fresh and then take my flour home to use for my bread. One of my fellow missionary friends had my favorite recipe, but I decided to start experimenting with it and added my own touches to our very own bread recipe. Oats, eggs and milk supposedly added to the bread’s lightness. I incorporated them. Honey was a preferred taste. Our children preferred the golden 86 wheat in recipes.
Over the years, I tried whole kernel breads, but found my family preferred not having seeds get stuck in their teeth! (Sarah and I love whole kernels all through our bread!) So I started another experiment—grinding millet, rye, brown rice, spelt and flax seed into fine powder and putting it into my bread, as well.
So making bread, whole grain rolls, pizza dough, herb-onion bread and dinner rolls and pancakes became our family favorites that evolved after years of experimenting, reading, and copying other good bakers. But in the end, my goal was to come up with what suited us. (Please don’t ask me if I give out my recipe—I get those requests all the time, but since I am an “add a little of this and a little of that” person, I don’t know how to come up with an exact recipe. I also use a Bosch, which not everyone has, so I have promised everyone that by the time my next book is finished (and will hopefully come out next spring,) I would perfect my recipe in such a way that others can try it. Promise!)
However, I have noticed that I have never seen anything like my recipe in the books I have searched. It is uniquely mine! As I was thinking about this, I was also thinking of how much scope there is for all sorts of recipes---spaghetti sauce, chocolate cakes, chile, etc., for a great variety of different things combined together, but still taste good! No one recipe is right----they are all different, and yet good to the taste to those who prefer them.
Similarly, every family will have a different flavor--a different recipe that, when cultivated and fine-tuned will be their own unique blend of a Family Culture. I fear that many women, in attempts to find the perfect formula or right rules of what is takes to make a great family, are subject to destroying the unique aroma and flavor their family was designed to enjoy. Trying to copy someone else's ways or preferences or exact practices just thwarts and denies the unique design, flavor, essence that will make your own family happy, robust and productive and can produce a tasteless mess.
More tomorrow!
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Matthew 5:9
He always.......
gets his way, takes my toy, gets the biggest piece, makes my room messy
She never......
cleans up, does her share of the work, says nice things to me, helps me
No one understands me
Everyone criticizes me
I hate you------ooooooohhhhhh!
Sin means we fall short of God's holy standards-it means to be separated from His perfection because of our imperfection
and self-centered disposition.
And yet, scripture says that those who are peacemakers will be called sons of God.
They will be most like Him.
It cost everything for Him to make peace with us--His servant, humble, laying down his life heart made a bridge between us and Him.
And so those who lay down their lives, become servant leaders, humble themselves, will also bridge the gap.
I love what Peter said, he who knew how much he desperately needed and was healed by the peace making of Jesus.
He said, "Love covers a multitude of sin."
All of us are in great need of this sort of grace.
I have a close friend who designated a peacemaking couch in her home. When her children were arguing or fussing, she would read them scripture about making peace, using words to bless and forgiving and making peace.
Then she would sit them on the couch and say, "Neither of you may get up from the couch until you have made peace with one another, prayed, forgiven and can say that there is peace between you."
And so, their children learned that they were responsible to make peace with those with whom they were angry.
They learned a pattern for marriage, for work, for friendship.
All of us are pretty petty and selfish and angry from time to time, but if we all had a peace making couch and couldn't leave until we made up, we would have such sweet, grace-filled relationships and indeed we would have such a close resemblance to God, so as to be called sons of God.
Even my children, at this age, occasionally become so irritated at each other. We had a little session the other night of peace making--I don't tell them they have to sit there until they make up any more, as they are a little old for that.
But I bring them together and guide a peace-making discussion.
Is there anyone you need to bring to the peace-making couch?
Perhaps a husband who needs a warm cup of grace and life-giving words and forgiveness?
A child who is hormonal? Or two years old? or just being childish?
A friend who needs forgiveness? A parent?
A fellow believer?
Siblings who need to find a way to cultivate love and a pattern of grace?
Maybe today, peace could bring about an atmosphere of grace and heal and reflect His glory, to make this day a new beginning.
It has reminded me, this week, that another way I may worship and become more like Him is to determine that peace-making is a focus of my life, and that as I cultivate it in my home, friendships, marriage, neighborhood, church, I will indeed reflect Him, and find His peace filling my soul and my home.
Peace of the Lord be with you. The Lord is near.
Jacapo Bassano The Good Samaritan
Pondering my walk with God, searching my heart for attitudes that are not worthy of His love for me, seeking direction from His word, is a yearly foundational search of my heart.
We live in a world that, from the beginning, cares what people think. Seeking to keep up with the "Joneses" is age old. But scripture is so very clear that God wants our focus, our love, our heart to be on Him first and then our obedience to the very values of his heart.
Surrounded by a world that gives us permission to be self-centered, we glance at ourselves and all of our pictures on facebook, cell phones, listening for that little bing that says someone has thought of us---Hey, everybody, want to look at me and notice what I am doing and comment on my blog and give me higher numbers if I give things away and, and, and..........
We become our own idols and strive for recognition and affirmation. It is not wrong to desire to be loved and to belong. But Jesus meant for us to find our meaning in our family, our community of believers, those we serve in our own day to day lives. We were meant tie our lives to flesh and blood people who we spend our lives to help, so that we can better understand Him, who spent all for our sakes.
In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus tells of the lives of those who could pontificate and argue the law and wear the robes of righteousness, and yet, he exposes their worthlessness to God by their heart of neglecting those who really needed redemption--the man caught by robbers, left for dead, beside the road.
But really, who has time to give to such a person--we have our appointments, our priorities, articles for blogs, our day-timers and schedules to keep.
"Just a minute, can't you see I am doing something important!" I ,I, I, .... the endless I and me, me, me..........
"Let not a wise man boast of His wisdom, let not a rich man boast of his riches, let not a mighty man boast of his might, but let him who boasts, boast of this, that He understands and knows me, for I delight in these things." Jeremiah
"He who keeps his life will lose it, but he who gives his life will find it."
And yet, as I read His words over and over again, I understand anew, it matters little what others think of me, if God is not at the center of my desire to live for His glory and the focus of my actions in serving others, as He did.
And so this week and really this summer, I am searching again to find, how I need to reorder my life to please Him, what is the work He has given me to do, how may I invest in real people with real needs, so that His loving touch will reach those in my culture.
What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?
And then, when I live in true integrity of following hard after Him, my children find the real him living in my home--not philosophy or curriculum or denomination or rules--the the real Christ who lays down His life, shepherds the sheep of his fold, the servant king who cares about real people.
True personal integrity comes from following hard after Him and obeying and loving obeying what He has called me to do.
What does integrity look like to you?
God painted the sky for us as we were driving down the road......
Thousands of moms and dads are gathering in Arlington, Tx this weekend to hear lectures and seminars about how to disciple their children, how to build moral foundations, creating and environment of excellence as they seek the best options for educating their children. This is the destination for Clay and me where we will be speaking a number of times.
But what do I have to say? I still see sin and immaturity and selfishness in my life on a daily basis. A sink full of dishes still sends me into irrational emotions. Never, not one day, have Clay and I been perfect.
Yet, my message is that the greatest work I have been given to do is to cherish Him, His kingdom, His message of redemption and to spread it as faithfully as I know how. It starts with our family and extends to the world.
My message is that the God who painted the sunset is the strength and wisdom that fills my paltry offerings of faith by seeking to do His kingdom work, takes my offering and makes it a supernatural work that will change lives and hearts for eternity. My basket of loaves and fish in His hands becomes enough.
I was talking to my children yesterday and said, "I don't feel adequate to speak to thousands of people most of the time because I have not found a formula that makes everything easy or that takes away the battle. But mostly, I just want to encourage."
Joy said, "But mom, we may not always do the dishes of pick up our stacks of stuff, but you have raised 4 children who want to change the world and bring His light into the world. That is your message--be true to the things that matter the most."
And so that will be my word this weekend. Grace, His strength, eternal issues, leave the rest behind and live in joy and peace. Selah.
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We all need to recognize that our choices have consequences. Please join us today at MomHeart Online and tell us what you think ... is your heart faithful? Or divided? Share your thoughts with us as we discuss chapter three in The Mission of Motherhood! While you're there, be sure to enter all of our wonderful Mother's Day giveaways. And by the way, have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. You are indeed the heroes of this generation. Bless each one of you!
Durnstein, Austria
Traveling is a sort of hobby with me and with our family. Starting out in missions so many years ago, and having our books in 6 languages, keeps us going internationally, and hopping from country to country.
However, when I have the privilege of choosing a place to travel that feels like home and suits my soul, I go back to Austria, a sort of second home to me. As I travel in many other countries and big cities, the evidence of American culture is all around me--I could almost be in any other American city--there are McDonald's everywhere, Apple stores, Kentucky Friend Chicken signs, IPhone ads, Starbucks--the draw of the material culture of America has been so powerful that I see its effect everywhere I go.
Yet, when I go to Austria, though some of those marketing ploys are obvious in places, Austria is yet little changed by the Western materialism, as its historical culture and values is stronger than the values that would be imposed upon it. In other words, Austria, with the hearts carved on wood, the mountain chalets and piles of wood for the wood-burning stoves, coffee cafes,the flowers at the tables with pristine white table cloths, the strong Austrian coffee in dainty, real porcelain cups, the small glass of water and the quiet cafes where people talk for hours, the cobblestone streets--the predictable order and clean streets and good service--so many things never change, and the strength of such stability is a comfort and strong balm to my soul. The culture has retained its strength.
(As an aside, Sarah and I had coffee out every afternoon we were in Austria and I only saw two people who had cell phones out or ipads or computers, during the whole time we were there--At every other cafe people talked, eyeball to eyeball and just shared one another's company--it was not a gathering of machines, but personal friends sharing minds and hearts.There was a blatant lack of media present in the cafes--though, of course, all use their cell phones and computers elsewhere.)
How does this apply to Family culture? The culture of the world--the music, movies, moral values or lack thereof, sexual revolution calls out to our children every day. Teenagers must grow into adults and learn to own their lives and values and convictions in order to be strong healthy adults. And the cultural impact of cell phones, facebook and websites adds a magnetism to the cultural values of teens and young adults that would draw their hearts away from the spiritual and moral underpinnings of home and family and church.
What to do? First, we must recognize that the desire for teens to have friends is healthy and from God and it is normal and good for our children to want community. Teens are on the pathway of growing into adults so that they can form their own families eventually, and find a living and live their own life story. So how do we retain their hearts throughout their lives?
We make our own family culture and traditions and community and home pleasure stronger, more powerful and more fun, and more satisfying, than that of the world culture that is calling out to them. Personal relationship must be cultivated through all the traditions--not dependency on time-filling media at the center, but focussed, deep relationships that say, "I love you. I know you. I validate you. I am listening to you and I care for your thoughts and dreams."
That is the lesson I learned in Austria. Even as the Austrian culture has maintained most of its cultural values and strength against the onslaught of America's influence, so our children can retain our family cultures if we make them stronger influences than the world.
Pleasure, deep love and close friendship is at the center of life.
Family culture is comprised of the rhythms of life kept throughout the weeks; (for us it is a daily tea, coffee or hot chocolate afternoon time, devotions in the morning, hot candlelight dinner together each night, piles of book baskets and magazines everywhere, loud, daily discussions on every topic, back scratches, homemade treats always awaiting them and their friends in our home, all kinds of friends greeted and intentionally welcomed, Sunday morning feast, Saturday night pizza and movie every week; me making hot breakfast and homemade bread and music every morning, candlelight on tables, read alouds together evenings, game nights, seasonal parties and treasure hunts and car and scavenger hunts for teens); the traditions we keep on holidays, (spoiling the children on birthdays--the morning cinnamon rolls, family affirming and pouring words of life and appreciation and prayers on birthdays, shepherd's meal on Christmas, feast on Thanksgiving, monthly dinners in our home with close family friends, fireworks and lake gatherings on 4th of July, family day and hikes every year, every month no matter what dinners with our history group; the activities we invest in in momentous occasions--(whole family support for recitals, speech tournaments, awards ceremonies, sports activities, rite of passage teen dinner, sending off graduation ceremony at 16 with the closest of family and friends, girl's club, boy's outings each week, working side by side in national conferences for 16 years as a family project).
Family culture is built from the time they are born into your home--the life that is crafted, takes years to perfect, but builds strong roots.
The point is, we have so much fun and life going on in our home and so many invisible threads from our hearts to our children's, that the pull of home and the deep connections and friendships we share with our children is a stronger pull than that of the culture that would seek to draw them. Our family culture, values and commitment is much stronger and more satisfying to their souls than the lure of their culture. Our ties to each other are strong.
This kind of culture takes a lot of work, investment of time and emotional care, and creativity, and yet, it is a work of art for the mom who would bring life, beauty, love, grace-giving atmosphere into the warp and woof of the fiber of her home, so that every day brings life and gives life to the heart mind and soul. There are, of course, seasons when traditions fall by the wayside, as life happens and emergencies and exhaustion can, for a time, take our rhythms away. Yet, if the rhythms are established deeply, they are always there, just below the surface. I have had to cut back on public commitments and answering email and comments so often over the years, because I know that family culture cannot be dropped, ever, if I am to retain the souls of my children at home, with the Lord, close to our hearts. This is the work of heaven and home.
To ignore the pull and draw of the world, is to ignore the battle strategy of Satan. So we must outwit him and be stronger in our own battle plan. Each child is different and does not conform to the family culture without the foundation of love. Yet, if we are to hold hearts faithful, we must aim intentionally and work diligently and wisely to be used by the Holy Spirit to keep their hearts strong, protected and sure.
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This week, in celebration of Mother's Day, we have several giveaways to moms at Momheart.org!
Please come by and celebrate with us and tell your friends, too.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God, 2 Cor. 4: 7
All miracles Begin with a heart that is willing to believe God for the impossible,
to engage one's heart in worshipping him by believing He is listening,
that He will act,
and then waiting for his perfect timing.
Without faith it is impossible to please God
The miracle today is that He is present, alive and blowing through the moments of our days--seeking someone to heal, someone to redeem, someone to extend redeeming love--and it will all happen through mere humans, those whose feet are made of clay--today, He is alive because He will live through me.
All of us, different skills, shapes, personalities, liabilities, stories--all here for a short few years to faithfully live out a miracle.
Jesus is in the world today, this moment.
His presence invades the things held fast to this earth, His love permeates the places of the lonely, His joy fills the air--
How? Through me--He is in me and wants to live through me to bring the miracle of Him to this world, through a limited earthly jar of clay.
We have this treasure-=invaluable treasure of God in me--today.
How will I honor this vast miracle of Him in me.
Today--who needs me to give something that He would give--
perhaps some money needed; time given, a baby held so a mom can sleep.
What do I have in me today that His spirit would give--to those present in my life?
Today, someone needs his words of encouragement, hope--who is the person He would love through me?
Someone needs a cup of cold water, a sandwich made, a cup of tea served, an eye to eye encounter that says, "You are of great value--you are not condemned. I love you, He loves you."
To allow myself to be wrapped up in just myself, to close the power of HIm through me by being consumed with my own needs inhibits His ability to work through me--to bless through me.
We can suffocate His presence in us by not trusting Him to meet our needs right where we are--to forget ourselves, and to think of those who need His touch through us today--that is what will give life to our own soul--this service of worship by bowing down our hearts and saying, "This day is yours, for you--live through me, speak through me, serve through me--that is where we will find the joy and strength and power bubbling up and filling our own soul--
in the laying down of us and the submitting to Him in and through us.
Will my children, my husband, my friends, see the reality if Jesus today, because I allowed Him to be alive through me--all the moments of my day--because He, my treasure is giving light through me? This is how I give them the reality of Jesus.
You have this day to ponder just how He would live thorough you. You will never have this day again to invest--to live, to be available to Him through you.
When you close this day, in what way will you have brought Him to bear in your world, a work that will live faithfully through all eternity?
Holy--to be set apart, not conforming to the world, but being transformed--by the wild and uncontainable God and following His lead, whatever path it takes.......
How happy I am to have Sarah home for my Saturday morning trek to my little French cafe.
We had far too much to catch up on and talked and talked and talked. A breath of fresh air to my soul to be with her. Our family tends to think out of the box--we discuss everything and challenge all Christian thought and live wildly, hysterically, celebrating-ly, with feasts and lots of freedom, within the walls of our home. I think it is genetic in our family.
My children have all said, "I wonder what people would think if they really knew what we believed and how we lived, that we are pretty out of the box and free to enjoy life."
Hmmmmm--so Christians aren't supposed to have too much fun or live wildly or freely--or question supposed Christian authorities--or celebrate life too much or live free from condemnation and guilt?
One of us posed the question this morning, "Wouldn't it be great some day if we didn't care what people thought?
A hazard of living in the public eye, I suppose.
But, I do love to move beyond the "expectations" and figure out what really is authentic in life, what really matters, how to experience the joy we were designed to know, every day, and to see the God that is not a tame lion--
So, do any of you like living out of the box of legalism, expectations, condemnation, rules, peer pressure, or feared criticism?
Hmmmm Jesus pretty much upset those who lived in the box of his day--as a matter of fact, he got crucified for being out of the box, and not fitting in with the "leaders."
Just saying I am thinking about this today.............
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And more,...,
I keep coming back to this concept. I meet so few people, that when I am with them, their influence makes me want to love God more, be more idealistic, live more by wild faith and life-sacrificing love.
And yet I find myself amidst so many who are overloaded with the mundane tasks, feeling bored, dead of soul...
When the life of Jesus is in our midst, there is a palpable crackle in the air, a sparkle to the lights and shadows of His dance amongst us.
Imagine--the creator of the universe--the one who played games with galaxies and atoms, romantic love and sunsets--He in our midst.
And yet, most people I know, including me so much of the time, live as though their feet are tied to the ground by heavy loads of duty, works, "shoulds", guilt and worry and sighing, comparing, inadequacy,boredom through the days.
He did not create us to live in such a way. He came to give life--and life abundantly.The joy of the Lord is to be our strength--and yet--what have the voices of this world done to our joy?
What have the messages of today's church done to mount "should do's", measuring righteousness by the boxes of theology instead of by the people we love and those we serve a cup of cold water or share our coats with;
caused us to measure our self-worth by the outside appearance, instead of the inner glory of the heart?
The "How to's" instead of lessons in humility and redeeming the lost? The accomplishment instead of the faith exhibited? Who in your life points you, passionately, irresistibly into the arms of a loving God, a gentle shepherd, a compassionate Father, an interesting artist, to show us the God who longs for us to live, celebrate life, exist above the present mundane and to perceive the invisible life of the Kingdom He is shaping through us for eternity.
Is it any wonder when college students lose their faith, because Christianity has been for them a list of moral rules that do not captivate imagination or stir hearts that long to find purpose and to be a part of a great cause?
A laying on of guilt? A living by works? When it is He--Jesus--the Life--that we were to be living graphically, incarnationally, realistically in our home by relentlessly pursuing His love in our actions? His truth? His excellent and deeply fulfilling plan for our lives?
Knowing Him should create in us a powerful sense of life, excellence, expectancy from a heart filled with faith, love and anticipation.
So, I ask you today--are you finding deep fulfillment and a bubbling up of love from deep within? A feeling of heaven meeting earth in your home right where you are today? Are you sensing the pleasure of God as you see the color of spring? The beauty surrounding the moments of your life?
It is only in pursuing Him, the Life that coming into the world, enlightens every man--not rules or laws or formula or morality---but the Person--who has so very much more to offer those of us who would leave all behind, and sell all that we have to grasp and hold fast to the pearl of great price.
But, to find Him and to live vibrantly in the reality of His ways and His presence, requires living out of the box.
So, how about you? In the box or out?
