Lessons from a seed

What is it about life that makes it yearn to live?  To grow?  Even in surprising and unexpected places.

For example. This little seed found a small spot of dirt amidst the concrete and chose to grow.

The seed could have said, "This spot is not ideal."   "I don't have any neighbors."   "How will I meet any butterflies much less start a family?"

But instead the little seed found a safe home in the soil, energy from the sun, joy in the spring breeze, and it grew.   

Kingdoms Crumble

A couple years ago I attended an inspiring concert featuring many Christian artists and offering  a unique perspective through song and video into the lives of some of the characters in the Bible.

The story of Daniel is described in this song "No Compromise" by Peter Furler from the Newsboys.   You can see the music video here

The below lyrics are found toward the end of the song:

"Kingdoms crumble.

Rulers fall.

My God you will

Out rule them all."

These lyrics have come to mind for me in recent days.

My generation hasn't seen a lot of wars.  We weren't around for World War I or II.  We were still young when the Cold War took place.  Aside from what we have read in history books or seen in movies, most of us in the West probably have not spent a lot of time considering what it would mean for one country to conquer another country.

Certainly there have been powers that have risen and fallen in our lifetimes across the world, but none that have drastically changed the western world map.

The possibility of a conquering King/Rule/Czar is not one that sits well with 21'st century ideals.

And yet we have watched Ukraine struggle with this very issue.

Which brings me back to the song.

I am grateful to be an American.  But I am infinitely more grateful to be a Christian.  

As Christians, the kingdoms and powers of this present life impact us, but they do not define us.   We know from prophecy that all earthly kingdoms will one day fall.

According to Daniel 2:44, "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever."

So as unsettling as it is to listen to the news, we can have confidence that no matter which kingdoms crumble around us, we are members of an everlasting kingdom which will never fall.   

Forever praise be to the only true King, our Redeemer and our Friend.

The Last Tuesday

This week I happened to get in the elevator with someone I didn't really know.  While making small talk I mentioned that it was only Tuesday.  To which he responded that it was his last Tuesday.

Without additional clarification this statement would have been rather disturbing, but he went on to say that he was retiring at the end of the week.

Thus it was his last Tuesday as a full time employee.

I was struck by the importance of the occasion for his life.

What will he do with his time now?  Will he relocate to live near family?  Finally have hours of uninterrupted time for a favorite hobby?  Volunteer more at church?

It's also an interesting perspective for me as I'm still early in my career.  But one day if God does not return before this time in my life arrives, I too will face retirement.

What do I hope to accomplish between now and then?

What kind of a difference do I hope to make in the working world?

And am I using my talents and abilities where they can bring wisdom, joy, and hopefully blessing to others?

These are types of questions that we would all probably do well to ponder from time to time as we ask God to continue to guide and bless and lead.



"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."   Philippines 1:6

Doing what you were meant to do

Last night I was walking to the mailbox when I saw a strange sight.  In my neighbor's driveway was a possum laying down.  And he didn't move as I walked by.  Instead he just watched me with sad eyes.

I was surprised and concerned so I paused and watched him for a bit.  Finally he struggled to his feet and limped across the driveway and into the bushes pulling his injured leg(s) with him.

Now I do not have a fondness for possums.  I generally find them dirty and unappealing.  But I felt sad for this possum.

Why is it that as humans we can have sympathy for creatures that we don't really even like when we see them hurting or unable to function as they normally do in nature?

The movie Hugo explores the idea of people and things having a purpose.  And the sadness that can accompany the sight of something not able or willing to do what it was meant to do.

Which leads me to the question, what am I meant to do?   And am I doing it?

In Acts 1:8 Jesus gives what can be called the Great Commission.  "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

What does it mean to be witnesses for God?  We are not all called to be preachers.  We do not all have extroverted 'evangelistic' personalities.  But yet, every Christian is called to be a witness.

May we each continue to learn what that means in our individual lives.  May we know when to speak and when to be silent.  And how to live in such a way that our lives point to Jesus as our Hope, Redeemer, and Friend.

A Quiet Day

I love the holidays.  I love festive parties, special food, Christmas traditions, and the excitement of a long stretch of time off from work to spend with friends and family.  I enjoy the excitement of New Years Eve for the year a head and the time of reflection it often invokes for the year behind.

But after what can feel like a month long celebration, I find myself drawn to solitude, to quiet, and to time at home.

Today, with it's gray sky and slight but continual rain, provides just such an opportunity.

As Ecclesiastics so famously points out,  "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."

"A time to keep and a time to throw away....A time to be silent and a time to speak."

I think it's good to have times of energy and laughter and conversation, and also times of quiet, reflection, and recharging.

It's easy to imagine God as having part of the later, but I imagine he also wants to be part of the social gatherings and family traditions as well.

In closing, below are a couple more thoughts from King Solomon that seemed appropriate as we consider the new year ahead.

"Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?"  For it is not wise to ask such questions."  Eccl 7:10

"Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.  Always be clothed in white and always anoint your head with oil."  Eccl 9: 7,8

May God's purpose prevail for each of us this year!

Lessons from a bird

For the most part, my husband and I love our little green cheek conure.  But on occasion, the emotions we feel towards her aren't quite so positive.  Particularly when she uses her voice to squawk loudly or her beak to bite.  This morning was one of those loud mornings and we were both getting frustrated.

She wouldn't come to us and she continued to yell and whine from her cage.

Finally I took a little time and was able to coax her onto my fingers.  I gave her one of her favorite treats, a seed, and then she sat with me on the couch.

And suddenly she was a different bird.

She snuggled against my hand while I wrote and made little chirping noises instead of loud squawks.

What changed in those moments?

Instead of being alone on her cage, Jewel was with me.  And she was happy.

How often does loneliness or feeling left out bring on other emotions of anger or frustration.

I wonder if sometimes annoying people actually need the same thing our bird did.  To be included, to be with someone they love, and to no longer feel alone or left out.

Who knew Jewel could be such a good teacher.

First impressions

So last week I was in church and I had an interesting experience.

I arrived a few minutes late and missed the announcements.  During the offering call the pressure was on to give money for the new church roof.  I'm a bit sensitive to strong offering calls, but I was especially appalled when I saw the bulletin insert for this project!

It stated that we needed money for the project and then showed an artists rendering of the proposed new roof.  It was nothing like I would imagine for a modern conservative church.  Multiple tall spires, ornate window treatments.   How could they ask church members to donate money for such an excessive roof!

I was considering an email to the pastor or someone else at the church where I could voice my concerns, but I decided to ask the person sitting next to me about this roof project.  "Do you know what's wrong with the roof?" I asked, uncertain if anything was actually even wrong with the current one.

"It's leaking," was the response.  And suddenly I had a new perspective on the bulletin insert.  It was a random close up of part of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.  It wasn't an actual artist rendering.

It was a joke.

And I was considering an email about this!

So, my takeaways are this:  Before you combine a joke and a call for money, ask yourself if the joke is obvious and if not, if it could be offensive.  And before you allow yourself to be offended, make sure you understand the situation.   Don't be quick to scatter disapproval or criticism.

A couple thoughts from the Proverbs in closing.  

"The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps."  Proverbs 14:15

"The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of the fool feeds on folly." Proverbs 15:14