Jesus Wept

"When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled."  John 11:33

There are a lot of things I don't understand in life.  Like why the terrible events of Colorado happened.  How a person could be so twisted.  How they could make that horrible irreversible decision.

There are also 'smaller' things I don't understand.  Why certain dreams seem take so long to come true.  Why some days seem to have a gloomy haze around them.

But one thing I do know is that Jesus cares.  The story above mentions again a few verses later, "Jesus, once more deeply moved came to the tomb."

It's comforting to know that God cares about our emotions and our hearts. That He has a heart that feels emotions too.

And that best of all He has a plan to rescue us from a world where our hearts feel sadness and loss and restore us to one where they dance with joy instead.

Are We Replaceable?

I had an interesting conversation the other day about the value of a person's individual contribution.  A reference was made to the saying 'everyone's replaceable.'


Working in HR, especially being part of the onboarding and offboarding process, I understand the point of this saying.  To a degree we are all replaceable.   At some point there will come a time for all of us when we will leave our positions, whether through job transfer or promotion or retirement, and we would generally hope there is someone who can step in after us to continue the work.


However, in another very real sense we are not replaceable at all.  I would venture to say, in many careers at least, that no one else can do your job exactly the way you can.  No one else can reach certain people the way you can.   No one else has the same combination of talent and character and personality as you do.


Consider Psalms 139:14


"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."


And also Ephesians 2: 10


"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us do."


Or this promise from Isaiah 49.


"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?  Though she may forget, I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands..."


So it would seem then that we are all uniquely equipped by our Creator God for the calling before us.  As Paul writes in Ephesians 4 let us live a life worthy of the call we have received. 

Everything you wished for

My husband and I recently bought the extended edition of Lord of the Rings.  I know I may be a little late to the party with this, but we are really enjoying watching the DVDs, in fact watching the extended edition is almost watching them again for the first time.

In the second movie, the Two Towers, there is a a scene that I find rather sad.   Arwen the beautiful elf Evenstar is deciding between remaining on Middle Earth to be with Aragorn who she loves or heading to the Undying Lands with her father Elrond and the rest of her people.

In a poignant speech Elrond reminds her that even if all she hopes for comes true and she marries Aragorn and he is crowned king, even if these wonderful things happen, she would still at some point lose him and come to death herself.

It's a thought progression that merits some reflection for us as well.  What if all the wonderful things we hope for in life come true?  The dream job, a happy marriage, healthy children.

Even if life on Earth goes well, there is still the silent march of time and age asking us to consider the question, what happens next?

In the book the Return of the King, Aragorn offers a hint of the answer.  On his deathbed he says to Arwen, "But let us not be overthrown at the final test, who of old renounced the Shadow and the Ring.  In sorrow we must go, but not in despair.  Behold!  we are not bound for ever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory."

While it is interesting to read of hints and illusions of such ideas, it is more valuable to know for certain one's true final destiny.

I don't always understand the Bible perfectly.  There are many verses and doctrines that people can debate.  But one thing I do understand is that the blood of Jesus paid the price for my sins and my failings.  And because of His great and incredible sacrifice, my future is secure in Him.  No matter what happens in life, I can know the ending.  Maybe not all the particulars, but enough to know the ending is really just the beginning.  The beginning of something more wonderful and good then even my imagination can create.

And that is Good News indeed!

Counting Blessings in the Rain

This evening is ushering in a rather melancholy mood for me.  Maybe it's the gallons of rain that continue to fall outside my window.  Maybe it's the end of the weekend.  Maybe its the distance from Florida to my hometown.

But regardless of the reasons, the fact remains that I feel a bit down.  I doubt I'm the only one to experience moments like this.  The question is, what do you do with them?

My husband provides a kind listening ear.  And watching some of the scenery and epic tales of Middle Earth bring diversion to my thoughts.

But unless I intend to spend all my remaining weekend time watching the extended version of Lord of the Rings or talking to my husband about my thoughts, I may need to add another option to my toolbox.

So I am counting my blessings.

There are a great many blessings in my life, too many to write down in this post, but here are a few of the things I appreciate and for which I am grateful.

1.  A garage and a house that shield us from the rain.
2.  New life.  I attended a baby shower today for a friend who is expecting a sweet baby boy.
3.  My thoughtful husband who made us a homemade blizzard treat.
4.  My pillow
5.  The library with its boundless supply of 'free' books.
6.  Good music like 1000 Reasons by Matt Redman.
7.  Game night with friends
8.  Our bird feeder that attracts many cardinals
9.  Family and friends both near and "far"
10.  At some point it will stop raining and the sun will shine again.

Flowers

I read a section of the poem Flowers by Longfellow in a little book shortly before my Grandpa died.   I think it is a very beautiful word picture and calls the mind to think on high things.

"In the cottage of the rudest peasant,
In ancestral homes, whose crumbling towers,
Speaking of the Past unto the Present,
Tell us of the ancient Games of Flowers;

In all places, then, and in all seasons,
Flowers expand their light and soul-like wings,
Teaching us, by most persuasive reasons,
How akin they are to human things.

And with childlike, credulous affection
We behold their tender buds expand;
Emblems of our own great resurrection,
Emblems of the bright and better land." 

-Excerpt from Flowers by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  Photo by Kristen Harmon

Be angry, and do not sin.

Tonight as I was winding down the evening heading towards bedtime, my little bird was hanging out with me.  She is very social and and is for the most part a well behaved sweet bird, but tonight something must have upset her because she bit me on the ear.

This made me angry and I quickly sought to get her off my shoulder and out of danger of biting me again.

But I thought about this after she was back in her cage.  What if in my anger I had been too rough with her?  She's a little bird after all and should be handled gently.  Even if she upset me for a moment, the fact is I like her and I don't want to hurt her.

The Bible advises us not to sin when we are angry in both Ephesians and Psalms.  I find this a helpful concept. It doesn't say not to ever get angry.  Sometimes things happen that rightfully cause feelings of frustration  It's okay to have a feeling.

The challenge is, what you do with the feeling.   I'm glad I didn't hurt my bird when she upset me.   But like a small bird, people's emotions can be fragile as well.

Psalms 4:4 says, "Be angry, and do not sin.  Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still."

This is pretty good advice.  Sometimes we need a cooling off period when something has caused a strong negative emotion.  But take a look at the rest of the Psalm.  It ends with peace and sleep.  That's a great promise.

"Be angry, and do not sin.
Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And put your trust in the Lord.
There are many who say,
“Who will show us any good?”
Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.
You have put gladness in my heart,
More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalms 4:4-8 


(Biblegateway.com)

Community

This evening I took a walk to enjoy fresh air and cool temperature. While I was on my walk I stopped to talk with a neighbor about her beautiful flower garden.  This led to a conversation about the proper care of a rose bush and then to her visiting my aspiring garden and offering tips.

It's interesting how familiarity and shared interests can cause a neighborhood to feel more like a community.  I've lived here for awhile now but I don't know many people.  But when evenings grow longer and summer's warm breezes call for BBQs and gardening it makes it a little easier to cross paths and maybe even have something to talk about.

Every neighborhood may not feel like Mayberry.  Some people may not wish to live in a little town like that but it is important to have community somewhere.

While individuality is a valued trait in our culture,  there is also great value in connecting with other people and doing it regularly.

I think one of the reasons people think back fondly on high school and college years is their community of friends.  People to eat with, study with, vacation with, camp with, and splurge on TV night and popcorn with.  People who knew the ins and outs of daily life and the feeling of comfort associated with being around them.

Most of us don't stay in the college environment forever.  We grow up, get married, find jobs, have kids and generally become adults.  But the problem for some is that if friend groups change as life changes, do we maintain community?  Do we reach out to neighbors, church members, and/or colleagues to form friendships beyond shallow conversations and into the deep, comfortable zone of community?

Sometimes it takes intentionality to grow your community.  Other times it may be as simple as being present in the moments of your life and noticing the people you share them with.