Do You See a Sparkle?

Reflected Stone Rainbow by pshab
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"...brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord." Ezekiel 1: 27b-28a

If you're joining me from the Christian Children's Authors blog, welcome!

"When you look at me," Molly Mahoney asks, "What do you see? Do you see a sparkle...like something reflective of something bigger that's trying to get out?"

This is one of the best lines in one of my favorite family movies, "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium," (2008). It's one the most significant questions we can ask ourselves as followers of Christ. Even as parents and grandchildren, do we seek, encourage and call out their sparkle?

In the movie, Mahoney is the loyal manager of Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, a magical toy store where everything comes to life. Most alive and happy when she's working, Mahoney relishes in Mr. Magorium's child-like faith. Mr. Magorium recognizes her "sparkle" and upon his retirement, transfers ownership of the toy store to Mahoney. But she feels completely inadequate, noting her lack of magic (the sparkle) that makes the Wonder Emporium...well, magical. Mahoney further reasons that she just can't be a kid anymore and therefore, opts to sell the store even if it means her unhappiness and that of all the children.

Isn't that how we act too? I mean here we stand, created in God's image, meant to reflect everything about Him including His glory and yet, we feel so inadequate most of the time. We don't see the sparkle, the reflection of His greatness in us. And as parents or grandparents, do we look for that sparkle in our children/grandchildren and encourage it's appearance?

God placed a desire in each of us to do something that seems, in any normal circumstance, natural. But, when asked to step out in faith, using that desire or gift for His kingdom, we suddenly retreat. We may even opt to "sell the store" of possibilities to someone else; someone more deserving or more talented, because for us, accepting the task would be simply impossible, even childish. 

And what happens when our children are maturing? Do we acknowledge their talents, applaud their God-given desires and encourage them to seek out opportunities to grow those desires or test them?

Sometimes we miss God's reflection in ourselves and our children. We cheat those around us of the same when we sit frozen to our chairs of impossibilities. So, what does it take to get us to see God's "sparkle" in ourselves or others?

I believe that something, event or moment when time stands still and we say, "Aha!" is different for everyone. But, common to all God followers? Abiding - spending alone time with God through His son, Jesus. We reflect the heart and glory of God himself when we abide in Him. Then, when we recognize God's movement in our lives or the lives of our children, faith grows. That's when we realize that with God nothing is impossible.

Thankful hearts brim and respond in obedience to God. It's here where we find our true selves - through obedience - what make us, us.

Do you see a sparkle? Do you have that reflection of something bigger that's trying to get out? Will you let it out? Will you spend time with your Creator so that He might shine through you?

What about your children or grandchildren? Do you encourage their sparkle? Do you recognize God's reflection through their personalities and do you give them opportunities for God to appear?

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

Nurturing God's Kingdom Purpose in Our Children

 

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”

Luke 2:52

One of the most terrifying experiences was placing my daughter on a plane with strangers heading twenty-four hours due east across the Atlantic to Uganda. Luckily for her, the organizer limited parental good-byes to the church parking lot where I choked-back fears and tearful sobs as they boarded the van to JFK.  

She'd been born for this—appointed in my womb for this day—I knew it full well. She was the girl who befriended the needy since kindergarten; the one who shared the gospel during childhood sleepovers; the young teen who announced after two weeks of summer camp that she was heading to Uganda. And yet, pondering these things like Mary mothered Jesus, I didn’t quite understand. 

God appoints all of us to a specific purpose - one that usually corresponds to our heart's deepest desire - in order to advance His kingdom on earth.

So, as parents, how do we recognize and nurture God’s call in our children’s lives?

*** Please join me at the Christian Children's Authors blog for some good pointers. And, when you're done, please share with us, what God's doing in your children's lives. How do you nurture that? Does it empower you to come alongside them or does it frighten you? ***

Planting Hope in a Cowboy's Heart {between Buffalo & Portland}

"Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" Matthew 22:37-39

My grandfather died and I prepared for my first solo flight. Leaving my husband behind, I clutched my boarding pass, slipped into the middle seat between a balding, middle-aged businessman and a tall, retired Texan cowboy straddling the aisle seat and prepared for take-off.

Ninety minutes into the two hour flight, after reading the contents in the seat pocket, the Texan cowboy and I decided a conversation might be nice.  We exchanged pleasantries like where we're from and why we're headed to Portland. He confirmed, beyond the obvious pointed snakeskin boots and cowboy hat, his Texas origins. And then he asked, "What do you do?" I pulled out a business card, certain that when the Texan cowboy layed eyes on the title "youth pastor" he'd pull the reigns back and stop all conversation. But he didn't.

The pilot announced ten minutes to landing and the cowboy pulled and E. F. Hutton on me. You know, the question that focuses everyone's attention on your answer? (The 1980's commercial that said, "When E. F. Hutton talks, everybody listens.") Cowboy looked at my business card and asked, "So, you're a pastor. What is our purpose in this life anyway?"

People spend lifetimes searching the answer to that exact question and I had ten minutes to make a difference in Cowboy's life (and everyone else listening around us). I didn't have my Bible handy and I couldn't just throw Scripture at this guy so I simply said, "Our purpose is to love God with everything we are and love each other the same way, like Jesus taught us. He created us to live in community with him and one another and to love as he loves."

"That's it?" Cowboy challenged. With less than ten minutes to landing I replied, "Yes, that's it. It's that simple." 

And yet it's more. Oh, I don't mean a list of do's and don'ts or liturgies and sacraments. It's about knowing and being known by our Creator and grasping the height and depth of God's love. It's about Kingdom living - understanding God's Kingdom is here and now and at the same time, not yet - and understanding our place in it. It's all about carrying the hope of life to others - day by day - because of Christ's Resurrection Day victory.

Between Buffalo and Portland, on the way to bury the dead, God's resurrection hope planted life in the heart of one Texan cowboy. That's Kingdom living!

Dreaming God Style

"To him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory..." Ephesians 3:20-12 

In my resolve to exercise more (or start) and eat less starches and sugar I've discovered another area of my life that needs attention: dreaming. I don't mean the unconscious dreams of sleep or the lazy summer cloud-watching day-dreamy thoughts, but rather the dreams hidden inside my heart.

I spend much of my day tasking - cooking, cleaning, laundry, errands- writing's  even a task sometimes, no matter how much I love it. Then I read this verse in Ephesians:

"To him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine..."

Hmmm...imagining. When was the last time I stopped doing and imagined? When have I dreamed impossibilities rather than safe limited possibilities? Clinging to safe I've limited God's amazing power that he says is at work in me (and you).

So here's the deal: along with disciplining myself with exercise, eating less, writing more, I'm adding dreaming bigger, God-sized dreams; dreams that scare the pants off me. Not just to dream for the sake of dreaming or personal accolades but because I don't want to limit God in me.

God says he can do more, dream more and I want to participate in his dreams; I want to partner with God to bring about his purposes.  God calls each of us to something for someone else. He wants to partner with humanity - with us - to bring His change, His healing, His life to others.

So here's the deal: Let's set this week aside to dream. Yea, I  know. Sounds crazy, right? I don't mean ignoring everything cuz that's just not our reality. Take a half hour (or whatever time you have) of quiet and ask, "God, all things aside - where in this crazy world do you want to partner with me? What are your dreams for me, God? Where do I fit?" Take time to listen for God's whispers. Record what you hear. Then, get on with your day - listening with one ear, listening with your heart as you task. If something tugs at you, write it down.

At the end of the week, I'll set aside Thankful Thursday for you! Let's share the dreams God's called out of us right here under comments or contact me here if you'd like privacy. Let's encourage one another for God's kingdom purposes.

"In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:4-6