Uninhibited Dance

"David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets."

2 Samuel 6: 14-15

Our hunger was satisfied. The dinner plates were cleared. The music segued from light jazz to up beat, jitter bug. It was time to kick off our shoes, let loose and celebrate this happy occasion. But, who would lead us out onto that dance floor? Who would be first? Not wanting to upstage the bride and groom on their special day, I waited patiently, tapping my toes in time to the beat.

Behind me I heard the running feet of my 23 month old granddaughter and in an instant she was at the edge of the dance floor, stopped only by the vastness of that great space. She stood there in her pink foofy dress, with a huge smile on her face, clapping her hands and tapping her feet in her sparkly shoes to the beat of the music. Instinctively she knew it was time to dance and she was ready!

Pops took her by the hands and led her out onto the floor. Her joy uncontainable, she squealed with delight, jumped into the air with all her might and with the aid of her Pops. Totally uninhibited by who was watching or what people were thinking she was the first onto the floor. That was it. The party had begun!

God calls us to be uninhibited in our worship and our ministry, just like little children. He's placed all the right instincts in our hearts from birth to help us not only survive but to thrive. The catch is He's left it up to us to step onto the dance floor. He'll never push us. He only stands before us with an outstretched hand waiting for us to follow His lead. Once we take hold of Him and start to dance, others will follow and the party will begin!

The world is waiting for you to step out. What's holding you back?

Word for Words: Writing in Multiple Genres: Challenges and Conflict

Word for Words: Writing in Multiple Genres: Challenges and Conflict

The Arms of the Father

"The Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with his children's children." Psalm 103:17

Dreams are instilled in us as children from the time we start to use our own imaginations. Some are played out by imitating our world and others are brought forth from what's within us, (our dna, our interests, talents and desires). How we nurture the dreams of our hearts depends on our childhood experiences and many times, our relationship with our fathers.

My husband and I are fortunate to live close to our children and grandchildren. For two years now, we've watched our son's daughter grow. We've seen her personality emerge, her language develop, her legs get longer and marveled at how God made her so much like her parents but so much His own. We love to interact with her face-to-face but we also enjoy watching her from a distance, interacting with her father.

Thanks to her mom's talent for capturing the moment on film, we caught a glimpse of them recently, playing at the local playground. There she was, arms wide open, a giggle on her lips and with free abandon, sliding into the open arms of her daddy at the bottom of the slide. Their joy in each other was evident, the trust in her father assured by his presence. I sighed to myself, "What a great picture of our freedom in Christ!"

Two weeks ago, our daughter married. It was a day that held great anticipation and tremendous joy. As I watched her walk that lacy aisle, arm in arm with her father my heart reminisced of all the steps God walked her through these past two years to get to this moment in time. And, as her father placed her hand into the palm of her husband he exclaimed his approval of their union by saying, "(I give her to David) with all my heart!" Those words surprised me and before I could silence myself, I choked out a sappy, "Awww." Again, I thought, "What an awesome picture of our freedom in Christ."

God places dreams and desires within us. If we allow it, He nurtures them throughout our lives with His unconditional love, discipline, guidance and trust. He brings healing to our wounds with his gentle touch and protects us from our enemies with his strong arms. He celebrates the fruition of our dreams with joy and gives us away with all His heart to play out our role that He's orchestrated for our lives.

Princes and Princesses

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Matthew 19:14

Engrossed in conversations of four-year-olds, a soft tap, tap on my back interrupted my listening. I turned and was greeted by a smiling, wide-eyed boy holding up a red cookie tin in my direction. Atop, it was adorned with three little "love notes" scribbled in his own penmanship, illustrations and all!

"These are for you Mrs. Aldrich," he proudly boasted. "Wow! Thank you!" I said. "May I share them with the other teachers, too?" He nodded his approval and gave me a great big hug around the waist before he toddled off to play. With a heart filled with awe at his thoughtfulness, my steps around the classroom were a bit lighter that morning.

It was also the last day of school for one of the little girls. At the end of the day we gathered around her, sang her our good-bye song, and wished her luck as she and her family moved south. The children, seemingly unaffected, skipped off to their familiar spots at the tables, anticipating the arrival of their parents. As the sea of faces poured into the room, the noise level elevated with squeals and cheers as each child found those familiar eyes of mommy, daddy and grandma.

Then through the noise, one dear little girl hushed the room with her whisper, "I need to give her a hug!" (referring to her classmate that was moving).

As she embraced her little classmate for the last time, one-by-one all 24 remaining classmates joined in, until she was surrounded by one enormous group hug! At that moment I lost it! My eyes filled tears and my heart swelled with awe at their overwhelming, impromptu expression of love.

Jesus challenges us to love like these little ones love; honestly, openly, overwhelmingly, purely, unconditionally because they show us what God's kingdom is like! (Matthew 19:13-15). They're the princes and princesses of His kingdom. Who would ever shoo the king's children away?

This story in Matthew tells us that his disciples almost did. And, dare I suggest, many of us would have done the same in Jesus' presence. But, this snippet of Jesus' life shows us that he welcomed the tap, tap of little hands on is back, the hugs and giggles of the wide-eyed children all around him that just wanted to give him a love note. He welcomes our shoulder taps, too and welcomes us to sit on his lap, whenever we need to. We need never fear rejection or delay. He's always there, beckoning us to come.

Baggage

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5: 1

It always amazes me just how little my husband needs to pack for a trip. Everything he needs, whether for a week or just a weekend, fits into a carry on bag. Me, on the other hand, needs the largest suitcase, an overnight bag AND a large tote bag no matter how long the vacation! That’s just the baggage I need to get to where we’re going. Heading back from vacation with all the souvenirs is an altogether different story! You see, I have a bad habit of packing for the “just in case” moments that rarely seem to happen. Maybe you can relate…I’ll pack that pretty dress “just in case” we want to go out to for a fancy dinner one night. This, by the way, also requires packing a special pair of shoes, an extra clutch, matching jewelry and perfume! I’ll pack a long pair of pants for a summer trip down south, “just in case” the weather turns cold. Has the south ever known a July day less than 85 degrees? Rarely! So, you can imagine how heavy my baggage is by the time the week is over!

I used to get weighed down by my emotional baggage, too. We all carry some. We can't help it. It comes with the territory of living in a broken world. Circumstances of life are never perfect and we get wounded; physically, emotionally or both. Whichever the case, our wounds cause pain and we pack our bags with things we think will protect us, "just in case" it happens again. We load up with things like fear, anger, anxiety, hopelessness, and unforgiving hearts. The list is endless. Gone unpacked, the contents of our baggage gets heavier and starts to stink... so do we!

Take courage! There's hope for our future! Freedom is ours if we want it! We just have to give Jesus permission to open our bags and sort through the dirty laundry with us. It can be scary at first. Nobody likes to show off the dirty stuff. It's embarrassing, painful, and unpleasant. But once we get started, our baggage gets lighter, we get rejuvenated and can finally go places we never thought we could go.

Where do you want to go? What do you think God is calling you to do but you just can't seem to get there? Is your baggage weighing you down? Have you packed too much for the "just in case" situations that you can't event think of where your future might take you? If so, give Jesus permission to unpack your bags. Let Him do some laundry and lighten your load.

Shoulder to Shoulder

"I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father, I have made known to you." John 15:15b

We didn't do anything or go anywhere special. We hung out by the fire, shared good food, caught up on our lives and at times we didn't say a word. Someone looking from the outside-in, might have thought we were bored or even mad at each other. They'd be wrong.

Our husbands have been friends since kindergarten and as couples we've shared 25 years of life's surprises. There's not much that we don't know about each other. There' s not much that would surprise us, either. Individually we're cut in shapes as unique as the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle but when we're together, standing shoulder-to-shoulder our lives interlock and bring life into focus with a comfort that no words can express. There's an unspoken understanding, a unity, a strength.

It was that way with Jesus and his disciples too, I would guess. There wasn't much they didn't know about each other in the three years they hung out, broke bread and shared life together. Each one as different as the pebbles on the beaches they walked, yet united and strengthened by their friendship with each other, led by Jesus.

Jesus defined their friendship by how much he revealed to them... everything! He was fully transparent with them; held nothing back. And, when life got really tough for him, especially the night he was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, he asked his friends to stay with him. They didn't have to say a word, just stand with him shoulder-to-shoulder through that difficult night.

There are times when our own friends just need to know we're there. We need not say a word. Just stand with each other, shoulder-to-shoulder.

Captivating

"May you rejoice in the wife of your youth...may you ever be captivated by her love."

Proverbs 5:18-19

Love is NOT dead! I know it because I saw it with my own eyes!

At first it didn't register. There I was, ringing out my groceries at the local supermarket, paying close attention to the climbing numbers on the screen in front of me. I was totally self-absorbed in what was going on with my own order until this man behind me set down two bundles of red roses on the belt behind my frozen chicken.

Instantly, my gaze was drawn away from my order to the beautiful, velvety, red petals of his bouquets. Then, before I could compliment their beauty or his thoughtfulness, my eyes spotted another bouquet further down the belt, and yet another, separated only by the white grocery dividers. Beyond the belt was a line of even more men holding the same bundles of red love closely to their hearts. What a sight! I'd never seen so many men holding so many roses for so many lovers at one time! My heart was encouraged to see their affection so freely displayed!

Of course it's almost Valentine's Day... Hallmark's excuse to make money by guilting us into purchasing cards, flowers, candy and lingerie for that someone special... but, it was still nice to see them expressing their love in some way.

As I bagged my groceries alongside my husband, (who had already presented me with my own bundle of roses... lucky for him), my mind wandered to the women who'd be receiving those ruby petals. Would they accept them with grace? Would they receive them as a token of that man's love? Would they thank him with a hug, a special smile, a kiss? Would they feel full of hope for their future? More simply, would they love him back?

The verse I chose for today speaks of husbands rejoicing in their wives; being captivated by her forever. How does that happen especially today when over 47% of our marriages end in divorce? May I speak boldly, ladies? How we receive our husband's token of affection is as important as his offering of that gift. It's not the gift. It's not the delivery. It's the offer that's important. If our husbands love us so much to take the time to purchase us flowers, a gift, make a dinner or just offer us words from his heart then isn't it up to us to receive those tokens of his love graciously and affectionately?

I love flowers! My husband knows that's the nicest gift he can give me. But, more importantly, I love the giver of that gift. I love that he still rejoices in me, the wife of his youth. I love that I still captivate his attention and affection after all these years...gray hair, wrinkles, cellulite and all!

Happy Valentine's Day, my love.

Unfailing Love

"The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love."

Psalm 147:11

From the time I was in kindergarten, I remember having crushes on boys. My first was a boy named Ray. I liked him because he was kind and walked me home from school every afternoon. I had to walk through an old, old cemetery to get to my house and it frightened me. But, when Ray was there, he made me feel safe and it wasn't a scary place anymore. Then, he moved onto Catholic school and I never saw him again.

By sixth grade the crushes got more serious and puppy love set in big time! I remember this one boy, who I thought looked just like Donny Osmond (the heart throb of us '70's girls), sat right next to me in Mrs. Brown's class. He was cute AND funny but I don't think he could carry a tune like Donny. Anyway, by the end of the year we were voted class couple. It wasn't like we "dated" but we felt that awkward, sweaty nervousness that made us act stupid whenever we were around each other. Then, June came and he asked me to go to his church carnival! My heart be still! A REAL date...in public! We rode the Ferris wheel, played some silly games and walked around the carnival grounds not really saying much all night. We never held hands and I never got more than a "see ya" when we parted. But, it was a REAL date.

That summer my family moved across town. The next time I saw him was on the first day of my freshman year in high school (except for the occasional glimpse of him piling out of his parents' 1970's VW Van at the local supermarket). I remember seeing him come toward me in the hall between classes. My heart was beating outside of my chest and my palms got all sweaty again. As we got in hearing distance, I smiled but he gave me that look of disdain and passed by without a "hello" or even a smile. My heart sank. What happened to that puppy love? (Three years of tween-ager hood happened, silly girl)!

I can proudly say I'm now well past that puppy love stage. I've been married over 25 years to my husband whom I met when I was twelve (not the Donny Osmond look-alike). When we were engaged we spent long nights talking about commitment. I was scared he'd bail or worse, cheat. That fear was unfounded but rooted in my family history of failed love. Even though my husband reassured me of his unfailing love, I needed his reassurance over and over again, for years, even after we were married. For some reason, I never thought I'd be enough for him for a life time and it scared me.

How we worked through my fear is a long story, but suffice it to say, I learned to trust him for his word as I grew more in love with my heavenly Father. Sounds weird, I know. But what happens when you spend time with God in His word, in prayer, in listening, in living, is you learn that God's love never fails those who put their trust in Him. You learn that you are enough for Him, without adding to or taking away anything in your life. You learn He's always there for you and never leaves you even though others might. You learn to see yourself through His eyes, the one who created you. You learn to see others the way He sees them, too.

So, whether you're in a long term relationship or a brand new one and fear that love may fail you, I invite you to get to know the One whose love NEVER fails. Watch was it does to your heart. You may find yourself falling in love all over again!

Heart Shaped Lunch

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies."

Psalm 23:5

It's February and at preschool it's all about red hearts, white lace, pink glitter, playing post office and making heart shaped sandwiches!

Tuesday was "make a lunch for someone you love" day. It was the cutest thing ever to see their pudgy little fingers struggle, while spreading peanut butter and jelly on two slices of bread; to see the delight on their faces when they successfully cut them in the shape of a heart; to see them thoughtfully choose the right snack and wrap it all up in a white paper sack.

Then came the struggle. They had to give it away. They wanted to eat that special heart-shaped sandwich themselves! It took awhile but, they finally caught onto the concept that sharing their lunch was like giving a gift to someone you love. By the end of the morning their white paper sacks were adorned with pink hearts and lovingly addressed to Mommy or Daddy, Brother or Nana and even an imaginary friend!

More interesting was the reaction on parents and grandparents faces. Sheer joy and pride covered the mommies faces whose children addressed lunches to them. Snickers arose from those whose children chose to share with their daddies, disappointment from the Nana who's grandchild chose the "other" Nana and a grin from the one whose child chose the imaginary friend.

As the families left one at a time my mind wandered to Psalm 23 where David says, "You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies." I pictured myself in Jesus' banquet hall, reaching for a white paper sack among thousands that I hadn't addressed but Jesus had addressed for me. There was a heart-shaped sandwich inside that I had to give away. My pink heart said it was addressed to my enemy; someone I didn't like very much and didn't like me either. Jesus put that sacked lunch in my hand and said, "Go. I've prepared this just for you two."

Jesus is all about relationships and reconciliation. It's just like Him to give us a heart-shaped sandwich to share with the one we struggle to even like a little, isn't it? But He knows that when we break bread and share our hearts the walls between us will start to crumble and relationships will begin to heal.

In Matthew 5:44 Jesus challenges us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us as well. It's definitely a struggle to even think of being in the same room with an enemy let alone consider praying for them or sharing a meal. But the point is this: Jesus loves us both the same. If we call Him Father and he calls us daughter or son, then he asks us to emulate his actions and love.

Who do you need to share a heart-shaped lunch with this week?

No Strings

"In my anguish I cried to the Lord and he answered by setting me free!"

Psalm 118:5

Remember Pinocchio? He was that sweet, ambitious, wooden puppet whose only desire was to become a real boy. He wanted to walk and dance and run like all the other boys, with no strings attached. His father, Geppetto, was more than willing to see his wish come true but first, requested Pinocchio go to school with the other real boys and learn how to behave.

Like many of us, Pinocchio just couldn't seem to stick to the rules. All he had to do was to go to school, be brave, generous and honest. He ignored his conscience (Mr. Jimmy Cricket) so generously provided him by the Blue Fairy and kept getting mixed up with the wrong crowd who deceived him into thinking his father's rules and the Blue Fairy's virtues would just keep him tied up in strings.

In reality, his disobedience enslaved him more. It separated him from his father, gave him a horribly large nose that got in his way whenever he lied, kept him behind bars and eventually turned him into a worthless jackass who was thrown out to sea and swallowed up by a whale.

Fortunately for Pinocchio, his father never gave up on him. Geppetto called out his name while searching land and sea for his little wooden boy.

Like Geppetto, our Creator never gives up on us either. He loves us so much that He searches the ends of the earth, calling out our name, hoping someday we'll answer. But, it's our choice to answer his call or continue to be enslaved by the strings of our own desires. True, no-strings-attached freedom comes when we simply say, "I'm here, Father. Show me the way out."

Moving Forward

"When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice." John 10:4

Tomorrow I will have come full circle as I celebrate the one year anniversary of my children's book, "Auntie's House" by reading it at the CT Loves to Read Day in Waterbury, Connecticut for the second year in a row. As exciting as it is to see my book come alive in the eyes of children who listen to it for the very first time, it's time to move forward.

Continuing to revel in the magic of this year, without moving forward, would only be to pat myself on the back and point people to what I did, instead of using the gift God's given me to journey to the next step, the next level, especially in my writing and say "Look at what God is doing!"

I've been struggling with the next step as the doors God's opened are not what I expected at all. There's been a lot of distractions (good and bad) that have slowed me down since the fall and made me reassess my situation. Against all logic, I've slowed down just a bit to pursue God's voice and to make time to write again. Some say it's crazy while others call it discipline. I'd rather call it obedience. Discipline relies on my own will and my own pursuits. Obedience is aligning my will with God's and moving in His direction. Discipline comes in making sure I really save the time to write and not waste my time running unnecessary errands or doing unnecessary chores.

As I've slowed down, I must admit there have been days when I've felt pretty stupid! Why? Because I'm not hearing God clearly. I don't know which story to write. On the one hand, I have a sweet children's story that fell in my lap while on vacation down south last summer. You would think I could just spit it out but, until tonight I couldn't get past the first few paragraphs. On the other hand, I have three chapters of an adult, nonfiction book ready for rewrite. I've recently received some great critiques on these chapters so a rewrite should come easily. But, it hasn't. This one's tougher because it's personal, takes more thought, more time, more solitude.

Here's the deal. Until I hear God say "Stop!" I've decided to write in both genres. I've just got to get these stories out of my head and onto paper if for the mere fact that I can stop talking about them in the future tense. I think it's crazy but no matter which direction I take, I see people that God has put in place to help me navigate through these waters. I think He's just asking me to set sail.

Today I finally got to work and sailed past my "writer's block" with my children's book. At least now I'm past the beginning and wondering how to end it rather than how to begin. I took my own advice..."Writing a book is as easy as telling a story and everyone has a story to tell." Just tell the story and worry about the rest later.

So, Happy Birthday to "Auntie's House", my first born. Here's to moving forward!

Heard Above the Crowd

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Matthew 5:8

To a stranger with no personal connection to the performance, a school assembly can be an excruciating experience. However, to a parent with a young child who's up on stage, that assembly is like watching a Hollywood premiere!

The stranger may only see is a small, stuffy, over-packed gymnasium smelling like rubber playground balls and #2 pencils. But through the parents' eyes it's the Grand Ole Opry House the instant their child walks out on stage. In the middle of the sea of 3 1/2 foot school-aged stars is the one that bears their name. With razor sharp focus they zone into that sweet, familiar voice of their child all the while ignoring the squeals and squawks of the school's microphones that threaten to drown it out. The last note of the final song is celebrated with the proud, roaring sound of applause from the parents now standing to their feet.

Every day we stand on the stage of the universe, one in a sea of faces with a song to sing. There's distractions, squawking feedback and we wonder, "Can anyone hear us at all?" While singing we constantly search the eyes in the onlooking crowd for the One whose eyes are locked onto ours; the eyes of the One whose name we bear. There's so many eyes! "Where's the One who knows me?" our hearts silently shout. Finally, our gaze is met. There are those eyes that show us how deeply we're loved and lift our hearts to amazing heights. Finally, our heart settles. We're no longer lost in the sea of faces. We've been found, loved just for who we are because we are His, celebrated and embraced.

* Disclaimer: photos taken from public files from the internet.

Mercy and a Hug

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

I felt like I was in junior high all over again. The snickering, sneering, whispering, giggling, pointing of the girls in the corner of the school lavatory were targeted at me. I quickly looked in the mirror to see if I'd spilled paint on a precarious spot on my sweater or if my fly was down. Since I checked out okay I realized they were just being plain mean.

My heart sank to the soles of my penny loafers. Then it hit me. "They're only four and five years old...and I'M the teacher!" Rallying every ounce of patience inside my bones I quietly ushered the band leader of the little babes to the time-out chair. With the help of my friendly colleague I attempted to explain the art of respect and good behavior while showing this little heart that I still loved her and forgave her.

It was a difficult afternoon. I knew I should quack like a duck (figuratively) and let the whole situation roll off my back. Instead, I wove the yarn of this tale over and over again to those who would bend an ear in my direction as if I found someone as upset about this as I was, it would make me feel better. But, it didn't. Instead it started to harden my heart and make me feel worse.

Through the arms of a sweet little boy who'd arrived early for class the next morning, God started to soften my heart. His little hands wrapped around my leg during our prayer time before class and it felt as though God poured a hot cup of comfort directly into my soul.

I rode home on the warmth of his hug , opened my email where God introduced me to mercy. It's a simple word that's rarely used in the day to day encounters with injustice. Yet it seems abundant in times of catastrophic despair. Mercy is "a compassion or forbearance shown to an offender" (Webster Dictionary). Truly, God meant it to be a part of our character all the time, not just in the worst of circumstances. The author of my online devotional reminded me of this in her reference to Micah 6:8 "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

To show mercy to someone who has offended is a humbling experience indeed but to LOVE mercy?! It's not my nature to LOVE mercy. It's more my nature to want to hold a grudge and tie strings to my forgiveness. It takes a humble heart to truly let go of those strings, offer forgiveness freely, compassionately and mercifully.

Lord, may I show YOUR mercy, YOUR compassion, YOUR forbearance to EVERYONE in EVERY situation EVERY day as you do for me. May I be the cup bearer of your hot comfort and mercy to those who may not love me and show them your love through me.

Major and Minor Themes

"Is not my house right with God? Has he not made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part? Will he not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire?"

2 Samuel 23:5

As though it were yesterday, I remember an assignment in my television class at Endicott College that forever changed the way I viewed anything on T. V. or in the movies. This assignment was to note every camera angle, movement and focus for the first fifteen minutes of any broadcast or movie of our choice and how it affected the viewer.

Now, I admit I can't recall the show I chose for this experiment, but I do know it trained me to view everything on the large or small screen with a critical eye. Instead of just relaxing to watch a good story play out on the screen, I now look for what the director is trying to communicate with every move of the camera, ever cut, every focus.

Once I know the story I tend to like to watch it again and focus my critical eye on the minor theme.

Like today for instance, I was watching the classic “Rudy” who striving against all odds (academic and physical) dreamed of someday playing football for Notre Dame. That’s the major theme. Underlying that was the story of Rudy’s brother, Frank. He had the natural academic and athletic abilities to accomplish only what Rudy dreamed of yet, he chose to settle for the mediocre. This is the minor theme.

This minor theme is so poignantly displayed in the scene where Rudy’s father is announcing his acceptance to Notre Dame over the intercom at the mill where he and his son’s were employed. As my eyes are watched Rudy’s father bursting with pride and the entire mill giving Rudy a round of applause the camera slowly shifted my attention to his somber- faced brother, Frank where I could see that Rudy’s success shouted nothing but failure to him.

At that point I asked, “What if Rudy had listened to Frank?” There would have been no movie, no story to tell except for a boy who settled into life in an old mill town to make a living instead of making a life. Then I wondered, “How many times have I majored in this minor theme myself? How many times have I been Frank and settled for mediocrity instead of living the life God intended for me to live? How many times have I ignored the desires he placed in my heart to pursue the comfort of the crowds? How many times have I stayed when God said ‘Go’?”

I do believe God places dreams in our hearts. I do believe he wants us to pursue those dreams. Sometimes they’re desires that we have no means to attain apart from the miraculous and sometimes we know they are desires for which we’ve been gifted. Either way, God is the author of those dreams and desires…our major theme, if you will.

He’s also the director training our eyes to focus on the major theme all the while being watchful that the minor theme doesn’t steal the spotlight. If we’re good students, we’ll not only learn the story God is trying to write, but we’ll gladly join him in the process and realize the desires of our hearts have been perfectly aligned with His story all along.

God's Lenses

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever." Psalm 136:1

It had been quite sometime since I'd called them. Christmas had come and gone with barely a "hello" between us and I was feeling a nudge of guilt as my excuses ranging from busyness to ill health seemed lame. So, I finally called them to say "hello" and let them know I love them.

Their voices on the other end of the phone were polite and lukewarm at best. I wasn't sure they cared I'd called at all. There were moments of awkward silence and gaps of air that swallowed me up in self pity. In only a brief few moments, trying as I might to interject any small ounce of joy, excitement or concerned love into the conversation, my heart's wound reopened without permission.

I hung up the phone feeling ten years old again, rejected, alone and feeling unloved by the two people that every child yearns to be loved by and embraced. I asked myself the same question I'd asked a million times before, "What have I done so wrong that they find me so unlovable?"

When I finally returned to the present, I was reminded it's not all about me. They have their own stories, their own wounds, their own colored lenses by which they view and react to those around them, including me.

If truth be told, we all wear colored lenses. The past creates the hues from which we view our lives. But, we are all offered the choice to view life as it really is, through clear lenses of Truth. We just have to choose to accept them, through Christ's invitation, and put them on. When we wear them we see ourselves as God does: holy and wholly loved...forever!

Just Say the Word

"Say the word and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority." Luke 7: 7b-8a

Walking into a classroom of twenty five preschoolers for the very first time was a daunting experience for me as a new teacher. All of a sudden, fifty eyeballs were glued to my every move and their tiny antennas were tuned into my every word. It wasn't enough that I held a place of authority by the mere fact that I was called "teacher. " Oh no...I had to pass their tests. If I passed, then and only then would I speak with true authority.

Their first (and on-going) test was "What's my name?" In my case, walking into this position eight weeks into the new school year, I wasn't given their names weeks ahead of time. I learned as I went along. By Christmas I got their first names down pretty well with a few exceptions, that, to this day, still give me trouble. Those poor kids, they want no excuses like, "Hey, I'm forty-something! I'm lucky to know my own name!" No way! I've got to get their names straight! That's how they know they're significant to me.

The next test was "Do your words match your actions?" Every action has a reaction according to the laws of science. So too, with human interaction. There's always something a child can and will do to test your authority over them. But, how we react to those instances rings very loudly and significantly in a child's ear. If I was asking a child to show kindness to their classmate, no matter how annoyed with them they were, I too, had to show kindness to my students even if they were being unkind or annoying to me. That doesn't mean I have to like what they were doing or allow them to continue their wrong behavior but, I did have to communicate my disapproval in a kind way.

Finally, "Draw the line!" Everyone needs boundaries. They wanted to know if I would hold them to the same behavioral boundaries set for them by the lead teachers. They wanted to know I respected and followed the same rules they were expected to abide by from the other authority figures they already tested.

Now, "Say the word!" I've passed the tests (with the exception of calling them all by the right name 100% of the time). I've now earned the right of authority in their school lives. I say the word and they will do as I ask because I've been tested and been found trustworthy, fair and genuine.

In Luke 7:1-10 the centurion must have been watching Jesus and testing His authority just like the preschoolers have tested me. We know Jesus passed because the centurion said, "Just say the word, Jesus and whatever you say, it'll happen 'cause you've got the authority!" But what's significant in this conversation is that the centurion understands that Jesus isn't just wielding his own authority around willy-nilly. He says, "For I myself am a man UNDER authority with soldiers under me." In other words, he understood that Jesus lived as a man under God's authority. Jesus did only what God asked/commanded of Him, so too, whatever Jesus commanded would be done because He was/is The Authority over all the universe.

Just like Jesus was given the right of authority in the heart of the centurion I too, must accept His authority in my own life especially if I say I love God. It doesn't always happen in an instant. Like my preschoolers, I put Jesus to the test, too. I want to know, "Am I significant? Do you know my name? Will you do what you say you will, Jesus?" And when I hear Him call me by name; when He proves Himself faithful over and over again I can finally say, "Just say the Word, Jesus!" And have the faith to know it will be so.

A Ray of Sunshine

"He is like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading it's shoots over the garden." Job 8:16

Saturday was the first day I'd crawled out of bed in three days! I'd felt almost human again after hacking my way through a box and a half of Kleenix tissues and downing a third of a bottle of cough syrup with codeine! Yea winter! Anyone got a one way ticket to Florida?

My ray of sunshine arrived at last just before dinner that evening. My good friend and extroverted creative learning advocate called and asked to come over. She said she had a question to ask me in person so that she could see my face when she asked it. With my peaked curiosity I of course obliged her request even though I was still dressed in my night gown and slippers. So, in the back door she bounded, all smiles and face beaming with excitement. "She must have found Mr. Right," I thought. "Now how should I react?!" But, to my surprise, instead of announcing her engagement she asked if I would accompany her to a book launching party in Boston for her good friend and award winning children's author/illustrator the next night!

"What an engagement indeed!" I thought. Picking my chin up off the floor all I could say was "I've been so sick..." but my encourage-able husband interrupted, "but she's feeling better and would love to go with you tomorrow night!"

So, last night I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the most creative, most talented, most influential people in the children's literary world! Weaving amidst the gourmet desserts, the glasses of wine and hearty congratulations there was an electricity (more than the buzz of the live band's amps or lights). It was the energy that's only found amongst those who bring out the best in each other; when the atmosphere is genuine and people are encouraged to live up to their creative potential.

I left there feeling warm, encouraged and hungry. I felt genuinely and warmly welcomed into the family of creative writers. I felt encouraged to live up to my potential as a writer. I was left hungry for more...to be surrounded by more creative people...to write more...to accomplish more.

Stepping into 2010 the word hope filled my thoughts. Last night, I was given hope to continue in my writing and hope for a future surrounded by creative, like-minded people.

Thank you to my dear friend for wrapping me in sunshine and infusing hope into my heart through these remarkable people!

Here's to the future!

Great Expectations

"For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." Luke 2:30-32

I'm expecting! I'm waiting with great anticipation, excitement and hope for my grandson's arrival in just a couple of months! And as I look forward to meeting him I've found myself looking backward lately, reminiscing about the births of my own two children.

One of my fondest memories was their Dedication Day when we presented our children to the Lord and our church family. To me, Dedication Day symbolized several things: our giving ownership of our children back to God as their creator; to raise them according to His purpose, not our own; to raise our children to honor and worship God and the dedication of our church body to support us in those efforts. As a personal touch, our children were dedicated by their Uncle Bill, an ordained Baptist minister. He had a wonderful tradition after he prayed for us and over our children where he weaved up and down the aisles of the church, personally introducing our baby to the entire congregation giving them a feeling of ownership of our child as well.

This custom of dedication is based on the Jewish law of consecration when the first born male of every Jewish family was brought to the temple on the eighth day to be consecrated (or dedicated) to the Lord. It's first mentioned in Exodus 13:2 when God was giving Moses the Laws of Israel. We also find it in the life of Jesus. Luke records the significance of Jesus' Day of Consecration in chapter 2:21-40. Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple on his eighth day of life to present him to the Lord and to make the proper sacrifice according to the Jewish Law. There was nothing spectacular about their obedience. They were simple, God-fearing parents carrying out their responsibility.

But there in the temple that day, were two prophets (Simeon and Anna) who had been waiting, expecting, hoping for the arrival of Jesus! They'd dedicated over 80 years of their lives praying, fasting and looking for their promised Messiah. When Jesus was carried into the temple that day, they knew who Mary was holding. Moved by God's Holy Spirit, Simeon approached Mary and Joseph first and prayed over Jesus, giving thanks to God for the promise of salvation to ALL people, Jew and Gentile alike, through this child. Immediately following, Anna the prophetess, approached them also giving thanks for Jesus, as the Messiah, promised redeemer of Jerusalem and weaving throughout the temple telling everyone who had been anticipating Israel's redemption about this baby Jesus.

I'm sure by the end of their day at the temple Mary and Joseph's heads were spinning. They knew their Jesus was to be the Messiah all along, but did they fully know the significance of that?I don't think so. Just like us, presenting our babies before the Lord, we don't fully know who we're holding in our arms. That child may look like us and act like us but he is fully God's, created in His image to do great things for His kingdom.

The expectations we hold for our children may be great but they can never surpass the aspirations that God has for them. May we consciously point our children to seek Him first and to follow the desires God places in their hearts.

The Deadliest Catch

" 'Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!'..."Then Jesus said to Simon, 'Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men.' So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him." Luke 5:8, 10-11

I cannot count how many episodes of The Deadliest Catch I've watched but it's a lot! It's a weekly T. V. series about the adventures and mishaps of crab fishermen on the Bering Sea in winter. Cameras give us a taste of their salty lives from the time they set sail in the icy seas to the day they return to harbor with their boats full of king crab. If I was watching this show in the 1960's I wouldn't understand what they were saying because every word would be bleeped. Their language is as rough as their sea weathered hands and as colorful as a double rainbow. They live hard and work hard. They're passion for the sea, their work, and their crew is unmistakable.

One night after watching an episode, being assaulted by their language, it dawned on me that Jesus chose fishermen to be his closest companions, his first disciples. They didn't choose Jesus. Jesus chose them! It was crude, foul-mouthed, beer-drinking, passionate men like those on The Deadliest Catch that Jesus chose to hang with...all the time! He didn't choose the "perfect, holy men" like the pharisees. He didn't choose the temple priests. He chose the rough-around-the-edges men who embodied boldness and passion! He didn't demand they change their behavior before he asked them to follow him. He took them just the way they were. He saw deep into their hearts, accepted them just the way they were then and there.

I think some of us reverse that in the Church today. We shun the crude, the rough people and thank God we're nothing like "them." We squeeze them out of our circles of influence because they're not holy enough, not clean and white like us. We never ask them to serve in ministries because people might be offended and our own holiness might be misrepresented by their behavior. We insult them, walk away from them, exclude them from our lives because they're not enough like Jesus for our own taste and we certainly don't want to dirty our own white sheets! All this is done under the impression that we're protecting ourselves, our congregations from evil.

We've got it all wrong! In God's eyes we're all rough-around-the-edges people especially those of us who think ourselves holier than our brother! In fact, it's the holy people that God warns us to avoid.

When those Galilean fishermen dropped their nets to follow Jesus they brought their crudeness, their drunkenness, their boldness and passion with them. Jesus loved them because he saw in them who he created them to be and trusted his Father (God) to do the transforming. He didn't squeeze them into a mold of holiness. He allowed them to be who they were in every way and loved them despite their faults. He didn't exclude them from ministry but brought them alongside himself to watch God's work and let that be the catalyst for their heart transformation.

Being a follower of Jesus is NOT about being holy and untouched by the world. To be a follower of Jesus means our lives are messy, our clothes are dirty, our hands are rough but we love, truly love people. We don't take responsibility for their behavior but only our own. We allow God to do the transforming not only in them but especially in our own hearts. Then, and only then, will we be able to call ourselves Christians.

The Trained Eye of Hope

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for." Hebrews 11: 1-2

Have you ever noticed that when you start shopping for cars, the ones you've got your eye on seem to pop up everywhere you go?

Lately, my husband and I have been discussing new cars since both of our vehicles are over ten years old and needing repairs that cost more than their value. His truck has higher mileage and since he travels more it's the first vehicle that we'll replace. He's done his research and narrowed down the type of truck he wants to at least three makes and models. Now, we see tons of them everywhere we go! He loves to announce when one of those models is gaining on us in his rear view mirror so I can check it out! Of course I "Ooooh and ahhhhh" over them as they pass and for certain, he has some sort of critique. "The cab is too small" or "That truck bed is too big" and of course, "There it is! That's the truck!"

We all know it's not that those trucks magically appear just because he desires them but that my husband has trained his eyes to be aware of them. It's like that with us and God too, isn't it? I mean God is always around us but we don't always see him because we're not looking for him. But, if we desire him more, we can train our spiritual eyes to see where he is all the time.

Hebrews 11 recaps stories of faith from the Old Testament. Each person from Noah to Enoch and Joseph portrayed great faith in God that what they hoped for, desired, trusted God for would come to fruition. They couldn't necessarily see the outcome of their desires but they trained their eyes to see where God was and kept moving forward. They kept believing, desiring, trusting that what God had promised them would some day become a reality. They had hope.