There are moments of instantaneous revelation that come to me that Lucy Maud Montgomery called “the flash” in the Emily series. I knew exactly what she meant. The curtain of the natural is drawn back for just a second and you can really ‘see’, for a moment. It gives you a thrill. I like to think of it as God picking me a flower. A sweet, precious gift that leaves an incredible fragrance and beauty on my life. The flowers aren’t always in expected places, they have been picked in some very strange ones, like by kitchen sink or in a baby’s diaper believe or not. So what I have to offer you are some of these flowers. ‘fresh flowers’ is here to encourage you and give you a sweet fragrance in your day, be blessed.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Toilet Tales
If you would like a hard copy ‘bouquet’ of fresh flowers for yourself or someone you know click on ‘flower shop’.
I was working diligently in the kitchen when I heard the sound of splashing water. Knowing that only myself and Sasha (our 10 month old) were about I figured I better investigate, especially since I knew he wasn’t having a bath! Sure enough there he was happily playing in the toilet. “Yuck!” I exclaimed, “That’s yucky, you don’t play in there!” I explained as I washed his hands and took him out of the bathroom. Of course, he’s 10 months old he doesn’t seem to see the disgusting side of the situation. I found the situation to contain a little flower.
You and I would never consider playing in the toilet, it holds absolutely no appeal to us whatsoever. Even my 2 year old knows now that playing in the toilet isn’t a good idea because he’s getting the picture of what goes in there. It isn’t pretty. However, little boys seem to have an interest in exploring the intricacies of the white throne, even my slightly older ones get overcome once in awhile. A little maturity however, helps us see what it is we’re playing in.
Okay, now for the hit home. Sometimes I find myself playing in a ‘toilet’. Oh not the literal one, a figurative one. I rarely watch television, mostly because I simply don’t want to give any time to it. There are some shows I enjoy, like the last few episodes of Canadian Idol and the decorating challenge shows. I also have a very intense imagination, once an image is locked in there I tend to dwell on it and it takes me a while to get on to something else. Hence, I’m pretty careful of what I put in. However, the other night I found myself watching a popular science/drama/crime show and was intrigued by the investigative procedures and all that. One story line was very interesting and the other just plain evil. I learned things that I didn’t need to know, saw images that I wish I could erase. I was playing in the toilet – and I knew better, but that other story line was so interesting, but I was still in the toilet. A bad tree can’t bear good fruit. There is no cleaner that can make a toilet okay to play in, it is still a germ-infested environment.
Now the other side of the coin is this. My 10 month old doesn’t realize that the toilet is a yucky thing. He has no discernment yet for that. Sometimes we don’t know that we are playing in a ‘toilet’ because it seems like the same water that is in the bathtub, clean and refreshing, but it’s not. Discernment comes with maturity, experience, listening when people say, “Hey, that’s a toilet you’re playing in!” Wash your hands of the things that you know are infecting your mind and heart. Luke 6:45 says, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” We all know what an overflowed toilet looks and smells like. We also all know what a beautiful fountain of clear, gushing water looks like. Choose well.
I was working diligently in the kitchen when I heard the sound of splashing water. Knowing that only myself and Sasha (our 10 month old) were about I figured I better investigate, especially since I knew he wasn’t having a bath! Sure enough there he was happily playing in the toilet. “Yuck!” I exclaimed, “That’s yucky, you don’t play in there!” I explained as I washed his hands and took him out of the bathroom. Of course, he’s 10 months old he doesn’t seem to see the disgusting side of the situation. I found the situation to contain a little flower.
You and I would never consider playing in the toilet, it holds absolutely no appeal to us whatsoever. Even my 2 year old knows now that playing in the toilet isn’t a good idea because he’s getting the picture of what goes in there. It isn’t pretty. However, little boys seem to have an interest in exploring the intricacies of the white throne, even my slightly older ones get overcome once in awhile. A little maturity however, helps us see what it is we’re playing in.
Okay, now for the hit home. Sometimes I find myself playing in a ‘toilet’. Oh not the literal one, a figurative one. I rarely watch television, mostly because I simply don’t want to give any time to it. There are some shows I enjoy, like the last few episodes of Canadian Idol and the decorating challenge shows. I also have a very intense imagination, once an image is locked in there I tend to dwell on it and it takes me a while to get on to something else. Hence, I’m pretty careful of what I put in. However, the other night I found myself watching a popular science/drama/crime show and was intrigued by the investigative procedures and all that. One story line was very interesting and the other just plain evil. I learned things that I didn’t need to know, saw images that I wish I could erase. I was playing in the toilet – and I knew better, but that other story line was so interesting, but I was still in the toilet. A bad tree can’t bear good fruit. There is no cleaner that can make a toilet okay to play in, it is still a germ-infested environment.
Now the other side of the coin is this. My 10 month old doesn’t realize that the toilet is a yucky thing. He has no discernment yet for that. Sometimes we don’t know that we are playing in a ‘toilet’ because it seems like the same water that is in the bathtub, clean and refreshing, but it’s not. Discernment comes with maturity, experience, listening when people say, “Hey, that’s a toilet you’re playing in!” Wash your hands of the things that you know are infecting your mind and heart. Luke 6:45 says, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” We all know what an overflowed toilet looks and smells like. We also all know what a beautiful fountain of clear, gushing water looks like. Choose well.
the flower 'shop'
Dear flower children,
‘fresh flowers’ is launching into a new meadow!! Get your own 'hard copy' of fresh flowers by picking a bouquet from the Flower List below. Once I receive your order I will put together your customized bouquet of flowers, fillers (tips and quips) and green stuff (journalling pages). The front cover will be a one-of-a-kind creation just for you. I'll accept payment by check or money-order (your bouquet will not be sent until payment is received - one day I'll get set up on PayPal). The price is (for now) $1/flower and then $8 for shipping, etc. [a 12 flower bouquet would cost you $20].
Any questions, just e-mail me!! (laniwiens@yahoo.ca) Happy picking!
Flower List
1. The Best Place To Be Is: With Dad – a longing to be with our Father is a good thing
2. A Matter of Perspective – a crisis moment takes on different views depending on which side of the fence you’re looking from
3. You are Outta Here – trying to take over for God can sometimes disqualify us from the things we want to do.
4. Sometimes Help is a Four Letter word – thank God that He doesn’t get exasperated with our ‘helping’
5. Golf Lessons – learning to be a ‘one-thing’ person
6. Green Means Go – trust that the Lord knows when it’s safe to proceed
7. Sanctuary – where will you be found when you’re lost?
8. The Barbie House – building for the next generation
9. Promises Kept – do you have difficulty believing that God will do what He said?
10. Birthing Babies – giving birth ‘spiritually’ is much like the natural process
11. Are We There Yet? – trust the navigator!!
12. Lessons from Mr. SquarePants – keep soaking in the river to prevent ‘drying out’
13. Faith Toast – are you settling for the cold toast or holding out for warm faith
14. The View From Up There – take a look from the Father’s perspective
15. Ask Without Ceasing – sometimes we need to stop asking to see if the answer has already come
16. Follow the Leader – Part 1 – a lesson in submitting to leadership and being a good leader
17. Forgetting what is behind – face each day as a new adventure with Jesus, falling in love with him over and over again
18. breathe – as we live our lives, simply breathing in and out, we can make a difference
19. Don’t just survive - thrive – a few ideas to get beyond just ‘making it through the day’
20. trailing behind – don’t drag the dirt through the clean parts of your heart
21. stand still – stop striving, allow God to bring you what He’s promised
22. the real thing – don’t settle for less than the reality of God himself
23. look up, look way up – where does our help come from?
24. how to make God cry in one easy lesson – God weeps over our pride – don’t let your stubbornness and pride keep you from fulfilling your purpose
25. beauty treatments - the best beauty treatment is hanging out with DAD
26. move-ability - our maturity is reflected in our willingness to submit
27. the quiltmaker's plan - a quilt block refects the master's design
28. what's that on your plate? - learning to be content with where you are right now
29. toilet tales - what will we feed our spirit with?
Thursday, October 21, 2004
what's that on your plate?
If you would like a hard copy ‘bouquet’ of fresh flowers for yourself or someone you know click on ‘flower shop’.
A friend and I were talking the other day and discussing what was on our plates. She was telling me about how she was learning to be content with a small plate. This whole conversation got me to pondering my plate and plates in general. First of all I contemplated how when you’re trying to lose weight that you should use a smaller plate to help you psychologically (smaller portions on a smaller plate sort of thing). Then I thought about how people behave at buffet-type eating events. We all tend to take a little too much on our plates because we want to sample everything that’s there. Why do we do that? Is it because we’re fearful of perhaps missing something really good or maybe we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings that brought a certain dish? Then there is the competition that sometimes goes on between teen-age guys to see how many plates they can go through at the buffet, the more the better. Then there are the plate-spinners, decorative plates that exist to hang on walls or be displayed but never used, plates in the earth, plates in our heads and there are probably more plates that I haven’t thought of yet.
What my friend and I were talking about were those kinds of plates that we refer to when we’re talking about activities and what we choose to do with our time. I always thought that my plate must be pretty big because I always put so much on it. However, with the onset of many children, age, and business in our home I’ve found that there isn’t much room on my plate for things outside my four walls and perhaps it’s smaller than I previously thought. There are times when I get a little discontent with the contents of my ‘plate’ because there is such a smorgasbord of opportunities to sample from and I love variety. Maybe I’m fearful of missing out on something really good or disappointing someone who really wants me to try their thing. Or not.
Remember what I said about trying to get a little of everything at a buffet or potluck? Have you ever noticed that some dishes are great and everything you hoped for but that there are also quite a few that are kinda disappointing? The disappointment may come because you were expecting your mom’s potato salad but whoever made this puts something in there that you don’t quite like, or maybe it was supposed to be served hot but someone forgot to put it in the oven. Anyway, the other day we had a potluck thing at church, I fed my kids and made sure they were all taken care of and then went to get something for myself. There were many tasty looking dishes but I did something totally out of the ordinary – I ate soup. That’s it. Just soup, one kind only. I didn’t even try anything else. And it was so good. Nothing else competed for my tastebuds. I totally enjoyed my bowl of soup and was completely satisfied.
Back to my ‘plate’. God is showing me that I can be completely satisfied with the ‘little’ that is on my plate right now (which sometimes feels more like piled high and dripping off the sides). God’s smorgasbord of opportunities is constantly replenished, perfectly seasoned, always fresh, always the right temperature. When it is time to branch out and try something new again, there will be plenty of choices for me. I am continuing to learn to be a ‘one-thing’ person. The world tells me that I should try everything. At this point I believe God is telling me to savour this one dish. Even a bowl of soup is a multi-ingredient event, there’s lots of variety in every spoonful. My kids and I have learned a verse together from Colossians 1:16, “For I have learned to be content with whatever I have.” I’m learning to be content with the content of my plate. I hope you will, too.
A friend and I were talking the other day and discussing what was on our plates. She was telling me about how she was learning to be content with a small plate. This whole conversation got me to pondering my plate and plates in general. First of all I contemplated how when you’re trying to lose weight that you should use a smaller plate to help you psychologically (smaller portions on a smaller plate sort of thing). Then I thought about how people behave at buffet-type eating events. We all tend to take a little too much on our plates because we want to sample everything that’s there. Why do we do that? Is it because we’re fearful of perhaps missing something really good or maybe we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings that brought a certain dish? Then there is the competition that sometimes goes on between teen-age guys to see how many plates they can go through at the buffet, the more the better. Then there are the plate-spinners, decorative plates that exist to hang on walls or be displayed but never used, plates in the earth, plates in our heads and there are probably more plates that I haven’t thought of yet.
What my friend and I were talking about were those kinds of plates that we refer to when we’re talking about activities and what we choose to do with our time. I always thought that my plate must be pretty big because I always put so much on it. However, with the onset of many children, age, and business in our home I’ve found that there isn’t much room on my plate for things outside my four walls and perhaps it’s smaller than I previously thought. There are times when I get a little discontent with the contents of my ‘plate’ because there is such a smorgasbord of opportunities to sample from and I love variety. Maybe I’m fearful of missing out on something really good or disappointing someone who really wants me to try their thing. Or not.
Remember what I said about trying to get a little of everything at a buffet or potluck? Have you ever noticed that some dishes are great and everything you hoped for but that there are also quite a few that are kinda disappointing? The disappointment may come because you were expecting your mom’s potato salad but whoever made this puts something in there that you don’t quite like, or maybe it was supposed to be served hot but someone forgot to put it in the oven. Anyway, the other day we had a potluck thing at church, I fed my kids and made sure they were all taken care of and then went to get something for myself. There were many tasty looking dishes but I did something totally out of the ordinary – I ate soup. That’s it. Just soup, one kind only. I didn’t even try anything else. And it was so good. Nothing else competed for my tastebuds. I totally enjoyed my bowl of soup and was completely satisfied.
Back to my ‘plate’. God is showing me that I can be completely satisfied with the ‘little’ that is on my plate right now (which sometimes feels more like piled high and dripping off the sides). God’s smorgasbord of opportunities is constantly replenished, perfectly seasoned, always fresh, always the right temperature. When it is time to branch out and try something new again, there will be plenty of choices for me. I am continuing to learn to be a ‘one-thing’ person. The world tells me that I should try everything. At this point I believe God is telling me to savour this one dish. Even a bowl of soup is a multi-ingredient event, there’s lots of variety in every spoonful. My kids and I have learned a verse together from Colossians 1:16, “For I have learned to be content with whatever I have.” I’m learning to be content with the content of my plate. I hope you will, too.
Thursday, October 14, 2004
move-ability
‘fresh flowers’ exists for the encouragement of the saints. Sharing guidelines, author bio and instruction for getting on (or off) the list is at the end of this blog. Get a customized bouquet of ‘flowers’ for yourself or someone else. Click on flower shop for more information!!
Our oldest son loves to play with his two youngest brothers (not that he doesn’t like the other two kids but for today’s purposes we’ll just talk about the two littlest ones). He is usually very willing to get either of them up from a nap. He will be their bodyguard and protect them if he sees harm about to come to them. He is a compassionate, shepherding kind of guy. He loves dragging them around, putting them on or in various containers and giving them rides. He likes to carry Sasha around and gives Samuel piggy-back rides. However, one day Samuel did not want to be shepherded. He had run away from the table yet again and I asked Josiah if he would please go and bring him back. He ran to do as I asked, however, Samuel was less than cooperative. Josiah came back to the table leaving Samuel screaming in protest in the other room, heaved a huge sigh and said, “It sure is hard to move a bigger baby who doesn’t want to be moved.” We had a little chuckle and told him he should be thankful that he wasn’t trying to move me or dad – if we didn’t want to be moved there would be no way he would be able to move us.
Kelly and I had a little light-bulb moment at the same time. Here was a good picture of submission we thought. As young Christians, newly saved, we are easily moved, swayed by teaching, tossed around by doubts and at the same time we are more likely to be moved to submit and follow our leader. The older we get as Christians we aren’t so easily moved, swayed or tossed around (hopefully) and at the same time we may not be as likely to submit and follow. The beauty of a submitted heart is that it makes it an easy job for the person who is trying to move you (the leader in this case). God told us that we should make it a joy for our leaders to lead. We discussed around our table how much easier it is for Josiah to move us by simply requesting that we move (please help me with my homework, for example) than to cry, whine, shove, push, manipulate or silently pout at us, which, unfortunately our children have a tendency to try from time to time. They find us terribly unmoveable and that seems to irritate them.
There are of course times when my rebellion, stubbornness and pride make me want to stay firmly planted to my spot, not moving and not wanting to give in. Unfortunately, when we stay in one spot for too long what happens? We get stiff, sore and uncomfortable. So why do we move at all? Why love of course. What else would propel me out of bed at 2:00 AM except my love for my children – it certainly isn’t the pay-cheque! Christ’s love compels us to move for one another, giving up our rights and privileges to serve one another. If you are finding that someone isn’t moving for you perhaps you need to check that approach (are you whining, manipulating, just being selfish or whatever). It may be that the other person just isn’t willing to move, if that’s the case, go around their immovable-ness, love them up, make sure that they know that you love them. I’ve found that when my children are really sure that I love them they are much more willing to cooperate. What a beautiful thing it is when brethren move for one another. They will know that we are Christians by our love. I pray that my love shows through to my God, to my family, my friends and to my spiritual family – in my move-ability.
Lani Wiens is a freelance writer from Saskatoon. She is the mom of 5, the wife of 1 and a joyful member of Hope Fellowship Church in Saskatoon. Feel free to forward fresh flowers through the internet, however, if you are planning to share them in a public setting please be so kind as to ask for permission first. I would be happy to come and share my flowers with you live and in person! Just reply to this e-mail with your request.
If you would like to receive ‘fresh flowers’ directly please e-mail me at laniwiens@yahoo.ca and put ‘put me on your list’ in the subject line.
If you would like to be removed from the list please e-mail me at the above address and put ‘please remove me’ in the subject line.
Our oldest son loves to play with his two youngest brothers (not that he doesn’t like the other two kids but for today’s purposes we’ll just talk about the two littlest ones). He is usually very willing to get either of them up from a nap. He will be their bodyguard and protect them if he sees harm about to come to them. He is a compassionate, shepherding kind of guy. He loves dragging them around, putting them on or in various containers and giving them rides. He likes to carry Sasha around and gives Samuel piggy-back rides. However, one day Samuel did not want to be shepherded. He had run away from the table yet again and I asked Josiah if he would please go and bring him back. He ran to do as I asked, however, Samuel was less than cooperative. Josiah came back to the table leaving Samuel screaming in protest in the other room, heaved a huge sigh and said, “It sure is hard to move a bigger baby who doesn’t want to be moved.” We had a little chuckle and told him he should be thankful that he wasn’t trying to move me or dad – if we didn’t want to be moved there would be no way he would be able to move us.
Kelly and I had a little light-bulb moment at the same time. Here was a good picture of submission we thought. As young Christians, newly saved, we are easily moved, swayed by teaching, tossed around by doubts and at the same time we are more likely to be moved to submit and follow our leader. The older we get as Christians we aren’t so easily moved, swayed or tossed around (hopefully) and at the same time we may not be as likely to submit and follow. The beauty of a submitted heart is that it makes it an easy job for the person who is trying to move you (the leader in this case). God told us that we should make it a joy for our leaders to lead. We discussed around our table how much easier it is for Josiah to move us by simply requesting that we move (please help me with my homework, for example) than to cry, whine, shove, push, manipulate or silently pout at us, which, unfortunately our children have a tendency to try from time to time. They find us terribly unmoveable and that seems to irritate them.
There are of course times when my rebellion, stubbornness and pride make me want to stay firmly planted to my spot, not moving and not wanting to give in. Unfortunately, when we stay in one spot for too long what happens? We get stiff, sore and uncomfortable. So why do we move at all? Why love of course. What else would propel me out of bed at 2:00 AM except my love for my children – it certainly isn’t the pay-cheque! Christ’s love compels us to move for one another, giving up our rights and privileges to serve one another. If you are finding that someone isn’t moving for you perhaps you need to check that approach (are you whining, manipulating, just being selfish or whatever). It may be that the other person just isn’t willing to move, if that’s the case, go around their immovable-ness, love them up, make sure that they know that you love them. I’ve found that when my children are really sure that I love them they are much more willing to cooperate. What a beautiful thing it is when brethren move for one another. They will know that we are Christians by our love. I pray that my love shows through to my God, to my family, my friends and to my spiritual family – in my move-ability.
Lani Wiens is a freelance writer from Saskatoon. She is the mom of 5, the wife of 1 and a joyful member of Hope Fellowship Church in Saskatoon. Feel free to forward fresh flowers through the internet, however, if you are planning to share them in a public setting please be so kind as to ask for permission first. I would be happy to come and share my flowers with you live and in person! Just reply to this e-mail with your request.
If you would like to receive ‘fresh flowers’ directly please e-mail me at laniwiens@yahoo.ca and put ‘put me on your list’ in the subject line.
If you would like to be removed from the list please e-mail me at the above address and put ‘please remove me’ in the subject line.
Thursday, October 07, 2004
the quiltmaker's plan
I was working on a quilt block today. Just one – but it had 49 pieces in a 12 ½” square. That isn’t the most pieces I’ve ever done in such a small space but it was up there. The quilt block itself is part of a series that I ‘subscribe’ to at a local quilt shop that is called the ‘Saturday Surprise Sampler’. There a couple of set Saturdays a month where you go in and pick up your block – you have no idea what you’re getting until you get there. This goes on over the course of a year and in the end you have enough coordinated blocks to make a full size quilt – I’ve done it once before and it was quite fun. Anyways, I digress – it is quilting season after all.
I like instructions, I like to have them, I like to follow them (except when I’m cooking). I was really thankful for the instructions for this block because it was a lot of little tiny pieces. When I first looked at it I was quite dismayed by all the little tiny pieces and was quite sure I would screw it up. I wasn’t sure that I had what it takes to put all those little pieces into a pleasing whole. Would it look like the picture did – I said a little prayer and started in. I paid very careful attention to the instructions. I took my mother’s advice who had already done this block and managed to avoid her mistake. One of my little piles got turned the wrong way and at first I thought I could fix it but I couldn’t so I had to rip out a few seams and begin that set again. It seemed at first that I wouldn’t get anywhere and then suddenly the little pieces were making bigger sections which joined to bigger sections and at the end of the afternoon my block looked like the picture and I was quite pleased with the results. I had a few flower moments along the way.
Our church is collectively working on a course. The course is called Transformations – it comes with instructions (the Bible). The ‘picture’ that we’re all working toward is a transformed life (hence the name). Sometimes it seems as we walk the narrow path that there are just way too many little pieces that need to get into place. It’s overwhelming. However, the instructions are clear. We need to believe the truth – if we follow the instructions the end result will happen (God said it, I believe it). We need to have faith that the designer knows what they’re doing even though the task seems too big, too painful, too _________________(fill in the blank). We need to heed the advise of those that have already been there and here words of life that can help us avoid mistakes and pitfalls as we walk. When we mess things up, sew things on backwards or in the wrong place, we must repent, rip out that seam, read the instructions again and start over. Then there is the persisting. Just continuing to do what God has asked us to do. That would be called obedience – persisting in righteousness. As we persist we’ll see those loose pieces start to come together to form a whole. And yet our little piece is only one of many that makes up the body of Christ. God is a master designer, it says in Acts 17 that He has planned that we would be alive at exactly this time, living in exactly this place. He cuts, stitches and presses us so that we can be transformed from a pile of scrap cloth into a beautiful patchwork that is able to bring comfort, warmth and beauty to the world. No piece is too small for a quilter or for God to fit into His plan.
I like instructions, I like to have them, I like to follow them (except when I’m cooking). I was really thankful for the instructions for this block because it was a lot of little tiny pieces. When I first looked at it I was quite dismayed by all the little tiny pieces and was quite sure I would screw it up. I wasn’t sure that I had what it takes to put all those little pieces into a pleasing whole. Would it look like the picture did – I said a little prayer and started in. I paid very careful attention to the instructions. I took my mother’s advice who had already done this block and managed to avoid her mistake. One of my little piles got turned the wrong way and at first I thought I could fix it but I couldn’t so I had to rip out a few seams and begin that set again. It seemed at first that I wouldn’t get anywhere and then suddenly the little pieces were making bigger sections which joined to bigger sections and at the end of the afternoon my block looked like the picture and I was quite pleased with the results. I had a few flower moments along the way.
Our church is collectively working on a course. The course is called Transformations – it comes with instructions (the Bible). The ‘picture’ that we’re all working toward is a transformed life (hence the name). Sometimes it seems as we walk the narrow path that there are just way too many little pieces that need to get into place. It’s overwhelming. However, the instructions are clear. We need to believe the truth – if we follow the instructions the end result will happen (God said it, I believe it). We need to have faith that the designer knows what they’re doing even though the task seems too big, too painful, too _________________(fill in the blank). We need to heed the advise of those that have already been there and here words of life that can help us avoid mistakes and pitfalls as we walk. When we mess things up, sew things on backwards or in the wrong place, we must repent, rip out that seam, read the instructions again and start over. Then there is the persisting. Just continuing to do what God has asked us to do. That would be called obedience – persisting in righteousness. As we persist we’ll see those loose pieces start to come together to form a whole. And yet our little piece is only one of many that makes up the body of Christ. God is a master designer, it says in Acts 17 that He has planned that we would be alive at exactly this time, living in exactly this place. He cuts, stitches and presses us so that we can be transformed from a pile of scrap cloth into a beautiful patchwork that is able to bring comfort, warmth and beauty to the world. No piece is too small for a quilter or for God to fit into His plan.
Thursday, September 30, 2004
orientation
I love to quilt and since the weather has turned to fall, the quilting bug is stronger than ever. One of the things that I love about quilting is the little lessons that I’ve learned from this beautiful art form. My character has been strengthened as I’ve persevered through learning new ways of putting fabric together. There may be more ‘quilt flowers’ in the future but here’s one for today.
I was helping a friend get started on a quilt one evening. She had all the proper equipment; a rotary cutter (this is like a scissor with a round blade), a cutting mat, acrylic ruler and her fabric, all the tools needed to get going and have success. (By the way she told me I could use this because she was sure I’d find a flower in here somewhere – I did.) I was helping her cut her fabric into the needed strips and squares. Unfortunately she was having no end of trouble with cutting straight. You need to understand that cutting straight is an integral part of the quilt process and not as easy as it may seem. We made sure she was holding her ruler correctly, lining up edges, that she was using proper technique and even wondered whether or not she was just too short. Finally, I took her cutter and tried it myself – and got the same nasty results. (We ruled the height issue out as I’m much taller than she is). I took a look at the cutter and realized that it was oriented for a left-handed person, my friend is right-handed, there was no way she would ever have any success with the tool the way it was. I changed the blade around and voila, she could cut straight just fine. It was a very frustrating time for her and fortunately we could salvage the material and had enough for her project. There were two flowers in all of this experience for me. One was how important it is to use the tools that are right for you. My friend had borrowed all the equipment from a friend, never thinking about what orientation her friend had. Sometimes we look at what someone else is doing and try to mimic their action, hoping to get the same results and meet with failure instead. The problem may not be that we are doing things ‘incorrectly’, the problem may be that we’re trying to use someone else’s stuff. God has created each one of us with unique skills, abilities, thoughts, ideas – ‘tools’ if you will. He has programmed them to work well especially in our hands and blesses the work of our hands. Even if you follow another’s footsteps, the pathway will have your unique flavour. This is a good thing. We weren’t meant to be clones. God is a multi-faceted being and He has created us in His image. It would stand to reason that we will all have different expressions of His character. May I encourage you to look at what God has placed in your hands. Use the gifts, talents, and skills that He has given you to worship Him. Even if you ‘borrow’ tools from someone else, make sure they work for you – change it up a little, get the kinks out and go for it. Whatever God has created you to do will be a thing of beauty as you surrender it to Him.
The second flower was that our life needs to be oriented to God. We must come under His Lordship or we will continually make a mess of the fabric of our life. My friend could have chosen to continue cutting with the blade facing the wrong way. To you and I that seems like a stupid thing to do, once you know what the problem is. However, we have a huge tendency to do that every day. We know that the way to peace and wholeness is to surrender to the Lord in every area of our lives and still we try to keep cutting through the muck and mire of daily life with our blade facing the wrong direction. We think that if we just hold this a little tighter, if we stand a little straighter, if we try a little harder, we’ll get it right. I have news for you, you won’t. Turn your blade around, orient yourself to His will and Lordship daily and you will have no problem cutting straight!!
I was helping a friend get started on a quilt one evening. She had all the proper equipment; a rotary cutter (this is like a scissor with a round blade), a cutting mat, acrylic ruler and her fabric, all the tools needed to get going and have success. (By the way she told me I could use this because she was sure I’d find a flower in here somewhere – I did.) I was helping her cut her fabric into the needed strips and squares. Unfortunately she was having no end of trouble with cutting straight. You need to understand that cutting straight is an integral part of the quilt process and not as easy as it may seem. We made sure she was holding her ruler correctly, lining up edges, that she was using proper technique and even wondered whether or not she was just too short. Finally, I took her cutter and tried it myself – and got the same nasty results. (We ruled the height issue out as I’m much taller than she is). I took a look at the cutter and realized that it was oriented for a left-handed person, my friend is right-handed, there was no way she would ever have any success with the tool the way it was. I changed the blade around and voila, she could cut straight just fine. It was a very frustrating time for her and fortunately we could salvage the material and had enough for her project. There were two flowers in all of this experience for me. One was how important it is to use the tools that are right for you. My friend had borrowed all the equipment from a friend, never thinking about what orientation her friend had. Sometimes we look at what someone else is doing and try to mimic their action, hoping to get the same results and meet with failure instead. The problem may not be that we are doing things ‘incorrectly’, the problem may be that we’re trying to use someone else’s stuff. God has created each one of us with unique skills, abilities, thoughts, ideas – ‘tools’ if you will. He has programmed them to work well especially in our hands and blesses the work of our hands. Even if you follow another’s footsteps, the pathway will have your unique flavour. This is a good thing. We weren’t meant to be clones. God is a multi-faceted being and He has created us in His image. It would stand to reason that we will all have different expressions of His character. May I encourage you to look at what God has placed in your hands. Use the gifts, talents, and skills that He has given you to worship Him. Even if you ‘borrow’ tools from someone else, make sure they work for you – change it up a little, get the kinks out and go for it. Whatever God has created you to do will be a thing of beauty as you surrender it to Him.
The second flower was that our life needs to be oriented to God. We must come under His Lordship or we will continually make a mess of the fabric of our life. My friend could have chosen to continue cutting with the blade facing the wrong way. To you and I that seems like a stupid thing to do, once you know what the problem is. However, we have a huge tendency to do that every day. We know that the way to peace and wholeness is to surrender to the Lord in every area of our lives and still we try to keep cutting through the muck and mire of daily life with our blade facing the wrong direction. We think that if we just hold this a little tighter, if we stand a little straighter, if we try a little harder, we’ll get it right. I have news for you, you won’t. Turn your blade around, orient yourself to His will and Lordship daily and you will have no problem cutting straight!!
Thursday, September 23, 2004
beauty treatments
I’ve been contemplating beauty lately. There’s that verse in 1 Peter about a woman’s beauty coming from the inside, from a gentle and quiet spirit, rather than what’s on the outside. This has been a quest for me for a long time. I’ve not been known in the past for my quietness or gentleness. In fact, when I was sharing with a friend of my husband’s about this desire he actually laughed in my face and told me to consider getting a new goal. (Don’t judge the fellow too harshly, he was just calling a spade a spade and that was a long time ago.) Not that I’m thinking I’ve totally arrived there but I do think I’ve learned a little about engaging my brain before my mouth.
Anyways, I was watching a TV show one night that was all about fixing outward beauty and in the process one of the characters said that beauty was in the eye of the beholder. The other character responded that no, that wasn’t true, that’s just surface stuff, real beauty is what’s inside. Later on in the show that character told the other to close their eyes so that they could really ‘see’. The character with all this wisdom was blind and had no pre-conceived notions about a person based on appearance. It was very thought-provoking.
We’ve had a front row seat for transformation this summer as our neighbors have been improving their homes. On one side we’ve been quite concerned with the young lady who lives there. She hasn’t kept very good company, is somewhat loud and obnoxious. She plays horrible music, loudly. Has a horrible temper, and hasn’t exactly been a role-model for our kids. However, this summer, her dad has been around, working on the house and hanging out. It has been a thing of beauty to see the change in her. She has become softer, there haven’t been any temper tantrums, no loud music, no obnoxious parties. In fact, we hear her laughing with her dad, working with him, serving him, she jokes around with our kids. She seems more settled, more at peace, she’s not trying so hard when her daddy is around.
Isn’t that the best beauty treatment you could possibly get? It doesn’t cost a dime other than your time. Spend some time with DAD, hang out with Him, work together. He draws the true person out of us. He sees us through different eyes than everyone else – He knows the beauty we really are deep inside. He fills up the empty places, makes the rough places smooth. He’s better than botox. He gives our faces a lift simply by putting joy in our hearts. If you’re in search of a new and improved you – talk to DAD. There is a gentle and quiet spirit in you (and me) and He knows where to find it.
Anyways, I was watching a TV show one night that was all about fixing outward beauty and in the process one of the characters said that beauty was in the eye of the beholder. The other character responded that no, that wasn’t true, that’s just surface stuff, real beauty is what’s inside. Later on in the show that character told the other to close their eyes so that they could really ‘see’. The character with all this wisdom was blind and had no pre-conceived notions about a person based on appearance. It was very thought-provoking.
We’ve had a front row seat for transformation this summer as our neighbors have been improving their homes. On one side we’ve been quite concerned with the young lady who lives there. She hasn’t kept very good company, is somewhat loud and obnoxious. She plays horrible music, loudly. Has a horrible temper, and hasn’t exactly been a role-model for our kids. However, this summer, her dad has been around, working on the house and hanging out. It has been a thing of beauty to see the change in her. She has become softer, there haven’t been any temper tantrums, no loud music, no obnoxious parties. In fact, we hear her laughing with her dad, working with him, serving him, she jokes around with our kids. She seems more settled, more at peace, she’s not trying so hard when her daddy is around.
Isn’t that the best beauty treatment you could possibly get? It doesn’t cost a dime other than your time. Spend some time with DAD, hang out with Him, work together. He draws the true person out of us. He sees us through different eyes than everyone else – He knows the beauty we really are deep inside. He fills up the empty places, makes the rough places smooth. He’s better than botox. He gives our faces a lift simply by putting joy in our hearts. If you’re in search of a new and improved you – talk to DAD. There is a gentle and quiet spirit in you (and me) and He knows where to find it.
Friday, September 17, 2004
How to make God cry in one easy lesson
I’m finding it a little hard to get started at the moment, I’m extremely over-tired and a little fuzzy around the edges. I’m wondering to myself why I’m starting this way but even as I’m wondering the answer is coming. I’m a real person. I have periods of time when things go really well and I feel like I’m on the right track and I have periods of time when I feel like I can’t get anything right no matter what I do. When I am in this kind of spot it is easy for me to believe lies and get into that self-pity thing I spoke about last week. Here’s a few vignettes that will help to illustrate where I’m going, hang in there.
1. Due to things that are happening in my husband’s life I was kind of bummed out that I was going to have to give up a wonderful opportunity to get out of the house and work on my scrapbooks. Because of a glitch in the plan – I immediately aborted the whole idea and evening until my good friend pointed out that quite possibly I could just come late. Hadn’t thought of that. Can’t have it the way I want it, then I might as well just toast the whole plan.
2. My boy wants to ride his scooter to school. After contemplating the risks of taking the prized scooter to school he decided he will do it…until mom reminds him of one little detail. No kneepads, no scooter. He hates the kneepads. Begged for ‘em, got ‘em, won’t wear ‘em. Has he hurt his knees numerous times? Yes! Will he wear the pads? No! Did he ride his scooter to school? No, because he so badly did not want to wear the kneepads he suddenly decided that he didn’t want to ride his scooter after all. That response really ticked me off. He would rather give up his heart’s desire than to strap on that little bit of plastic around his knees. He would rather risk damaging his knees permanently than look ‘uncool’ in his gear.
3. I have some friends who would like to get started in ministry but the fear of rejection has put them in a place time and again where they won’t go forward.
4. Because I’m feeling sorry for myself I don’t ask for the help I really need and give up some great opportunities, assuming of course, that no one wants to help, yadda, yadda, yadda…
Have you seen the common thread? Have you figured out what makes God cry? Here’s one more illustration right from the Bible, Jeremiah 13. God tells Jeremiah to go buy a new loincloth, to wear it, then bury it, leave it and then to go and dig it up again. The loincloth is of course soiled, mildewed and falling apart, completely useless. God tells Jeremiah that He wants to be as close to His people as a loincloth (or underwear as we call it) is to our bodies. That is a very intimate picture of God’s desire for closeness, intimacy and relationship with us. However, God says, His people have followed the stubbornness of their hearts and in the same way that the linen cloth was ruined, so He will ruin the pride of Israel. God’s heart breaks over our pride, our refusal to submit to His will, or to the Lordship of Christ or those who He has put in places of authority (if you don’t like that word – try ‘those who we have given the right to speak into our lives’). Jeremiah 13:17 says, “But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the Lord’s flock will be taken captive.” Don’t make God cry. Bend your stubborn heart to His desires. Listen to His heart for you. He longs to be as near to you as your underwear is right now. The result of giving into pride is captivity, uselessness, ruin and being cast away from him like a filthy rag. Whatever is making you hang on to your pride is not worth the consequence that awaits. Yield.
1. Due to things that are happening in my husband’s life I was kind of bummed out that I was going to have to give up a wonderful opportunity to get out of the house and work on my scrapbooks. Because of a glitch in the plan – I immediately aborted the whole idea and evening until my good friend pointed out that quite possibly I could just come late. Hadn’t thought of that. Can’t have it the way I want it, then I might as well just toast the whole plan.
2. My boy wants to ride his scooter to school. After contemplating the risks of taking the prized scooter to school he decided he will do it…until mom reminds him of one little detail. No kneepads, no scooter. He hates the kneepads. Begged for ‘em, got ‘em, won’t wear ‘em. Has he hurt his knees numerous times? Yes! Will he wear the pads? No! Did he ride his scooter to school? No, because he so badly did not want to wear the kneepads he suddenly decided that he didn’t want to ride his scooter after all. That response really ticked me off. He would rather give up his heart’s desire than to strap on that little bit of plastic around his knees. He would rather risk damaging his knees permanently than look ‘uncool’ in his gear.
3. I have some friends who would like to get started in ministry but the fear of rejection has put them in a place time and again where they won’t go forward.
4. Because I’m feeling sorry for myself I don’t ask for the help I really need and give up some great opportunities, assuming of course, that no one wants to help, yadda, yadda, yadda…
Have you seen the common thread? Have you figured out what makes God cry? Here’s one more illustration right from the Bible, Jeremiah 13. God tells Jeremiah to go buy a new loincloth, to wear it, then bury it, leave it and then to go and dig it up again. The loincloth is of course soiled, mildewed and falling apart, completely useless. God tells Jeremiah that He wants to be as close to His people as a loincloth (or underwear as we call it) is to our bodies. That is a very intimate picture of God’s desire for closeness, intimacy and relationship with us. However, God says, His people have followed the stubbornness of their hearts and in the same way that the linen cloth was ruined, so He will ruin the pride of Israel. God’s heart breaks over our pride, our refusal to submit to His will, or to the Lordship of Christ or those who He has put in places of authority (if you don’t like that word – try ‘those who we have given the right to speak into our lives’). Jeremiah 13:17 says, “But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the Lord’s flock will be taken captive.” Don’t make God cry. Bend your stubborn heart to His desires. Listen to His heart for you. He longs to be as near to you as your underwear is right now. The result of giving into pride is captivity, uselessness, ruin and being cast away from him like a filthy rag. Whatever is making you hang on to your pride is not worth the consequence that awaits. Yield.
copyright, 2004, Lani Wiens, a fresh flowers original
Thursday, September 09, 2004
look up, look way up
and you'll see Jesus. This seems to be the theme of the last week not only in my heart, but in my home and in my friends. It seems that I have a tendency to forget where my source is from time to time. Instead I try hard to muster up enough of whatever I think I need at the time and end up failing miserably and feeling even more miserable. The point was illustrated quite well just before supper this evening.
I had given the kids instructions about getting ready for supper, trying to get them to work as a team, help each other out, family unity and all that sort of thing. The problem was they each had their own agenda and unfortunately for my little girl, she was just too short to accomplish her goal. So what did she do? Turned on the water works and let out some fierce howls while we all gazed in wonder that such a delicate and fragile flower could create such a terrible noise. Meanwhile we all carried on preparing for our repast. She continued her noise. Finally she stopped for a breather and we managed to find out what the problem was. She wanted her older brother to put the cups she was holding on the shelf that was out of her reach. Problem was, she hadn't asked him to do it so obviously, he didn't. She just made noise and lots of it, feeling sorry for herself and expecting the rest of us to drop everything and fix her problem. I was finally able to help her understand that if you want someone to do something for you because you genuinely need help, you've gotta ask. Out loud. With words. Preferably with please and thank you in the sentence.
I have to admit I've been pretty sensitive to this particular issue after just having put to death a lengthy pity party at the end of which God said, "Repent." I did. The view changed tremendously. I lifted my eyes up to the mountains from where my help comes and there it was. It was called grace.
I had given the kids instructions about getting ready for supper, trying to get them to work as a team, help each other out, family unity and all that sort of thing. The problem was they each had their own agenda and unfortunately for my little girl, she was just too short to accomplish her goal. So what did she do? Turned on the water works and let out some fierce howls while we all gazed in wonder that such a delicate and fragile flower could create such a terrible noise. Meanwhile we all carried on preparing for our repast. She continued her noise. Finally she stopped for a breather and we managed to find out what the problem was. She wanted her older brother to put the cups she was holding on the shelf that was out of her reach. Problem was, she hadn't asked him to do it so obviously, he didn't. She just made noise and lots of it, feeling sorry for herself and expecting the rest of us to drop everything and fix her problem. I was finally able to help her understand that if you want someone to do something for you because you genuinely need help, you've gotta ask. Out loud. With words. Preferably with please and thank you in the sentence.
I have to admit I've been pretty sensitive to this particular issue after just having put to death a lengthy pity party at the end of which God said, "Repent." I did. The view changed tremendously. I lifted my eyes up to the mountains from where my help comes and there it was. It was called grace.
coffee, ugghh
Found out again last night that coffee and I just don't mix. I am not sure how people stand that stuff. I love the smell and I can handle all the wonderful pretend coffees but that real business is bad, bad, bad. downright painful...
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
quilting, the body and blogging
My husband is making fun of me. He just came down and said, "What are you doing?" Then there was the knowing smile as he says you're playing with your new toy aren't you. Yeah, this blogging thing just gets under your skin and there you are. I find it fascinating that you can say all this stuff to untold multitudes and you may never speak it to one person. Actually, most of my friends aren't sure what to do with this blog thing, can't figure out what to comment. Hey it doesn't have to be anything so 'uber-cool', as my nephew would say. Just your thoughts, your response to what's been written, that sort of thing. I think I'll go quilt now, cause that is something I love to do. One of these days I'm gonna actually get the ones I'm working on now done. I can hardly wait to start new ones. I designed one today with my boy#2 for his bed, I can hardly wait to start it but I need to get the one I'm making for myself on the rack first. It will be my first real 'pieced' adventure and my first one that I'm making for myself and the first really big one I've done. That's a fairly significant quilt. I love quilting because it has taught me so many things about relationships, character and God. Here's one little 'piece' . In the grand scheme of quilting you can literally take any colors, fabrics, etc. and put them together to create something beautiful. God does that in the church, He takes a bunch of denim (the rougher crowd), some velvet (the more refined crowd) and a bunch of common cottons and throws them together and comes up with this beautiful patchwork called the body of Christ. That's just one little thing but it may give you an idea of why quilting is such a wonderful sport...
Thursday, September 02, 2004
the real thing
This is not an add for that insidious brown liquid that we hear so much about but rather a lesson learned watching my son eat, or not eat as the case may be.
I’ve always been a little bit leery of preservatives, my body doesn’t particularly like them and quite frankly, they scare me. How things that go bad in my fridge after a day or two can last on a store shelf, unrefrigerated, indefinitely, is something that should make all of us quiver. My personal opinion…those pudding things are by far the worst.
My husband is a bit of a pushover when it comes to buying treats for the kids. He tries to be tough but when they all say please he is putty in their hands. So, he bought these highly preserved jelly thingies as treats. They would each get one of these delectable treats for dessert. They could hardly wait to get through the meal. The real food that particular evening included a plate of fruit, which my #2 son was enjoying with great zeal. Then came the treat. I read the list of ingredients looking for something recognizable, aahhh there it is ‘contains real fruit juice’ – what a drop or two so they can say it on the label? How can it survive in that sea of chemical? I located the jelly with the least amount of red food dye and handed that to Chris. Everyone else was a tiny bit deflated because green was the sought after colour. They opened their packages of slime and dove in. The other three consumed their preservatives with gusto but I noticed that Chris was not exactly eating his but rather playing with it and had a funny look on his face. I asked him what the trouble was. His pained expression caught at my heart, he obviously wasn’t enjoying the ‘treat’. “It doesn’t taste good,” he says, “maybe I’ll try it again later.” And he left the table.
My husband and I mused on that a little as we reflected back in the ensuing quiet that happens for a few seconds after the kids leave the table. Then a flower bloomed. He had just consumed a wealth of the real thing, honest to goodness fruit with the peals on and everything. There was no way that artificial colour and dye could compare to that. No wonder it had tasted so foul to him. It was a good kick in the pants for me as I realized that too often I settle for the artificial, the glossy package, the eye-candy gospel, the label claiming, ‘just read this – contains real Bible verses’. I sometimes forget what the REAL thing is all about – the blood of Jesus, the pureness of His obedience and devotion and worship of His Father. I forget how truly satisfying it is to just be with God, how refreshing, how healthy, how vital. Just the bare, unvarnished truth that God loves me and really believing that truth is more healing, more life giving, than anything I know. If I truly want to thrive I will need to be fueling that spirit-man of mine with the real stuff, the word of God, true worship, honest prayer. I cannot settle for less, my health depends on it.
Would you like an orange with that Psalm?
I’ve always been a little bit leery of preservatives, my body doesn’t particularly like them and quite frankly, they scare me. How things that go bad in my fridge after a day or two can last on a store shelf, unrefrigerated, indefinitely, is something that should make all of us quiver. My personal opinion…those pudding things are by far the worst.
My husband is a bit of a pushover when it comes to buying treats for the kids. He tries to be tough but when they all say please he is putty in their hands. So, he bought these highly preserved jelly thingies as treats. They would each get one of these delectable treats for dessert. They could hardly wait to get through the meal. The real food that particular evening included a plate of fruit, which my #2 son was enjoying with great zeal. Then came the treat. I read the list of ingredients looking for something recognizable, aahhh there it is ‘contains real fruit juice’ – what a drop or two so they can say it on the label? How can it survive in that sea of chemical? I located the jelly with the least amount of red food dye and handed that to Chris. Everyone else was a tiny bit deflated because green was the sought after colour. They opened their packages of slime and dove in. The other three consumed their preservatives with gusto but I noticed that Chris was not exactly eating his but rather playing with it and had a funny look on his face. I asked him what the trouble was. His pained expression caught at my heart, he obviously wasn’t enjoying the ‘treat’. “It doesn’t taste good,” he says, “maybe I’ll try it again later.” And he left the table.
My husband and I mused on that a little as we reflected back in the ensuing quiet that happens for a few seconds after the kids leave the table. Then a flower bloomed. He had just consumed a wealth of the real thing, honest to goodness fruit with the peals on and everything. There was no way that artificial colour and dye could compare to that. No wonder it had tasted so foul to him. It was a good kick in the pants for me as I realized that too often I settle for the artificial, the glossy package, the eye-candy gospel, the label claiming, ‘just read this – contains real Bible verses’. I sometimes forget what the REAL thing is all about – the blood of Jesus, the pureness of His obedience and devotion and worship of His Father. I forget how truly satisfying it is to just be with God, how refreshing, how healthy, how vital. Just the bare, unvarnished truth that God loves me and really believing that truth is more healing, more life giving, than anything I know. If I truly want to thrive I will need to be fueling that spirit-man of mine with the real stuff, the word of God, true worship, honest prayer. I cannot settle for less, my health depends on it.
Would you like an orange with that Psalm?
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
a strange addiction
I'm obviously extremely new at this, but I'm having this little niggling thought that this could be come very addicting. Is this true? I'm pretty pathetic because I've been coming back to check if there are comments and stuff and am extremely curious about this whole process. Why do people do this anyway? What is it about the 'blog' that is so darn fascinating? I've read exactly 3 blogs in my lifetime to date and have found I need to explain what it is to people when I say that I have one... hmmmm.....
Sunday, August 29, 2004
agent of change
I love change! Trying new ideas, seeing the difference that sandpaper and varnish make to my floors, getting a good haircut and highlights, the changes in my kids as they grow-up.
I hate change! The new way my body looks after giving birth four times, the changes wrought in my refrigerator when I forget to clean it out before going on holidays, the hole that is left when dear friends move away, the changes in my kids as they grow-up.
I think it’s safe to say that we all have a love/hate relationship with change. We want to see our negatives improve and our positives get even better. We are anxious to see God doing the transformation of our minds and the changing from glory to glory and yet we have this nagging tendency to resist the very thing we want to happen. Let me illustrate with a story about my son and his diaper. I warned you a diaper flower would come – well, brace yourselves, it’s here!!
My two year old is just beginning that glorious stage of life called potty-training. He has become aware of the fact that from time to time he is in need of a change and will come to me and tell me all about it. On one of these particular occasions I was up to my elbows in something or other when he came and pulled on my leg with the request, “Mommy, need change, NOW!” Reluctantly I stopped what I was doing and gathered together the necessary equipment to precipitate the procedure, you know, the ‘agents of change’ – after all he was pretty stinky. I got down on my knees and called for him to come. Instead of coming for the requested change he ran off laughing. I have to admit I was not in the mood for this and just put my head down on my knees and asked the Lord, “Why does he do that? I hate it when he runs off like that, it’s so annoying.” I got a reply back that I wasn’t anticipating, “Yeah, I know, I hate it, too.” Well that got me thinking a little. How often do I go to God pleading for Him to change me, He says, “Okay, let’s get on with it.” And I run away, laughing even.
My two year old is just beginning that glorious stage of life called potty-training. He has become aware of the fact that from time to time he is in need of a change and will come to me and tell me all about it. On one of these particular occasions I was up to my elbows in something or other when he came and pulled on my leg with the request, “Mommy, need change, NOW!” Reluctantly I stopped what I was doing and gathered together the necessary equipment to precipitate the procedure, you know, the ‘agents of change’ – after all he was pretty stinky. I got down on my knees and called for him to come. Instead of coming for the requested change he ran off laughing. I have to admit I was not in the mood for this and just put my head down on my knees and asked the Lord, “Why does he do that? I hate it when he runs off like that, it’s so annoying.” I got a reply back that I wasn’t anticipating, “Yeah, I know, I hate it, too.” Well that got me thinking a little. How often do I go to God pleading for Him to change me, He says, “Okay, let’s get on with it.” And I run away, laughing even.
The story does not stop there, however. Samuel continued to resist change for quite some time, smelling up the world, becoming offensive to everyone he came in contact with oblivious to his stench. I decided that I would wait for him to really want that change to take place. It was not until his younger, more immature brother was getting changed that he decided it would really be a good idea to get rid of his bothersome odour – not to mention the discomfort that he had been living in for awhile. He came and observed the whole procedure, giving me commentary as I worked. I found this most interesting, it isn’t like this was the first time the boys had had their diapers changed. This was not a new thing, it just wasn’t happening to him. Yet Sasha had to submit to the change because he isn’t old enough to make those choices on his own. When Samuel saw the fresh clean diapers and the happy look on little Sasha’s face, the results of the change, he was quite willing to lie down and have the deed done. Everyone else was much more accepting of his presence when it was all over, too, as sweet and fun as he is to have around.
My dear friends, change isn’t always a fun process. Nor do we particularly like it – but in the end we are happy with the results of those positive changes. May I encourage you to weigh carefully your intention and reaction before you breathe that prayer, “Lord, change me.”
My dear friends, change isn’t always a fun process. Nor do we particularly like it – but in the end we are happy with the results of those positive changes. May I encourage you to weigh carefully your intention and reaction before you breathe that prayer, “Lord, change me.”
my first blog
Well, I've been encouraged to do this and following my motto for this year, "why not!", I did. I'm listening to a wonderful CD - Signpost's Collection Vol.1 what an uplifting and encouraging thing to do. So often I forget that music is such a powerful tool for bringing peace, joy, depth of emotion, release, etc. Kinda stupid when I am a musician and am married to a musician and live in a family stuffed to overflowing with musicians. In a house full of kids (5) you just sometimes forget the simple stuff...
Lani
Lani
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)