Thankful Thursday - Mountains!

After two long days of driving - we have left the city behind and headed to the mountains of Colorado.  I had never driven through Iowa and Nebraska - so that was a new experience.  It is always fun to see other parts of the country.  I saw A LOT of farmland.  There were many beautiful farms that are green from spring rains.

I am a bit of a country girl at heart.  I spent a lot of time on my grandparents' farm as I was growing up.  There were acres of farmland, herds of cattle, sheep and goats, horses, chickens and an assortment of other animals that came and went.  There is just something very peaceful about being on a farm.  That love is still there.


After driving through all the farmland, we began to see the mountains!  YAY!!  I have a huge love affair with the mountains.  I can feel my heart leap and my soul sigh when I arrive at our place in the Vallecito Valley near Durango.  I get to look out my window at the mountains and listen to the water running in the creek behind my house.  There is still some snow on the mountain tops.  The sun is shining - the sky is big and blue - the temperatures are perfect.  I think I can do this for awhile.

I am thankful that the Lord allows me to spend time in the busy, big city and He allows me time to spend time in the peace and quiet of the mountains.  I love both places - my heart and life is invested in both places.  My purpose doesn't change - only my scenery.  The Lord is very present in both.  Don't you love that?  

Flourish where you are today.  Embrace what the 

Lord has for you and be thankful!

Tuesday Thoughts: Is there an app for that?

Is there an app for that?  A very common phrase these days.  It usually refers to the latest app on an iphone to do something fun or fantastic!  I hear this all the time and when I heard it the other day, is just struck me how it was really a spiritual concept that we have to catch!

We are privy to so much information these days, particularly in the spiritual realm.  We go to church and listen to sermons, do Bible studies, listen to podcasts and read lots of books.  We take in a lot of good information.

My question for you is ~ Do you have an app for that? 

If we simply take in good information, we really haven't achieved much.  What we need to do is apply what we have heard, been taught and read.  We have to take those truths that we wrote down and even got excited about and flesh them out in our life.  The scriptures must come alive as we interact with others.

  

We are the modern day Bible story.

What is the Lord asking you to apply?

Are you fat with spirtual knowledge but 

lean on living it out?

Do you have the app for that?

Thankful Thursday - Interruptions

Today I am thankful for interruptions - what???!!!??? 

Most of us wake up each morning with a plan for the day.  Some plans are very detailed and much needs to be accomplished.  Maybe you even have a date book where all the lines are filled in and you can check off each task.

 

There is nothing wrong with that!  In fact, some degree of planning is necessary or life would be completely chaotic.   I at least wake up with a general idea of what the day will look like.  But . . . 

 

Often, the best days are the days where nothing that I planned actually comes together.  There is that unexpected phone call, a cancellation of an appointment, a lunch date or a divine appointment that the Lord has made that suddenly comes up - running into a friend somewhere or meeting someone new.

 

Yesterday, some planned things happened and they were good.  I ended up with an unplanned dentist appointment to get my teeth cleaned.  They had an opening and called me to see if I could come in.  I had a great conversation with the hygienist.  She remarkably remembered a lot of what we talked about last time - one of them being my church.  She asked me about it again and we had a great conversation.  I'm inviting her to a new series we are doing.  I got to go to dinner with my friend Ali and on the way home, I got a call from a friend who was sick - had gotten off the train at my stop and needed help.  We went by and got her - brought her home and had an unexpected girls night watching Tangled and letting her rest.  She spent the night and felt much better this morning.

Part of being a follower of Jesus means being open to interruptions.  In fact, a lot of ministry comes from interruptions to our plans and orderly days.  Flexibility is a must!  What?  For some of us, flexibility is natural and we can go with the flow pretty easily.  For others, just the thought of that gives you a knot in your stomach!  

 

I have to say, that at the end of they day, even if my list isn't all checked off - if I have had the opportunity to help someone, love on someone or have an unexpected conversation, that is more than enough for me.  I want to be able to follow the Lord's leading on any given day.

 

You won't catch these opportunities if you are not sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading each day.  When you hear those whispers - stop - and listen carefully.  Don't dismiss something because it seems inconvenient.  These moments may be the best moments of the day.

Today I am thankful for interruptions - for divine appointments and the difference they make in my days.  I love the way God works.  Will you be open to an interruption today?

Monday Musings - Identity

Have I mentioned how very much I love my church here in Chicago?  I love it a lot and just loved being there yesterday.  Matt made a statement yesterday that really stuck with me.  

Identity determines behavior.

Interesting, isn't it?  When I think about this, I know without any doubt that my identity is in Christ.  That being said, my behavior should reflect that.  My decisions should be guided by that.  My speech should suggest that.  

Am I loving, kind, caring, genuine and thoughtful?
Am I looking for opportunities to serve others?
Am I selfless or selfish?
Am I mindful of my friends and neighbors - looking for opportunities to love on them, encourage them and honor them or am I caught up in my own stuff?
Do I go to the Lord with my decisions and ask Him what He thinks or do I make my decisions and then ask Him to bless them?
Do the decisions I make reflect my beliefs and my values?
Are my words encouraging, truthful and kind?
Do I speak about my faith and my walk with the Lord in everyday conversations?


Well - the truth is - I sometimes choose obedience and I sometimes fall flat on my face.  I wish I would be 100% consistent in my behavior and I am certainly striving to get there.  Every day is another opportunity to grow, to learn and to live it out.  There is forgiveness, mercy and grace when I fail - but I do know who I am.  I am a child of God - a follower of Jesus.

What is your identity?  Is it in your Lord - or is it in your work, your family, your possessions, your physical appearance or your own accomplishments?  How does your identity determine your behavior?  How do your behaviors reflect your identity? 

If your identity is based on anything other than who you are in Christ, you will never really know who you are.  All these other things in our life shift and change - only Christ remains the same.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.  

2nd Corinthians 5:17

Because of Jesus, we all have the power of the Holy Spirit to live out our identity.  We can not do it on our own.  It is beyond ourselves. You may want to ask yourself the same questions that I asked myself - or you may have your own set of questions.  Let me encourage you to go through that process.  We need to ask ourselves some good, hard questions from time to time.

Be encouraged - be challenged.  If Christ is your Savior, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you.  Your identity is secure.  As you allow Christ to live in you and through you - you will reflect that identity in every aspect of your life. 

Trust the Jesus in you. 



 

Thankful Thursday - One child at a time

I have had a busy day with a lot on my plate, but the best part of the afternoon was going up to Hamilton to paint.  I'm working on Sherlock Holmes right now.  As I was painting this afternoon, I had the privilege of overhearing some of the 8th grade students being interviewed for a project that one of the teacher's is working on.  I heard 5 different interviews.  Here is what I learned:

*These students have a very different experience than what I am familiar with.  Most of them spend 1 - 2 hours getting to school using trains, buses and walking.  Most of them get up at 5:00 in the morning to get ready and get to school by 8:30.  

*School is their place of encouragement - not home or their neighborhood.  In fact, most of them spoke of their neighborhood as a dangerous and violent place.  They are so thankful that they can get to Hamilton (this is not a fancy part of Chicago) because they feel safe.

*They spoke of their education as being important and good.  They all mentioned how much their school has improved since they got their new principal - James Gray - two years ago.  One boy said that since Mr. Gray came, everything about the school is better, including the teachers.  

*They were asked how they saw their future - Without exception, they all saw their futures as bright.  They all aspire to go to college.  They are all excited about High School.  Isn't that amazing and inspiring?

*They were all thankful for the opportunity to go to school and for the teachers that have made a difference in their lives.  

I just wanted to cry listening to them.  I'm already asking God what He wants me to do to help.  How can I make a difference for these students?  

It is such an uphill battle for them.  I didn't have to overcome these kinds of things - my children didn't have to overcome these kinds of things.  We were not surrounded by violence or scared of gang activity.  We had a short drive to school - not a long string of public transportation that took an hour or more.  It was humbling and awe inspiring to listen in.

These students make me want to be better - to do better and to make a difference.  For that, I am very thankful!

Monday Musings - About that attitude . . .

Well, I was really thinking about what to write and the Lord just kept bringing this to mind.  I'm going to admit that it wasn't really what I wanted to own up to - but I want to be obedient to what I'm learning in hopes that the Lord will use it to encourage someone else.

I have had a really bad attitude about a situation I've been dealing with for quite some time.  Outwardly - I was handling it pretty good but inwardly - I was NOT.  I wanted to be okay with that.  I mean, at least I appeared to be handling it well :-)  But . . . 

"Watch over your heart with all diligence, 

for from it flow the springs of life."  

Proverbs 4:23

"All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, 

but the Lord weighs the motives."  

Proverbs 16:2

" . . . for God sees not as a man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  

1st Samuel 16:7

Bottom line - just because I am going through the motions doesn't mean that I am being obedient to the Lord.  My heart needs to be in the right place.  This is not easy - even knowing in my head how very much the Lord has forgiven me and doesn't count my sin against me - I still find this hard.  I know that's ugly - but it is the truth.  I think that I was pretty attached to my bad attitude about this particular thing.  I even kind of liked it.  I didn't really want to let it go.  I honestly didn't want it to get better.  I felt justified in holding on to it.

I had been struggling with this for a good long time, but last Thursday, the Lord just said to me loud and clear - 

Chrisann - that attitude is sin and you need to admit it, confess it and let me help you overcome it. 

I kind of looked around the room wondering if anyone else heard it too!  It was that clear!

So, I am taking it one step at a time.  Imagine a mile long strip of some really great gripping velcro that is securely attached being pulled about 1 inch at at time. You know that sound - ssssssscccccccrrrrrriiiiiipppppp or something like that.  My sinful attitude is being ripped out a small stretch at a time.  I had babied it so long that the tugging and pulling is difficult.  I've lived long enough to know that it will be worth it.  

I want to be like Jesus - I really do.  I want to reflect Him accurately.  I want to shine with His light.  I want to love others like He does.  It is going to take some velcro ripping action and a whole lot more.  It is a process and I am willing to allow God to work on this until my last breath.  I can be stubborn about it, but I really do want it.  It is painful sometimes.  It is always humbling.  Let's face it - the reshaping of a heart is not easy.

You want to join me?  

Is there an attitude in your heart and life that 

is not glorifying to God? 

Maybe no one else even knows about it.  Maybe like me, it is your little secret!  

Are you willing to allow the Holy Spirit to transform that bad attitude into one that is like Jesus?

I encourage you to do so.  You will not be sorry.  Here's to all of our hearts looking more like Jesus.  If you want prayer in this area - just leave me a comment and I promise to pray for you.  You don't need to tell me any details - just that you need prayer about an attitude that you are harboring that is not Christ-like.  Will you pray for me?  I would really appreciate it.  I long for the "me" to disappear more and more and the "Jesus in me" to be more and more evident.  It all starts with the attitude of our heart.

Thankful Thursday - Extra Rooms

When we were looking for housing in Chicago, I really wanted to have three bedrooms.  There were a lot more choices if you just had two bedrooms, but I just really wanted to have three.  Why - you ask?  A couple of reasons - I still wanted both of my daughters to feel like they had a room at home and I wanted to have room for people to come visit us.  I'm so glad we went ahead and got the extra room.


This month, our precious friend and neighbor, Alison, is staying with us.  Her husband took a job in Minneapolis and he is already there.  Alison needs to finish out this month at her job but had to move out of their place.  So - we get her for the month of June!  I'm so glad we have that room to offer her - to be her home even for a short while.  So how about that other room?  One weekend - our sweet friend April will be here - another weekend a couple friend of ours - Casey and Derrek will be here.  I love that we have room and can open up our home to so many people.  This will happen again and again in the months to come.  I love that.


I always want my home to be a place of ministry.  I also want to have a room that is available for anyone who needs it.  So today - I'm thankful for my guest rooms and the people who fill them. 


Where do you need to make room?  In your life - in your heart?  Are you welcoming?  Does the Lord have full run of your house?  Allow Him to fill it with love, laughter and people of His choosing.  You will not regret it.