31 Days: #16 Neglecting the Sabbath

I think I'm turning into my grandmother because I can almost sleep sitting up these days. There's a book I'm trying to read about resting and the Sabbath, called The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul By Restoring the Sabbath by Mark Buchanan. I've heard it's really good, but every time I try to read it I start dozing.

I know the author's point is going to be how important it is to observe the Sabbath. How much we need the Sabbath. But it's hard to schedule an entire day just for rest and pleasure when for us Sundays are one of the busiest days of the week. And even though the Sabbath doesn't have to be on Sunday, the only other option for me is Saturday--my day to run all the errands and do all the chores I didn't get to during the week.

What does it really mean to rest in God, anyway? I'm in such a rush all the time, I don't think I even know how to relax anymore. And this constant rushing conditions the mind against rest, like it's a bad thing. We lie around and feel lazy for doing so. We can't turn our minds off to the things that need doing. Somehow, we just can't be still. But then there's that scripture. 

Be still, and know that I am God. It's almost audible, the way He speaks it to me, and I realize I need Him to show me how.

You commanded us to remember the Sabbath, Lord, so help me to get still before You. Help me lay aside all my endeavors and pursue the things that bring peace and joy and fellowship to our home and family, at least for one day. As I worship You this day, please teach me about Your rest.

I really must read that book.

*This post is part of a series running through the month of October 2011. Read from the beginning here.  Find the other 31-Dayers here.

31 Days: #12 I like banned books.

Maybe it's because I'm a librarian and librarians are known for being against censorship. But I don't think that's the reason I like banned books.

My all-time favorite series is Harry Potter. I think it's just phenomenal. When I finished the last book, I was stunned at how J.K. Rowling had orchestrated all the intricate details of such a complex storyline and how she tied things up so neatly--and all in a way I never expected. I was both stunned and impressed.

It does have witches and wizards and magic, and I struggle with that. But my struggle comes not because of the sorcery in it, but because so many Christians have banned it and I feel guilty that I don't want to.

I'm afraid of witchcraft in real life because I know the Bible speaks clearly against it. But Harry Potter is fantasy. The witchcraft in this series seems very different to me than the witchcraft in our world today (not that I know much of anything about it).

But I wonder what's so wrong with Harry Potter as compared to The Chronicles of Narnia? I dearly love The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.  But it has witchcraft, too.

Obviously, Aslan's death is an allegory of the Crucifixion, so is that what makes it okay to read, in spite of the White Witch's part in the story? Do Christians find Narnia superior to Harry Potter because C.S. Lewis authored other Christian books and J.K. Rowling didn't? What about the themes of good vs. evil? {Click here to read an interesting article on Rowling discussing the religious themes of Harry Potter.}

I know that the writings of Rowling vs. Lewis serve two different purposes, and in most cases their works belong in two completely different genres. However, in the case of these two series, not really. They are both young adult literature. They are both fantasy. They both have witches. They are both wonderful.

But that's just my opinion. Please don't get me wrong--I don't like all banned books. Nor do I like them just because they're banned. It's part of my job as a librarian to consider the book as a whole and decide whether it's a worthy read. But it's human nature that our interest is sparked the moment a book is thrust into the center of controversy.

Take William P. Young's The Shack, for instance. Supposedly many Christians feel it's theologically un-sound. I'm no theologian, so I'm not sure about any of that, but I do know it's fiction. And I loved it.

And then there's Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life. Some Christians are really against that one, too. I can't even speak intelligently about why. All I know is that when I read that book several years ago, it drove the point home to me that this life is but a vapor and our we are not here by accident. I even said I'd read it again if I ever lost someone close to me because it would remind me that we are only here on earth for a short time until we are reunited with those we love who've gone on before us. I didn't reread it after all, but its message has stayed with me.

I'm pretty content just keeping my nose in my book rather than worrying about whatever it is people have against the thing I'm having a marvelous time reading. Ultimately, we all have to yield to that still, small Voice.

So my prayer is that He would show me what it's okay and not okay to read. Meanwhile, I thank Him for freedom to read and for the blessing of brilliant authors and their ability to string words together into profound works of art, giving us that wonderful thing we call "books". I can't imagine how different life would be without them.

*This post is part of a series running through the month of October 2011. Read from the beginning here.  Find the other 31-Dayers here.

Giving up coffee to share my Bread

Words. I'm in love with them, and I attribute this fondness to a mother who read to me before I could speak and to a father who bought me classics before I could understand.

So I grew up around more books than I knew what to do with, and nothing changed once I got out on my own. I went and filled up every last bookshelf in my home and ran out of room and then ventured into e-book territory and had to have a Kindle. In college I majored in English because I just didn't like anything else. I figured at least English majors get to read and write.

If you'd asked me as a child what the most important book in our home was, I would have said "the Bible" because I knew that was the correct answer. But the ugly truth is that although I loved to read, I didn't much like reading the Word of God. I had Sunday school teachers who were more than happy to tell me what it said, but to read it myself was a chore that I found ... well, boring.

So once I grew out of an oppressive obligation to learn my weekly memory verse, I bore the shame as a teen of not having the quiet times I knew I should. And then I became the wife and mom who tried to do it all better by reading lots and lots of devotionals.

Only, when I read all those amazing devotionals, I skipped right over the scriptures and moved straight onto the personal stories of the writers. And in doing so, I skipped over the only words that really matter.

And then tragedy raged in and ripped me apart, and I stood confused and alone in the smoldering ruins of my life. And I looked around and had no earthly idea where to go next. I wasn't exactly equipped to face my uncertain future since I'd hidden very little of the Word in my heart.

But out of the ash heap, what did I reach for? Ironically, those life-giving Words I'd neglected my entire life, because there was nothing else to hold onto. Everything was different and suddenly I couldn't bear life without the steadfast, enduring Word of God.

And so that Book I'd taken for granted for so long, the bestselling Book of all time, became my constant companion. I reached for it first thing each morning. I devoured its contents throughout the day. I carried it in my purse when I left the house. I even held it close to me in sleep each night.

I couldn't face the future without the promises of all things made new. I couldn't find peace without the reassurance that He's in control. I couldn't get a deep breath without inhaling those Words of Christ in red. I couldn't be satisfied until I'd feasted on pages that gushed His endless, unfathomable Grace.

And in clinging to those precious Words, I found the Truth that turns everything around, no matter who you are or where you've been or what you've done or what you've lost. And once you've truly tasted the Bread of Life, you can't get enough of Him.

This week I became aware of a new kind of poverty. I knew people were starving for food, but I'd never thought the fact that they don't have Bibles. They're hungry not just for bread, but for The Bread, and yet have no access to it in their native language.

And 66% of Christians rarely or never read their Bible? Lord, forgive me for ever taking Your Word for granted.

I stumbled upon a website, OneVerse (affiliated with Wycliffe Bible Translators), whose mission is to see to it that every soul on earth has the Scriptures available to them in a language that speaks to their hearts. As I read the stories of those who've never ever held a Bible or heard the Gospel, and then when I imagined myself in such a place, my heart broke.

And I wondered, Where would I be without the Word of God? How could I face the aching of this life without His promises? What would my purpose be without a knowledge of His saving grace and the hope He offers for eternal life? What if I'd never, ever heard the Gospel?

Yet 353 million people have no access to Scripture translated into their native language. And that makes me want to do what I can to share my Bread and help end Bible poverty in my own small way.

I’ve learned that a person can have one verse translated for the small sacrifice of four or five Starbucks drinks in a month. So I'm totally in. Are you?

Go ye therefore and teach all nations ... Matthew 28:1

Appreciating the manna

Why should I keep doing more for them when they don't appreciate what I've already done?

It's a question every parent is bound to ask themselves at one time or another. We want to give our kids the world, and it stings when the sacrifices we make for them go unnoticed. I pondered this as I drove to school one morning during a time when I was feeling particularly unappreciated. I was really stewing about it. I was ready to take away all privileges and extravagances.

But then, I realized something.

Am I not the exact same way? Do I not take for granted all that the Lord has done for me? Do I not hurt Him just as much with my repeated failure to acknowledge the countless blessings He rains down upon me?

It pains me to admit just how ungrateful I am ... I, the one who tends to focus more on what I don't have than what I do ... I, the one who obsesses about the bad in the world to the point that it overshadows all the good ... I, the one who dwells on all that's gone wrong in my life rather than thanking Him for all that is so very right.

I'm sure my attitude must speak volumes, like I'm saying to Him, "What You give me isn't good enough." Like the Israelites, who after a while began to take the miracle of manna for granted, and then eventually grew to despise it. God forgive me.

I have a new favorite book to add to my mile-long list ... One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I've been subscribed to her blog for a while now. I recently had the amazing privilege of hearing her speak, and a question she asked in her message changed my life (as discussed in this post).

In her book she writes about a phenomenal change that took place in her heart after making the decision to keep a gratitude journal listing a thousand blessings. In doing so, she learned to live a life of eucharisteo ... thanking God for all things and in all situations, the way Jesus did. It sounds so simple, but the message reaches way down deep into joy, grace, and fullness of life in Christ. It's a message that changes everything ... because, after all, we are called to live a life of gratitude.

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I want phenomenal change in my life, too, so I'm doing like lots of others and I'm making a list, too. Here is installment #1 of who-knows-how-many ... my own list of one thousand blessings ... (quite a few today!) ....

#1-#50

1. dogs that do really cute things
2. dental insurance
3. my new red washer and dryer
4. clouds that look more like real cotton floating in the air than weightless masses of vapor
5. Amazing Grace
6. the privilege of knowing all four of my grandparents
7. my front room, which is really a dining-room-turned-library
8. when my boys hug me tight and refuse to let go
9. seeing my girls cook together
10. sweet tea in a Mason jar ... with lemon!
11. tortilla chips & guacamole
12. Bluebell ice cream (homemade vanilla is the best)
13. trees -- I just love trees!
14. a boyfriend who prays for me
15. lawn mower repair
16. throw pillows
17. daisies
18. a home that looks both pretty and lived-in, all at the same time
19. house plants that refuse to die
20. Netflix
21. fruit smoothies
22. guitar music
23. laughing till my stomach hurts with good friends
24. memories of summers gone by
25. braces
26. a God who showers me with unexpected treats
27. my parents' unconditional love
28. owls
29. my kids' baby pictures 
30. retro lamps
31. Psalm 23
32. ceiling fans
33. fresh paint on walls
34. sprinkler systems
35. whiskey barrels full of flowers
36. porch swings
37. friendly neighbors
38. Pier One
39. Starbucks
40. my Kitchen-aid stand mixer
41. solar lights
42. Google
43. Macs
44. worship
45. memories of laughing at inappropriate times
46. my daughter's driver's license
47. no headache today
48. home, sweet home
49. low-cost spay and neuter clinics
50. summer's not over just yet. Amen.

Power came down (and Heaven IS for real)

Once in awhile, God grants us the precious opportunity to witness His awesome power at work in a literal sense before our eyes.

For me one of these times was during a sermon at my old church. My pastor was the victim of an extremely aggressive form of lymphoma, and his illness required him to endure treatments that all but killed him. But the faithful shepherd that he was, he had pledged to his congregation and to his God that he would be there to preach every single Sunday he found it humanly possible to do so.

One Sunday morning, though, he was almost too weak to walk to the stool waiting for him at the pulpit. But he managed and perched there at his usual spot. He began to speak, his voice barely above a whisper. Crying weakly, he opened with prayer. I clearly remember his desperate plea for the Lord to help him. He simply did not have the strength to accomplish what he wanted so badly to do.

But he persisted in prayer, and his voice began to grow stronger. Then, as he started preaching, the anointing came in. His voice became like normal. His presence was commanding. His words pierced my heart. It wasn't long before he was standing and pacing the platform, the way he always did. Tears flowed among the people.

The Lord did a mighty work that day, and my pastor preached one of the most amazing messages I've ever heard. I had the honor of witnessing the power of God literally at work in front of me, moving in the lives of a devoted servant and his congregation. God showed up that day, and it's a precious memory I'll always cherish.

Yesterday I read Heaven is for Real. So many things continue to swirl in my mind today, but I can't quit thinking about chapter 23, "Power from Above". I'm still in awe after reading what Colton tells his mother Sonja about God's power. They were about to pray for Colton's father Todd, a pastor, that he would deliver a good message in church that week...

Colton: "I've seen power shot down to Daddy."
Sonja: "What do you mean, Colton?"
Colton: "Jesus shoots power down for Daddy when he's talking."
Sonja: "Okay ... when? Like when Daddy talks at church?"
Colton: "Yeah, at church. When he's telling Bible stories to people."

Later, Todd asks him about this Power from above.

Todd: "... Can you you tell me what you were telling Mommy about ... about Jesus shooting down power? What's the power like?"

Colton: "It's the Holy Spirit. I watched Him. He showed me."

Todd: "The Holy Spirit?"

Colton: "Yeah. He shoots down power for you for when you're talking in church."

Of Colton's memory, Todd writes:

Every Sunday morning before I give the sermon, I pray a similar prayer: "God, if you don't help this morning, this message is going to fail." In light of Colton's words, I realized I had been praying without really knowing what I was praying for. And to imagine God answering it by "shooting down power" ... well, it was just incredible. (126)

Like most Christians, I know what it's like to need the power of God behind me when I set out to do something I'm not prepared for. It's a scary thing to open my mouth to speak to someone who needs comfort or ministry, only to find that no words will come.

But I also know what it's like to have the Holy Spirit meet me right where I am to give me His wisdom when I ask for it. I know how it feels when the words begin to flow supernaturally as He speaks through me. Those are the only words of benefit to others anyway!

But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.  1 John 2:27 NKJV

I thank God that when I am too weak or ignorant to be any good on my own, I can trust the Holy Spirit for His anointing, whether I'm speaking, teaching, worshiping, or simply ministering to a friend. Even greater, I have the assurance that He actually hears and responds to my cries. He empowers me to fulfill His calling on my life.

Lord, thank You that You always know exactly when to show up. Continue to shoot Your power down to me. You know how much I need You!

Burpo, Todd. Heaven is for real: A little boy's astounding story of his trip to Heaven and back. Thomas Nelson: Nashville, 2010.