Thirsty

I like to frequent a little shop on one of the corners in the downtown district where I work. This little shop bustles with patrons around the lunch hour and the owners always have something to satisfy their desires. They serve coffee of all sorts, ice cream of varying flavors, sandwiches, soups, and pastries. The shop owners have their "regulars" and after I had spent enough time in the place we came to the realization that my parents were actually friends with them. The owners and I have thus taken a keen sense of comradery to one another. They'll tease me here and there about things they've heard from my parents while I insist on ordering things that are not on the menu.

As their clientele increased the shop keepers hired on an extra hand to disperse the workload. A young lady, whose name escapes me at the moment, joined their staff within the past few weeks. I estimate her age to be somewhere in her early twenties, probably not much younger then myself. She's been a delightful employee and I've become just as happy to see her as I have the owners. I don't know much about her or her testimony but today her actions spoke louder than any words could about her character.

I walked to the Café/Creamery on my lunch as I'm prone to do. Today was especially nice, sunny and in the eighties, so I quite enjoyed the stroll. In the shop the customers were wall to wall and enjoying the cool air and delicious fare. I ordered my sandwich, exchanged a witty remark with one of the shop owners and turned to see this young lady taking a break. I greeted her and she inquired as to my selection for the day. I ate my sandwich inside where it was cool and void of bugs but the outside was beckoning and the bench in front of the fountain was vacant. I finished my lunch and sat outside in front of the fountain. The sun was shining a gentle breeze blew and every once in a while the breeze would catch the fountain water and splash me on the bench. It was a gorgeous day.

I sat on the bench reading The Grammar of Architecture and just took in the blessing of the day. The young lady from the shop stepped out to run an errand for one of the owners. She saw me sitting, and I simply smiled and said hi. She seemed concerned, "Are you okay out here?" I responded that I was just enjoying the day. She shook her head in disbelief. I'll give it to her, it was a little warm, but certainly bearable by my standards. As she returned from up the street she asked if I was sure I was okay. "I really am," I promised her. She asked if I wanted some ice water and I thoughtfully declined. I assured her I was cool enough. A few minutes later she came from the shop again and insisted I take the water she offered, "It just doesn't sit well with me." I was touched. I accepted her gift and offered to pay her for it which she declined.

I couldn't help but be reminded of the verse that is in Matthew 25- (…when I was thirsty, you gave me drink…whatever you've done to the least of these you've done to me). Here is a young woman of exemplary character. She was compelled to compassion and even when I thought I didn't need anything, she offered anyway. I almost wonder what I'd do if I were in her shoes. I'm sure I would have checked on the patron. I may have even gone as far as to offer a cool drink too. After which I wouldn't have pressed the issue. I'm sure she had plenty to do in the shop with as many customers that had inside but her thoughts were on me and my well being. It really taught me a lesson today about being mindful of others. Sometimes we just need to take the initiative and not be intimidated by "No." We don't always know what we need and we can't imagine that everyone else will either. I'm glad she heeded the call of the Holy Spirit. Her gift blessed me immeasurably.

Something Better Is Coming

I've been pondering trust and obedience lately. I've never been one to take God's commands lightly but I've questioned them for sure. This weekend I learned the importance of being obedient to God's nudging in my life. I should never take for granted the things that He gives me and should never be afraid to trust what He's given me to share.

My mom came home on Friday concerned with an issue at work. In this ever declining economy she was concerned if her position would be secured when she went back to her office on Monday. And, yes, it's easy to tell someone not to worry and that God is in control. However, I understand her anxiety; it's never easy being unsure of our futures. She asked me to pray that she wouldn't lose her job and I assured her that I would. That night as I was praying, before I could even articulate the words in my mind God gave me a message for her, "Something better is coming." I feared and began to wonder if it were just me making the assessment in my head. I continued to pray and the same thought over and over. I discontinued praying on that issue and moved on to others. Then I went to sleep. I woke up in the course of my sleep, perhaps twice, and prayed again for the issue. The same statement resonated in my head, "Something Better is coming." I asked God what I could tell her and His response was unchanging, "Something better is coming."

I didn't tell her on Saturday what God had told me to. I was afraid she'd think I was just being encouraging, or worse, implying that she'd lose her job. I decided to wait it out. She called her supervisor to discuss her concerns with him and he told her that he didn't think she'd have anything to worry about. Although, he couldn't be certain of it. She was still very uneasy and I began to pray again but the same statement kept piercing through my thoughts, "Something better is coming." I still wasn't sold on the idea and I remained silent on the matter.

I began to remember all the times that God spoke into my life. I wasted so much time just wondering if it was really Him making the statements. I thought back to a time when I interviewed for a job and the interview did not go well. The employer asked me nothing of my experience and made judgments based on my small appearance. I was devastated as I drove home wondering why he just left it at that but then God gave me his promise, "That's your job." I was informed that afternoon that the employer wasn't interested in hiring me. I began to doubt the aforementioned statement believing that it was simply my desires speaking. One week later the same employer called back and asked me to come in again for another interview, crazy as it sounds. I was hired. In retrospect, I wish I would have shared that promise with someone else so that my testament to this could have been strengthened. All the same I think that it taught me to never doubt the words God gives me.

On Sunday, I spoke of my reservations about sharing the word God gave me for my mom with a friend. She looked at me funny and then asked "Why not? You should!" I knew I needed to and her confirmation made it all the more clear. And in speaking to her I remembered a word of advice that I gave to her months ago when she faced a difficult situation. What I told her was, "God is not a God of confusion. No matter how persistent the world may be, God is just as persistent. He'll make His purposes clear." With all my worrying, God was being persistent. There was no question about where the statement was coming from.

As I spoke to my mom that night, she shared that another pressing matter, not work related, had her concerned. I felt even more strongly about what God was laying on my heart and I couldn't shake loose from it. So I finally shared it with her. I told her that it was just vague enough to be anything but that I had to tell her out of obedience to the Lord. This prompted a conversation that lasted over an hour about the great and wonderful works that God has done for us in the past. She was smiling and it made me feel better that I told her.

This afternoon, I called to check on her work status. Since, I hadn't heard from her I could only assume she was busy working. She told me so far everything had gone fine. She was, in fact, performing above almost everyone else in her department. What do you know, something better came.

Expecting Tomorrow

Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

--Matthew 6:34

I always interpreted this scripture as not worrying about what is to come and simply trusting in the promises that God has for my life. This is all well and true. Yet, God revealed an even greater message to me through this passage. Today as I drove home from work, I meditated on this scripture even though I couldn’t remember what book of the bible it was in. Earlier in the day I had read about expectations and with this word I was inspired.

The preceding verse (Matthew 6:33) tells me to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. If I’m only seeking God’s will then I’m not concerned with everything and everyone else around me. I’m not concerned about pleasing others or having all the material things that the world has to offer. And believe me do I have more than enough. My mom and I the other day were discussing the abundance of clothing we had and scarcity of closet space we had to occupy them. Things like this don’t matter but are hosted merely to entertain the expectations I have about myself and the expectations I’m trying to fulfill in others. I expect people will be concerned with what I’m wearing, what I’m reading, what kinds of foods I eat and a whole lot of other nonsense. And, for the most part, I’m right. People do have expectations of me, and I of them.

The aspect of worrying suddenly transformed into the expectations that I have for the future. By worrying I am actually projecting my expectations on what is to come without really giving any thought as to how God is going to handle it. Worry is actually an expectation just as excitement, anxiousness, and doubt are too. Excitement comes with positive expectations, while worry and doubt cover the negative expectations I have. Anxiousness may fall into either category.

Sometimes I will find myself harmlessly daydreaming about my future. I have to take my thoughts into captivity sometimes not necessarily because they’re bad or unclean but because it’s placing an expectation in my life that may not be fulfilled. If it’s not fulfilled it may cause my relationship with God, my family, friends, and career to suffer. By creating these expectations I’m trying to project my will into the future without trusting in what God has prepared for me. I have desires in my heart that God notes and will undoubtedly satisfy, adjust, or even eliminate according to His purposes. I’m learning to surrender these thoughts to God but it’s not always easy. My mind is a chaotic mess of wants of the flesh and longings for the spirit. I constantly have to check myself and sometimes one may see me shaking my head as if I can fling the thoughts out of my ears. Watch: I’m sure it’s a funny sight.

The surprise of tomorrow is worth waiting for. God is faithful to fulfill His promises to me and I can’t begin to express even my most sincere thanks for Him to even give me another day to live. I sometimes just “expect” that tomorrow is going to be there. "I’ll always have tomorrow." But it’s not promised and I’m never really sure that I’ll ever have the chance to tell my family and friends how much I love them. I may never have the opportunity to finish that project I’m working on in my career. That’s why God is so adamant about expressing the value of TODAY on His people. He knows that my expectations are not always feasible and can hurt the relationships I have. As much as I don’t want that for myself, He doesn’t want that for any of His children.

So don’t worry about tomorrow. Don’t have expectations that are going let you down or raise your hopes. God will take care of tomorrow. Let us take care of what He’s given us today.

God Stood Here

Have you ever been on a tour and the guide stops in front of a destination and says, "Here on this very spot..."? The guide continues to tell of the hero that stood on the spot, the event that transpired, and the aftermath of everything that happened. I remember how excited I got when I was in a small town courthouse and the county mayor told me of a court case that happened there with one of my favorite historic people. He took me to the courtroom, pointed to where he sat as a child and then to the spot where the lawyer stood. He told me about the case and how everyone there responded. I listened intently, starry-eyed and amazed by every word that poured from his mouth. I was almost giddy from the thought that I stood in the same courtroom in which, decades ago, this same man stood.
Then I began to think about all the other people that were there. People that I wasn't interested in hearing about. I didn't care who the judge was, I didn't necessarily want to hear about the jury, or even the client this lawyer represented. I only was only interested in a single individual and his story. Selfish, right?
I've just returned from a convention in which one of the speakers talked about being still in impossible situations. I've heard this before. However, she followed up with an interesting tid bit of information that I was enthralled by. She spoke about the translation of this word. I love when speakers do that. I always wanted to be a linguist but lack the motivation to learn a whole bunch of languages. She said that "Be Still" was translated as "Stand Still" or "Stand By." Standing, she said, is to be at a continuous resolve, or to be at attention. I like that. I thought about how much better I pay attention if I'm standing. Sitting...I'm tempted to fall asleep.
Then another speaker at this convention shared a scripture in Genesis 28:16 When Jacob woke up from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it." I would wager to believe that these speakers did not plan this together. However, God really impressed upon my heart first the title of this post and then imparted to me a little more about facing difficult situations.
See,I have often found myself in situations where I wondered if God could even see what was going on. Not only could He see, He was actually there. He was standing in the midst of the situation at full attention. He was aware of the situation. I was the oblivious one. He knows how the situation will transpire. He knows what you and I are feeling. He knows the ending of the story and we simply wonder if anyone is even listening.
As I recall those events in my past when life seemed difficult and impossible, I now envision a plaque that says, "God Stood Here." I didn't see Him, I didn't necessarily feel Him, but He was there. And now as I head into those difficult situations in life, I hope to remember on a surface somewhere hangs an invisible plaque that says, "God Stood Here...and He's Still Standing Here."

Little Foxes

Catch for us the foxes,

the little foxes
that ruin the vineyards,
our vineyards that are in bloom.

--Song of Solomon 2:15

First of all, I’d like to give credit to my friend Megan for reminding me this verse and for initiating the concept of what is to follow. The Song of Solomon is one book of the bible that I’m not especially keen on reading. Fear not, the only other one I’m not keen on is Revelation and I’m reading it now. While, Song of Solomon is not very long and certainly isn’t a difficult read, I’m never drawn to read its contents. Having had this brought to my attention, I’m now curious as to what else God will reveal to me in reading it.

Megan and I were discussing the mind. The mind can be a very ominous being. It can be our best friend or greatest enemy. However, we have the power to control our own minds. Megan and I got on the subject to taking thoughts into captivity. I have many thoughts on this and I’m always willing to share upon request but for the sake of brevity I will stick to the aforementioned verse. Megan and I were also discussing attitudes based on the previous blog entitled “Heart Change.” I reiterated the concerns I had about letting little things get the best of me. That is when she mentioned this verse. The more I thought about it the more it began to make sense.

Foxes are very cunning animals. Although considered a part of the dog family, they are very cat-like in nature. They’re sneaky and will often catch their prey by surprise. I’ve even read that they stalk their prey and will sometimes play with it before eating it—creepy. Comparing the foxes to thoughts, I began to see the similarities and then what God was conveying to me in this scripture. It’s the little thoughts that you have to watch out for. Once it’s in your head, it’s hard to get it out. Negative thoughts are the “little foxes.” But it’s the little foxes that ruin the vineyards. Your mind is the planting ground for all the seeds sown in your life. You’re most fruitful from your mind and thus you’d want to protect it from invaders big and small. See at first, you just see a little fox, what harm can it do? It won’t eat much and it’s not a huge threat. However, when you allow more and more little foxes in your vineyard it is ruined and the fruits of your labor are no longer apparent.

In order to restore your vineyard you would first need to rid yourself of the little foxes and then guard it with a hedge of protection. But be watchful, these little foxes can dig and like I mentioned before they are cunning. The negative thoughts will always find a way in. However, you have to be mindful enough to know when they are wreaking havoc on your vineyard and then swift enough to chase them away.

How often I’ve found myself beyond irritated at just the mildest of all things. However, once I open myself up to one negative thought, they all come prancing in and destroy everything I’ve worked for. Just as the little foxes devastate the once bountiful land, negative thoughts destroy what good one has going in the mind. What once seemed like good ideas are shot down by doubt and fear. The positive outlook you may have once had on life is given away to the dismal negativity that’s found its way into your mind. Don’t allow for it! Kick those little foxes out of the vineyard before it’s decimated. Kick those negative thoughts out of your mind before they destroy you!

Heart Change

“I can’t change the situation but God can change my heart.” –C.Ponder

Sometimes I come across areas in my life that I insist need to be disposed of. I can’t bear the thought of making it through another day with the vexation of situations beyond my control. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people whine about the day they’ve had and how bad they have it. However, upon offering up a solution to his or her dilemma, it is shot down in angst. “That won’t work because of…” “He’ll say this…” “I’ll lose…” And even, “Well, who asked you?” are the responses I receive. I guess it’s never really about a solution so much as a need to vent when times get tough. I must say I’m guilty of the same actions.

There are times that I look back upon and see that what I’ve overcome was never really that big a deal. However, in the situation, it was a horrible ordeal. I can remember times when I thought I didn’t have it in me to make it through another day. I wanted to call it quits. However, certain perseverance kept me going and my attitude ended being the most useful tool in the whole ordeal. I realized that in the times that I remained faithful to God’s promises and believed that He had nothing but the best for me in store that I excelled. On the flipside, when I allowed my feelings and own will get in the way, I failed miserably. It wasn’t until I gave everything over to Him that I saw a change in my attitude and the course of the ordeal. This is probably what Ponder means in her “heart change” remark.

Character is a defining mark in the success of an individual’s accomplishments. We may posses the skills needed to perform a task or perform in a task. However, it is one’s character that will determine the ultimate result. Think about it. We have minimal, if any, power to control what another says or does. We can control our own actions and how we respond to others that come our way. This is also true of situations. We certainly cannot control time, nature, or God’s will. Yet, we can respond in ways the best suit the situation at hand by the way we react. If we allow God total access to everything we have and are then we can rest assured that our attitudes and hearts will benefit from whatever life throws at us.

From the heart comes mercy, forgiveness, faith, thoughtfulness, love. If we took into our situations the heart, our attitudes would be changed dramatically. We’d no longer see ourselves as the sole recipient of whatever impending doom is to come of a situation in which we’ve no control. We’d recognize that, yes, conditions are less than desirable at the moment, however, we cannot control them and we must not become inundated with negative feelings. Believe in your Creator; believe that something good will come of it. And even if it doesn’t that God’s ways are just.

When we begin to view situations from perspectives other than our own that is when God’s will becomes most apparent. If we’re constantly making situations about ourselves then we will never understand the divine relationship that we share with the Father. The fact remains that we can’t control everything. The fact remains that we can control ourselves. Let your attitude reflect the most desirable of all conditions it is then that your situation will become less penetrating. When I worked at a retail chain I used to recite this little passage when I felt my heart pressed upon:
Work peacefully and diligently knowing that right thoughts and right actions will inevitably bring about the right results.

Your heart is all you can offer in the situations you cannot change.

Preservation

I love my career. What can I say? There is something so highly rewarding about preserving the historic character of a community. As the historic preservationist for a rural district I am faced with the task of producing effective methods of preserving our nation, state, and community history.
I often find it difficult to do so when I find that there are others in opposition to my cause. Often times people will see an old ratty and worn building that can serve no purpose. Therefore, they find it in their interest to demolish their own history and start fresh instead of building onto what is already there. It always breaks my heart to see someone's hard work, albeit, primitive in some cases, destroyed for an new and improved high-tech amenity. It makes me wonder about who spent his time to build it. I often have the opportunity to read their stories, learn their lives, and see what contributions their lives and buildings brought to the small communities in which I work.

It's no surprise though. We don't always want to have our past rearing its ugly head into our present lives do we? We want to start fresh with no memory of what was there before. It's easier, it's more convenient, and let's face it we get bored with the old.In Psalm 66:9 the word reads "He has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping." God has preserved us, not wiped us out and started fresh.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my career, is seeing these old dilapidated buildings restored to its original construction. Old wallpaper is stripped away, paint is chipped away, carpets are removed to reveal a gorgeous wooden floor beneath, and those boarded up windows are given away to light. How I rejoice when I can stand in a room and see it just as it looked nearly a century ago. What's more is when these old pieces are mixed with a few new renovations. The old meets the new and they get along just great. Many times in the past kitchens were separate from the house itself. This was for the prevention of fire spreading, and probably to keep the icky smells out of the main living area. Oh, and my personal favorite is when there is indoor plumbing...forget the outhouse, please.

The point is, is there is no reason for the building to be torn down and replaced when there are options to building on the legacy already in existence.
How does this apply in the real world? Well, to start we don't always find it beautiful to hold on to those memories of our pasts. However, they are very much a part of who we are and who we will be in the future. Without a base on which to grow we will have nothing on which to look back. We need to preserve our history and learn from our mistakes. We've worked hard to be where we are today.

God has blessed us incredibly with such a gift- life. Why would we wish to destroy it? His forgiveness and mercy are key in the preservation of our lives. He has promised us a home after this life. However, like in the case of these older buildings education is at the heart of the preservation effort. One must know HOW and WHY to preserve what we've been given. The answers differ for the buildings but for you and myself the answer is easy: Why should we preserve ourselves? Because God wishes to be with us eternally. How do we preserve ourselves? Confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. Submit to His ways, commit to loving Him and others, pray, and read His word.

Saving an old building may be rewarding but the salvation and preservation of a human means more to me than any historic site in the world. Means more to God, too.

Embrace your past, learn from your mistakes, and keep adding to what you once were. Don't tear apart your legacy for some new look or philosophy. Know who you once were use it to prepare you for who you will be. Preserve yourself as God has promised He'll do for you.

Faith in Humanity

Failure is a part of life. Mistakes happen and people will disappoint. And while we are never called to dwell on such instances, we find ourselves remembering such injustices. I’ve experienced in the past three days such a flux of what I call “injustice” that I find myself lacking in the area of love. This morning as I reflect on the past few days I realize how incredibly selfish I’m being and thus have decided to move on from such feelings offering love and forgiveness in place of contempt and grudge.

This past weekend brought a lot of stress and irritation. I felt as if everything I offered up to others in love was disdained and criticized. I became so disappointed as my gifts and services were received poorly and wondered why I had even offered them in the first place. Venting was out of the question; everyone I wanted to turn to already cause some sort of hurt. I thought that I was going to have to face this vicious attack of character on my own.

I think about the story of our Savior. He wasn’t well received either. He was offered up as a gift to save humanity and just didn’t seem to be enough. Never mind His tender acts of mercy, forget the miracles of healing, His compassion was certainly criticized and no one seemed to heed the voice of God saying, “This is my son in whom I am well pleased.” Humanity just didn’t seem to care. Jesus was rejected but His purpose remained the same. His purpose was still made perfect in love. I’ve something to learn in this area.

I guess I feel that if I’m offering something to someone in love they should receive it in the same way. However, that is not always the case. Some well-intentioned recipients try to offer up a word of advice on how this act of service or gift should be provided. I encountered this with several people over the weekend of which I have the most profound respect. I was crushed at the audacity these people had to criticize what I offered. I felt minuscule and unappreciated.

What I’ve learned though is that it is not how the gift/service is received that is important. What is important is that it was received. My purpose was to do what I was called to do in a manner that God called me to do it. It doesn’t mean that I’ll receive accolades from those that I’ve given to. It only means that I’m being faithful to His will. Whatever I do I am to do to the glory of God. (Proverbs 16:3, Colossians 3:17, 23) Sometimes people will love me for it, and sometimes it will go unrecognized. It does not mean I am to believe every act will be successful in the eyes of humanity.

For a brief time I lost my faith in humanity believing that no one could possibly do or be enough. There will always be heartfelt acts that produce criticisms. Someone could have always done it better, but they didn’t. That’s the point. I can’t possibly depend on perfection being the answer to everything. Nothing would ever get done. I must continue to try even if the results are less than desirable. If I give up on humanity then I serve no purpose on this earth. I lack compassion and lose my capacity to truly love.

This weekend was a test of character. I very nearly failed. Well, in all actuality did fail. I failed to fully please those I intended to bless. But I didn’t fail the one that really matters. God saw what I was doing and was well pleased with what I attempted. That’s really all that matters. So instead of becoming overly sensitive to remarks on how I could have given or served better I will practice patience. And, yes, I will maintain my faith in humanity.