Uniqueness Without Comparison

As I was driving yesterday, from my home to the next town over, I was overcome with the beauty of the scenery.  I wish I had stopped and captured it for you, but my description will have to do.  It was a long, straight stretch of highway.  On either side were fields of crops, dark green, in their summer glory.  The sky was a brilliant blue dotted all about with perfect, white, puffy clouds.  The scene stretched out before me was glorious and made me thankful to live in the Midwest.

This after a summer of less than ideal Midwest weather.  Maybe that is why it was such a beautiful, perfect day.  Or maybe, after studying about God that morning, He had given me new eyes to see it as He did.

In that moment, as my ordinary Midwest town was transformed into a site as beautiful as any I had seen, I realized that beauty has no bounds, it comes in all different varieties.  I have been blessed to be able to travel all over the U.S. and some abroad.  This world has many amazing places.  But I have been just as in awe of the barren Badlands, as I have the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean, or the majestic Rocky Mountains. 

You see, that morning I had been reading about the two sons and the Father in Henri Nouwen's book, The Return of the Prodigal.  The younger son had wandered away, while the older stayed home.  The Father celebrated the return of the younger son!  The older son was not too happy about that, but he too was invited into the Father's joy.  In fact, all the Father had was available to the older son, it always had been. 

We live in this earthly land of comparison, always labeling one thing better than another, or striving to get what we think we deserve, and we project that on God...but that is not God.  He loves perfectly with a divine love that allows for uniqueness without comparison.  His love rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things...His love never fails! (1 Corinthians 13)  With God, His love and joy in one does not take away from another; all are deeply loved; all can come to be forgiven.  His love is a transforming love that makes all things new, brings beauty from ashes, and turns mourning into dancing. 

So, wherever you find yourself to be, may you find yourself enveloped in God's amazing love and the unique beauty that surrounds you! 

Boy Wonder

On our recent trip to the beach, we decided to take a walk along the shore.  As we were walking, a little boy ran right in front of us.  He was oblivious to our presence, because his attention was on something far more interesting. As he ran by I heard him exclaim to his sister, "Look what I found!"  In his hand was a shell, or some other wonder he had discovered at the edge of the sea.  My thoughts went to Eden.

Is this what God meant it to be like?  This boy wonder?  When you think about the vastness of God's creation, the magnitude of it's beauty, do you ever wonder why?  Why did He go to such lengths?  Is it really all necessary?

I believe it shows us the extravagant nature of our God.  I think we were meant to live like that little boy; constantly amazed at new and wonderful discoveries, at the glory of God.

I read recently, in a book by Mark Batterson, that Arnold Summerfield, a German physicist and pianist, discovered that a single hydrogen atom is more musical than a grand piano (100 frequencies vs. 88).  "Every single atom is a unique expression of God's creative genius...every atom echos that original melody sung in three-part harmony by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Research in "bioacoustics" has revealed that we are surrounded by millions of ultrasonic songs."  How cool is that?!

I was reminded of Luke 19:37-40, "As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, shouting: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”  Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”  But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”  It seems they already are. ;)

We were created to worship God and sing of His excellencies!  Will we join in with the rest of creation?  Come, let us exalt His name together!

Psalm 96

Sing to the Lord a new song;

Sing to the Lord, all the earth.

2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name;

Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.

3 Tell of His glory among the nations,

His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.

4 For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised;

He is to be feared above all gods.

5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,

But the Lord made the heavens.

6 Splendor and majesty are before Him,

Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.

7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,

Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name;

Bring an offering and come into His courts.

9 Worship the Lord in holy attire;

Tremble before Him, all the earth.

10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;

Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved;

He will judge the peoples with equity.”

11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

Let the sea roar, and all it contains;

12 Let the field exult, and all that is in it.

Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy

13 Before the Lord, for He is coming,

For He is coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness

And the peoples in His faithfulness.

From Seashell to Sand

 "If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”
― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

The above quote has become dear to me, as I am daily faced with suffering in this world.  I love happy endings!  In my heart I ache for a place with no pain or sorrow.  I hate goodbyes!  In the deepest part of me there is a knowledge of right and wrong, and that I was made for something more.  And so, with C.S. Lewis, I conclude that I must be made for another world.  A world where beauty, not brokenness is the norm.  And I believe one day, when Christ returns for His bride, we will know that world.  But what about now?

Recently I was able to escape to the beach for a few days of rest.  While reading my book, I looked down at the sand.  Pieces of it glittered in the sun.  Individual pieces of the whole.  I picked up a handful and let it fall through my fingers.  As I did so, God spoke beauty to my heart.  A beauty made from brokenness.

Have you ever really looked at sand and contemplated its makeup?  Tiny pieces of shells; once whole but now broken by the crashing waves of the sea.  The sea, which houses life and death.

Shells are amazing in design, they are home to sea creatures, and have many varieties.  An individual shell is a thing of beauty.  But an individual shell can only be enjoyed by a few and they are easily broken.

At first a broken shell is disfigured, sharp, and not much use.  But over time, when it has been pounded by the waves repeatedly, it becomes something more.  It is still individual pieces, but they are softened and join together with others to form a vast beach.  A beach consisting of sand that beckons people to sink their toes in, build castles or just relax against its soft warmth.

We are like those shells.  We are beautiful.  We are easily broken.  We become wounded, disfigured and not very useful.  We may even hurt others who come close.  If we remain self-protective, our beauty, gifts and talents will only reach so far.  But if we will surrender to what the Lord is doing as the waves of trials break over us, we can become like the sand.

We will be part of the greater story God is telling; a part of the whole, working together in community; being filled and filling others with joy and peace for the glory of God.  Then our brokenness will be beautiful.  So, even now, while we wait for the ultimate reality, we can begin to experience His restoration.  His beauty alive in us. Christ in us, the hope of glory! (Colossians 1:27)

My Christmas Gift

It is Christmas time.  The time of gift giving and remembering the greatest gift ever given.  God gave me a gift yesterday.  A simple gift.  An answered request to delight His child.  

Yes, a gift just because it made me happy and glorified Him in the giving.  After all, God is the one who said, "it is more blessed to give than to receive". (Acts 20:35)  So, it only seems right that he was more delighted than I.

What makes it even greater is...I had been pondering life and lamenting my propensity to stumble in my spiritual life.  I had just read about David and how, even though he stumbled at times, he was still a man after God's own heart.  Isaiah 40:30-31 came to mind, encouraging me that God looks at the heart, not the perfection of our steps, and that it is He who will strengthen me.

We have a pair of bald eagles that frequent our lake and now, it seems, they have an off spring.  In all the times we have seen them perched high in the trees, we have never seen them hunt.  So, the other day I said to God that I would love to see them swoop down on the lake.  Yesterday, right after my pondering, they did just that.

We watched as the pair flew in pursuit of a duck.  The dusk narrowly escaping, as it dove underneath the surface.  We then watched the scene replay over and over, as one eagle kept trying.  We never did see the eagle succeed, but its mate was seen eating something at the other end of the lake.

Who am I that God would give me such a gift?  O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

Psalm 8 (NASB)

The Lord’s Glory and Man’s Dignity.

8 O Lord, our Lord,

How majestic is Your name in all the earth,

Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!

2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength

Because of Your adversaries,

To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;

4 What is man that You take thought of him,

And the son of man that You care for him?

5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God,

And You crown him with glory and majesty!

6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;

You have put all things under his feet,

7 All sheep and oxen,

And also the beasts of the field,

8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,

Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord, our Lord,

How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

The Journey to Healing - My HOPE

I have found through the experiment of the AIP diet, and then the subsequent fail of staying on it, that my story may not be the miracle some are hoping to hear, but it may just be the hope others are needing to hear.

Queen Esther.  She is my hero.  I want to be like her.  To be given a grand stage and opportunity to make a difference.  I am willing to give my life and with her say, "If I perish, I perish!".  But this is not the HOPE to which I have been called.  Rather, my journey is one of perseverance.  And so I look to the promise of Romans 5:3-5, "And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings perseverance; and perseverance proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."  And so, my journey is a...
Holy
Opportunity to 
Patiently 
Endure.

My prayer has been for a greater faith and for Christ to be formed in me.  So, why am I now crying foul when I am asked to follow in His steps of suffering? (1 Peter 2:21)  If Jesus was perfected through suffering and I am not greater than my master, should I expect anything less? (Hebrews 2:10, John 13:16)  

"7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.  16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:7-11, 16-18)

God has given me a way to feel better, the AIP diet.  It works while I abide by it, but it takes perseverance.  When I rebel and choose the momentary pleasure of certain foods, I receive the due pain and discomfort.  I cry out to be delivered from my affliction and this is what I hear my God saying, "Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin." (James 4:17)  And, "If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" (John 3:12)  This is the grace of my God.  

He is teaching me to trust Him.  For, if I can't accept and obey what is obviously good for my physical well being, because it is hard and contrary to what "everyone else is doing", how will I accept and obey what is good for my eternal well being, which is of greater worth?  (2 Peter 1:6-9)  He cares too much to let me go on making mud pies in a slum, when He knows the glory that awaits!

And so, until the day I meet Him face to face and receive my glorified body, I will walk in obedience to what He shows me and faithfully endure for the glory of His Name.  Yes, Jesus is worth more to me than chocolate.  "For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day."  And who knows,  maybe someday I'll get a "holiday at sea". :)

The Do Exist!

This summer was the perfect storm of stressful circumstances.  I believe the trials and pressures of life don’t cause our actions, but reveal what is inside.  For some, pressure results in a diamond.  For me…it was more ugly than beautiful.  What should have been an amazing summer, turned out to be more like living in the midst of the “fire swamp”, and I was the R.O.U.S. 

Now that the summer is coming to a close, I am looking back on it with eyes of faith and wishing I had been doing that all along.  I let the enemy distract me from enjoying the blessings God was giving.  I saw only stress and anxiety, because I saw only myself.  “Heavens joy is self-forgetfulness…it is the secret of joy on earth as well as in heaven.” (Peter Kreeft)  How does one forget self?  You forget self because you are too busy looking at the source.  “Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of your faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of God.”  (Hebrew 12:2)

The truth is we cannot serve two masters.  “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” (Matthew 6:24)  When we love the right one, God, we find all joy.  God turns all things for our good, the devil turns all good things for our bad.  Peter Kreeft puts it this way, “All things are created by God and therefore good.  All that is desirable in things is an image of the supremely desirable God.  Evil is not desiring evil things, but desiring lesser goods and desiring in wrong ways (selfishly).”  I was serving the wrong master.

Some would say I was justified because of my circumstances.  A little irritability (okay let's  be honest, a LOT) is to be expected…right?  But I don’t want excuses.  I want grace, yes, but grace is not an excuse, it is a second chance.  “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:1-4)  Jesus didn’t come to make us “good enough”, He came so we would die, and rise to live abundantly.

We desire many things, but when we find the “one necessary thing”; the truth of Matthew 6:33, we find peace and joy.  For God’s single gift that fulfills all our desires is Christ.  In Him, God offers us the only thing He has…Himself.  And He is the only thing we need.  “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) 

How different my summer could have been if I had seen this sooner!  If I had only followed Paul’s advice from Philippians 4:4-9 which says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.   Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

It was there all along.  How did I miss it?  Well, praise to Him, for His grace is sufficient and nothing is in vain.  Will all be perfect in me now?  Hardly, but there is hope.  "the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed...God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:26)  God will refine my character…” so that the proven genuineness of my faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:7)

JTH - Falling Off The Wagon

Well, let me just start with this disclaimer...trying to stick to this diet while moving and building a house is not for the faint of heart!

During the past month, I have been faint of heart.  Between not having time to prepare properly and being stressed to the max (at times I thought my head would explode and desperately needed chocolate!), I have fallen off the AIP wagon.  And I can feel it. :(

I have only had one full blown attack, when I went totally crazy for a couple days and ate all things off limits.  It took a week to recover.  UGH!  Most of the time I still eat mostly AIP and FODMAP, with only a few indiscretions, and can keep my symptoms at a tolerable level. 

It is frustrating to think of how I have slid backwards in this, but now I know my limits. And my need for this diet is confirmed.  There is a sense of control over my health, even though so much of it is still a mystery.  No cure in sight, but still hope.

I have also been reminded how hurtful to our physical well being stress is, and why I have ordered my life in such a way, as to avoid as much of it as possible!  Knowing this is all temporary has helped. 

I have to keep refocusing my eyes on eternity and remember what really matters. 

His mercies are new every morning and I will start again.