Be Still
“Be still, and know that I am God”
– God (Psalm 46:10)
That’s all I’ve got today.
How about you? What’s your word for the day?
The Gift of Camping
This past weekend, we celebrated the 1oth anniversary of a great family camping tradition. We’ve been camping with the same four families since the beginning. It’s been amazing to watch our kids grow up together. Isaac was two and potty training on our first rainy camping trip to Locust Lake State Park. Now, Isaac’s eleven, and he’s becoming a wonderful young man. The story is similar for all the other kids as well. It’s truly been a gift to experience the richness of these friendships year after year. I look forward to many, many more family camping trips to come.
Nine out of the ten years, we have camped in a Pennsylvania State Park. Pennsylvania is the only state that has an established chaplaincy program in its state parks. Most years, we have worshiped together at the camp’s Sunday worship service. This year was no different as we walked down to the outdoor amphitheater following a delicious camp breakfast. I love my church, but there is something refreshing about getting outdoors and stripping away the music and lights and air conditioning.
At the service, Chaplain Jason shared from the passage in Romans. Jason’s message provided some great reminders:
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Romans 12:1-8
1. I have gifts. I should be sharing these gifts.
2. My gifts are different from other people’s gifts. We all have different gifts.
3. Everyone’s gifts are important to completing the work of the body.
4. I’m not gifted in everything. Saying no sometimes is okay.
I’m sure there were some other great points, but these are the ones that struck me.
What fun family traditions do you have?
How are you using the gifts that God has given you?
Psalm 36 – Love and Faithfulness
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This morning I woke up with these words on my mind from Psalm 36:
5 Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, LORD, preserve both people and animals.
7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
Our vacation to Canada gave us some great visual reminders of God’s love and faithfulness.
How have you experienced God’s unfailing love and faithfulness this summer?
Keep Going
I took this picture on our Cape Cod vacation a couple of weeks ago. It’s a boardwalk that takes you out to the edge of the marsh from Grey’s Beach in Yarmouth Port, MA. I ran out to the end of the boardwalk three of the mornings we were there.
In the picture, it appears that the boardwalk goes on forever.
Some days, things can seem like this. We have a tough day at work. Our parenting doesn’t seem to be making any head way with our kids. Perhaps, we’re facing health issues that seem unbearable.
The Bible provides encouragement to keep going when we’re ready to give up. I often draw encouragement from these verses:
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13,14
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
One of the last day’s that we were in Cape Cod, I took Leanne out to the end of the boardwalk to enjoy the walk and view together. The long walk was well worth it!
What are you facing today that seems like it could go on forever – that seems overwhelming or unbearable? What keeps you going?
Rest For The Weary
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Stretch 2011 started last night, and it went great. I’m co-leading the games again this year with a new friend. Let me just say that we have an awesome Games Team this year. Everything went very well last night. And it was obvious as I walked around that the kids were having a great time. I don’t know the numbers, but it seemed like it was the biggest opening night we’ve had since Stretch began several years ago.
After cleaning up and driving home, I didn’t get to bed until 11:30PM. This is late for me. So when my alarm went off this morning at 4:50AM, it’s no surprise that I was exhausted. I managed to get out of bed and out for my morning run despite my fatigue. As I ran, this verse from Matthew 11 came to me.
I don’t know what you’re going through right now. Maybe you volunteered at Stretch last night, and you’re feeling weary. Maybe you just drove half way across the country. Maybe you are fighting illness. Maybe you’ve poured your energy into a project that seems unending. You’re feeling worn-out, tired, exhausted, weary. The verse above is a reminder that we can come to Jesus when we’re weary. He promises to give us rest.
How are you feeling today? When was the last time you faced exhaustion?
Metal Toes
I took this picture inside the pedestal museum at the base of the Statue of Liberty when our family visited there for President’s Day last month.
Sometimes I wish I had metal toes. This seems like a crazy wish, but let me explain.
I like to run. Or maybe I should say, I like to eat, so I need to run to keep my net calories in check.
For whatever reason, God gave me soft feet and fragile toes. My second toe on each foot is a little longer than my big toes, so these toes tend to take a beating as I ramp up my mileage. Inevitably, my toe nails turn black and blue and then my toe nail falls off. It’s quite a “fun” process.
So I’m thinking that if I had metal toes like the ones shown above, I wouldn’t have to deal with the whole black and blue/nail loss thing.
How about you? If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14
On The Right Track
I took this picture before the start of Isaac’s last Pinewood Derby. It was a fun morning, and Isaac took 3rd place overall to our surprise.
I like this picture. It kind of reminds me of the importance of being on the right track. It is so easy to get on the wrong track through the distractions of life. We often let the busyness of life steer us of course and away from where our focus should rest. Whether we get caught up in work or we get sidelined by some sort of defeat or setback or we get distracted by some sort of hobby, we all can find ourselves on the wrong track.
I think the author of Hebrews had this in mind when he wrote the first three verses of Hebrews 12.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
By keeping our focus on Jesus, we are sure to be on the right track.
You Are Here
As I think about the sign, “You Are Here,” I think it’s a good reminder for me. Sometimes, it can be easy to get stuck in our past – where we dwell on either our victories or defeats. Let’s face it, we often like the way things were just because that’s what we’re used to. Does that make sense?
On the other hand, sometimes, it can be easy to get caught up in the worries (and hopes) of the future. I think it’s good to have hopes and dreams and to go after them. But sometimes, we deal with anxiety because we’re so focused on what might happen in the future. We are crippled by questions which have answers that are out of our control.
As I think about this, two passages come to mind:
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:25-34
These offer great reminders to rejoice in today – this moment in time when the past is in the past, and God holds the future in His hands.
I am here. Where are you?
Filled Up With Bread
This morning on my way to the office, I was listening to a podcast from Mosaic, out in southern California. In the podcast, Hank Fortener, was speaking about Jesus being the Bread of Life (found in John 6:35 – Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”).
Hank shared the following:
“You see. I think there are these times in our lives where you go through these spaces where you feel like you’re spread out. Spread thin. Where you wonder if you’ll ever get back to normal. Will I ever get back to better? Will I ever get to good? Will I ever be at awesome? Will I ever get to the amazing part? You see this is the part where Jesus says, ‘This is where I step in.’ Because one of God’s sweet spots is His ability to meet us at our weakest. One of His sweet spots is His ability to be more powerful than our temporary circumstances. So when Jesus says, ‘I am the bread of life,’ He’s saying that ‘no matter what you’ve done up to this point, no matter what you’ve experienced up until this point, it’s still going to perish. You’re still going to die. But I can give you something that gives you life – that fills you so full that you can barely breath.’”
As I listened to these words, I could relate. Over the past year, I have wondered if things would ever return to normal. I have wondered if things would ever get back to better. I have wondered if I would ever get to the amazing part.
But I have also experienced relief – despite the chaos around me. I have experienced healing – despite unanswered questions. I have experienced a peace that comes from knowing that ultimately everything will be okay – despite the fact that life often seems to be swirling around me. I believe this comes from knowing and depending on my “Bread of Life” – Jesus Christ.
Do you know Him? Are you hungry? Are you unfulfilled? Are you thirsty for more?
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35
Plans for Me
I feel like I have recently been in a mental wrestling match with myself about my plans, the future, and trying to live one day at a time. I like to have a plan for things. I like it when I can map things out and know where I’m headed. I have a quote hanging in my office, “If you fail to plan, you should plan to fail.” I think it’s important to have a plan, but I’m also learning that it’s important to be flexible and to trust. Trusting God for my future sounds easy and maybe it should be easy, but I must have the brain of a mule (stubborn). I still get hung up on the “what ifs” of tomorrow, next month, next year, etc.
As I’ve been processing this and meditating on the word ‘plans,’ Jeremiah 29:11-13 came to my mind:
11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
These verses point very clearly to that fact that God has plans for me that include hope for the future. He simply asks me to come to Him, to seek Him with all I’ve got, and to be open to His plan. I’m learning, and I’m thankful today for this reminder. With this in mind, I can let go of my anxiety and my personal wrestling match.
One day at a time…