Crazy Enough?

He was walking along the side of the 4-lane highway.  Stiff-legged and unkempt, he carried no sack, box or baggage. 

Call me crazy. 
But what if we learned to love our brother for nothing in return.
Oh how the rules would change.

The four of us in the car were silenced by his sudden appearance.  Our week's vacation at the beach was at an end, and we were headed to drop off our friends at the airport.  The vehicle was packed tighter than sardines in a tin.  Between my friend and me in the rear seat sat two suitcases which cushioned us enough that a collision would not have harmed us, had that happened.  We had struggled to even buckle up our safety belts as we left the condo a few miles back.

The front seat was equally tight with one suitcase between my husband and friend and another on the floor of the passenger side.  We were insulated, to say the least.

And then this lonely figure appeared at the side of the roadway.  After we found our voices, we wondered aloud where he had been and where he might be headed.  The day was young, but the heat index was climbing steadily already.  Did we have room in our little sedan?  No, for sure we did not.  And we actually made a couple of bad jokes about who could ride on top in order to make a space for the man in our vehicle.

We were in the lane toward the center line as we stopped for the red traffic signal.  The walking traveler was coming up on our right with the other lane of traffic between us.

Then the impossible happened.  A silver Lexus that was slightly ahead of us in the far right lane, backed up.  And as we glanced in that direction, he reached over to open the passenger door for the walker.  I had a bird's eye view of the fleeting scene.

Reaching out to the ones who need help.
Treating them as you first would treat yourself.
Now that would be insane.

The driver, dressed in a fine suit of clothes, sported three gold and diamond rings on his left hand that rested on the steering wheel.  And when he opened that door for the walking traveler, the look on the face of that man was one of disbelief, as if to say, "Really? You're stopping for ME?"

My friend closest to the other car commented that the walker was wearing a hospital ID bracelet on his wrist.  Surely he wasn't just released from some facility? How far did he have to go?  We discussed these abstract possibilities, and came to the conclusion that perhaps that ID bracelet was the only item on his person that correctly identified him.  If he came on a difficult situation, his name would be known to authorities.

The traffic signal turned to green and we proceeded to turn left as the Lexus continued straight ahead in its lane.

This brief encounter has caused me to think deeply about how I reach out - our fail to reach out - to those in obvious need.

Would we have even considered for a moment stopping to help this walking stranger IF the car had not been packed to tightly?

I can answer that question: No.  In our middle class lives, we have become jaded.  We hear stories and see situations unfold that dictate our behavior. 

It's just too risky.
What if he's a con artist?
What if he's a serial killer?
What if.........?

It may just be crazy enough to work if we could only love.
What if we somehow changed the world?
Is it so strange to think that one day we will truly see everyone the same?
Oh, could we be so kind.
To sing along when life's playing their tune.
And cry with them when their heaert's broken in two.
Have I lost my mind?
It may just be crazy enought to work if we could only love.
What if we somehow changed the world?
It may just ge crazy enough.
Oh, have I gone made believing that love still has a chance?
It may just be crazy enough.

It may just be crazy enough... to walk in someone else's shoes...
To stoop down instead of looking down...
To listen with our hearts instead of our ears...
To risk for the cause of Christ...

What if?

(Lyrics: copyright 2010 Simpleville Music & Wet As A Fish Music; words and music by Mercy Me)

Trusting the Bridge Builder

Since my first reading of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, I began making my Graces List - God's gifts in everyday life, small and large.  In re-reading it for the 5th time (am I a slow learner, or simply needing to delve deeper into this amazing book?), I find something different that I'd skimmed before.

Thanks builds trust.... Who trusts the Bridge Builder?...How do you count on life when the hopes don't add up?  ... The hopes don't have to add up. The blessings do.  (emphasis added)

Count blessings and discover Who can be counted on. ... Can God be counted on? Count blessings and find out how many of His bridges already held.  Had I not trusted all these years because I had not counted?

That question is mine as well...  One only needs to glance backward in the mirror to a crossed bridge.  How many times have I crossed a bridge without giving a second thought to trusting its integrity? its strength? its foundation?  Have I ever hesitated to proceed, or simply lunged forward in blind confidence?

Making my own Gratitude Journal continues to be a good exercise in recognizing the Bridge Builder at work.  Knowing that I will enter simple words to remind me of His goodness keeps me alert to His ways, His work.

44.  October October October
86.  Oak leaves at a gravesite
159. Misty in labor
169. For Ruth: Psalm 69:29 I am sad and hurting...
174. My inheritance of faith
185. MP & me... pinky swear: save each other if one is missing & wandering aimlessly, IF we remember
195. 1907 red leather diary
250. Me: have you written letters to Santa?  2 grandsons: He lives in our house
279. A regular paycheck
287. Memory of the red brick with enameled iron fence - now abandoned and lonely
292. Even in the tornadic mess called a house, it will be Christmas in 7 days
305. Emma and her blingy headband
323. Special Christmas ball
339. Surviving cancer 17 years
375. City Harmonic - "Holy (Wedding Day)" in Nashville traffic snarl
376. US flag flying high from a tall building at dusk

There is something uniquely prayerful about making this list... about finding God, the Bridge Builder, everywhere I turn.

God reveals Himself in rearview mirrors.

My hand is open to receive God's magnificence as well as His lessons.  I trust Him for a night of rest, another sunrise, another conversation with loved ones, a new project to capture my attention, a grieving soul to companion.

He has blessed today.  Will He not bless again tomorrow?

Scarcely a day goes by that I do not wonder about the future.  I guess that's what happens as we age. I have traveled far on Life's journey, and the Bridge Builder has kept me from plummeting to certain death or disaster countless times. I have thanked Him not only for my own blessings but also for the blessings seen the lives of others.  His sure, steady strength has laid a foundation that can be trusted.  Without a worry, I go to bed each night and awaken the next morning.  Will He not bless again tomorrow?

"Gratitude is the most fruitful way of deepening your consciousness that you are a divine choice," wrote Henri Nouwen.

Again, I urge friends and acquaintances to read One Thousand Gifts.  However, if you choose not to, it is still possible to make your own Graces List.  Such a Gratitude Journal is a timely reminder of the Bridge Builder's care for each of His children.

Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. --Lamentations 3:23

Sights, sounds and events that we take for granted

The morning sun was just beginning its skyward rise as I drove to work that morning. The past few years I've commuted thirty minutes, and although the price of fuel can be a cause for concern at times, the benefits of those cherished moments more than outweigh the wordly concerns about the money in my wallet.  Those precious minutes are my God-Time.  I reflect, pray, turn up the volume on my Christian music, and the day is off to a beautiful beginning.  No matter what happens when I arrive at my destination, God has breathed life into me, and no circumstance or situation, people or event can rob me of the memory etched clearly in my mind of time communing with God.

The sunrise is often breathtaking.  I marvel at the Lord's creation frequently as I make that short trip.  But that particular day?  Indescribable.  The multitude of pinks, lavenders, and blues against the morning sky spoke of a Heaven that surely is far more beautiful than even this amazing sight that I beheld for a few brief moments!  I could not take my eyes from the changing scene.  Although I monitored the traffic, my thoughts were on the gift being offered to anyone who would take time to notice.

I met cars and trucks of every description.  Many drivers seemed to wear blinders, they were so focused on the route they drove.  Others talked on cell phones.  Still others appeared to be barely awake, not paying attention to the world outside their driver's cubicle. Was anyone other than me taking note of the spectacular scene to the east?

One of our discussion questions in Sunday school class today was this:
"What are the sights, sounds and events that you take for granted?  What does it take to remind you of their significance?" 

And it was natural that the subject of this gorgeous sunrise came up.  I mentioned it and it seems I was not the only one taking note that special morning.  At least three others in the group commented excitedly that they, also, had been deeply touched by the beautiful gift from God.

As class members thought over the probing query on the table, one spoke up in a quiet voice that he just plain forgets that God is there throughout the day.

Wow.  That hit me hard.  Even the gift of a sunrise can seem fleeting and quickly gone.  But you see, I work in a church office.  I am surrounded by godly people, godly tasks, and godly trappings.  I live a sheltered life, according to some - a charmed life, according to others.  But there it was, in black and white. Simple, yet profound.  Quietly delivered, but loudly heard.

I forget He's there.  Well, there are those amazing scenes like the sunrise and gorgeous sunsets over the cornfield that I notice throughout the year.  And there is the winter scene of snow and ice sculptures at every turn.  But do I really believe He's here?

Oh, I call on Him plenty throughout the day.  I implore Him to right wrongs and to intervene for the sick and grieving. I pray for the preschool child that screams for his mother across the hall.  I lift up the poor who call our number for rent money or utilities assistance. But do I remember that He sits at my desk?  Do I realize He's in the car as I make my way through town to run errands, to work, and back home again? 

I forget He's there.

When I'm seated in the church pew, I remember He's there.  When I'm gathered with Sunday school class friends, I know He's with us.

Lysa TerKeurst speaks in one of her CDs about offering herself to God for His divine purpose every morning:
"My morning prayer, before my feet even hit the floor, is... God, today I want to see you, today I want to hear you, today I want to know you.  Lord, interrupt my day for your good pleasure."

She is ahead of me in this Presence question.  I don't have to find Him in some particular place throughout the day. I don't have to have a sunrise to remind me. I don't have to seek Him at an address. I don't have to wonder if He's going to show up.

Today I will remember that He is already here.

From our Sunday school lesson:
"Thankfully God uses ordinary people to accomplish His good and loving will.  In the process He may interrupt your plans, do the impossible, and bring immense joy."

Today I will remember that He is already here.  And I will offer myself up to Him as a gift - no strings, no caveat, no footnote, no disclaimer.

Contemplating the Way of Sorrows

On this all-important day in the lives of Christians the world over, I attended a service at an ordinary little church in my ordinary little hometown.  It is not my little church, but another in our community.  There was no crowd of people, there was no pipe organ, nor any elaborate preparations made for this service.  Those attending were few, but we were all there for the same reason in that little ordinary church on this holiest of days in the life of Christ.

The Pastor led us on a palm branch-strewn journey around the perimeter of that sanctuary on the Way of Sorrows, also called The Way of the Cross or the Stations of the Cross.  The denominations I have been a part of do not commemorate Good Friday in this manner, so this was a new form of worship for me.

God met me there in that ordinary place.  And as we processed from one designated area to the next, tredding all the while on the palms that laid out a path for us, I experienced the grueling journey made by Christ Himself on that fateful day over two thousand years ago.  In the noontime quiet of the sanctuary, with sunlight streaming through glorious stained glass windows, I heard God whisper to my heart, "This is what I have done for you."
And during those moments of reflection at each station, I poured out my heartfelt prayers from my soul to God's ears.

Our little band of believers went silently as directed.  Our footsteps echoed on hardwood throughout that beautiful old place of worship, and I was moved to tears as we walked from one creaky pew to the next, reverently repeating the liturgy before us.

The Third Station...
Lord God, your Son chose to be weak before the powers of this world, and you worked your power through him.  In our time of weakness, help us to turn to you, that your power may work in us also, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord, I do not choose to be weak!  How did He humble Himself so, and do this for me?

The Sixth Station...
O God, your Son's passion shows us that loving others holds great risks that make us tremble and reluctant to act.  Strengthen us in our faith and our resolve to take those risks and to see Your Son in our needy brothers and sisters, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Father, empower me to WANT to step out of my comfort zone.  Remove the reluctance that threatens to choke Your purpose out of my life!

The Tenth Station...
All of you must clothe yourselves with humility, in your dealings with one another; for "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."  ...The God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you.

Lord God, when I consider the humiliations Your own Son endured, I am ashamed of myself for complaining.  My life is one of freedom, ease, joy, abundance, purpose, and privilege.  Help me to put others before myself, just as He put us before Himself.  Remove from me every shred of pride and phoniness!  These traits are worldly sins that I want to peel off forever.

The Thirteenth Station...
Jesus, Lord, your gift accepted,
In three days you resurrected;
You did first what we shall do.

Great God, help me to put my faith in you and entrust my loved ones to your infinite care!  Sometimes now I daydream about what Heaven will be like!  And I long to be there... with you and with all that have gone before.

Before the Altar...
Let us follow the way of the cross until our life's end.  Amen.

Lord, the gift of your salvation won through the way of the cross cannot be duplicated and must not be accepted lightly.  Make my path straight and keep my feet from slipping from the narrow way.

Therefore, God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  --Philippians 2:5-11

Roadblock Responses

Lysa TerKeurst's book, Made to Crave, is a volume I return to almost daily.  The essential truths contained in those pages are like fresh air to my stale soul.  Her command of Scripture reinforces even more that GOD in His heaven desires for His people to be good stewards of the earthly bodies He gave us.  That one truth stands out above all others when I look back over the years wasted on diets that never quite succeeded to the degree promised.  Could I have reached my current weight using another eating plan?  Yes.  And I have done it before, temporarily.  The difference is that I do not view my plan as a "diet" any longer.  When Scripture is foundational in any change in our lives, such as an eating plan, there is a higher, godlier purpose at work than what shows on the surface.

And since I am doing this for GOD this time, my thinking has been transformed.  For the past seven months when I've awakened early, anxious to hit the Wii Fit for the daily weigh-in, my focus has not been so that others on this earth would be pleased with my weight loss.  No, it has been for the glory and magnificence of God.  The encouraging words from the lips of friends and family have been a pleasant bonus.  Smaller size clothing is a cause for joy! But it is not the reason I do this.

People often ask what I eat and how I am "doing this".  I am honest by first saying that God is the Portion I am seeking now.  He is in charge and guides me to healthy food and drink choices.  He miraculously removed my longings for snack foods and replaced them with the fundamental yearning to please Him in all I do, including food choices.

During the past seven months, I have encountered few negative responses or comments to the new eating plan God laid on my heart. What I have learned is that not everyone would DO what I'm doing. But rarely does anyone make a strong argument against my food choices and lifestyle changes. Certainly there have been plenty of friends and acquaintances who say they would not or could not change their daily food intake so drastically.  Many desire to have the success I enjoy, but few seem willing to accept the challenge to allow God to truly transform their thinking and supernaturally replace their old tastes and cravings.  And it is not only the food, as I have emphatically stated time and time again.  It all begins and ends with a fervent desire to draw nearer to Jesus Christ and to allow Him to be my Portion in all things.

And so, you can imagine my surprise a couple of weeks ago when I visited a physician that I see only twice a year.  He is a specialist and treats me for allergies and asthma.  I had just begun Made to Crave when I first met him in the fall, and at that time, he was gung-ho for my success.  In September he encouraged me to lose, saying that fewer pounds would mean less stress on my lungs.  It only made sense!  Losing weight has a positive impact on virtually every health problem!  But on this most recent visit, he quickly took on the role of authority and expert once he learned what I was doing to successfully lose weight to this degree so quickly.  He argued about things that were, in my opinion, none of his affair.  I can normally hold my own in any discussion - especially on a topic on which I am confident and educated.

The discussion took a lot of valuable office time, for which I was paying dearly.  I did not want to leave, however, with the cloud of disagreement hanging over me like a pall. While attempting to get my own point across regarding validity of my lifestyle choices and while maintaining my sense of humor, I became inwardly annoyed with the man across the desk.  He even cautioned me about "not losing too much, perhaps just 10 more pounds".  As I hurriedly drove back to work, I cried out to God for peace of mind and for the ability to forgive, as his words continued to ring in my ears.

For what earthly purpose would someone embark on such a discussion?  As I've replayed it and mulled it over these past few days, I believe it was simply a case of doctor versus patient. For some unknown reason, he felt the need to exercise his authority as a medical professional.  Doctors are often held in such high regard in our country that we seldom question their opinions or launch into heated debate on any topic related to health. Why? Because we have been convinced that all doctors know better than all patients. Period.  But I am not most patients, and I as I told the doctor that day, this is not a medical issue: it is an issue of the heart. 

Perhaps that comment alone stuck with him.  I hope so.  For I would like to think that he, also, has a heart for God and desires to please Him in his daily walk and work.

Psalm 86:11

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth;

give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Hindsight is 20/20, and in this situation, I certainly saw things more clearly after the smoke had cleared.  And it was then that I wished for just a few more moments to say something like this: 
Dr., you do not know ME well enough to give advice on this topic.  You do not know MY personal struggles with weight that began well over 50 years ago. Dr., would it not be better for the sake of your integrity and for public relations to simply say..."Good job.  You are obviously doing something that agrees with you."  Would that have been so difficult?

Creator God, Great Physician, Father, Savior...

In this crazy world, help me to always remember that it is You I serve, not men or programs or factions.  It is You who loves me, You who created me, You who long for my heart to beat in sync with Your very own.  As I walk this road on planet Earth, grant me a bigger heart for those I encounter.  Grant me continued joy.  Grant me keener ears.  Grant me broader shoulders to bear up under Life's stresses.  In You I live and move and have my purpose.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

The Man in the Window - Sitting Across the Table

Yesterday I pulled into McDonald's as is my habit, but this time I waited in a parking spot for the man in the window to arrive.  As I waited, I chatted with a friend on the phone, praying he would come and I would have the opportunity to talk with him.

Soon he came, right on schedule at 6:55.  I entered the store and found him settling in to his usual spot in the window.  Approaching cautiously but with a smile, I said, "May I?", indicating the empty seat across the table.  "Certainly.  Glad for the company," he replied.

I proceeded to tell him that I had noticed him over the past months as I made my routine stop for iced coffee.  He nodded, probably wondering why in the world I was now approaching him in this manner!  I ended by introductory remarks, saying that I pray for him whenever I spot him.  He smiled a beautiful grandfatherly smile, thanked me and said that was really nice of me to do.

He is older than I had thought previously.  His smile tells me that he is a contented individual, but perhaps a little reserved.  We discussed his "routine" since he obviously has some sort of schedule to keep, and I learned that he is a crossing guard.  He doesn't need to report until 7:35 so he and his friends gather in that spot at McDonald's to have coffee and catch up with news and one another's lives.  I was relieved to find out that he has friends he is meeting; from my brief observation, he always appears to be completely by himself.  But I was only getting part of his story!  On the mornings when I pass him by, the day is young.  And, to support his revelation, one of his cronies came to our area while I was still visiting with him.

We made introductions and chatted a bit about nothing in particular.  He told me just a bit about his family.  I left him with a scripture card containing John 3:16 as a reminder that he is a child of God, and therefore, important in the eyes of Jesus Christ our Lord.

As we parted, I said I would see him another day.  He replied that he surely hoped we would talk again.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you

wherever you go. --Joshua 1:9

Today I am praising God for the courage to step out of my comfort zone, as I talked with a stranger for whom I had been praying.  There can only be good things come from our conversation.  Think about it:  a stranger learned that another stranger had been praying for him; a stranger confirmed that God loves him; a stranger smiled as he shared a bit about his life and his family.  And I believe God smiled as two complete strangers met together for a brief moment in time, connected only by the power of prayer.

Whatever you have commanded us we will do,

and wherever you send us we will go. --Joshua 1:16

the man in the window

He's there just about everyday.  I drive thru McDonald's for my usual iced coffee with 2 sweeteners, no liquid sugar... and there he sits in the lobby.  He's always at the same table next to the front window.  His expression never seems to change.  Seated in the booth alone, I see his coffee and breakfast sandwich in front of him.  No newspaper, no companion, no cell phone on the table.  Just his meager breakfast.

His expression tells a story of loneliness and sadness.  Or am I just imagining? 

When I first noticed him, he wore camouflage, and his uniform cap was always perched on the table by his tray.  Then a few months ago, he started to appear in street clothing.  One might assume that he retired from military service during that time.

I pray for this man every time I find him seated in the window.  What is his story?  What draws him to this fast-food store every morning at the same time?  Is he a widower?  Or perhaps he has never been married.

He just looks so sad... and, yes, lost.

I've prayed for courage to walk into the store and speak to him.  I've longed for the boldness to say I'm praying for him.  So far, my courage has melted before I could park the car.  What would he think?  How might he respond?  What's my "plan" when I greet him for the first time?

I must confess: just talking about him gives me the butterflies.  And yet, I am reminded that it is my duty - my personal responsibility - to be brave and take those steps for the Kingdom.

The Book of Joshua holds the keys to my dilemma.  This is the story of Joshua, son of Nun, who had been Moses' aid. Following the death of his friend and leader, Moses, the Lord calls his servant Joshua to lead the people into the promised land. 

Read these words in Joshua 1:9...
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

These verses have been on my mind continually for several months.  They were first planted there by a friend who shared them with several friends to encourage us and give us boldness to go where we are led by the Holy Spirit. While none of us knew how we specifically might put these verses into practice, for me it has become clear that God is speaking to me about this mysterious man.

I'm not quite sure what exactly holds me back from obeying the Lord's directive.  While I do believe that some day I will walk those few steps into McDonald's lobby, I keep asking God for a reprieve... just a little more time.  Time for what?  I'm not quite sure.  Perhaps I need time to see if he still comes.  Maybe I secretly hope he will not be there one day, and I'll be off the hook.  But if that happens, I will have missed a blessing from God.  And I will surely miss out on the answers to the mysterious man.

Are you holding back from some task God has called you to perform?  Are you like me, hesitating because of fear?

Psalm 56:3-4 holds the encouragement I need to wear as my banner every day:
When I am afraid, I will trust in you.  In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid.  What can mortal man do to me?

It's a new week, starting tomorrow.  This evening I pray for strength and courage, boldness and the presence of the Holy Spirit, when I next see the man in the window.  Who knows? Perhaps God has given him a message to relay to me.