The Grass Has Grown!

Last Wednesday night, continuing the "You Asked for It!" series, we raised some questions about the use of profanity. I ended the last post stating a few principles to take home in learning to honor God with our lips. The first one was to realize that transformation happens slowly and only over time.

After class (and in class) several students talked about being unable to control the words that come out of their mouth instinctually. The examples mentioned were moments when there was no time to consider what they said. They crush their thumb with a hammer. Someone scares the living ...uh... daylights out of them. Or they fall off a chair or down the stairs. In these moments, they told me, there is no way to avoid using profanity.

I thought about myself as students were telling me these things. Does profanity even come to my mind during these instinctual moments? While I struggle to know what verbal response I typically have, I have a hard time remembering the last time profanity crossed my mind in those moments. Other moments (like when I'm angry) bring those thoughts out for me.

"How did this happen?" I kept asking myself. I know profanity used to be the norm for me almost all the time, especially in moments when I was reacting on instinct! How could I even forget that these moments were a no-brainer when it came to moments I would certainly cuss?

My answer: Transformation.

Last Wednesday night was one of those moments when I looked at the grass (so-to-speak) and noticed that it has grown to be rather green! It seems like yesterday the grass was just seed in need of germinating. Meaning: I too thought it impossible to transform instinct. Yet, my instinct is changed!

How did the grass grow? I happened slowly...and over time. One choice here. Avoiding that word there. Exploring creative ways to express myself differently. "Gina! The monkey has caught my brain instead of the banana and turned the sucker upside down right before my eyes! Things are backwards! Yet, the kingdom grows with each choice."

It takes time to transform a mind! And there are no shortcuts! It takes intentional work. Hard work. Work that you sometimes forget about. Then you remember. Then you forget again. And then someone reminds you of how things used to be for you...on a Wednesday night!

God is in the business of transformation! And He is amazingly patient as the grass continues to grow as he designed it! Grow grass grow!

A Picture

I want to paint a picture
Without drawing a line
It will speak beyond itself
And to nature divine

It points and displays beauty
It fashions itself with word
It creates a connection
And feelings never heard

I want to paint a picture
Without skill or technique
It will dance beyond expectation
And rest in land unique

It wrestles with struggle
It smiles with wisdom
It hovers through silence
And reveals kingdom

I want to paint a picture
Without pride in me
It will honor God and Man
And hang upon His tree

Learn from God Himself

This is your first Saturday of Christmas break! Woo hoo! We are continuing the Christmas Break Exercise designed to help us stay focused each day during Christmas break. I explained it in more depth here. Here is the brief thought for today.

As an extension of yesterday's thought, take a look at what happens on the mountain of the Lord's house in Isaiah 2:3: "Many people shall come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.'..."

God teaches on the mountain! Spend a little bit of time reflecting on the things that God has taught you this last semester about his ways. How have you "gone to the mountain" and seen him at work in your life? How has he changed your life even in one semester?

Remember that God continues to teach us even now! He reveals himself to us in the most unlikely places. We can learn from him on a big beach in Hawaii or on a bean bag in our home. Be alert! Search and look for his teaching around you today.

[btw...where are you planning to assemble with a community of faith tomorrow? Who can you ask to go with you?]

My Finals Week Prayer

"May the Lord give you His perspective, even during finals week!

May His wisdom guide you to study diligently.

May His patience compel you to attend to one thing at a time.

May His peace multiply any rest you receive.

May His food energize you continually.

May His quietness permeate your breaks.

May His calmness reign in your anxiety.

May His love make you smile.

May His grace help you receive your final as a gift.

May His son's humility bring you confidence.

May His Spirit's power bring to your mind all that you have studied.

May the Lord be praised for all He does, even during finals week!"

Creativity

I am not a very creative person. I have at times tapped into God's creativity by allowing myself to be bored like kids in their creative play. But, generally speaking I have never been known as the most creative person.

This is probably due to a few factors; the last one was made real to me yesterday. One, I watch TV. This stifles any sort of creativity that I might have. It tells me a story that I don't have any say in. It comes to conclusion (sometimes) without my input. It makes connections that I haven't asked for. Creativity is squelched when I imbibe the television.

Two, I don't spend enough time in God's creation...or at least considering the creativity involved with it. I go through my day taking it for granted. The trees are always there. I don't get up close and look at how much creativity is right in front of me. To see how it feeds; to feel how hard and soft it is at the same time; to smell its aroma; to taste its fruit; to hear it move in the wind. How creative it is!

Last, I don't read creative works of fiction enough. There are people gifted toward creativity, masters of language who have for centuries brought out God's creative powers through words. And I don't let them take me on the journey to offer imagination that I never thought possible.

When I think about books I want to read, I think non-fiction. While I understand the importance of reading fiction works, I find it somewhat unproductive, impractical even. I recognize that it will broaden the horizons of teaching, but I don't find time. While I know it points to God's creative nature found in all humans, I let the mundane trump the magnificent.

Two days ago I had a great conversation with my best friend. In that conversation he, yet again, suggested a book for me to read, a fiction book this time. He was not the first to make this suggestion, but I felt compelled to entertain his little admonition. Getting the classic yesterday, I finished it this morning. Creativity throughout this little read. It was amazing.

I must explore other works too. I feel it will enrich my life; it will enrich my God-given creativity. Perhaps I will read my next fiction outdoors, forgetting all three of these creative-stoppers at once.

The Silent Voice Speaks Volumes

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." Psalm 40:1-2

I find myself struggling to understand this period in my life. This semester is full of busyness that never ends. I go from one thing to the next to the next to the next. When I have a free moment, I am thinking about how to get ahead a little more on the endless tasks.

God is silent. Freedom. God speaks. Do I listen? I want to listen. All the other things jockey for my attentive ear, but his voice is there. I am compelled to listen, to put behind all the other seemingly very important matters and just listen with attention. What am I listening for? God.

Just stop and listen to the silent voice that speaks volumes.

Asking for Help

I am excited when I see people asking for help. It tells me a ton!

It shows strength. It shows weakness.

It shows maturity. It shows a lack of maturity.

It shows contentment. It shows discontentment.

Asking for help brings us closer to God, but only if we find him in those from whom we ask help.

The Package

Imagine that you hear the doorbell and run to the door. When you open the door you don't see anyone and are frustrated because you got up from the couch wondering who in the world could be ringing the doorbell at such a time. We've all been there. Then, you look down and notice a box wrapped in duct tape. This little "present" makes your heart skip a beat. The edges are frayed; the duct tape is starting to fall off; and you hear a faint ticking noise coming from this mystery package. "Bomb!" is on the forefront of your mind.

That is until you notice a name on the top of the package betraying from whom this little package came. Written on the top is the name of your best friend. It is obviously this person's handwriting. You are put at ease. You know who sent the gift. You are amazed that you had such a crazy thought as you smile. What is your good friend up to now?

Well, what if we began to view our spouses as this little box? A little frayed, unimpressive, duct tape package. When we look at it inappropriately we might run and hide, thinking the worst. But, realizing that your spouse is a gift not from your best friend, but from God changes things. The focus is no longer on the gift itself; the focus is on the sender. There is no one else that God sent this gift to. My spouse is mine and no one else's. This person has been tailored to fit only me...both with my strengths and my weaknesses.

God has given me Tanya. When I truly see her as God's gift, my attitude changes. I trust the sender rather than the gift itself. Also, if I refuse to accept this gift, I refuse to accept my relationship with the sender. My problem is really with the sender then! Tanya can be like frayed, falling off duct tape, but my heart is put at ease because God is the one who sent this really cool package my way.

Who do you need to view as a true gift from God?

Counting Movement

I saw God moving last weekend during our retreat. While I worked really hard to create a great environment for God to work, I knew I couldn't make God move. You can do all the right things, but that doesn't guarantee that lives will be impacted.

During the weekend we dove into an obscure book of the Old Testament, Ecclesiastes. The Message translates the much repeated Hebrew word, hebel, as 'smoke'. I like how this word captures the temporary nature of our lives as well as the obscure nature of God's working.

It was really refreshing for me to dive into this book, especially since I sometimes feel pressure to produce good numbers of students in our ministry. It reminded me of something I already knew: counting numbers is smoke, a spitting into the wind. Sometimes the numbers indicate God's movement, most of the time the numbers don't.

For us right now, numbers are not the indicator of God's movement. Lives changing is the indicator of God's movement. At the retreat, I saw several students being moved closer to God's heart; it was great to witness as somewhat of an outsider. I witnessed students confessing sins, offering prayers for each other, sharing struggles, wrestling with God, listening to God, moving with God's vigor, laughing in the Spirit, and experiencing the joy of God's community!

Wow, God! Thank you for such a great weekend! Your name was praised! Please give all of us strength to continue in your movements.

Addiction

Having quit coffee, I am now thinking about at least limiting my intake of cokes, usually of the Dr. Pepper variety. Yesterday kindof confirmed that for me. In the late afternoon, I began to have a little bit of a headache. I realized that I had only had water all day. It made matters a little worse when I couldn't find any Advil or something for my headache. I went to sleep with my head pounding.

Here are my thoughts. Anything that produces in me some sort of reliance on that thing surely detracts me from totally relying on God. It makes me dependent on that thing rather than on God. Some of the obvious addiction tendencies are things like alcohol, drugs, sex, smoking, and caffeine. Some of the less obvious addiction tendencies are things like ways of doing things, cleaning up, making a mess, talking down to others, hatred, slander, food, and laughter. There are so many kinds of addictions, but anything becomes an addiction when it takes away from completely relying on God.

We all have addictions that control us, but I wonder if God calls us to begin laying these down at the cross one by one until we've learned to be completely reliant on Him. What addictions does God want out of your life?

God's Sign

Yesterday, I saw God use the prayer sign in a new light. A middle-aged woman came to me and, before I even looked up at her, she said, "Thank you!" When I looked up, it was obvious that she was broken up about something; she looked like Niagra falls was about to gush out on campus!

She said it again, "Thank you." I said hey and asked what is going on. She said she is having an absolutely horrible day. She was walking on campus, thinking about her day, and asking God if she could just have a small hug from Him. "At that moment," she said, "I look up and see that sign!"

Standing up, I told her that it looks like I need to give her a much-needed hug. She didn't stay much longer, but I asked God to let his presence continue to surround her. I pray that she had a good rest of the day.

This gets me to thinking...had that sign not been there, how would have this lady's day been? We may never know, but I put this sign out so people will come closer to God. So many are looking to reach out to Him; they just don't know how to do it. I saw God use this sign powerfully today.

Now I ask this: what sign are you putting out that God can use to bring people closer to him? The small encounters with others are God's opportunity to speak. How is God speaking through you?

Heart of God

Welcome week is over! It was a good welcome week from what I can tell. I have seen returning students reaching out to new students. I have seen new students making new friends. I am going to enjoy having the day off tomorrow...a much-needed break.

As we look to help all our students experience Jesus this semester, I pray that their decisions bring glory to God. This is the time when many students begin making small decisions that lead in directions away from the heart of God. To expect this of our students, I must be ready to lead the way.

Lord, may I continually seek your heart in every decision, in every action, in every conversation. Give me your patience. Show me your heart. May your Spirit guide me.

The One Shot

The SHSU football players came to church this morning. It was good to see them there. I'm grateful that their coach makes them experience church at some level. I pray they see God.

I do always wonder what is going on as they sit in the couple of services they are required to attend each year. Are they freaked out with the non-instrumental singing? Do they understand the things we do? Are they hyper-critical of, disinterested in, or excited about things? How religiously inclined are they? Does the sermon connect to them? Are they encouraged? Are they engaged? Will they seriously come back? Did they see Jesus? Are we pushing too much or too focused on them? All these types of questions have circled my mind in the last week, especially this morning.

Here is what I conclude: I can't worry about it.

Sometimes we can get all worked up over what we believe to be the one shot, the one opportunity, the only chance. I hear some saying nervously, "They may never step foot in this building again!!" meaning that we must do everything we can right now.

My approach is somewhat different. I take what opportunities the Lord provides and do what I can. I am in the planting seeds business. The Lord is working the ground of people's heart before they ever come my way sometimes. So, I'm not too interested sometimes in how "perfect" everything went.

I do pray that the Lord brings to himself those he needs right now. I pray that hearts were pricked. If they don't come to our building again, may the Lord draw them to himself in a later conversation or in a powerfully deep experience. There are many ways that the Lord draws us to himself.

I pray that we look for more ways to put ourselves out there in opportunity-ridden situations. May we scatter the seeds, water when necessary, and patiently wait for God's fruit to appear in time. Where does the Lord need you to be?

Organization

I don't know whether this is an excuse for not being polished or organized in ministry like I should, but my organization skills are lacking. Don't get me wrong, I can organize things, but compared to others (specifically my wife...I love you sweetie) my organization looks...well...like unorganized.

Then in my spiritual reflection on this issue I hear a small voice. I'm not sure if it is something inside me or if it is God, but a voice nonetheless. The voice tells me that if I manage to get my office organized, the grace of God might overtake me in regards to my organization skills. I don't know how to take this, but I do know that I would like my office consistently cleaned and organized. It makes me feel good about myself among other things.

A lot must happen before the semester begins...I pray that God's grace comes when and where He needs it. Maybe organization will come as part of that grace. We will see.

Beauty in Sacrifice

Here is Frank Laubach's journal entry on December 6, 1930:

"Sometimes one feels that there is a discord between the cross and beauty. But there really cannot be, for God is found best through those two doorways. This grey-blue rolling water tinged with whitecaps, hemmed with distant green hills and crowned with colored clouds and baby-blue sky reveals God's love of beauty--and God is so lavish with his paintbrush in the tropics. He is lavish everywhere if one only has eyes to see Him at work.

But when one comes to personality, one demands more than a pretty face or even a soul that sings for joy. There is in the universe a higher kind of beauty. It is the beauty of sacrifice, of giving up for others, of suffering for others. A woman has not reached her highest beauty until she lays down her ease and chooses pain for bearing and nursing her child. A man has not found his highest beauty until his brow is tinged with care for some cause he loves more than himself. The beauty of sacrifice is the final word in beauty."

I am amazed at how transformed his eyes are. Frank sees God everywhere he looks. How can you be beautiful today in sacrifice?

Prayer Sign Reflection

The first semester of re-adjusting my schedule has finished. In a previous post I mentioned that I would sit on campus with a sign telling people that I will prayer for them. Even though I mentioned a few things early on, this semester has been one story after another. Students, workers, deans, professors, Christians, Hindus, irreligious, atheists all coming to ask for prayers or because they were curious. I couldn't possibly tell you all the stories, but I could tell you all the names of the people who have showed up. I decided to count the conversations rather than the "converts," whatever that means. I never would have imagined the responses.

It was normal for someone to come up to me saying, "I've seen you here for a while, but I never came up until now." Sometimes a student would dive right in to questions about God that have been bothering them, problems they've been having, or prayers for campus they want to offer. Other times it would take five encounters or so over the course of two months before they would really ask me what they wanted to ask me.

One guy's first words to me as he was smoking a cigarette were, "Do you think people can change?" After coming around just to say hey for a month or so he was obviously bothered, or rather curious, about my approach. He said, "I've come by here five times or so and you have never once asked me about my religion, my faith, or even church...why?" I explained that I am just here to be available to students in whatever way they need. I told him that half the time I'm trying to figure out what the person talking to me actually needs. It seemed like he wasn't interested in talking about his religious, his faith, or church, so I just went with it. He told me he has never heard of a minister like that. The rest of our conversations have been oriented toward God in one way or another. He just knows that there is a guy on campus interested in being available to those who come by. I loved that conversation!!!

Having thought about what happens on campus through my sitting there every day, I have come to some tentative conclusions I would like to share. I believe that people, specifically students but also others, are looking for a way to reach out to God. They don't feel like they can come to our established facilities because they are not looking for something that involves a huge commitment. But they want to connect to God nonetheless.

When they just see the sign, I believe God makes himself known to them. Let me put that another way. If they are really looking (when they really see the sign), they see this as a place they go and can talk to God (God makes himself known to them here). Think of it this way: only after Moses goes over to see this curious sight of a bush that doesn't burn up does God call him (Exodus 3:3-4).

People have come to ask me questions that I know they are really asking God. Do you think God will hate me because of this decision I think I need to make? What will God think of me? Is it wrong to think that certain people are going to hell? Where does God want me to go after graduation? How is God working on campus?

This semester I have put myself out there and asked God to use me when he needs me. I'm available. He works in many different ways, but he needed to reveal himself to an average of about 5 people a day in various ways. I'm glad that I could be there in those moments.

The focus of this whole semester needs to remain on God's efforts toward our campus rather than on anything I was moved to do. God wants his reign to advance so people will see him in his glory. God is doing some good things that I am glad to be only a part.

I plan on doing this again next semester, but I'm not sure how long God will call me to this. I guess we will see. I'm open to questions, comments, challenges, and the like about how this sign stuff went this semester.

Mac arrival

My new Mac arrived on Wednesday! I am in the process of getting everything from my PC to my Mac. I am slowly learning a new way of doing things computer-wise. It is fun to learn all the little differences. I just hope I don't forget all things PC...though I would like to. We will see how things go!

Keep learning new things..especially spiritually. God is in the business of making all things new. Allow him to work today.

ACU Lectures

I just got into Dallas from Abilene. I spent the whole trip tonight trying to process some of the conversations I had at the lectures and implications for ministry. It was good that my mind was going ninety to nothing because everyone in the car was knocked out!

I am so encouraged that God is doing amazing things in his world. I pray that he show me what he is doing in Huntsville so I can be a part of it. I anticipate much discussion happening about God's mission.

Heat Exhaustion

Monday I got heat exhaustion. I pushed myself a little too much with too few breaks. I drank plenty of water while mowing lawns, something I always do. But Monday did me in like I had never experienced before.

It was the last yard we had to do that did it. I needed to get home quickly to take a shower and run off to college devo. Tardiness was already calling, so I got after it. I went way too fast! I didn't want to be late! I knew I was pushing myself in that last yard, but I knew it would be over soon. Even on the way home I knew I was tired, but I didn't know that things were pretty bad.

When I walked in the door I told Tanya I was really tired and a little dizzy. I rushed off the get my body temp down in the shower (something normal after a hard afternoon of mowing lawns). As I got out of the shower, I just wanted to lay there. I was still hot, still dizzy, and my muscles were give out (a good Texas description for ya), and my heart was still beating pretty fast. Tanya asked if I should be going to devo like this; I thought I would be okay.

I bent down to hug and kiss Kayla bye and then I had to run to the bathroom. All the water in my stomach came up. Uncle Ralph and I had a good conversation...twice in thirty minutes. Tanya helped me the rest of the night as I tried to keep fluids down me. It was not fun. Even the next day I stayed at home trying to recover...doctor Tanya's orders. No mowing lawns...no double-header softball games. That stinks dude!

Spiritual lesson: moderation is the key. Don't overdo it. Spiritual accomplishments will not happen overnight. Take on one vice at a time. Otherwise, Satan may overwhelm you making you worse off than before. It is okay AND NECESSARY to take breaks to re-connect with God who will sustain you through all things. Know also that God will not give you anything (temptation or otherwise) beyond what you can bear. You can stand with God's help (1 Cor 10:13).

Family Golf

I am enjoying my time in Carrollton. Yesterday I played golf with my dad, uncle, and cousin. I really wanted to play while in Dallas, so I made sure that we got that chance. (I was able--amazingly enough--to pack my golf clubs in our already over-stuffed car!)

I knew that it would be more fun--especially for my dad--if we could play a scramble. I didn't care if it was a four-man or a two-man. I knew that it would just be a fun thing to do. My family tends to be incredibly competitive, so I wanted to diminish this a little. A scramble takes some of the individual competition out of play so we can just enjoy playing.

Through five holes my dad and I were four under par! Then we had to stop playing because of a HUGE storm passing through. An hour-and-a-half later we continued play. It wasn't the same. We finished the front nine two under and shot two over on the back finishing even par! Oh well! It was fun, we spent some good family time together, and that is what matters.

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How many times do we forget to enjoy life? We tend to make too many things a competition. I behave better that him...I have better clothes than she does...We raise our kids better than they do...and so on it goes. Let's enjoy each day to its fullest with what God has already given us! Then we can point to God rather than ourselves when we finish even par, 18 under, or 46 over.