weeklythoughtexchange

The sky is a robin’s egg blue sprinkled with cotton ball clouds. The sun filters through palm leaves and the eucalyptus trees gently sway back and forth to the whispers of the spring trade winds. The breeze carries with it the the faintest scent of sunscreen and salty air, picked up from the warm embrace of the Pacific Ocean that surrounds the island. It seems as if I am ensconced in a sphere of various shades of blue – from the robin’s egg shade of the sky to the teal of the ocean.  And in that sphere I hear the twittering of the birds as they praise their Maker, the hum of the pool pump that beckons in thoughts of relaxation, the splash of the turtle as he floats in his pond, and my heart as it rejoices: it is Easter morning!

I am pondering Easter. Why do I celebrate? Because I love Jesus. Yet why do I love Him? He has given everything so that I might live abundantly for and with Him. But how can I believe in someone who is so often ridiculed and rejected by the majority of mankind?  Let me put it this way, then. He is like my Easter morning. As I sit on my lanai and type out a description of my surroundings for this blog, someone in Alaska is probably huddled up inside their house because it is still freezing outside.  However, that doesn’t make my morning any less real. In fact, it is one of those gorgeous days that I simply want to absorb into my soul so that I can bring it out whenever the gloomy days come. The Alaska experience is real too, yet I am certain that it would be traded for my morning in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, it is often easier for people to believe weather reports from across the ocean than it is for them to welcome the embrace of their Savior. 

As human beings we are ever striving to define ourselves – at times it is to tell others who  we are, but it’s mainly for our own assurance. We seek fulfillment in material possessions that give us a sense of identity; we listen to music and watch movies that reflect our inner longings; we pack our schedule tight with activities and events that give an impression of meaning; we wear clothes that state our name, rank, and mission in life; and we look for affirmation from the people who surround us.  But what happens when our house and possessions burn to the ground? Our bank accounts are depleted? Our health is ruined? Our friends desert us? and we are stripped naked before the Throne of Judgement?  Is it what you own that makes you worthy? Is it who you know? Or what you’ve done? Or what you wear?

No, my friend. You and I came into this world as nobody with nothing…and when we leave this world and stand before the Judgement Seat of the Almighty God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, that is exactly how we will be.  But I know who I am. I am loved by Jesus Christ. His sacrifice has made me worthy to stand before the Almighty God. I will embrace His life as I have embraced this Easter Morning. What about you?

There’s a whole lot of gray in this world. I like to see the world in black and white; I unintentionally expect others to do the same. Unfortunately, this can result in one being alone in a crowd. There are few who want to maintain a defined standard for their lifestyle. Gray is so much more comfortable; it allows for a coloring outside of the lines. One can go with the flow and attempt to please everyone, while a defined sense of right and wrong alters the playing field considerably. 

 How does one reconcile maintaining a moral standard while a world of tolerance and acceptance? Why are those with values viewed with less tolerance than those who are carried along with the winds of societal fancy?  Is it because a moral code of conduct declares there is a higher way to live and this causes others to feel uncomfortable? Or is it because we want to have our cake and eat it too – a little morality and a little frivolity and all is good – and yet someone is telling us that’s just not possible?  Others take a different approach: someone needs to reach out to the people with no moral compass, so we need to  hang out where they are in order to show them the way.  Is that truly possible or is it an attempt to have a great time while assuaging a guilty conscience?

Yes, we are all human and we all make mistakes. We must show mercy and grace to one another as we struggle on this life journey. The standard that we must hold for ourselves is the one bathed in red – that of Jesus Christ who died that we may have life.  He sacrificed Himself that we may have abundant life. How can we not but desire to live in the way that brings Him all honor and glory. If there’s a question of gray, aim for the white – an unblemished life that reflects the light of an awesome Savior.

On Friday a friend and I missed each other at the movies. A group of us were meeting up and the phone of this particular friend died before he could find us. It turns out we were searching for each other at the same time, but never met up. 

On Saturday I brought  2 newborn kittens home from the vet clinic to foster. Their mom was “stretched” by a dog, but the babies were rescued. 

On Sunday I had a lovely chat with a lady at church who I see regularly, but rarely visit with.

Sometimes I wonder about life. Why do random things like missing a friend at the theatre happen? What are 2 tiny felines out of thousands? How can a little conversation at church be so meaningful? When one stands in place and ponders all that is happening around the world, such happenings as I mentioned above, appear so insignificant. In fact, an individual life can appear can appear so small in comparison to the masses. 

We are all waiting for that one climactic circumstance to occur in our lives – the one event which will prove our lives were designed for a purpose. We wait and we wait some more and we wait just a little longer. In the meantime, we spot lonely people eating by themselves; we encourage our friends who are working long hours and feel overwhelmed by it all; we rescue orphaned kittes and fallen birds; we smile and cry and laugh, depending on how the day goes, and we wait for the meaning of life to be explained.

The God who measures the oceans in the palm of His hand and to whom the nations are but a drop in the bucket, is the God who wrote our life’s story. We can only read one page at a time, yet we can rest assured that each tiny word matters. The story won’t be completely understood until we come to “The End.”  In the meantime we have to live each sentence well…and trust The Author.

This was an e-mail I received and thought quite clever:

Relationships: the bane and blessing of human existence. We all desire to be visible to someone else; to anchor our value in someone outside of ourselves; to know that our being alive brings meaning to the world.  But what exactly is it that we seek in relationships? What does it mean to love someone other than ourself? And what happens when our expectations are not met?

After much discussion about relationships with a variety of age groups and both sexes, I have come to the conclusion that honesty, loyalty, unconditional love, a listening ear, and a good time are the “must have” qualities sought in friendships. These qualities are what assure us that we matter.  If we can’t find them in a human being, we seek them out in furry companions, in a favorite hobby, or attempt to convince our lonely, longing hearts that we can take care of ourselves. But in the deepest recesses of our stoic soul the seeker has not fallen asleep.

We have been created for community. We are not completely fulfilled until we are loving someone else more than ourselves. This truth demonstrates an intricate design – in our search for fulfillment we provide the meaning, the anchor, the affirmation that someone else is seeking and vice versa.  Think, for a moment, about your search.  Are you still waiting for the assurance that people see you and value who you are? Have you experienced the true love that causes you to entrust someone with your life?  Has an endless stream of disappointments bruised and battered your seeking heart? Do you feel like no one would even notice if you were gone?

I am sure that all of us can answer ‘yes’ to one or more of those questions. If you have come through middle school I know you can! But for some of us, the ‘yes’ might be referring to a more recent time.  I speak from personal experience when I say that there is One who provides the completion we all seek. Jesus is the Friend every heart was designed to connect to. He is the epitome of Love, Loyalty, Honesty, Faithfulness, and every quality in between. When you accept His friendship you will have the ability and resources to be the friend others are longing for you to be.

Love Him first and then love the people around you. You are needed.

Last night I went to a benefit dinner for a nonprofit service dog organization. The dogs were impressive – responding to the slightest needs of their owners, smiling, and enjoying their work.  As the evening slipped by and different people expounded on what the dogs can do, it became evident that the dogs weren’t so much trained to work, as their abilities to serve were being identified and nurtured. The dogs were living out their calling; they were living out the service they were designed for.

This caused me to reflect upon myself, and human beings in general. Are we living the lives we were designed for?  Have we found our vocation or are we submitting to merely getting by in life?  Martin Luther believed that people don’t have ‘jobs,’ per se, they have ‘vocations’ – a specified avenue by which God works through them. This can range from homemaker to honor guard, trash collector to taxidermist, lawyer to librarian, etc. It is something that you enjoy doing and causes you to serve others, as well as to encounter God in a more meaningful way.

On my way home from work yesterday, I passed a vehicle that had the words “It’s all about me” plastered across the windshield. Are they true? Yes and no.  Each of us desires fulfillment in this life; we seek it in all that we do. Some find it through extreme sports, others  by continuing their education or advancing in their careers.  Some pour out their lives in service of others, while many find seek fulfillment in satisfiying every passing whim.  People, having been created in God’s image, are designed for fulfillment, but it does not come by serving ourselves. We will only be satisfied in soul and spirit when we surrender to our Creator and allow Him to fulfill His will for our lives. 

Listening for God goes against our nature, since it requires us to be still and wait when we want to move and act.  However, if we want to discover the ultimate meaning of life we will need to pay the price. Hey, if the dogs can do it…can you?

The Reflection

Here I am. There you are.

I have a light heart; you have a yellow star.

My eyes are happy; yours stare into space.

I smile with ease, but you have a blank face.

I hear laughter; you hear pain.

My feet sink into lush grass while you stand in a bloodstain.

My future is on the horizon; yours is pierced with barbed wire and taunting fear.

My hand reaches for yours, but I am stopped by the glass in the broken mirror.

I’ve been closely observing our society and this is what I’ve noticed:

*The child’s best interest is being replaced with the child’s “rights.”

*The boosting of self-esteem outranks the development of moral character.

*Discipline is equated with abuse and indulgence is equated with love.

*The new mantra is “safety at all costs,” even if that cost is a weakened society made vulnerable to illness, ignorance, and intimidation.

*’Tolerance’ has been redefined to mean “tolerance of anything except that which acknowledges Jesus Christ.”

*Infrastructure is put into place after the houses are built and the families have moved in.

*Schools are closed to cut costs.

*Taxes are raised and salaries cut to pay off the debt.

*Those elected to serve the people are embracing despotism.

*The governing officials seek to appease the enemy by ostracizing our friends.

*Terrorists are being trained in our country and this is being allowed in the name of peace.

*When the number of U.S. troops killed during Operation Enduring Freedom topped 1,000 there was an outcry about the senseless loss. (And indeed, every life lost is a tragedy.)

*53 million babies have been killed in our country since 1973 and this was accepted because a woman has a right to choose.

*There is a hole in our pocket and those with needle and thread are labeled the bad guys.

Like most women I know, I am surrounded by the male species. I am blessed with a father, brothers, and nephew, interact with some swell guy friends, and teach a passel o’ adolescent boys. And of course there are others who I encounter as I live in my community on a daily basis.  Men and boys have been a part of my life since birth – so why am I not fluent in their language?

Over the past 2 years (since I began teaching) I have really become serious about developing my communication skills with guys. Middle school boys do not make any attempt to appease the opposite sex because they are just beginning to understand themselves at this point in the human life cycle.  Educating them has become one of the most rewarding and frustrating challenges of my calling as a teacher and has raised my awareness of how fascinating guys really are.  Here are some trends I have observed across the male lifespan:

1. Men (and boys) avoid admitting hurt feelings. In the male world feelings are a sign of weakness. If they are hurt they make a joke out of it to show how tough they really are.

2. Male bonding occurs by testing each other’s strength. Men (and boys) show they care for their friends with a series of tough talk, whacks on the back, running into each other, or pranking each other (middle school), or extremely strong handshakes.

3. Men (and boys) remember what’s important to them and they often don’t know what that is.  They have a desire to do the right thing and they want to do well in life, but they tend to be moment-driven. They focus on what grabs their attention in the moment and everything else slips away. This often requires a repetition of requests or instructions from the females in their life (but they must repeat with creativity otherwise they will be tuned out).

4. Respect is vital to the male psyche. It is important to build men (and boys) up by focusing on their strengths. They tend to rise to the challenge if they know you believe in them.

5. Most men (and boys) have an inner-knight. It is difficult for them to turn away from a rescue. If they know they can help or truly make a difference they will come and usually do a splendid job in the process.

6. Men (and boys) are just as confused about women (and girls) as we are of them. They find us simply complicated while they, in fact, are complicatedly simple. We have emotions that can never be understood and we talk about feelings as fluently as they talk about B.O. and other things the body does (mostly middle school again). It’s little wonder they sometimes just choose to avoid us.

In summary, males and females will always be in different zones, but it never hurts to put forth the effort to communicate. The more I learn about men (and boys) the more I see that we need each other (believe it or not). Each sex has its definite strengths and obvious weaknesses, but we can compensate for one another.  This will build healthier relationships and a stronger community.