Big Pictures Don't Fit in Small Frames

Isn’t it funny how the things we once found so endearing in someone become our biggest pet-peeves?  The way they crinkled their nose is now an annoying tick. The tapping of a foot to music now sounds like excruciatingly loud stomping. The once cute rubbing of a chin now makes you want to ask- “do you have an itch you need to see a doctor about?!” 

A good friend lovingly pointed out to me recently that I hum the same non-descript tune when I’m walking around in a store…any store.  I didn’t believe her until I did it one day, and she announced, “There it is!”  She- at least at this point- is not annoyed by this habit, so until she stops shopping with me, I will keep on humming. 
 
This phenomenon made me start wondering if God is ever annoyed by the habits we create in our lives.  I whole-heartedly believe that God gives each of us gifts, talents, purpose, and even personality.  I also believe that left unchecked those things…those good things… He put in us can suddenly become very annoying, and maybe even detrimental to ourselves or others.

I am a self-proclaimed perfectionist.  The good thing God put in me is the desire to work hard, and do my best.  If God were human- which of course He’s not- He may look at my work ethic and think that is so endearing, but then later find that my perfectionism drives Him crazy!  (What does it matter if the toilet paper comes off the roll over the top or underneath?!) 

This good thing that God put in me is tainted when I am not exercising that thing in the Spirit.  The minute I move to working in the flesh, the VERY thing that was good is now awful. 

Need another example?  God gave me the gift of connectedness.  I see how things connect, which in the Spirit, makes me a good teacher.  In the flesh, I’m not only forcing things to connect that really don’t, I’m bossy and a know-it-all. 

It’s all like trying to fit a big picture in a small frame.  I can shove it in, I can fold it, and I can even try cutting it.  The reality is that big pictures don’t fit in small frames, and trying to make them fit just ruins them.  A beautiful picture in the wrong frame is…just wrong. 

God gives us the frame in which to exercise the good gifts He’s put in us.  When we’re fitting ourselves in the frame of His Spirit…when we’re working in the Spirit, there is life and there is beauty.  Why would we confine ourselves to work in the smallness of our flesh when we have the freedom to live and work in the bigness of His Spirit?!  Endearing, beautiful, lovely things remain that way when they are framed perfectly…by His hand.  

Romans 8:9-15 ~ “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.  But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.  And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.  Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.  For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ""Abba," Father." 

The Day a Grape Mysteriously Halved Itself

My youngest son had the great privilege of going to school and “running” with some of the best young men I’ve ever met. This group of guys all love Jesus and each other.  They are funny pranksters, but not cruel, mischievous, but yet respectful, competitive, but compassionate.  How do boys grow into men like this?  It was the Lord’s work in their hearts, and some great mammas.

Because my son had great friends, I too was blessed by the friendships of the moms who reared them.  As we all got ready to send our babes to college we made a pact of sorts to stay connected.  We promised to continue praying for our boys, and to get together on occasion to laugh, cry, and share life with each other. 

Last week was our first get together. I had the great privilege of hosting these special friends for a dinner party, loving called the “Whine and Wine” party.  Moms, wine, and ‘war’ stories…fun just waiting to happen!

To prepare for the party, I did the usual things.  I cleaned my house, grocery shopped, and made food.  As the time grew closer for them to arrive, I made the final preparations of lighting candles, and putting all the food on serving trays.  This is when I ran across the most curious thing.  Among the freshly washed bunch of grapes, I found a grape, still on the stem, cut in half. It wasn’t torn in half; it was cut perfectly in half.  It was so odd to me that I had to know…where was the other half and how did this happen?

I looked through the bunch of grapes and found the other half among the loose ones.  I pulled the half that remained on the stem to match it up with its mate.  Again…silly, maybe…but I was so curious about how this happened.  I remembered that as I washed the grapes earlier and was trying to put the grapes into smaller more manageable clumps, I ran across a stem I couldn’t tear.  I reached for a knife and cut the stem. In doing so, I had evidently cut the grape in half as well.

This inconsequential incident has awakened my spirit to, and reminded me of how the Body of Christ is divided.  Grapes, bunched together because we love and follow the same God.  We get divided into smaller clumps along the way down denominational (or non-denominational) lines.  We’re still grapes, but we’ve now made ourselves ‘more manageable’ somehow.

These divisions are not bad in and of themselves, but something is happening- and has been happening for many years- in the Body that isn’t good.  We’re being cut in half just like my mysterious grape. We argue about the silliest things like whose music is more holy, if raising hands in worship is okay, or if wearing jeans to church is respectful.  As Beth Moore says, “We’ve made rib issues into spine issues.” It’s ridiculous. 

Even more than that, I think the Body of Christ is in danger of dividing itself right down the middle because of some of the “hot topics” in our world today.  These arguments are the perfect avenue for the enemy to use to further his agenda.  His knife of lies, confusion, and distraction will cut us perfectly in half and we’ll be left standing there wondering how it happened.

Seriously, we have one thing to be concerned about…are we still following and trusting the One True God? Are we about doing what Jesus said were the most important things- loving God and loving our neighbors?  The enemy wants nothing more than to divide the Body and I’m afraid we’re giving him lots of room to do just that. 

There are no easy answers but there are things we can do.

If our stems are so strong they can’t be torn…
If we don’t let any of our brothers and sisters in Christ get ‘loose’ from the bigger bunch we call the Body…
If we make every effort to cling to the Lord and each other for the purpose of His Kingdom…

Maybe the enemy will have fewer chances to divide us, and we won’t be left wondering how we were mysteriously cut in half. 

My grape was cut because I wasn't paying attention to the grape itself, but was more concerned with the agenda of making smaller clumps.  Are we concerned with clumps or the bunch? Are we paying attention?

Jude 1:17-22 – “But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.  They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires."  These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.  But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.  Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”

    

Cute Shoes, Rain, and Big Birthdays

I didn’t bother to look at my weather app yesterday. I instead went “old school” and actually looked out the window. It was raining, and I couldn’t have been more excited. 
You see, a few weeks ago I bought new rain boots…really, really cute rain boots.  I’ve been waiting patiently to wear them because no matter how fashionably bold you are, no one will believe you put any thought into an outfit if you wear rain boots when it’s sunny and 90 degrees. 
So…yay!...rain! 

I was so excited I took a picture of my boots and sent it to a friend with the caption, “Don’t mind the rain- I have cute rain boots.”  That phrase, sent tongue in cheek, has resonated in my mind for the last 24 hours.  Maybe it’s because the sun did come out later and I felt a little silly in my oh-so-cute boots.  Maybe it’s because I don’t have an active Instagram and felt like this was the one time I wished I did.  Maybe it’s because I didn’t wear the right socks and my feet were very sweaty later in the day.  Or maybe it’s because I realized having the appropriate (and cute!) shoes on a rainy day is about much more than just that. 

For the last two years I’ve dreaded two things…turning 50 and sending my youngest son to college.  For two years I wondered what my life would be like with an empty nest, specifically with no spouse in the nest with me.  For two years I contemplated what it would feel like to be 50 and alone. 

I’m here two years later…50…empty nest…but, not alone. 

On the day I left my youngest at school, friends, family, and even my boss called or texted to check on me.  On the day I turned 50 (only 1 week and 2 days after leaving that son at college), my friends gathered to surprise me with a huge party.  My rainy days had come, and I had more than just cute boots to cover my feet.  I had sweet friendships to nurture my heart.

I dreaded the storm of those big transitions, but there was only calm and peace.  Isn’t this what God does over and over for us?  We see the rain and He sees an opportunity to give us the rainbow.  We see the potential for heartache and He seizes the chance to remind us He is holding us tight. 

The reality is…
To get the rainbow, we have to first endure the storm.  To have our heart seized by God, we have to allow it the chance to be broken along the way.  He tells us to “consider it pure joy” to live through these things.  That seems like a tall order some days, but then again…we have more than cute rain boots to walk in.  We walk in faith, believing the One who holds all things together. 

Cute rain boots are important to a shoe-loving girl like me.  If getting to wear those boots means I have to withstand the rain…I’m okay with that. 

James 1:2-4 - “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”