Navigating Difficult Relationships

There is a bit of a recurring theme these days in my life.  My own study of the Word, along with the Beth Moore study of James are capped off with the topic of my pastor's current sermon series...all on relationships!  Relationships.  They should be the core of our lives.  And, I don't mean the electronic relationships via Facebook or Twitter or such.  I mean, face to face, real life relationships.  I have found in my life that relationships are hard for one fact alone.  They involve people.  People with biases, sensitivities, opinions, and personalities.

Joseph undoubtedly had some difficult relationships.  My son would say--"Ya think?  Just look at his brothers for instance!"  Here in the story of Joseph I've mined out a nugget of truth that has been emphasized by my James study AND my pastor's sermons.  God is in the business of resurrecting dead relationships, particularly when we humble ourselves to serve others.  You may have some dead relationships that you'd just as soon leave that way.  To do otherwise might be too scary.  Or maybe your pride keeps you from humbling yourself to serve in that relationship--maybe you were even wounded greatly by that person.  Serve them?  I don't think so.

Joseph is an ancient example of a wounded and wronged person whose walk with the Lord humbled him to service.  He was not, as I said the other day in my blog post, a superhero.  He was flesh and blood.  On his own power, I'm sure he wanted to exact revenge on his brothers, and maybe somewhere in his years to mull it over, he realized that his father's favoritism helped fuel the hatred his jealous brothers had for him.  How did he overcome this to the point of fellowship with this family, as we see in Genesis?  It's as I've said--he was changed by his surrender to the Lord and his intimacy with him.

In Genesis 47, we see that Joseph's father is about to die.  He makes a deathbed plea with his son, "If I have found favor in your eyes...show me kindness and faithfulness...and bury me in my own land" (Genesis 47:29).  I am struck here by the thought that the Dad who showed such divisive favoritism--the spark that ignited Joseph's trials--humbly asks Joseph for favor now.  Here's the thing.  Despite the rocky roads of our mistakes, we can still press on to fellowship.  We can still humbly seek favor.  We can boldly ask for other's kindness.  Not pleading or whining or begging--just humbly asking, "can you do this?"  If you are the offender in a now dead relationship, it's not too late.  It's not too late to spend some time in prayer, chewing on the relationship matters with the Lord.  And, then humbly approaching the other person to ask for favor.  Jacob was rather specific about his request.  I'd encourage you to be specific too.  Prayerfully consider a first step, a starting point.  How about, "Hey, if I have found favor with you, can we go to lunch?"  Swallow that lump of pride, and take a baby step in obedience, believing that God is in the resurrection business.  He loves to bring the dead to life--especially when it comes to relationships.  

And, just what if you are the OFFENDED?  What if you have been wronged?  What if the wounds are too deep, too painful, and you'd just rather have a dead relationship than a difficult one?  I feel ya on that one.  And, this side of the matter isn't easy to navigate either.  Somehow, Joseph managed to do it.  Which tells me that we can, too.  I think the key on Joseph's end of the matter was choosing to acknowledge two things about his trials and pains.  

1.  God was with him all along--even in the pit, even in slavery, even in prison.

2.  God was big enough to bring purpose and good through the pains.

I think Joseph must have been able to see that his trials weren't wasted.  He chose to look past the wounds and the difficulties to see a big God still working on his behalf.  And, he chose to press in ever closer to his God.  He chose to surrender and say, "it's all yours!  I'm all yours!"  He quit looking for an out.  He quit looking for revenge.  He embraced the position and place where God had him.  He found a contentment in the journey by trusting the One who led him.  He even found the courage to trust the Lord for one of the scariest steps of all--re-entering a painful relationship, trusting the Restorer and Resurrector to do whatever He wanted.  Because Joseph chose obediently to go where he didn't want to go with the One he knew would never lead him astray.

Glimpse of grace:  Joseph and Jacob's story is one we can all glean from because certainly, we all have difficult relationships to navigate.  With ex-husbands or unfaithful husbands or abusive family members or just unpleasant people.  Or, maybe you're the one who made things difficult somewhere back there.  We can do the human thing and go with our instincts.  Or, we can stretch uncomfortably to go with God's call.  We can be changed by the favor God shows us so that we can seek the favor of others...and pour favor on others.  It's an endless well to draw from--God's favor.  He will pour Himself out to take you wherever He calls you to go, no matter how painful or scary it is.  The key is to press in to him so closely that you don't miss a whisper of instruction.  Give us ears to hear...and help our unbelief!

Make it Monday: Most Favoritest Canvas EVER

It's official. It's not just me...I promise!  My husband looked at my newly made canvas this morning and declared it "possibly the best canvas you've ever made!"  And, I've made a few in my life time.  

Not to toot my own horn--but this was a great project.  It was cheap (about $20), although a bit more labor intensive than I anticipated (about 4 hours total work time).  But, it turned out well, and it finishes off my recently repainted half-bath.  

 

I'd been keeping my eyes out for some new all decor for the half-bath for about six months.  Was just ready for something new, but never could quite find THE one...for THE right price, I should add.  Because I am picky about how much I'll spend.  But, I saw a painting on pinterest, and thought, "I could do that!" 

Here's where I started. 

A large canvas and some musical note scrapbook paper from JoAnns.  The original pinterest project used pages from a hymnal to cut the words from, but this scrapbook paper was the closest I could find.  And, the original sample said, "It is well with my soul."  Now, I do love that hymn, but Come Thou Fount resonates with me.  If you haven't heard it, look it up.  David Crowder and Mark Schultz have great versions.  The lyrics about being prone to wander and being prone to leave the God I love--how they sum up my daily wrestling match to do things on my own power versus His power.

Okay, on to instructions.  
1.  I cut these letters from my handy cricut.  

2.  My next step was to paint the base coat of the canvas, and this is where I beg your forgiveness for the fact I did not take pictures of the "during" process.  Basically, my approach was I squirted all shades of ice blue, light blue, light turquoise, white, and burgundy on the canvas, then using my brush, I spread them across the canvas surface.  I brushed horizontally, and then vertically and then horizontally again to get all those colors mixed.  

3.  Next, I took some brown and burgundy paint (I use Apple acrylic paints for $0.57 cents a bottle from Hob Lob), and stippled them with a dry brush around the edges.  This means dabbing the tip of the brush over and over around the edges to get the effect I wanted.  I wasn't sold.  In fact, I thought I'd messed the whole thing up.  But, I pressed on.

4.  I used my homemade mod podge (1/2 water, 1/2 school glue mixed together) to put the letters on the canvas once the paint had dried.  For the record--I used my big level yardstick to get the letters on straight.

5.  The next step was again a feeling of complete disaster.  I let the mod podge dry overnight and wanted to do a little glaze over the whole canvas to try to age the bright white musical scrapbook paper.  So, I watered down some dark brown acrylic and brushed it over, intending to wipe it off.  Except the mod podge started to ball up and wipe off.  Using lots of damp rags, I managed to fix this problem.  Lesson learned?  Maybe soak the scrapbook paper in tea and then let dry to age it BEFORE I cut the letters out and glue them on?

6.  Okay, last step.  I free hand painted the little bird, branches, and leaves by looking at the sample.  Now, if this screams impossible to you--you could look for pre-cut images or decals or a stencil you print from your computer to cut these images from colored scrapbook paper?  And, voile!

The pinterest example: 

Okay, this all sounds like TOO much?  Here's a short cut idea.  Save the JPEG image of the pinterest example (or my version--whatever) by right clicking on image and "save as" to your hard drive.  Then, upload it to your favorite photo place and have it printed up as a poster size photo.  Last, simply mod podge it to a canvas the same size.  SUPER easy!!!  You can do it!  In fact, that is a cheap and easy way to create your own canvases from all the amazing inspirational quotes and sayings and such from pinterest.  Anyone can decorate their walls with meaningful wall decor that spurs you on in your race for Him.  Be blessed, bloggy friends.

Surrendered

My oldest son is a huge military buff.  It truly amazes me how he is so like my dad--whom he never knew.  Sometimes, I walk in to see Collin engrossed in some Military History channel marathon and I can nearly picture my dad sitting next to him.  Two peas in a pod.  Collin is fascinated with the strategy and tactics that lead to one side gaining victory and other side surrendering, waving the white flag.

Surrender.  Doesn't really hold a positive connotation in our culture, does it?  We hear surrender, and think, fine, I give up.  Having worked in adoption for 17 years, I often hear this phrase used about birth mothers who "gave up" their child.  In one of my earliest adoption workshops, the point was made that it's not an accurate depiction of adoption.  Birth mothers don't wave a white flag and "give up."  A more accurate depiction is that they made a plan for their child's future.  They deliberately and intentionally considered the very best for their child, motivated by love, to have a plan for their little one's very best interest.  

And, so in our own lives, we must reframe our idea of surrender.  We must have a paradigm shift on the ole white flag.  Because to live in victory and fellowship with our God, surrender is necessary.  And, it's a GOOD thing.  Really--it is.  I hope that today, I will challenge you to enthusiastically wave your white flag and surrender all you are and all your dreams to our Faithful Father.  This morning, the Lord whispered a truth on this subject that I think might just ease this idea of surrender.  Read it, and re-read it.  Please.  I think He intended it to make an impact.


Surrendering your dreams and hopes to the Lord does not mean settling!  Quite the contrary--surrendering means releasing your hopes for the best in order to receive His plans for your best.

Joseph is a master example of someone who graciously surrendered his dreams and hopes, and although his life did not look anything like he'd surely imagined...God's very best mind blowing plan took root because of that surrender.  Surely, Joseph's early years were filled with big dreams as he pranced around in that coat of many colors.  I bet he never imagined that instead he'd be sitting in a jail cell interpreting the dreams of other prisoners.  But, that's just what happened.  I'd really like to know the details on just how it was that Joseph kept his focus on the Lord.  What sort of quiet times did he have?  

While we don't know that, we do know some pretty important things about Joseph.  God poured out favor on Joseph.  Even in slavery, even in prison.  Yesterday, we saw that the Lord gave Joseph success in whatever he did (Genesis 39:23).  Even as a prisoner, Joseph seemed to have made the most of every situation, certainly by clinging to the Lord.  He found favor in his trials because he looked for it.  That requires surrender.   A surrendered soul?  In Genesis 41, Joseph is given a big opportunity when he is called to interpret Pharaoh's dream.  And his response tells us all we need to know about Joseph's surrender and God's favor.

"I cannot do it [interpret the dream]," Joseph

replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give

Pharaoh the answer he desires."

Genesis 41:15 

This was Joseph's chance to be the BMOC--the big man on campus.  He could be the hero and save the day and maybe, just maybe spring himself from his prison. Instead, he chose surrender.  He pointed an unbelieving Pharaoh to the God whom he served.  Kinda dicey if you ask me.  Might offend the ruler.  Bringing up the One True God and all?  Surrender indeed.  

Joseph surrendered his dreams and hopes and he did not settle.  Instead of his hopes for the best, he got God's plans for the best.  Just look what happened.  Pharaoh tells Joseph in Genesis 41:39:

Since God has made all this known to you,

there is no one so discerning and wise as you.  

You shall be in charge of my palace, and

all my people are to submit to your orders.

Only with respect to the throne will I be 

greater than you.

If I were Joseph, my hopes for the best might be freedom.  But, God's plans for the best were to give Joseph the keys to the kingdom.  He placed Joseph in just the position for such a time as this when famine occurred, and Joseph had the God given wisdom to save the people--including, get this--his very own betraying brothers AND his dad.  When faced by the very men who sold him into slavery, Joseph did not exact revenge.  Nope.  He surrendered.  And, he saved their very lives.  Guess what happened next?  Dead relationships were resurrected.  Once alone and rejected, he ended up in sweet fellowship with his entire biological family.  

And, he ended up in a position of power.  Yet, it was one he did not abuse.  Obviously.  We see in Genesis 47 that Joseph has commanded the people of Egypt to give one-fifth of their harvest to Pharaoh and retain four-fifths for themselves.  Sure, he gave them the seed for those crops.  But, in a time of famine, you'd think these people wouldn't take kindly to being told to give back part of their precious crops.  Let's remember--these are not God followers.  These are Egyptians.  The response of the people tells us all we need to know about the kind of man Joseph became through his obedient surrender. 

"You have saved our lives," they said. 

"May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; 

we will be in bondage to Pharaoh."

Genesis 47:25

That is not asking for favor in the eyes of our LORD, but in the eyes of our lord--lower case.  As in Joseph.  Even in the midst of their hard times, these non-believers were grateful and humble--not bitter and entitled.  And, Joseph was the sort of wise ruler--humbled and surrendered to his God's leadership--that he evoked this kind of response from these people.  

Glimpse of grace:  When I consider Joseph, I'd think his heart's cry would be to be saved.  To be saved from his circumstances.  To be saved from prison and servitude and his foreign land.  That's what I'd want if I were him.  I'd hope for the best--that I could just get out and get home.  But, just look what surrender did for Joseph?  Instead of just being saved himself, he was a conduit to save a nation and even his very own family.  Home?  Well, home came to him when his brothers and dad showed up on the scene.  I suppose in his process of surrender, he realized that home was wherever he walked with the Lord.  Home was obedience--that brought blessing.  Nope, surrender does not mean settling.  Surrender means releasing your hopes for the best in order to receive His plans for the best.  His plans that are immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).   Dwell on these words.  And, may you be moved to wave that white flag!

 

 

Enduring Trials

Did y'all ever get one of this little decoder sets in your cereal box when you were a kid?  You know, the ones with a hidden secret message that you can't understand until you place the little plastic yellow film piece over the message that makes the words become clear?  Well, today, we are going to place the story of Joseph over the words of James 1:2-4.  And, hold onto your seats, folks.  I hope you are as in awe as I am about what God has to reveal today!

 ² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, 

whenever you face trials of many kinds,  

³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work 

so that you may be mature and complete, 

not lacking anything. 

James 1:2-4

Hmm.  To me, this verse is akin to some SuperChristian goal that feels just out of reach.  But today, I hope you see it in a whole new light when we transpose it with Genesis 39.  Here's the deal (oh, please be amazed by this).  On January 9 of this year, I studied this Genesis passage about Joseph.  And, there was one phrase that kept playing in my head.  (You'll have to wait for it).  That VERY day, when Chris came home for lunch, he randomly repeated this phrase as he retold a story.  I made him repeat what he said while I picked my jaw up from the floor.  Yep, obviously, God was telling me something.

Fast forward to today.  I was diving into day one of week two of Beth Moore's study of James.  And, as I read, I realized that the above James passage is like the decoder for Genesis 39.  Today, we shall do a little old school compare and contrast.  

For starters, Beth Moore points out that the original language of the phrase, "face various trials" is the same language we see in Luke 10:30 where the Samaritan "fell into the hands" of the robbers.  In other words, sometimes in life, we fall into trials.  

Can I get an a-men?  Because in the last two weeks, I have watched a friend's marriage be blown apart and start coming back together and another friend face a possible cancer diagnosis.  Talk about falling into trials!  Beth Moore goes on to note that we are like the poor Samaritan.  We fall into the hands of trials that rob us of our peace, joy, hope, dreams, and so much more.  As Beth Moore says, "They [trials] board our ships and pirate the gold meant to be ours on the shore."  

Now, let's compare and contrast these truths with Joseph.  Can we all agree poor Joseph fell into some trials?  In fact, the poor guy might have just literally fallen into that pit that his jealous brothers threw him into.  Then, he fell into slavery when his brothers sold him.  Can it get worse?  Um, yeah!  Joseph fell into a false accusation by his master's wife and fell into prison.  Talk about a bad chain of events.  Do you see yourself here?  Those trials stole Joseph's freedom, his plans, his relationship with family and friends, his dignity, and you'd think they stole just about anything good.  Surely, he could not consider all THAT a joy?

As Beth Moore points out, what options do you have?  In your particular trial, what options can you consider?  Break under the weight of the burden?  Bury your head in the sand and act like it's not happening?  Cope in some unhealthy destructive manner?  What did Joseph do?  What options did he choose after considering his fate?

Genesis 39:2-3 says that, "The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered...the Lord gave him success in everything he did."  What?  He's a slave, sold by his very own brothers?!  But, the Lord was with Joseph, and God poured out favor.  In fact, such success that "Joseph found favor in his master's eyes and became his attendant...and Potipher entrusted all he owned to Joseph" (verse 4).  Joseph's intimate walk with his God was so apparent that the master noted it.  Potipher looked at that slave boy and said, "Hey!  something is different here.  I want him on my team.  He is trustworthy and capable."  God's blessing on Joseph--EVEN as a slave--overflowed from Joseph to those around him.  Here's my thought on this.  Do I ask God to pour favor on all I do--even enduring some hard things?  Or, do I try to go it alone, on my own strength.  I think Joseph must have considered this question, with a resounding answer that cried out to God to be with him.

Sounds pretty good, huh?  Let's remember what happened next.  Potipher's wife wants handsome Joseph all to herself.  When He refuses, she is so mad that she makes false accusations and Joseph is thrown into prison.  Maybe you can relate.  Maybe you've endured some hard things and continued to choose to follow God, with a result similar to Joseph.  Things went from bad to worse.  

Surely, this is where Joseph is done considering the trials he fell into as "joy."  Surely, he is done persevering.  I might be.  But, when I keep reading in Genesis, it's a picture of this insight we hear from Beth Moore.

"Trials don't get to steal from followers of Christ unless we hand over the goods.  In fact, they are commanded to give goods to us if we're willing to receive them.  Robbers or reapers, it's up to us."

Robbers or reapers?  Which option have you been considering as you stare down the face of the trial into which you've fallen?  As Beth Moore says, "So, what are you going to do with all you're going through?...While counting our joys because of the treasures they can bring may be the hard choice in the beginning, most of us would have to admit that the other options don't pan out as well."

May I remind you that Joseph--while a major Biblical character in the history of the Israelites--was merely a man?  He was not some superhero.  In fact, he had yet to see Messiah.  James 1:2-4 was not written on a scroll hanging on his bathroom mirror.  It had not even been written.  But, Joseph knew something about considering his options in the middle of his trials.  And, he chose to cling to God.  With all he was, he clung.  What about you?  Will you stick so close to the Lord that you are then able to see His favor in all you attempt to do--even in the trials?

Look at Joseph, thrown into prison from a false accusation.  What do we see of him there?

 But while Joseph was there in the prison,  

²¹ the LORD was with him; he showed him 

kindness and granted him favor in the 

eyes of the prison warden. ²² So the warden 

put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, 

and he was made responsible for 

all that was done there. ²³ The warden paid no 

attention to anything under Joseph’s care, 

because the LORD was with Joseph and 

gave him success in whatever he did. 

Genesis 39:21-22

I'd say that Joseph did not allow those trials to steal from him, but he had eyes to see the treasures from those very trials.  It's a living example of Jeremiah 31:2--Joseph found God's favor in the desert.  Joseph found God's favor even as a slave.  Joseph found God's favor even when rejected by his family.  Joseph found God's favor when falsely accused.  Joseph found God's favor even in prison.  I'd say he fell into some hard times, but bumped into an unforeseen joy--even there.

Glimpse of grace:  We are so short sighted.  We tend to see our circumstances as a reflection of whether or not we have God's favor.  Oh, sometimes life is good and yes, those very circumstances shout out God's favor.  But when life is hard, it's not a LACK of God's favor.  No, I think Joseph knew something about James 1:2-4...He knew that no matter the circumstances, God's favor can be found.  He knew to ask for God's favor exactly where he was.  He stuck close to God and asked for eyes to see God's favor.  He chose an important truth--that phrase that I wrote in prayer journal about Joseph that my husband randomly repeated?  

Joseph chose to bloom where he was planted.  He blossomed, even as a slave and later as a prisoner.

Can I say--even here in my trial--grant me favor?  Can I look for his favor, in every trial and difficulty?  This is how joy is found in the trials we fall into.  This is how we are thankful in the midst of everything.  We see caring doctors or how things could be worse or we look for a tiny pinpoint of light at the end of the tunnel.  But the biggest thing we see in the middle of our trials?  We can see God--in a whole new light, pouring himself out in little favors.  

And, so I ask you.  Whatever trial you've fallen into, will you consider your options?  Will you let it rob you or will you find ways to reap?  Will you be so busy asking to be removed from the desert that you might miss God's favor, even there? 

Eating Humble Pie, Seeking Amends

I'm back on track today with our ongoing exploration of grace, first found in Scripture in the form of the word favor.  Favor.  For such a little word, I'm finding loads of meaning--and application.  And, God gave me a big chance to practice the application of today's lesson in a real life experience last Friday.  But more on that later.

Reconciliation.  Not a word we hear much in our culture these days.  Naw, we're too busy licking our wounds and being offended to really perfect the art of reconciliation.  But, we see a pretty stellar example of it in the story of Jacob and Esau.  Now, thus far, we've looked at Cain and Abel and now Jacob and Esau.  Have to say, misery loves company--glad to know that the sibling rivalry between my boys is actually seen in Scripture as well.  And, my guys occasional tiffs over whose turn it is on the Xbox looks rather mild when compared to these Biblical brothers.  

So, Jacob was the deceiver and stole his brother's family blessing right out from under him.  And, then he ran in fear and hid from him for a very long time.  In our modern times, this might be the end of the story.  Or, we'd see Jacob in the headlines detailing all his justification for why Esau deserved such treatment.  They'd be dishing dirt back and forth on all the tabloids and entertainment news shows.  But, back in the day, Jacob learned a thing or two about humble pie. Which led him to seek out reconciliation with his brother.  And, lesson one?  Be humble enough in your heart to approach the one you offended with this type of attitude: 

I am sending this message to my lord, 

that I may find favor in your eyes.

Genesis 32:5

Do you hear the humility?  Jacob sends his servants, bearing gifts for his brother, with this message.  

1.  "My lord"--as in, I am your servant.  I am submitting to you.  

2.  "That I might find favor in your eyes"--as in, if you would be so kind, do me this favor--allow us to be reconciled.  

And, not just once do we see this in this story.  No, in fact, within Genesis 32 and 33, we see Jacob use this type of wording--"if I have found favor with you" four times.  He comes bearing many generous gifts and with a healthy fear of how Esau might respond.  Because, I dare to say, Jacob has realized just how wrong he was.  His attempts to reconcile were pure in his heart's motivation.  He sincerely wanted to right his wrong.

Lest we think that Jacob is some Biblical superhero, I want to point out that it is in the middle of this process that Jacob wrestles with God (Genesis 32:22-31).   Jacob feared destruction from Esau. I'd also venture to guess that he was battling his own pride.  In the midst, he prayed and wrestled with God.  And he had a bum hip from then on to remind him of that wrestling match.  Sometimes in life, we carry wounds and scars from the times we've wrestled with God.  Those times when we've battled our own will with God's plan for us.  Those very wounds and scars not only remind us of our dependence and need for the Lord--but also his faithfulness.  They remind us that blessings are often born from struggles.

We see in Genesis 33 that Esau responds favorably to his brother, and reconciliation, indeed, is obtained.  A lost and once dead relationship is restored and resurrected.  And in my own life, from this very passage, I am challenged with some thoughts when it comes to relationships.  Can I swallow my pride to approach someone I've wronged or offended?  Will I make the first move?  How much will I give--as Jacob gave gifts--in order to achieve reconciliation?  How humble will I be?  How sacrificial will I be in order to seek someone's favor?  It often involves humility and putting my agenda aside.  

As reconciliation was achieved, I am awed by one particular thing that stands out to me.  It's found in Genesis 33:15.  Esau offers his little brother some men for protection.  Body guards, so to speak,  which I thought was rather generous and probably really met a need back in that day.  But, just look at how Jacob responds.

Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord.

Hmmm.  Jacob refused this gift.  For Jacob, the favor of his brother was more highly regarded than this gift--this security that Esau offered him.  I think Jacob was on to something.  He realized that obediently and humbly making things right and thus honoring God was of more worth than anything else we might gain the process.  Yes, I see no ulterior motives in Jacob's efforts to reconciliation.  Purely wanted to make the relationship right.  Because it's what God wanted him to do.

Glimpse of grace:  I had the opportunity to apply these principles of reconciliation and humility this past week.  Well, actually, there was no relationship broken per se, but I was attempting to right a wrong situation.  My oldest son, for the first time ever, found himself locked into a class with a teacher that wasn't working out for him.   To the point that he wanted out.  Never has that happened.  And, I realized to accomplish anything, I'd need to deal with someone at the school with whom I'd not had good experiences.  Gulp.  In fact, I have felt wronged by this person in her attitude toward me in the past.  But, she held the golden ticket, so to speak.  So, I sat in her office, once again, on the receiving end of her attack.  Essentially, what I was asserting to be the problem--she said could never have happened.  My mind screamed out, "she's calling you a liar."  But, praise the Lord, the Spirit nudged me.  And, it was louder.  It reminded me to be humble--to seek favor.  So, I kept my big mouth shut.  The problem I was explaining was indeed, found to be true, but the only solution was far fetched.  It would require administrative approval.  It sounded like a long shot.  And, again, I obeyed the Spirit, kept my mouth shut from demanding my rights for my child.  I simply smiled and thanked her for pursuing that long shot.  

It was like God's hand was covering my mouth to keep me out of my own way.  I was silently praying the whole time, and it was only God that kept me from spewing my frustration.  I high tailed it to the car, lest I inadvertently call out to her, "What is your problem?  Why have you been rude?!"  I remembered that favor is to be sought and humility is required.  I jumped in the van, calling my husband and a friend to ask them to PRAY now for God's favor in the conversation that would soon be happening at that school.  I messaged some great prayer warriors and asked them to join me in simply praying God's favor for my son.  Not because he deserved it or it was due him.  In fact, if the schedule change wasn't granted, I was sure my son would be just fine--albeit frustrated.  But, I pleaded with the Lord that if we had found favor in His eyes, He would indeed grant this favor.

I am not kidding.  15 minutes later, the phone rang and it was done.  And, I thanked the school representative for granting us this favor.  I told her I knew she didn't have to do this, and we were grateful she did.  I swallowed my pride.  Guess what?  She sought my son out on Monday to be sure he was happy and it was going well.

Do you know how awesome it was to spill the whole story to my son?  On his birthday?  "Hey buddy!  God kept your big mouthed mama bear out of the way so that He could pour out favor on you today!"  Beaming and smiling, my son was thrilled.  You want to know the most amazing bow on this package of favor?  His schedule was changed to give him his beloved 4th grade teacher who meant so much to him 3 years ago.  And, not only that--her classroom is now a digital classroom, which means iPads for each student during their interactive learning.  

He nearly jumped out of his seat.  And, I almost had tears in my eyes when I said, "Collin, that's just God's heart for you.  He didn't have to do that--and it would have been fine.  But, He showed up today to pour out favor and to keep your mom out of the way.  Just because He can.  He would have helped you through if the change wasn't granted.  But, on your birthday, God just poured out some major favor on you!"  A-men and a-men.  I love when God shows me some truth and then challenges me to apply it.  Well, love in a brutal-it's hard-but-awesome-too kind of way.  Humble pie and submission to the Lord.  Not so easy to do.  But, the blessings I'll miss if I don't give it a try.

 

 

Make it Monday: Pinteresting Recipes

My family might laugh all the want about my love of pinterest, but the joke was on them when I served them not one--but 3 pinterest recipes that they loved this past week.  Ha!  My ever-so-clever ten-year-old pronounced the meals, "Very pinteresting, Mom!" And, so, the family heartily endorses how I love to peruse pinterest whilst waiting in car pool line, waiting during their theater classes, or waiting at a doctor's appointment.  

So, today, I bring you yet another Make it Monday triple feature--this week it's all about the recipes.  Easy, quick recipes with few ingredients.  That's how I roll in the kitchen.  I'll start with this baked potatoes one--because who doesn't love carbs?

 

Strange that I am such a rule follower usually, but when it comes to cooking, I sorta do things like my dad.  I make things up and vary from the recipe.  SO, I tried this recipe on both regular potatoes AND sweet potatoes.  Yum both ways!  And, here are the easy instructions:

Sliced baked potatoes: thinly slice almost all the way through. drizzle with butter, olive oil, salt and pepper. bake at 425 for about 40 minutes.

I served these potatoes as a side with this main dish.

 

This is grilled balsamic-garlic crusted pork tenderloin.  Yum-o.  Except, again, my variation was just plain pork chops since I did not have a pork tenderloin in the freezer.  Worked just fine--enjoy the recipe for yourself!

• 4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pork tenderloins (about 1¼ pounds each)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil (if preparing in oven)

Stir together garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Rub the paste all over pork. If you like or have the time, marinate overnight. If not, no worries, it will still be great!
Grill preparation:
Sear the tenderloins on all sides, then grill for about 20-30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Try to let it rest before slicing.
Oven preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat canola oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat.  Working in batches if necessary, add pork, and brown all over, about 4 minutes.
Transfer pan to oven. Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, and try to let it rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Yeah, so my variation was basically that I mixed up that little sauce, and poured and rubbed it into the pork chops, then cooked them in the oven till they were done.  Voile.  No marinating overnight or searing or anything else.  I'm sure those steps make it even better.  But, I was on my way to work and fast prep was the name of the game.

Saving the best for last, here was the big crowd pleaser from this past week. 

Individual chicken pot pies.  Now, both my husband and I grew up eating those frozen chicken pot pies that you heat up in the oven.  Actually, those and Ramen noodles saw me through grad school.  So, the idea of a chicken pot pie doesn't necessarily scream culinary delight to us.  I am SO glad I gave these a try.  Because all 5 of us LOVED them.  I mean, put these babies on the regular menu rotation kind of love.  

And, again, since I rarely follow the rules, here is the pinterest recipe, ala Heather's style.  And, as an extra bonus feature, my instructions on a quick fruit salad that also delighted the family.


6 chicken tenderloins, cooked on the George Foreman, seasoned with Weber grill mate's Chicago Steak flavor
1 can cream of chicken
1 can cream of mushroom
frozen veggies (carrots, corn, broccoli, sugar snap peas)
2 cans fridge biscuits

1.  I cut up the cooked chicken and mixed it with all other ingredients but biscuits.  Added in a dash of tony Catcherez (sp?), pepper, garlic powder, and greek seasoning.  I omitted the cheese from Pinterest recipe.
2.  I thought the biscuits were too big...so pinched a bit off each one as I pressed into muffin tin.  Used that extra bit to make more pot pies.
3.  Spooned the filling into each biscuit.
4.  Froze the little bit of leftover filling for the future.
5.  Cook at 400 for 12-15 minutes.

VARIATIONS:  I can stomach some cream of soup with my dairy intolerance, but you can buy some soy based at the health food store.  You can do a low fat version of the soups, and also reduced fat biscuits to lower the fat content. 

SO fast--made dinner in about 30 minutes WITH cook time!  Also whipped up a fruit salad that all loved--I couldn't eat b/c of dairy thing....BUT, about 1/2 tub of low fat cool whip, can of sugar free fruit cocktail, and can of crushed pineapple.  Add in a few sprinkles of cinnamon and cut up one banana.  The kids devoured it! 


I double dog dare you to try out one of these recipes--or to go to your own pinterest recipe board and give one of 'em a try.  There are many more I can't wait to test drive, and I promise I'll share with you here on Make it Mondays.  You can be assured that these three recipes not only passed the chef's test for ease and speed--but also the taste testing of some picky eaters at my house.  Bon appetite!

God's Favor Wrapped in Flesh

There are pivotal moments in history.  You know--you remember the exact date and time and every detail because everything in your life changed from that point forward.  What had been is no longer.  A new chapter.  A milestone.  January 20, 1999, at 3:42 pm.  A 7 pound 15 ounce bundle was placed in my arms, and my life has never been the same.  He was God's favor, wrapped up in flesh.  A perfect little package of ten fingers and ten toes.  An answer to prayers, after one miscarriage and nearly a year afterward filled with wanting.  The doctor said the pregnancy wasn't viable...but God had other plans.  And, so I received this gift of God's favor, all wrapped up in flesh.

God's favor.  
A healthy baby boy with a sweet, easy disposition.

God's favor.
An infant who loved to sit and play for hours, breaking me into mommyhood rather gently.

God's favor.
A toddler who welcomed his brother (and later a sister) and called him "MY baby."

God's favor.
A preschooler who stood at the top of stairs and looked back to say with great conviction, "Mommy, when I grow up, I'm going to marry YOU."


God's favor.
A seven-year-old who generously offered his most beloved toy to a new friend who had lost everything he owned.


God's favor.
A child who endured a bit of bullying by responding that he knew the culprit just needed a good friend.


God's favor.
A protective big brother who naturally offers leadership and a good example.


God's favor.
A middle schooler who stands on his convictions, even if alone.


God's favor. 
A precious son who has grown into a teenager with a heart for the Lord and whose character challenges his mom to be a better person.


God's favor.
My first born.  My Collin.  Whom I love and adore and celebrate this day.  YOU are a walking example of God's favor.  I couldn't be more proud and humbled to be your mom.  Happy 13th birthday, baby boy. 

Favor by Osmosis

It's all in who you know.  Right?  That's what the world tells us anyway.  It pays to have friends in high places.   Nothing like getting VIP treatment or scoring some hard to get tickets all because you know someone.  Or, how about when you are connecting two people?  You talk about asking one person to do you a favor in order to benefit the other person.  Networking.  Cashing in favors.

Well, today, we are going to look at this topic, with a slightly different spin.  A Biblical perspective, in fact.  Favor by osmosis.  Nope, today is not a how-to on getting connected in order to receive favors of monumental proportions.  Nope, today, is quite the opposite.  We are going to look at how to be the kind of person that is the conduit for favor poured out on others.   Today we are going to explore "how to" be the one from whom others receive favor by osmosis.  Talk about being well connected--how about favor by the Most High God?  Can't say that I have any friends in a higher place than that.

Now, before we dive in completely, I want to pick your brain on something.  It's a "thing that makes me go hmmm?"  You see, sometimes I think we can learn as much from the Bible about what it doesn't say as we do from what it does say.  And, I have to note that we see the word favor in Genesis 19 in relation to Lot's rescue from Sodom.  Then, nada, nothing, zip, zero in regards to the use of the word "favor" for 11 chapters.  And, I just wonder why that is?  In those 11 chapters, there's all sorts of debauchery (Lot's daughters get him drunk in order to get pregnant by him) and all sorts of amazing miracles.  Like Abraham being tested to sacrifice Isaac, Isaac finding a wife, and the birth of Jacob and Esau.  Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Back on topic.  While we see the term "God gave success" in this interim, we don't see the use of the word favor until we bump into that Biblical character Laban.  Hmm.  Can't recall any snappy Sunday School songs about Laban or even any Sunday School lessons about Laban.  But, let me tell you something about him.  That was one astute fellow.  He well learned the lesson about receiving favor by osmosis.  And, he was no dummy.  Once he found it, he was determined to hang on to it.  

If you are with me on drawing blanks about Laban, let me tell you a bit about him that I gathered from diving into Genesis 29-30.  Laban was Jacob's uncle--his mother's brother (Genesis 29:10).  Laban was also the father of two girls--Leah and Rachel.  And, Laban was the one who deceived the deceiver.  Yep, he got Jacob good.  Jacob, who deceived his father, Isaac, in order to receive his brother Esau's due blessing.  Jacob felt that pain on the other end when Laban deceived him and gave him Leah rather than Rachel as his wife.  Are you following?  Rather sounds like a soap opera plot if you ask me.

Talk about doing anything for love.  Jacob agreed to work 7 years for Laban in order to take Rachel as his wife.  That man was in LOVE.  But, after those years, Jacob received the veiled Leah instead.  Makes me nearly laugh out loud when Jacob says in Genesis 29:25, "Why have you deceived me?!"  Yeah, Jacob.  Doesn't feel so good, does it?  Alas, Jacob was required to finish a bridal week with Leah, and then he got Rachel--for whom he had to work another 7 years for Laban.  If you have a daughter, you might agree with me that a good test of any young man suitable for our girls might if they are willing to work for our family 14 years!


For all his trickery, Laban had wisdom.  Then, again, perhaps his cunning was a sign of his wisdom.  You see, nothing got by him.  In those 14 years of having his son-in-law work for him, Laban noticed something.  Jacob's flocks increased.  Jacob's wives delivered baby after baby.  This guy Jacob was successful!  He had the midas touch.  So, Laban says the following to Jacob in Genesis 30:27-28:

"If I have found favor in your eyes, 

please stay.  I have learned by divination

that the Lord has blessed me because

of you."  He added, "Name your wages, 

and I will pay them." 

I sorta chuckle at that "learning by divination" part...cause I'm thinking it was sorta obvious.  But at least Laban had eyes to see that it was God's FAVOR that poured out on Jacob.  And, he wanted to keep a little piece of the pie.  He'd tricked Jacob into 14 years of service, and he was now willing to let Jacob name his price.  Because Laban didn't want to lose that favor by osmosis.  So, he approached Jacob humbly--asking him as to a superior--IF I have found favor in your eyes, please stay.

Glimpse of grace:  Here's the challenge I see here.  Is my walk with the Lord so dynamic that it spills over to those around me?  Do I speak truth and love and kindness into those around me because I am so changed by my relationship with Christ?  Am I a blessing everywhere I go so that others SEE that God's hand is on me?   Are my kids, my spouse, my friends, and my family better off because of how I choose to live for God?  Just what sort of residual effect do I have on those I touch today?  

Or, how about this second part of the challenge?  Am I so wise and discerning to realize the treasure of those who might draw me to Christ?  Do I see the "iron that sharpens iron" in those in my life--those people whose faith is inspiring and challenging...and CONTAGIOUS?  Am I smart enough to be like Laban and say, "Hey!  I noticed God showing up in your life.  And, I would be so blessed if you'd let me hang around you.  Can I just stick around near you?"  Are those the types of friendships and relationships that I intentionally seek to forge?

Favor by osmosis.  It ain't just a thing of the Old Testament.  Lord, please allow me to find favor in Your eyes today.  Let me recognize those gifts of favor and be changed by them.  But, oh, don't let me stop there!  Let me be a vessel of those gifts in the lives of others.  I want YOU to pour out of me into the lives of those I interact with today.  And, show me how to stay close to those who have this sort of walk with you.  I want your favor by osmosis--and I want to pour out favor through osmosis!

Make it Monday: Canvas and Baskets and Calendars--Oh My!

I must say that I've had a rather crafty and pinterest-y week here at mi casa.  Just sorta happened that way.  So, for you bloggy friends--today, I offer you a TRIPLE feature of Make it Monday.  

First up, I saw this calendar on pinterest and thought it was just what my busy family needed.

Chris and I have stood pretty firm on our "one child in one activity at a time" rule for our family.  We knew that that the day was coming when all three of our children would be old enough to have specific interests that we'd want to encourage and allow them to explore.  But, we held a tight rein when they were younger.  Um, yeah--that day has come!  All three of the kidlets are having all kinds of fun which means Mom's taxi service is busier than ever.  And, I thought this calendar would help us keep it all together.

But, when I saw said frame at Wal-mart, I realized each frame was too small for my needs.  So, off to the beloved Hobby Lobby for me to score 7 of these frames.

Yep, 8" x 10" was what we needed.  These were $3.99, but you know the old Hob Lob rule--you only buy when it's 50% off.  CHECK!  So, $14 in frames.  I used scrapbook paper I had on hand and sticker letters also on hand to create each day's frame.  I also used a smaller frame I had on tap to use for the "Our week" frame.  

The trickiest part was figuring out how to glue these 8 frames together?  I bought Gorilla glue epoxy (40% coupon, of course), but it wasn't working as I thought it would.

So, I fell back on the usual Heather method of rigging something good enough.  I hot glued each frame where it met the next one.  Then, on the back of the whole thing, I cut strips of ribbon.  I hot glued 3 strips of ribbon over each joint--acting as a binding.  Not pretty--but did the trick.  And, voile!  Our week at a glance.

I know you can't read my dry erase writing, but we have one busy week ahead.  Now, the kids and the hubby can see it all at a glance, and I can keep myself in line better about who needs to get where when.  Whew!


Here is my second project this week.  I bought this darling wallie at Hob Lob (when 50% off--it was $10 total).  I could just picture it on a canvas.  I finally got that tackled for my girlie girl--3 months later.  

 I love how this turned out.  So, all the lettering and the crown were part of the wallie.  Honestly--I cut apart the letters and then the phrase was cut in half to squeeze it on the canvas that I wanted to use.  To make this canvas, I first did a quick coat of white acrylic paint on the canvas, then painted hot pink and black polka dots.  Adhered the wallie, and hot glued some rhinestones.  Ta-da!  Took me about 2 hours total--with drying time.  And, since the canvas was bought with a 40% off coupon--whole project cost me about $18.

Lastly, I finally got around to painting my half-bath.  Yep, only took 3.5 years!  When the toilet was replaced last fall with one that had a smaller tank, the layers of the old paint color were suddenly apparent.  That was the final push for me to paint.  No excuse--I had leftover paint (Sherwin Williams Latte color) from our formal living and dining room.  This was a free project, just costing my time.  But, I ran into one snag.

There's a full size towel bar in our half-bath.  That has never made much sense to me.  You don't really need 2 regular bath towels in a half-bath?  But, that's how I handled this conundrum when we moved in.  I thought I'd just remove that towel bar when I painted.  Except that I couldn't figure it out, and my man was out of town.  

Alas, pinterest was my saving grace.  I bought 2 baskets (yes, say it with me--50% off at Hob Lob), and used the ties from the liner to tie them to the bar.  Used one for extra toilet paper (what guest wants to have to ask for toilet paper in the middle of their bathroom usage?) and the other for some handy paper hand towels. 

 I know this hardly counts as a "make it project" since I literally tied 2 baskets to a bar...but hey--cut me some slack!  I was proud of my plan "B" solution--and finally getting rid of that off white with now a glimpse of green paint showing around the potty.   

Now, be inspired and go create!  It's a holiday, so maybe you have some extra time today.  Grab the kids and make something together.  Even if it's memories--those are the best "make its" anyway.

Hey God! Can you do me a Favor?

You know how when you look at a word long enough it doesn't seem right?  It starts looking funny and misspelled and makes no sense?  Um, yeah, so we've been looking at the word favor for a couple of weeks now, and it just looks funny to me.  

In case you are just joining us, let me get you up to speed.  My word for 2012 is grace.  And, when I looked up grace in my Bible dictionary, I saw that favor was the word first used in the Old Testament denoting grace.  I think of it as a precursor.  Thus this exploration and investigation into the word favor in the Bible.  But, favor--it just seems funny now?  All day yesterday, I kept thinking, "so what does favor even REALLY mean?  What exactly am I looking at here?"

So, this morning I checked out the definition of the word "favor" on www.dictionary.com.  And, I have to say--I think it brings a lot of meaning to our little journey into favor.  So, today--back to basics.  We're going back to the beginning to reground ourselves into this study of favor.

Here is the first definition for favor:
something done or granted out of goodwill, rather than from justice or for renumeration; a kind act

The logical part of me was kicking myself for going back to the definition of the word 2 weeks into the study of said word.  But, God is bigger.  Because this definition will come into play BIG TIME for the passage we'll study next week.  You'll just have to wait for that one.  

A kind act.  Goodwill.  Not because it's owed or due you.  Just because of someone else's goodness.  Wow.  That's a pretty awesome description of our God.  He is kind.  He has goodwill toward YOU.  He doesn't owe you a thing.  His "favor" isn't due you.  Sometimes, I admit, I get my thinking all mixed up and I somehow feel that God owes it to me.  But, I couldn't be more wrong.  Come on--you know you're with me--you go through a rough trial or even just a rough morning getting kids to school.  You tend to think--"Come on, God.  Cut me some slack here."  As if he owed it to you.  Stinking thinking because he doesn't owe us a thing.  

And, speaking of God's goodwill and kindness, He literally just gave me a real life example of this definition.  Not cause He had to--but just because He can.  As I was blogging, my plumber arrived to fix a problem.  Again.  Not a good thing to call your plumber and he can recite your address from memory.  But, good ole Mark took care of it quickly.  When I asked how much I owed him, he said I owed him nothing.  He chuckled and said no problem, we've certainly been good customers.  See?!  I was indebted to him.  I owed HIM.  But, he showed me this particular brand of favor.  Just being kind.

Seriously, if we truly focus our thinking on His favor, we can see lots of times when God is just plain kind to us.  Not because He has to be or He owes us.  But just because He's good.  Oh, we can choose to think of all the things that go wrong and see that as some personal affront--as if we are owed something better.  Or, we can realize the debt we owe Him and have eyes to see His goodness.  Like a great parking spot.  Or a bill that was less than you expected--like a free plumber visit.  Or, children who thank you for cooking dinner.  Just meditate on this verse and be convicted.  Don't ignore His goodness and thus show contempt for it.  Look for it--and be changed by it.

⁴ Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? 

Romans 2:4 

That feels like a blog post in and of itself, but wait!  There's MORE!  

The second definition of favor is:

friendly or well-disposed regard, good will

You see, God is friendly toward us.  God is good, all the time.  All the time, God is good.  It's His very nature, it's who He is.  It never changes.  He is not out to get us, He is not angry and vengeful, He doesn't keep score, and He isn't waiting to pour wrath upon us.  

⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
   forever. 

Psalm 23:6

His just plain goodwill is like a stalker.  It follows us all the days of our life!  Ah, yeah.  That's a friendly God alright who sends his only Son so that we may fellowship with Him forever in heaven!

On to the third definition of favor:

the state of being approved or held in regard 

This one trips me up, I gotta say honestly.  If rejection or abandonment have been strongholds for you--you might relate here.  Approval?  I crave it.  Long for it.  Get tied up in knots for it.  Even if you don't have more issues than Time magazine when it comes to approval, everyone wants to be held in regard.  Here's some good news for you!  

 ¹ See what great love the Father has 

lavished on us, that we should be called 

children of God! And that is what we are! 

1 John 3:1

When we adopted our doggie a few months ago, we chose him out of all the sad little puppies.  We wanted to bring him home--give him a forever home--and love him and pet him and make him our very own.  HELLO!  The Almighty God of the entire Universe says, "Oh, SHE is mine!  Yep, I want [fill in your name] to be MINE.  I will love her, give her a home, call her my very own, no matter what.  That one--SHE is mine."  Talk about approval and high regard.  Lord, I do believe!  Help my unbelief on this one!

Numero cuatro for definitions of favor:

excessive kindness or unfair partiality, preferential treatment

As a mom of three darlings, I am often accused of preferential treatment.  "MOM!  How come HE gets to stay up later?!  NO FAIR!"  I learned a super great response from a Love and Logic speaker at MOPS.  I turn to the accuser and say, "Because I love him more."  Then they just roll their eyes because they know it's not true.  

But guess what?  It is true when it comes to you and God.  He is partial to you!  He is excessively kind to his children.  And he gives each one of his children unfair partiality and some pretty VIP preferential treatment.  Just because we are HIS.

⁶ For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. 

The LORD your God has chosen you out of 

all the peoples on the face of the earth 

to be his people, his treasured possession.

Deuteronomy 7:6

It might be hard to understand in our limited human thinking--but all of His children are God's treasured possession.  His love is so much more vast than ours.  Everyone of us are HIS very favorite.  There's plenty to go around.  He looks down, smiling at you and says, "OH, that one!  SHE is my favorite!"  And he has more than enough love to say the same thing of every one of us.  Pretty awesome!

I feel as though I am being more long winded than the preacher who performed my wedding ceremony, but you have stuck with me!  I just couldn't leave anything out or leave you hanging part way.  So, as your reward, here is the last definition of favor.

a gift bestowed as a token of goodwill, kind regard, love, etc--as formerly upon a knight by his lady

I know I may just ruin my chances of getting into heaven with this statement, but I have not yet read One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  I hope that confession doesn't change your opinion of me. But, from what I've heard of this book--that is exactly what I think this definition sums up.  Every day, God bestows gift upon gift upon gift on us--just as a token of his goodwill.  And, we must train ourselves to see them.  I alluded to this a few paragraphs above.  But, it bears repeating.  We must train our eye to these gifts, for they quicken our hearts to the unseen goodness and kindness of a Father who is simply crazy about you.   For me today, He didn't have to waken my daughter early to have her clean the counters "just because she wanted to help Mommy."  Nope.  He did that just because He could.  He didn't have to have that plumber available within minutes to fix our toilet free of charge.  Again--just because He could.  And, time for me to sit and meditate and blog and share instead of rushing off to work?  Yep, the privilege of staying home--just because He could.  All those just because He coulds in your day?  It's all just because He loves us so.  It's a favor He grants us.

Glimpse of grace: This year long journey into grace looks to be pretty amazing.  In two weeks, I feel we've just scooped a bucketful of water from the ocean of revelations about our God when it comes to grace.  We're just beginning to scrape the surface of favor, which is just one step toward grace.  I hope you agree with me that the riches of this exploration could be--should be--life changing.  May it change your attitude, your day, your heart to consider what FAVOR really means.  And, instead of calling out, "Hey God, can you do me a favor?"  May we instead be humbled to gratitude for all the amazing ways He chooses to pour out His kind, good, friendly, preferential gift of love on us throughout this day. Not because He has to do that.  But just because He can.

God's Heart for Us During Trials

Destruction.  Thinking on this word brings to mind scenes from the last year such as the terrible destruction in Japan and the destructive path of the tornado that hit Joplin, Missouri.  Destruction brings to mind debris and ruins and pain and sorrow.  And in my own life, and the lives of those I know and love, destruction has hit at times.  In the form of cancer and death and sickness and heartache, leaving behind a trail of brokenness.  I don't know about you, but in those seasons where my life feels ruined, all I tend to see is the destruction.

Lot was a man who faced similar circumstances.  His hometown was leveled by mass destruction.  Granted, God destroyed Sodom due the wickedness of its inhabitants.  Hear me now--I am not saying that all destruction is God's judgment.  Just needed to clarify that.  But, Lot was a man who lost much.  All he had known and many he surely knew and loved were wiped away.  In the blink of an eye.

Today, I think we can can look to Lot to see two very interesting things that I hope will encourage you as you stand knee deep in the ruins of a trial.  First of all--we are going to look at God's heart for His people during times of destruction.  And, then, we'll see Lot's response to the Lord during such a time as this.

How can God allow destruction is a question for the ages.  On this side of heaven, I don't believe we will ever fully grasp an iota of God's true character and goodness.  But, we can glean from our own journeys of seeking, and we can look to His Word.  As we look at Genesis 19, we see that God's heart for his child, Lot, was to pour out favor.  Yep, favor.  There we see it.  God's favor in the middle of one pretty awful disaster.  This is what I wrote in my prayer journal about this passage:  

"How gracious is God toward His own!  He listens to Abraham's impassioned pleas in Genesis 18, and he spares Lot by sending angels to guide him to safety.  Not only that, when Lot recognizes God's favor, having looked for it, he requests an easier solution than going up to the mountains.  And God listens.  He gives Lot an easier solution and allows him to settle in a nearby town.  You see, God's heart for me is not just favor--even in the midst of a trial--but to pour favor upon favor because He is for me."


Even in the midst of this destruction, God rescued Lot.  He commanded Lot to settle in the mountains.  When Lot asked for an easier way, God answered.  No matter what destruction you are facing, will you LOOK to see where and how God has granted favor--even in the middle of your desert?  We are back to Jeremiah 31:2 here, which I think sums up this point concisely.

This is what the Lord says:

"The people who survive the sword

WILL find favor in the desert;

I will come to give rest to Israel.

Can you hang on to that lifeline--that God's heart for YOU during your trial is to save you from it (and through it), to grant his favor in your desert and to give you rest?

How can you respond to your destruction?  Be like Lot.  Have eyes to see where God has granted you favor--even in the fiery trial.  Ask Him to give you eyes to see His favor.  And, then, I double dog dare you to be like Lot.  As you thank the Lord for his deliverance and His favor, pour out your heart honestly to Him.  If you are wishing for an easier way out--just talk to Him about it.  That doesn't guarantee an easier way, but be like Lot.  Keep talking to God and don't stop.  Pour out your heart boldly.  And don't forget the humility it takes to say, "Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes...here is my heart's desire."  You see, in expressing yourself this way, you are expressing your submission to His authority--even if an easier way isn't granted.  And, honesty is everything in any relationship--much less your relationship with the Lord.  

Glimpse of grace:  My late teens and early twenties could be summarized with the word destruction.  There was a pretty wide path of ruins, to be sure.  So, please hear me when I speak about destruction.  I've learned a thing or two from experience.  You see, we don't have to ask God to be with us during those times because He already is.  But, we can ask for eyes to see His presence.  We can ask for eyes to see His favor.  And, if we can move through the bitterness and anger and press on with Him, we can eventually see His gracious, loving heart for us.  We can see His favor in the desert.  We will stand on the other side of destruction and see that He saved us from the sword.  And, we will find rest in the journey with Him.  Pouring out my heart honestly, boldly, yet humbly is what carried me through, day by day.  To be sure, I asked for an easier way.  I was a lot like Lot in that regard.  Sometimes, I felt the circumstances ease.  Other times, I didn't.  But, the more I could gain the perspective to humbly approach that Throne Room asking for His favor, the more I had eyes to see it.   So, if you are standing in a debris field, surrounded by ruins, let me encourage you with this.  God's favor hasn't left you.  In fact, you will see it in new and different ways on this path you are walking.   That's the glorious truth about God's heart for you...His favor never leaves you.  Destruction might come, but press in to Him.  There you will find rest.

The Entitlement Epidemic

There is a growing epidemic sweeping our nation.  It's even reared it's ugly little head in my own home...and I must sadly admit, in my own heart.  Entitlement.  This idea of "I deserve it" and demanding our own "rights."  The idea that we are due and others owe it to us.  It's evident when traffic is merging on a congested highway.  Or when some lady jumps in front of me in a long check-out line to just ask a quick question (theoretically of course).  How about those ugly Black Friday incidents with the pepper spray and such?  ENTITLEMENT.  Somehow we have gone from a culture of working together and serving other people and just plain common courtesy to a nation of "gimmes" and "you owe me!"

I'm telling you--this journey of exploring God's grace has already taken me places I never expected.  And I'm only 2 weeks in.  Can't even fathom what the other 50 weeks this year will hold?  But, I am pretty stoked about it.  And, of all the subtle surprises I've already encountered, the connection between God's favor (a prerequisite to His grace) and entitlement has intrigued me.

Today, we move from the story of Noah in Genesis 6 to the next appearance of the word favor in my NIV Bible--Genesis 18.  This is the story of how the 3 visitors came to Abraham and the Lord announced His promise to give Abraham and Sarah their son Issac, as well as His plans to destroy Sodom.  I honestly had to read this passage a few times before I connected all the dots. 

So, the first thing we see is verse 1, how the Lord appeared to Abraham.  Alrighty.  Check--time with God.  Then, the 3 strangers appear.  Now, we are told that these were men--not angels.  I might assume that Abraham knew a connection between these 3 men appearing just after God appeared.  I sorta guess that Abraham might have known the 3 strangers were sent by God?  But maybe not.  It's not really clear...which tells me that it's not important if that connection was obvious.  In other words, when we encounter others in our lives, we should err on the side of Abraham and consider it a divine appointment--obvious or not.

And BOOM, verse 3 gives us the great cure to the entitlement epidemic.  Abraham approaches the 3 men by rushing to them, bowing, and then basically saying, "IF I have found favor in your eyes, please stop and stay awhile.  Allow me to wash your feet and feed you and serve you here that you might be refreshed."  Say what?  Can you imagine someone coming to you and saying, "If I have found favor in your eyes, let me clean up your dirty stinky messy feet (wearing sandals in the desert after all) and then give you food and a place to rest."  WHO does that?  WHO has such an attitude that they humbly consider it a FAVOR to serve others?  Abraham had no idea that after he served these strangers, God had a pretty exciting promise to give him about children to come.

And, lest we think that Abraham and Sarah were half-hearted or begrudgingly hosted these surprise guests, you should read the rest of the chapter.  We see that Abraham hurried to ask Sarah to use the FINEST flour to make some bread, then ran to the servant to have a choice, tender and fine calf prepared.  Oh no--no half-way efforts here, or even "let me finish this other thing first before I help you."  This was the 5 star V.I.P. treatment given to these guests...whom apparently granted Abraham the favor of suddenly entertaining them.

Now, I've met some really hospital people in my life, but this is pretty amazing.  Once I read this chapter a third and even fourth time, here were my thoughts.  First things first--the Lord appeared to Abraham.  So, it was sorta a Biblical era quiet time.  Abraham spent time with the Lord.  Then, this humble servant's attitude and gracious hospitality followed.  Time with the Lord.  First and paramount.

Glimpse of grace:  Time with the Lord had some major "side effects" on Abraham.  What about me?  Am I so changed by my time with the Lord that I see even interruptions as divine appointments?  Am I so changed by my time with the Lord that I am eager and excited to serve others?  In fact, do I consider it a privilege to serve others?  Do I see others who appear along my path as being sent by God?  Is this my attitude--if I have found favor with you (as in an inferior humbly seeking favor from a superior), then can I serve you?  When was the last time I said, "Hey, please do me a favor, children.  Let me serve you by cleaning up after you, cooking for you, doing your laundry, and caring for your every need?  If I have found favor with you, please let me do that."  Um, NO.  You see, entitlement creeps in and I think it's not fair that I have to pour myself out to these darlings who require so much from me.  

Here's the cure to the entitlement epidemic.  May we be so very changed by quality time with the Lord that we realize that seeking favor with others--serving others--is an extension of seeking favor with God.  May time with the Lord--being called His child, having access to Him, bring about a pretty stellar attitude of humility.  Jesus came to serve, not to be served.  May we find favor as we seek to do the same.