Browsing Category: Just Life

Churchy Words

I was listening to Ski’s sermon during worship last night and realized, no matter how hard to try, we still tend to use a lot of “churchy” words in worship. Two that we talked about last night, and Ski did a great job explaining were ‘grace’ and ‘mercy.’

I have to be honest. Growing up, I learned that grace was “God’s undeserved love” but I’m not sure I ever learned what mercy was. A couple of years ago I heard a gentleman giving a speech tell a great story describing the difference between those two words. Every time I hear either one of them, I think of that story. I’d like to share it with you.

One day a dad came home from work and said to his young son, “Let’s go get an ice cream cone.” The boy looked at his dad confused. He asked why they were going to get ice cream. You see, usually the boy had to earn such rewards. His dad said he wanted to teach him a lesson and ice cream was going to help.

So, the two headed out to get ice cream. As they were enjoying their treat, the dad said to his son. “You didn’t deserve this ice cream. You did nothing to earn it. Just as you do nothing to earn God’s love. In fact, you don’t deserve his love. But, he gives it to you anyway. That my son, is what we call grace.” The child nodded and smiled at his father. He said, “Dad, I like grace.”

The two finished their treat and headed home. Later in the evening the young boy got into trouble. He and his father both knew it was something he should be punished for. As the father prepared to dole out his son’s punishment he suddenly stopped. The boy looked at his father in disbelief. His father looked back at him and said, “Son. I’m going to teach you a different kind of lesson right now. You deserve this punishment. You did something wrong and you know the consequences. But, I’m not going to punish you.” The child looked at his father in amazement and simply said, “But I don’t understand, dad.” His father proceeded to explain that he was showing the boy mercy. “You see,” he said, “God’s mercy is when he doesn’t give us the punishment that we deserve. The ice cream you got earlier tonight was grace, it was something good you didn’t deserve. But not receiving this punishment that you do deserve, that’s mercy.”

The boy recalled in his mind the ice cream from earlier in the evening. He looked at his father with a big smile and said, “Dad, I LIKE grace. But I LOVE mercy.”

That story just helps lay out the difference as well as the meaning of those two words so clearly in my mind. In my opinion, they’re both great words. And they’re both words that can only be rooted in our Heavenly Father. Without his loving example we wouldn’t know what grace or mercy was like.

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That Person

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying before: “Man is not an island.”

Well, let me tell you, I’ve tried, for much of my life, to prove that wrong. I am by nature an introvert. Most of the time I am much happier being by myself. While I enjoy people around people at times it takes a lot of energy out of me and after a few hours I’m usually exhausted. I love extroverts, I admire their ability to interact with people all of the time and not get tired, but that’s just not me.

Despite my best attempts though, I have been unsuccessful. In fact, as I’ve gotten older especially over the last 3 years or so, I realize more and more just how connected to other people I am and how much we all need each other. Others help us see and understand things about ourselves we can’t see for ourselves. They hold us accountable. They remind us who we are, what we believe, and what we’re all about. They bring us back down to earth when we’re flying too high and they help us up when we’re in the valleys.

At different seasons in my life I’ve had different people who, when I’m with them, make everything seem right with the world. I pray you can say the same. If not, even if you’re an introvert, I encourage you to find that person or even those people. That person who reminds you who you are and what you’re about. Who knows just the right thing to say, just the right thing to do, and helps life make sense when it gets cloudy.

We all need those people. Yes, I can admit that even I am not an island.

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Rejuvinate

I’ve had the opportunity to spend a large part of this past week in and around the Seattle area of Washington state. If you’ve ever been there, you’ll understand how pitifully words and even photographs convey the natural beauty of the area. If you haven’t been there, I encourage you to put a visit on your “bucket list.”

I have been to Seattle a couple of times before and have never been disappointed. But, the weather this time was absolutely gorgeous. As I marveled at the mountains surrounding me on all sides as I drove on the freeway through downtown Seattle I had two thoughts. 1: I wondered if people who live there appreciate the beauty. 2: I marveled at what an amazing God and creator we have. So often we rush through life, checking off our to do lists, and doing what we do. But, every once in a while we get a chance to just sit and admire his beauty. I did that yesterday for several hours. Just sat at the beach watching the water, listening to the waves, feeling the cool breeze from the water balancing the warm sunshine, and admiring the mountains in the distance. I was thankful that my God created me with the ability to just sit and enjoy such natural beauty. That he uses such experiences to rejuvinate me and make everything seem right with the world. And I can tell you that my personal relationship with my Savior is much stronger after that rejuvination and sense of renewal.

What do you enjoy? What rejuvinates you? Take some time in the next few days to marvel at what an amazing God we have and be rejuvinated by his power and love.

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Get Dirty

Loss – that’s a tough thing to deal with, I don’t think anyone is going to try and deny that. Loss spans the spectrum and goes beyond losing an individual. For me loss is a bit more abstract and a bit more subtle, but it’s there and it’s very real.

On Sunday Ski said or rather shouted (if you were there you know I’m serious) “Churches want to put out their hand to help people out of the mud, but that’s not what our Savior does. Our Savior climbs in the mud with you and pulls you up and helps you out. That’s what we’re about.” We are about that because we recognize that Christ has pulled us from the mud countless times and he calls us to reflect that love for His glory.

That means sometimes we’re going to be uncomfortable. We’re going to do things we never wanted to or thought we’d do. But there are people who are hurting. People who need Jesus. And the way in which we bring them the good news of the Gospel is by climbing into the mud and getting dirty. We can’t picky about who or when or where, we just have to do it.

When was the last time you jumped in the mud to help someone else out? Who in your life right now is in the mud and needs your help?

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Hats

“She’s wears many hats.” Ever heard that phrase? I get asked all of the time, “So, what do you do?” And quite honestly, I’m not certain I know how to answer all of the time. The truth is, I am one of those people who wears many hats, sometimes so many I can’t count them all. I am the typical things: a daughter, a friend. But in my job, the hat count multiplies. I wear different hats depending on the day. My hats include email sender, phone call maker, phone call answerer, cleaning service organizer, popcorn maker, ice bucket filler, coffee maker, hot dog maker, pizza maker, computer problem solver, bulletin maker, business card orderer, webmaster, listener, volunteer coordinator, vision brainstormer, service builder, volunteer room supplier, decorator, PR person, the list could go on but my brain hurts. But more than any of those hats: I am a child of God and I am his tool. I pray everyday that God gives me the strength, perseverance, and humility to live out the dreams he has given me, to do the ministry he placed me here to do.

What hats do you wear? How can God use you as you wear those hats?

I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 1 Corinthians 9:22


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Throwing in the Towel

Do you ever just get tired of it? Do you feel time to time like throwing in the towel, finding a safe hiding place, and sleeping your life away? Or at least hiding out for a couple of days? Can I be honest with you and admit that I do? From time to time I do get tired of it all. I get tired of the critics, of the long-hours, of the “job is my life” lifestyle. Sometimes I don’t want to be nice, I don’t want to be helpful. I want to think about me and only me, I want more “me time.”

I inevitably ask myself, “Why am I feeling this way?” The simple answer: Satan is at work. He wants all of us to have those thoughts. He wants us to give up because God is using us to do great things for his Kingdom. I think it is easy to forget that at the end of the day, while we all have bosses and earthly authorities we must answer to, our ultimate authority, the only one who truly matters, is God. Galatians 1:10 says, “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not a servant of Christ.” Wow! That last part is like a punch in the face. Trying to please people, working only for people means we are not servants of Christ. You see it’s easy to get discouraged and want to give up the fight if we are focused on winning the approval of people.

Although it is easy to forget, I think when we want to surrender we have to remember our Savior and everything he endured. Hebrews 12:3 reminds us, “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Christ knows what criticism feels like. His job was his life. He worked long hours. He knows and in fact promises that following and serving him isn’t going to be easy. It’s going to be difficult. It’s going to be exhausting. There may be times when we want to give up. But it’s at those times we have to remember who we are working for, who we are serving, and who promises to be there as a refuge and support when we are weary. And that person every time is our Friend and Savior Jesus.

So if you ever feel like throwing in the towel, know that you’re not alone. But also check yourself. Ask yourself why you are feeling that way. And remember all your Savior endured for you. Remember that he feels your pain and he promises to be there, to get you through if you will lean on him.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
– Galatians 6:9

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