What am I saying?

Well its time to fess up. There are times in life where ... well, I just have no idea what I am saying. It's true. I was reminded this week that I speak with such confidence that it appears I believe I know it all. Ouch. Well the truth is I don't always know what I am saying. Yes I realize that is not news to some as they have known for years that is the case :) With this thought in mind I was challenged this week by the idea that we are always broadcasting something. Particularly, when life hurts most and we face trouble ... we inevitably make some declaration to the world. Suffering in life actually becomes a megaphone, whether we like it or not we broadcast ourselves. So the question is ... "What am I broadcasting?" What do people hear from me when I face life's obstacles? Do I sound like I have it all together? Do I sound over confident and full of knowledge? I hope that whether times are great or difficult that people hear from me that God is good, and worthy of Glory! Psalm 13:6, "I will sing the Lord's praise, for he has been good to me."

Hope When Life Hurts Most

Every Tuesday Katie and I get to connect with our Bible study group ... which typically involves some sort of delicious snack (this week, thanks to Steve's Birthday ... we had cheesecake!), connecting with our friends, and typically an Andy Stanley video. This week, was different. We viewed an excellent resource from Louie Giglio titled "Hope When Life Hurts Most." We listened to his talk and then discussed our ability to process hard times and continue to trust in God. The talk made sense ... we can go through the hard times in life, and as Jesus said "Take Heart," because we can look to the message of the cross and see that there is Hope! It makes sense, and I get it. The cross shows us that the canvas God paints on is so much bigger than we can see and understand. The reason we can have hope in the midst of pain, is because we believe we can trust in God. Yet, somehow, understanding and believing it all ... it still seems so hard to trust in the tough times of life. The tragic irony was that a very special couple in our group was away as they prepare for the passing of her father. It is hard to grasp the pain of our friends as the process life and death. Still we press on, trusting in the only true hope that we can have when life hurts most ... the hope that we find at the cross.

Two Left Feet

Well six weeks of intriguing and exciting dance lesson discovery has come and gone ... that's right, over the past couple of months I have taken Katie to dance lessons every Sunday afternoon. We learned the Fox Trot, the Jive, Polka, Waltz, and far too many more dances to share. Remarkable, we actually learned to dance. It was ridiculously fun, and incredibly valuable. I thought I would never be able to learn to dance, I've always thought I had two left feet, and the world's worst sense of rhythm! While we were finishing up our final lesson and going over some of what we learned ... I was reminded that in order for dance to work, our timing has to be the right. We have to be listening to the same music, following the same beat - otherwise we won't keep in step with each other. Sounds really familiar to a similar concept ... "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." If I stop "listening to the music" ... Reading the Word of God, praying, and following after Him, I will not be in step with the Spirit. As important as it is to keep in step in dance ... it is critical to keep in step with the Spirit of the Living God!

A Thought on Prayer

I follow the writings and thoughts of a Youth Guru named Walt Mueller. Yesterday Walt "blogged" about a portion of a book written by Scotty Smith titled, Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel-Centered Faith. Scotty invites us to pour our hearts out to God each morning in ways that are truly transforming. I enjoyed this thought and have added the book to my list of books to buy ... I just have to wait until I finish another book on prayer titled "A Heart Exposed" by Steven James ... a great book from my Aunt Mari!

"A Prayer About Beloved Thornbushes". . .

"I will block her path with thornbushes; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way. She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my husband as at first, for then I was better off than now.’" Hosea 2:6-7

Lord Jesus, I’ve praised you for the fall foliage of western North Carolina, the panoramic wonder of Cape Town, SA, everything about Switzerland, the Eden-like echoes in Butchart Gardens on Victoria Island, and the azure-blue waters kissing the sugar-white beaches of Destin, Florida. But today, I praise you for the gift of thornbushes. Lord Jesus, you love me so much that when I love you less you come after me with tenacious uncomfortable providence. You are unrelenting in your commitment to rescue my heart from all illusions, mirages, broken cisterns, idols and wanna-be lovers. I so wish you didn’t have to be, but I am so grateful that you are so doggedly committed to us.

Oh blessed and beloved thornbushes, ever block my path when I begin chasing after lesser gods and other lovers. Hedge me in like a formidable fortress. Cause me to lose my bearings and my way when I set my GPS for an affair of any kind. Frustrate my every attempt to look for more or settle for less than Jesus… That you are jealous for me and the affection of my heart is the greatest compliment you could ever give me, Lord Jesus. Who am I that the Lord of glory would make me a part of his bride for eternity? Who am I that you would rejoice over me with the festive joy, the impassioned delight, and the desire-filled gaze of a bridegroom? How I long for the Day when I will never again have to say, “I will go back to my husband as at first…” Until that Day, Lord Jesus, that consummate wedding day, keep me sane, centered and settled through the gospel. So very Amen, I pray in your holy and loving name.

"Is this thing on?"

Have you have ever seen someone pick up a microphone and tap on it asking the question, "Is this thing on?" The past couple of weeks it has seemed to be an ominous silence in from the "Out of the Blue" blog! Not much point in checking in to see what is written, what is going on, and what is happening out of the blue ... because apparently nothing is happening :)

Somewhere between my desire to share the nearly overwhelming quantity of daily memory verses and my loss of direction with the blog I gave up putting out any posts. Well, after some thoughts I have decided that I will not put a regular verse up on the blog - let me know if you disagree with my plan. Instead I plan to write more candidly and share what is going on in the jumbled mess in my brain. I seem to need that. In a lot of ways, it is therapy to share my life adventures in this blog ... regardless of whether anybody reads it or not. So unless the objections of the masses fly ... the verses will only make the blog when it is part of my out of the blue, craziness of life.