Carried away

The Olympics are over and I offer a sincere ‘thank you’ to the Spice Girls for providing my closing ceremony highlight and splendid flashbacks to high school.

As much as I enjoyed all the Olympic heroes and medalists, I came across another hero today who has me simply in awe.

If you haven't heard about the father who completed a triathlon while carrying, pushing and pulling his 13-year old daughter with cerebral palsy, read the story. The physical strength he showed is inspiring, but it’s the purpose behind his feat that brought me a smile (and some teary eyes). Talk about LOVE!

I'm lucky to be a daughter who's loved a lot, too. And it's precious to hear Jen talk about her love for my nephew (and as his auntie, I'd carry him just about anywhere, too…until his sweet chunkiness makes my arms go numb!)  

This whole story gives new meaning to the commonly quoted Footprints in the Sand poem. In fact, from now on, I'll no longer think of the Lord just carrying me through the sand—I'll picture him doing a triathlon with me in his arms! How cool that he'd do that for each one of us (again and again)!

Unknown

I’ve enjoyed a slightly slower pace in recent weeks and it has given me added time to reflect (scary, I know). So as I was driving by a neighboring new housing development the other day, I thought about all those new homeowners. All of them built a home in the last year. For most of them, I presume, it’s a house where they plan to spend many more years. I couldn’t help but envy them just a bit. Why? Because I truly have no idea what the next year will bring (despite being a planner at my core). For the most part I’ve found peace with that.

You may recall a post I wrote just over a month ago about some potentially big changes. That specific change to which I was referring didn’t pan out (a change that would have moved me and my family across the country…and it was serious enough that we were driving through neighborhoods on the west side of the Rockies scoping out available real estate). And while I was excited about the opportunity, I’m 100 percent ok with it not happening. I learned a heck of a lot from the whole experience, and my faith was stretched more than it has been in many recent years. However, the cliché is that when one door closes, another one opens, and that’s what my family and I have been seeing lately. So once again, we walk through the open doors and wait to see what God will do.

So in the next year… Perhaps we’ll move away. Perhaps we’ll add to our family. Perhaps my husband could make a 180 degree career change. All of the above or none of the above, it’s all unknown...along with most everything else in life. While there is no answer key, the Bible, of course, has proved (as always) to be a great place to turn. My husband also has wisely reminded me that it is not up to us to seek the answer, but to seek God (who knows and controls it all). So I’m trying to focus not on the waves, but on the One who walks on them. If you have any tips for “the wait” I would love to hear them, as I imagine all of us are waiting on something.

Anticipation of iPads and other things

Never have I seen an adult be so excited for a FedEx delivery as my husband was a couple of months ago, all because he ordered the new iPad.  Leading up to the delivery of this technological treasure was a bit like waiting for the birth of a child. He talked about it often and delicately planned for its arrival. After tracking it online for over a week, he worked from home the day it was to be delivered since it required a signature. But, just in case he was otherwise engaged when they came, he printed off and signed a FedEx permission slip and taped it to our front door for the delivery guy to leave it outside our door without a signature. That’s anticipation, people. It finally arrived and it seems to be all that he was hoping it would be. And my reaction to it all? I thought it was completely charming in a tech geek sort of way. His anticipation was marked by pure excitement. And while I gave him a hard time about “Paddy’s” arrival, that excitement is fun to see at any age. (And, I have been known to use Paddy every now and then too.)

I wish that all forms of anticipation were as absolute as waiting for an iPad with a tracking number. As a family we’re anticipating some things lately, potentially big things…or possibly nothing at all. I’m excited, anxious, impatient, and a bit stressed out at times. I am so thankful to know that God is always trustworthy, always in control. I’m doing my best to hold on to all things with an open hand, but at the same time, I’m a very human person in a very imperfect world. So my selfish wants, insecurities, and emotions get the best of me at times. That said, if you’re someone who prays, I’d really appreciate your prayers that my entire family would fully, and with excited anticipation, trust in all that God has for us!

Say it proud

A couple nights ago while watching the So You Think You Can Dance results show, I sent Jen the following text message: I'm going to become a Mormon. Not my typical deep thought during SYTYCD. But Jen didn't even have to ask me what I was talking about. She instantly knew that the Mormon's new ad campaign had won me over.

If you've watched even a single commercial break in the Twin Cities this week, you must've seen their new ads. (This one's my favorite.) These people talk about their jobs, families and hobbies—showing they're just like everyone else. And at the end, they subtly declare their faith.

And you know what? I think it works. The Mormon church won't say how much they've spent on the campaign, nor has it been around long enough for any measurable results. But people are talking about it in the media and at the water cooler. Even me—who has no intention of ever really becoming a Mormon. And that's the whole point right there.

Oh, we Christians get people to talk too. But how come the Mormons get a cool ad campaign and we Christians get Kirk Cameron, low-budget theme parks and Abreadcrumb & Fish evangi-tees?

But I suppose the Mormons "we’re just like everyone else" approach doesn’t really work for us. We're not nearly as extreme (or cheesy) as our faith is sometimes made out to be in the media. But we're not like everyone else either. We may be typical when it comes to our jobs, families or hobbies, but there's a reason for this hope we have, and that feels good.

Slow down?

At my last house, my commute to work took 12-15 minutes every day. Now, my morning commute is about 20 minutes on a good day (with some minor speeding involved) and up to an hour and 20 minutes on a bad day. While I know plenty of people who have it worse than that, it does mean that most days I spend a least some time just sitting in traffic. Those are the moments when I feel like the guy in the movie Office Space who sat in traffic and watched an elderly man with a walker pass him on the sidewalk. It's frustrating, wasteful and an extreme test of patience.

However, I recently was forced to think about my disdain for the slow lane from a book I'm reading. The Life You've Always Wanted is about practicing spiritual disciplines, and in it I was reading about the importance of an unhurried life. Let's just say I couldn't relate very well to the unhurried life, which was not a good thing. In looking at suggestions for the hurry-sick, the chapter talked about the practice of "slowing," described as "cultivating patience by deliberately choosing to place ourselves in positions where we simply have to wait." Say what? No thank you. Then, the very first illustration instructed this: "Over the next month deliberately drive in the slow lane on the expressway. It may be that not swerving from lane to lane will cause you to arrive five minutes or so later than you usually would. But you will find that you don't get nearly so angry at other drivers."

Well, I admit I haven't made a month-long committment to this, but on numerous occasions it has come to my mind (usually right when I'm about to scream at another driver), and it has caused me on at least a few occasions to pause, relax and simply sing along with some good music rather than yelling in my car for no one but me to hear. I guess that's progress.

Of course, if you're like me the "slow lane" pretty much follows my car around anyway (ala the Office Space clip mentioned above), which might be another reason to make the most of my car time with a little music and reflection rather than the sound of my honking horn. I think in some small way it actually may help me to add an ounce of patience to my life.

Booty, God, Booty

Has a blog headline ever sounded so intriguing? Wish I could take credit for it, but instead I must give props to the author of Stuff Christians Like. Jen told you about this satirical guide to all things Christian a few months ago. Now the book is out and I give it five stars. Trust me, I'm not Jonathan Acuff's publicist, so I'm not even getting paid to say this.

You can actually download the audio version of the book for free this month with the promo code APR2010. I've been listening to it all week during my commute and I just can't wait to get in my car to hear more about the magical things that happen on stage when you close your eyes to pray, casseroles of hope, yoga, dating God, and of course booty, God, booty.

I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. Maybe it's because, for better or worse, I can relate to a lot of it. And amidst the humor, there are nuggets of truth and heartfelt reminders of God's love for me. Not to mention some classic nods to Fergie, creepy mimes and My Little Pony. Download the book and enjoy it on your next road trip.

Our Saturday existence

From where I sit, I see two magazines on my coffee table. On one cover is a photo of Sandra Bullock with a headline about her marital problems. On the other cover is a large clock, with a promise that the articles inside will help me find more time in every day. And in their own separate ways, both stories seem like giant downers to me this Easter Sunday. In fact, I'm exhausted just thinking about them!

So perhaps I should write about something positively wonderful and refreshing instead. For example, I could say a lot about the return of new episodes of GLEE in just 10 days! But I feel like blogging about anything other than Easter would be a disappointment today. So I went in search of some inspiration to write some Easter reflections.

First I came across the winners of the Peeps diorama contest. Inspirational in its own way, I suppose. But not entirely blog worthy. (Why talk about odd uses for disgusting candy when Jesus ROSE FROM THE GRAVE, right?!)

Luckily, I also came across this Easter reflection, Getting through Saturday. And I was struck by a new way of looking at the "in between" time of the Easter story. The article is better than any Easter reflection I could write myself so just read that instead of this blog today.

You don't need to "get" the artsy literary and music references in the article to understand. We live in a Saturday world. Struggling to escape the clock and find peace in the midst of uncertainty, abandonment or struggle. Waiting for something better. And luckily, we know something better is coming! Today is a great reminder of that.

So for the rest of this Easter Sunday, I'm going to ignore those 30 Hall of Fame Time-Savers in my magazine and the Post-it note to-do list in my kitchen. I hope you and your loved ones can also enjoy a time of peace and reflection this day. And may that peace last well into the busy week ahead. Happy Easter!

Reflecting on...reflection

With Valentine’s Day now behind us, the stores will begin stocking shelves with shamrocks followed by lots of pastel colors. And soon, people will start picking out their Easter dresses (well, after they pick out their Spring Break swimsuits).

I generally start thinking about Easter a week prior when I walk into church and see a bunch of palm branches. But there is one part of the Easter season that I’ve always overlooked. The season of Lent begins tomorrow with Ash Wednesday. Having gone most of my life to a non-denominational church, I heard plenty of references to Lent, but there was no specific tradition around it. I just remember half my friends got to come late to school Ash Wednesday and showed up with a cross of ashes on their head (small price to pay, I thought, for getting out of school). And McDonald’s advertises their fish sandwiches a lot.

This year, my church will offer weekly Lent services for the first time ever, so it’s actually got me thinking about this observance. While year-round repentance is the norm for me, I suppose there is something to be said about having this focused time of reflection on what Christ did for me.

And then there is the part about giving up one of my vices. I gave up TV for a week in junior high to prepare for a church missions trip. I did ok with that. Last year I heard of several people who gave up Facebook for Lent. (I know a few people who should give up Facebook for Lent!) I guess we shouldn’t have to wait until Lent to give up the things that aren’t good for us. But then I find myself making excuses for my vices too; all in the name of moderation.

So, I don’t know if I’ll do anything special to commemorate Lent this year. Maybe I’ll catch a couple of the church services. But I’m curious, have you ever given up something for Lent? As a result, did you feel renewed or closer to God during that time? Have I been missing out by not commemorating Lent all these years?

The quest for rest

This weekend, my goal is solitude and rest. My husband is in the midst of a 12-day mission trip to Kenya, Africa, so I’m home alone and theoretically doing whatever I want. (If you want to see some great photos, videos, and testimonies of what he and the team are doing in Africa, check out this site or the embedded video below. It’s exciting!)

Anyway, if you’ve been reading this blog in recent months, you know that I was traveling a lot last fall and overall very busy with work and life. So, my goal for these 12 days was to do everything I could to refuel physically, mentally, spiritually, etc. Yet somehow, after one week of being on my own, refueling has somewhat alluded me. Work has been crazy, and I now realize that my busy schedule outside of work isn't just due to the fact that I usually have a busy husband around. I have had some extra time to spend with friends and extended family, which has been great. However, I’m starting to stress out that Phil comes back in five days, at which point I anticipate feeling even busier, and I haven’t rested much (even though I miss him like crazy and would be thrilled if he came home today).

So, with a winter rain/snowstorm coming for the weekend, rest is my plan! Besides a few housekeeping items, I plan to download some new music, turn it up and sing along, get in a good workout, give myself a facial, work on my Bible study, and cheer on the Vikings from the comfort of my couch. So, wish me luck…it’s not easy for us Type A personalities to hit that relax button!

Hakuna Matata!

Kenya - January 19 from Grace-Church on Vimeo.

Laughing at the stuff we like

Each new year promises new opportunities to laugh at ourselves...and I like that! A couple of authors have helped us out in that regard by highlighting some stereotypes that will either make you laugh or make you hang your head in embarassement (most likely the former).

A few months ago a friend told me about the blog turned book, Stuff White People Like, which is a satirical look at the white middle class. Now, another blogger has made laughing at myself even easier with a spin-off blog (and soon-to-be book) called, Stuff Christians Like.

I like to think that when people see Christians they first notice the love of Jesus, but I have a feeling a lot of people first see the kooky Christian culture stuff that generally makes us look like dorks (like the evangelizing t-shirts or, let's face it, even some of "our" music). Mind you, I'm quite fond of some of a lot of Christian stuff, but it's still pretty humorous (and maybe a little disappointing) to think of how we're viewed by mainstream culture or even by each other.

You should check out the blog for yourself to learn more about things Christians like, such as: the metrosexual worship leader, not knowing what do to with Santa, the side hug, awkward opposite sex friendships, surviving the church as a single or married couple without kids, wishing there were a Christian version of Lady Gaga, and The Shack.

Enjoy some good laughs in 2010...even if it's at your own expense!

When the saints go marching in

On the heels of Halloween is another holiday that doesn’t get quite as much attention: All Saints Day. This week I was surprised to learn about some of the more unique patron saints that have existed over the course of history (this off-the-wall knowledge comes from Jason Boyett’s book, The Pocket Guide to Sainthood). For those of us non-Catholics who need some background about patron saints, check out Jason’s blog. Now, to name a few of my favorites (and no, this is not a joke):

• St. Ambrose, Patron Saint of Beekeepers
• St. Martin of Tours, Patron Saint of Geese
• St. Vitus, Patron Saint of Oversleeping
• St. Caedwalla of Wessex, Patron Saint of Serial Killers
• St. Drogo, Patron Saint of Ugly People

Apparently the idea is that if you are dealing with any of these topics/issues in life you may benefit from praying to the related patron saint, because they have an in with God on these areas of expertise. (Lucky for me, I have an in with God on everything because he’s my personal Savior and all.) So finally, there is hope for chronic oversleepers and ugly people! But anyway, check out this article for details on the patron saints above, as well as a few others you won’t soon forget. I promise it will make you smile.

But wait, there’s more. You can also sign up for Relevant’s Great Saint Off and name a celebrity saint (assuming one of today’s celebrities was given such an honor). My favorite so far is, “Saint T. He pities all fools.” Or, I invite you to name your own fictional saint on this blog – be it yourself, a celebrity, or someone else you know (without offending, of course). Get your saint on, people!

12 steps for everyone

Those who know me know that my involvement with music at my church is a big part of my life. This year that commitment involved the addition of co-leading the large group music/worship time at a weekly ministry called Celebrate Recovery (CR). (And by “co-leading” I mean I just show up and sing while my husband does the other 90% of the work.) CR is a nationally recognized, Christian-based recovery ministry for people struggling with all kinds of life issues—from various addictions, codependency, depression, family members of people with these issues, etc. Incidentally, the CR meetings at my church were featured in this month’s issue of the Minnesota Christian Chronicle if you care to check it out in detail.

Here’s the interesting thing I have learned through my weekly attendance during a portion of these meetings… the 12 steps that everyone associates with AA and other programs aimed at addictions are totally applicable to every person on the planet. Suggestions like turning our lives/will over to God, asking God to remove our character defects, admitting wrongs, making amends, etc. amount to guidance we could all use to enjoy more freedom from the heavy stuff of life that we all deal with in varying degrees during our lives. I guess that realization has been somewhat of an aha moment for me. I’m no different than the other fantastic people at CR who are trying to gain some victory over their “hurts, habits, and hang-ups.” I don’t know if that knowledge makes me feel more or less “normal,” but it has definitely given me more awareness of some valuable steps. And getting those weekly reminders of biblically based recovery principles has actually been good for me, so I just thought I’d pass it on!