Did I do that?

Listening and Doing....

      When you give kids a chance just to be, they let you see into their hearts. They will speak of things they want you to know.
      A particularly Spiritual young woman announced she had given up candy for Lent. The other kids looked at her quizzically. Seizing this teaching moment, I challenged her. (thinking I knew her well enough to know her answers, but there is always that chance)
      "Why did you give something up for Lent?"

"To learn how He felt."

"Who is He and felt about what?" I queried.

Her blue eyes peered into mine, and with the resoluteness of a child who knows their Saviour she spoke.

"He is Jesus. And to think about him being in the desert going without food and water and being tempted by the Devil. It makes me think about His death on the cross. I am not as strong as He is, I can't go without food and water. But I can go without sugar and candy. When I think about how much I want those things, I think of Him more."

"Hmmm....and do you think you are a better Christian because you are sacrificing something you like?"

A softness came across her face. "No, not at all. This is about me learning to be like Jesus."

Regrettably, I didn't have time to converse further. What I saw my young friend tell me is she is learning to LOVE God, not judge others. She is an active participant in her faith journey, striving to grow deep roots. She recognizes faith practices she learns might help her on this journey. At a young age she is intentional!

James 1:22-25

²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Intentional Faith Practices can help us remember who our Triune God is. But mindless participation leads to apathy for our faith, or even Self-centered indulgence.

As we DO CHURCH with others, do we share why we pray, sing, worship, serve, etc.? Or do we just suppose others know. Do we even know?

I challenge you to be intentional tonight when you say Grace over your meal. Whether the words are from a poem or from the moment...say them with passion. 

I wonder how our wanderings could change?

Closet Cleaning

       Last Fall, I had had enough of the unusable Hall closet. During the winter we couldn't open it because too much cold air would enter the room. During the summer, we would just shove stuff into it. I would occasionally move stuff aside so I could access decorations that were stored there. But really, the closet was hopeless.

       I began emptying the layers, organizing what I found. Sometimes memories of special times would come flooding into my heart. Sometimes I laughed that we still owned a particular item. There were many things we no longer needed, so they were put into a pile to be given away. There was a large amount of junk that just needed tossed. There were some treasures we decided to sell. And there were a bunch of coats no one wore because they needed cleaned.  The coats were either laundered or drycleaned. As we emptied the closet it became obvious all the junk hid mildew from a water leak fixed years ago. And as we tore away at the small flaw, we found larger hidden issues. We ended up gutting the closet-throwing away the wall board, the insulation, and fixing the wiring.

We put in new wiring, new insulation, new wall board, new ceiling, new paint, and a closet organizer. We were careful in what went back into the closet. We found better ways to store things that we only sometimes need.

        

         This winter, we can use the closet, it doesn't drain the heat from our home, and things are easy to find. The hidden disease was exposed and eliminated. It is clean and what is inside is clean.

        That is how Lent prepares our hearts for the Great Easter Celebration. Whether we focus our hearts on prayer and worship (justice to God), to helping others and charitable giving (justice to others), or to self denial, self examination, self discipline (justice to Self)—we are purging some junk room in our self to give the LORD room. If we approach this Lenten time focused on the transformative nature of Christ’s work in our lives and permit the Holy Spirit to move the clutter out-we will be ready to rejoice and celebrate as a new creation in Christ. Setting our SELF aside to allow LOVE to change us makes us GOOD.

Tami