Committed to Learning

I’ve talked to some young minister’s wives who feel frustrated, even intimidated, because they feel their own Bible knowledge lags so far behind their husband’s or others in the church. Maybe this is the year for you to commit to a class, like a Bethel Bible series, Walk through the Bible, or some other good Bible overview class.

Or maybe you know a lot about the Bible, but you feel you are losing touch with the students and their culture, so you need to commit to reading more (or surfing more!) to learn about what’s out there. Then you can help the students develop “worldview eyes” to see their culture through God’s lenses.

It crossed my mind that we could all make a resolution to learn something new every day…but that brought to mind a passage that gave me a healthy new perspective, even when I first read it at the ripe old age of 12. This is an excerpt from the Newbery Award-winning book, From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E. L. Konigsburg:
[11-year-old] Claudia said, “But, Mrs. Frankweiler, you should want to learn one new thing every day. We did even at the museum.” “No,” I answered, “I don’t agree with that. I think you should learn, of course, and some days you must learn a great deal. But you should also have days when you allow what is already in you to swell up inside of you until it touches everything. And you can feel it inside you. If you never take time out to let that happen, then you just accumulate facts, and they begin to rattle around inside of you. You can make noise with them, but never really feel anything with them. It’s hollow.

So, learn a little, then let God fill you up and touch every corner of your life!

Happy New Year!

Christmas contrasts

The following was part of a friend's Christmas letter, and I loved it so much I asked her permission to share it with you on the blog:

Upon reflecting back on the year and also thinking and preparing my heart for Christmas these last few days, I continue to come back to a story that has resonated with me so much the last couple of months. My husband and I were blessed with a wonderful trip to Maui in October (and yes, we were there for the earthquake). His company hosted us in such a fabulous way. Maui is so incredibly beautiful--my eyes were in for a treat at every turn. We had every comfort imaginable available to us there. Once while sitting by myself on the lawn overlooking the ocean (after my spa treatment), I even had a pool attendant startle me with "Cold towel, ma'am?" Good grief, I wasn't sure what I would even want a cold towel for! Anyway, the food was also delicious and beautifully prepared, the sounds of the ocean so soothing, the smells of plumeria in bloom so tantalizing……. In short, every one of our senses was engaged in pleasure.

However, a day after our return home our senses were abruptly brought back to reality. Our family helps with a program at our church called "Quest". We, along with numerous others, minister to about 30+ kids each week from underprivileged homes in our town. My husband is official "bus driver" and I help maintain some semblance of control. Anyway, just the sight of many of their homes brings to mind the darkness that permeates so much of our society. The smell is yet another story. I many times feel like I've not only been exposed to every germ in our county, but had them wiped all over me! I've had to explain who my hubby is more than once--some of the little ones called him "that guy that comes with you". They literally have had no previous conception of a "husband" or "daddy". Sweet, sweet children. Anyway, you get the picture of what we stepped off the plane to face. It was such a stark contrast I couldn't help but carry it around with me for weeks.

It finally hit me this week. That's what Jesus did for us! The extremes that we felt coming from one part of our world to another in a matter of a day is so small compared to what Jesus faced in coming to earth. He left heaven and all the comforts and love it provided to come to earth, not in splendor, but in poverty—to a dark, smelly stable. And He did that because the great love He has for us compelled Him to! It's amazing, isn't it?

Love and Merry Christmas!!

Has she cracked?

My friends think I have officially cracked. When I made a proud announcement to a couple of groups of friends lately, I could see it in the glances they exchanged with one another. Yep, those looks said, she’s totally lost it! What was my “big announcement”? I have 2 gray hairs! Said loudly, with pride. That’s the part that got the weird looks. “Did you pull them out?” asked one friend. “No!” I replied.

After I thought about it, and how many of them use color in a bottle, or plan to, or whatever, I thought, why am I having this weird reaction? I mean, most American women don’t advertise the fact they are sprouting silver streaks.

I think it has something to do with the fact that for so long, it seemed like my husband and I were the “kids” at every adult function at church. He was the junior member on staff. I was the youngest in the ladies group. Whatever. A few people still look at us that way, simply because we are younger than they are, or because we are (still!) in youth ministry. And never mind that my husband is now the longest tenured staff member at our particular church. But most, somewhere along the way, have come to view us as full-fledged adults. And I’ve worked pretty hard to live up to the responsibility that implies. Thus, I can accept gray hair as a sign of emerging maturity, of experience—sometimes very difficult but almost always fruitful experience—bringing me closer to my Lord.

For a long time, though, we got the rolled eyes and the brush offs that sometimes happen when you are young. Even if you’ve been out of college, working hard on the field for five years or so, you’re still just a pup to the 50 and 60 year olds. (A phenomenon you’ll understand better as you head toward that age yourself!) It may feel painfully like lack of respect, or unwarranted belittling. Guess what, sometimes those with more experience than you actually do have some wisdom you should take into account! Even if you are right about something, if you truly respect them and practice patience, you will eventually earn their trust. Too often when we are young, we are passionate and want to change the world RIGHT NOW—note that these last two words are the only ones in this sentence that will get you into trouble. Eugene Peterson writes about Christian life being a long journey in the same direction. Living that kind of life will allow you to find the respect you crave, while maintaining healthy humility. And when life gives you gray hair, you can be proud of it!

Quote of the Week: Trust

We trust, not because a God exists, but because this God exists.
--C. S. Lewis

On being away from home . . .

Besides holidays, there are other times in life that living away from “home” – where we grew up - and from our family hits us hard. Early on in our marriage I had moments of extreme homesickness, and even though the distance we were away from our families was not as great as some I knew (other ministers and missionaries), it may as well have been 1000 miles or more since we did not have enough money to make the trip often.

Although we’ve made great friends along the way, the distance has been a real problem for us especially in times of stress. I went through times of struggle about being away from my extended family after the births of both of my children, and my husband and I both struggled during the times that his parents were sick and dying. I will say that our church family was great during these highs and lows and ministered to our little family in wonderful ways as a surrogate family.

One scripture that has ministered to me in regard to this issue of being away from family is Mark 10:28-30:

Peter said to him, “We have left everything to follow you!”

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “No one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields—with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.”

It’s true, even though we’ve left our families behind in another state, we’ve gained many more members to our family in the churches where we minister. And we’ve got a greater home ahead for us someday in eternity. That hope helps me deal with the disappointment of not being with my mother and grandmother and aunts and uncles at various times in my life. I hope it does the same for you!