Five Minute Friday: Maybe Today

A lovely, golden-sunshine, deep-sky-blue Friday morning to you all! I hope, wherever you are, you are enjoying the same amazing weather we have here in the Northwest ~ but unless you actually live in the Northwest, I highly doubt that you are so privileged, because nowhere else in the world are colors so deep, rich, and real. (Yes, I love where I live.)

Reading my Aunt's blog this morning, I was introduced the "Five Minute Friday" challenge. A slightly intimidating idea for me (I am a bit apprehensive about writing for 5 minutes - what will come out? - and posting, without a chance to edit), I still couldn't stand to pass up the opportunity, because this week's word is Home. Timer ready? Here we go:

In my Pastor's house, held with a magnet to the fridge, is an unassuming 8.5-by-11 inch piece of paper boasting two simple words in bold print:

Maybe Today

Maybe Today - those words are so powerful to me. They stop me from any busy-ness or focus I may be in the midst of and make me wonder, What will happen today?

Maybe today you'll see the answer to all those prayers you've been lifting up for the salvation of a loved one. Maybe today healing will come. Maybe today will be the last chance you have to love those around you. Maybe, perhaps, today, is the day we will go Home.

Wow - 5 minutes flies way to quickly. Or I perhaps I simply don't understand the concept of a short, concise post...I had so much more to say! (and I apparently need to learn that it's ok to not sit and read over a sentence every time you write one.)

"Maybe Today" fills me with such a sense of longing ~ what questions and possibilities does it bring to your mind? What images are conjured when you think of "home"?

P.S. Guess what next week is? My bloggy-birthday!! I'm having a party, and you're all invited! There will be give-aways, guest posters, and all sorts of fun, so I'll see you then!

He Said Yes: Part II

To read Part I, click here.

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Away whirled November and December, gone, it seemed, before they had come. Somehow, in those months of not thinking about the trip (so we could focus on family, holidays, and friends), our time in Europe added sunrises. The itinerary now consisted of not only the tour, but additional time in France, Germany, Scotland, and possibly England.

Every. Single. Step. of this planning was marked with leading and blessing from the LORD. Each time I stumbled upon an obstacle, or stared over a hurdle, He would effectively clear it away and give an additional blessing! Through opportunities and finances, He directed where we were to go (which is pure excitement to re-live and realize!), and He has been faithful to provide for every detail.

The greatest evidence that I have yet seen of this loving provision came two weeks ago. I had just sent off the final check in payment for the tour, and was consequently feeling a little lean in the bank account, when we (the tour group) received the first official email from Mr. Bond:

"118 days before we meet in Paris!"

Excitement and anxiety immediately picked up a game of tag on the field of my emotions. Mr. Bond had advised waiting until March or April to buy plane tickets, but how low would prices actually go? As things were, the tickets hovered well out of budget. An uncomfortable wad of worry began to grow in my stomach ~ had I misjudged my expenses?

Finally, in desperation, knowing there was nothing I could do, I snapped shut my laptop and went upstairs to do what the LORD has been urging me to do in all situations: pray. (In fact, I begin to wonder if prayer is the number one lesson on God's "teach Sarah" list right now.) Asking for peace, for faith, for contentment, and lowering prices on airfare, the Holy Spirit began to soothe me. Praying for our tour group, for the people we will meet while in Europe, for the opportunity to boldly proclaim Christ, I was wrapped up in a peace straight from heaven. God is in control.

Settling down to my Scripture reading a little while later, I found myself totally refreshed and amazed by the beauty of the character of the LORD as revealed in Deuteronomy. (I can't believe I used to think Deuteronomy a "boring OT book" - it is now one of my absolute favorites...if not "the" favorite.) Over and over again, God asserts and reveals His intense love for Israel, which in and of itself is the ultimate humility. Immersed in the story of His people, I was struck by chapter 5 verse 29:

"Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!"

This is our God, Who yearns for the times when we will turn our eyes on Him and give Him glory, so that He may shower blessings on us and cause all to "be well." Underlining the verse, I wrote in the margins, "the great mercy of the LORD, that He longs always to bless us!" Mercy. Love. Selflessness. This is our God.

Before supper that evening, mama and daddy had some errands to run, and while they were out I retrieved my "Europe 2013" notebook and settled to down to find which airlines/travel agencies had the best prices at the moment.

 

I looked.

And looked.

And looked.

 

It was to no avail - I could find no better prices, but I knew Who was in control. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, there was a Portland-to-Paris ticket price, staring back at me from my screen, for a full $200 less than anywhere else.

 

We're talking under $500 here, people.

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There are days when you can't even get across the country for the price at which I could fly to Paris.

 

Another hour, another couple giddy phone calls, and we three little travellers where most certainly going to Europe! (coming home is still TBD)

 

Another prayer. Another gift. Another evidence of Love.

 

Another assurance that He will provide.

 

Another reminder of Who is in control.

 

Another praise. Another opportunity. Another plea.

 

LORD, keep my eyes open always to be blessed by Your work and watchful of Your purpose.

He Said Yes: Part I

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For months now, I have thought about this post. Planned for it. Wished I could write it. Anticipated what I would say.

Now, this week, when the time has finally come, I find words to be inadequate.

Incapable.

Insufficient.

Incompetent.

Perhaps, as Mr. Knightly says in the new "Emma" movie, "if I felt less I may be able to talk about it more." My feelings are not the love of which Mr. Knightly spoke, but those of awe, amazement, excitement, praise, and love for my heavenly Father which are the natural, insuppressible feelings when one sees His work. But still, I do not know how to start. Dear Readers, will you listen to a story?

A year ago, in my ramblings through various internet haunts, I stumbled upon Douglas Bond's Website (he writes some fantastic books, ya'll - if you haven't read them, do!), and saw, to my delight, that he was planning to lead a Reformation Tour in Europe, June 2013. Ecstatic, I raved casually mentioned the tour to mom and dad, only to be told that, based on where I was at the time, they advised against my going. For the months following, I continued to mention the tour to my parents, talk about the sights with Kaytra, and dream about the travelling on my own ~ but nothing changed. Like the Beast's falling rose petals, brightly-colored leaves ticked away my time, urging me on to a decision, but daddy was still not certain I should go; I began to pray earnestly for God's leading. A half-ashamed, selfish prayer, I brought my desire to God and begged Him to make me joyful and content in whichever answer He gave.

September passed. And October. And still, daddy was not ready to say that I should go. Kaytra and I were slowly going crazy with the dream; the travel bug had bitten, but what could we do? We continued to pray, asking that the door would remain shut if this trip would be exclusively for pleasure, knowing enjoyment is not a worthy end. Despite the excitement that traversing the world offered, God's plan and work was - is - dearer, even if the answer was 'no.' We wanted our hearts in the right place.

November came, and was slipping by, when I received an unexpected phone call. My friend Charae, who I had no idea even knew about the tour, was being encouraged by her father to go ~ would I go with her? Of course! I would love to! I had before me only one problem: Daddy was still unconvinced (I had spoken to him again just a few days before), but I would ask again! Charae informed me that she had just hung up with Mr. Bond, and registration would be closing in two weeks. The minute I heard this, my heart skipped a beat and it got hard to breathe. This was it, then; the moment of truth. Was it the LORD's will for me to go on the tour or not? I was insanely excited and tremblingly trepidatious at the same time. Promising to call Charae as soon as I had talked to daddy, I immediately began to send an onslaught of texts that would have put the fastest-texting teen in the world to shame.

My answer? Silence.

I remember nothing of that afternoon. I know I had lessons to teach, dinner to make, and emails to send, but my mind was suddenly as flighty as a hummingbird, darting hither and yon. I prayed all through the afternoon, "LORD, give me joy in whichever answer you send. Let me be content. But please, LORD, I would so love to go."

Daddy came home, but I had to wait. It seemed an eternity before we could talk (although I'm sure he and mama could correct me in saying it was only a few minutes), as he played a game with the twins and I "worked" in the kitchen. Finally, mama, daddy, and I sat down and discussed details, circumstances, and conditions.

That evening, I called Kaytra, absolutely giddy, to tell her Charae and I were going ~ was she able to come too? It took a couple days, but soon it was settled: the three of us were Europe-bound.

 I was floored, speechless, amazed - to have gone from "no" to "yes" in an afternoon was incredible, and a complete turn-around such that only my Father could have made. He had said 'yes.' The anticipation and excitement of all we will see and do is trumped only by the unknown: What does Christ have for us to do on this trip?

Will you pray that we will see and do it?


To read Part II, click here

When We Have Something Nice To Share

When I was a Little, Mama had a whole set of "Rules of This House" coloring sheets that my siblings and I were habitually amused by coloring. Many of those pictures, and the rules they accompanied, are permanently stamped in my brain - "When we make a mess, we clean it up," "When someone is sorry, we forgive him," "When we open something, we close it" - that sort of thing. We said them while we colored. We said them when mama would quiz us on them. And we said them when they gave us authority to get something from another person {ugly sin nature, I'm afraid - just goes to show that rules without a renewed heart won't get you too far!}. Anyway, one of the most-repeated rules was "When we have something nice to share, we share it," and it is in the spirit of this well-learned rule, that I share these things with you today:

 

~ A Laugh ~

 This picture...it just...I mean...the longer you look at it, the funnier it is!



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~ An Article ~

I was really impressed and encouraged by this review of the the 'Hunger Games'. Most articles I've read before either angrily ranted against the story, or mindlessly defended the entertainment of the tale. Douglas Wilson sensibly analyzes the novel and it's moral implications ~ certainly worth reading!

~ A Song ~

This song is "The Megs'" favorite song at the moment. She roams the house singing it, requests to listen to it, and lip-sings along while it plays. Good thing it truly is beautiful! :)

 

A lovely weekend to you all!



Some Thoughts on Love

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Sometimes, life seems completely out of balance, with an overload of one idea drowning out all others.

Like a plate piled high with thick and rick chocolate cake and only a sliver of vanilla ice cream.

Irritating, confusing, and sometimes tragic, this state of affairs is not a surprise to the observant Christian, yet even he is susceptible. He is in danger of letting his guard down and failing to recognizing the inconsistencies. He is in danger of swinging far out toward the other extremes, in an attempt to escape the world's. Yet, to my mind, the greatest danger he is in is that of simply accepting the world's view and trying to superimpose God on top.

And when I say "he", I really mean "she."

Why? Because Thursday was Valentine's Day (for those of you living in a windowless hut in the jungle with no calendar), and, as such, I had the opportunity to hear, read, and see the thoughts of many young ladies with regard to the day.

Usually, the February 14th sentiments, conversations, and writings of single young ladies seem to be penned by one of three different authoresses: the historian, the romantic, or the lonely. Which categorizations tend to hold true regardless of the spiritual climate of the writer. Yes, those who are saved may find a different angle by which to travel, a fresh "waiting for my valentine" -type saying to coin, a new discovery to share about what true love is - but the seed of their thoughts often reveals a sad state. The world has brainwashed us to worship romance for a day.

Dear ones, why is this? Why have we, as Christian maidens, bought into the mentality that, for 24 hours a year, suddenly romantic love is god, instead of what we proclaim the other 364 days - that God is love? Why should princesses - chosen by the Father, redeemed by Jesus, sanctified by the Spirit - suddenly have a day dedicated to sighs, moodiness, and fruitless daydreams in the middle of the second month of the year simply because the world has chosen to worship love between two flawed individuals as though it were perfect on that day?

In the introduction to his book, The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis observes:



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Idolatry both of erotic love and of "the domestic affections" was the great error of nineteenth-century literature. Browning, Kingsley, and Patmore sometimes talk as if they thought falling in love was the same thing as sanctification; the novelists habitually oppose the "the World" not the Kingdom of Heaven, but the home.... The human loves can be glorious images of the Divine love. No less than that: but also no more....


Sweet sisters, if one comes to February 14th each year thinking of roses and chocolates and candle-lit dinners, and then attempts to superimpose God on top of that mentality with "Jesus is my Valentine"-type sayings (which, while to a certain extent true, drastically trivialize the magnitude and depth of the Sacrifice by equating it with a pink, lacy card covered in hearts) is this revealing a Christian World View, or a Christianized Worldly View?

It would be silly and illogical to praise and hold as excellent a beginning violinist who can barely scratch out "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" in the presence of Itzhak Perlman. Certainly, one must acknowledge the Twinkler - encourage her, praise her, and admire her effort - but not to the snubbing or ignoring of the Maestro. Christ's love is a beautiful thing. Our love for each other - whether that of sibling, friend, spouse, mentor, or fiancee - is also beautiful. Who would contest these truths? Yet, to celebrate one to the nigh exclusion of the best is not a worthy action. Certainly to sigh over and wish for the lesser, ignoring the greater (except in an attempt to draw parallels between the two) is not worth our time.

Valentine's Day is a day celebrating love, the highest form of which an unsaved world knows being that of romance, but we have known a deeper, more beautiful, more praise-worthy kind. Should we not defer our raptures of greatest wonder and sighs of deepest amazement to this - Christ's love toward, in, and through us? When princesses of a Kingdom Not Seen choose for one day a year to sigh and fantasize for a prince they do not have, ignoring the love of a greater, deeper kind that they wholly possess, I see chocolate cake and wonder where the ice cream is.

Now, I am not calling for the abandonment of bon-bons, flowers, and romantic dinners on February 14th - dear me no! But to again quote the wise Lewis, "When first things are put first, second things are not suppressed, but increased."