Pickin' Blueberries with God

Today I called a friend to see if she wanted to go blueberry picking with me.  There is a special patch, which used to be an actual blueberry farm, but the owners turned it over to the county and now it is a free for the picking patch.  (Ephraim claims it is one of Holland's best kept secrets.  Shhhh!) That also means it is very overgrown, and you have to fight the raspberry prickers and mosquitoes to get to the blueberries.  But it is so worth it!!  The berries are still abundant and delicious.

Anyway...my friend didn't get back to me and I realized that after all that has been going on this summer, I really needed to go pick berries with just God.  I needed alone time with Him.

There were birds that came to visit me.  They sat on the tops of the bushes watching me pick their berries.  A robin, a thrush and a female oriole flew back and forth, in and out.  But there were lots of other birds that I could hear as they sang, and called, rustled in the bushes and long grass.  It was quite the symphony of bird carols.  In the midst of it all, the thing that kept running through my mind was the words to a favorite hymn, This is my Father's world.

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

It was good to be there...just me, the birds and God.  In the rustling grass and bushes He found me. I felt honored and humbled to think that my Father speaks to me everywhere...anytime...I just need to make the time and space in my life to relish God's presence!

In the rustling grass, may you here Him pass!

But God!!!

I have to admit, sometimes I get a little frustrated with God.  God has put so many amazing people in my life and family...so many of them doing kingdom work in beautiful ways.  I want to be able to support them financially as well as by word and deed.  In fact I realize that sometimes I withdraw from them because I feel bad that I can't support them more fully.  THAT is not a good thing, and that is not what God desires.

I just watched a video that Emmanuel and Allison made about their ministry in India.  Their organization is Influence International and they are making a difference in the lives of so many children as well as rasing up leaders for the kingdom.  Check out the video on my facebook page.  influenceintl.org

I need to call TiCarme today and see how her ministry in Haiti is coming.  TiCarme is a Haitian woman we met in Haiti several years ago and now she  is starting a mission to enable students, who have no way to pay for an education,  get schooling in Haiti.  She is also discipling them for Jesus Christ, giving them a hope and a future. (The money I make through coaching goes to support her ministry.  So get coached and know you are helping support this ministry!)

Caleb and Sonja continue to support Raising up Hope in Uganda through Beautiful Response.  Street children from the slums of Uganda are finding a place to be safe, and loved, and educated, and transformed by the love of kingdom people who love Jesus.  Check out beautiful response.org or Raising up Hope on facebook.

These are just the top three on my list!  I could go on and on.  It is part of the blessing of being in the kingdom!

O Lord, you know the needs.  You know my heart.  Help me to be faithful.  Help me to share all that you give for me to pass on whether financial or emotional, or wisdom, or love, or.... And help me never to pull away from those you have called me to love and support.

The Little Campfire that Couldn't

Cran-hill Ranch is a beautiful place to spend a week with your grandchildren!  From July 7-12 I was the chaplain for their family camping program, which meant I got to stay up there for the week with Diedrick and Annika.  On Thursday evening my husband Al and our daughter Acacia joined us for the last day.

I woke up about 6:30 Friday morning and realized Al had given up on getting sleep on our spring loaded mattress, and Acacia was jet-lagged enough she was also awake...sort of.  I looked out the camper window and saw them sitting, looking forlornly at a fireless fire pit.  There were logs in the pit, and perhaps a wisp of smoke before these silent zombies.   Two tired faces, no talking, just staring.

I went out and joined them, assuming they hadn't found where I kept some paper...oh yes, they had used paper, and "self-starting" charcoal to try to ignite carefully positioned logs.  Nada!  I told them how pathetic they looked and began to laugh until I started to cry.  (So much for sympathy.)  I was trying to laugh quietly at 6:30 in the morning, and then my snorting got them started.

It wasn't until 3 hours later after the camp store open and Al got some lighter fluid that we finally had a fire.

It all got me thinking about the fire that burns, or smolders, or is evidenced only by a wisp within us. Having worked within the church for a couple of decades I know how hard we often try to ignite a fire in our churches.  As a Jesus-followers I also know the ebb and flow of the fire that burns within me.

There are times we think we have all the ingredients for great fire-building in play, only to see that first burst of flame, and then we experience the frustration of realizing the flame is gone before the wood catches on.  And we know, don't we that the flame that burns within doesn't depend on us trying harder, or looking more like "Johnny Woodsman."  The flame within comes from the Spirit, and John the baptist promised that Jesus would baptize us with this Spirit and with fire.  (Matthew 3:11)

We need to do what we can to position ourselves to be in flames with this fire, and to be fanners of the fire:  We need to seek, to be open and willing, to let go of what we think it should look like, or feel like.  We need to listen for the voice of God, and obey when we hear it.  We need to encourage one another and believe that our God is a God of power.  We need to long for more than a wisp...we need to fall in love with Jesus, sometimes all over again.  We need to stir the passion in our heart.

Can you imagine sitting around the campfire with Jesus and inviting him to ignite our fire?  Asking for a fresh dose of the Spirit, our only hope for genuine fire?  That is a prayer Jesus is longing to answer!

One more thought...one person where the fire has caught will be the tinder used to set others ablaze.  We don't get set on fire just to keep ourselves warm...

Lord don't let me sit on the sidelines with just a wisp of smoke rising from me.  Ignite me!

Aromatic or Smelly?

What is your favorite smell?  Freshly ground coffee?  A home filled with the smell of chocolate chips cookies?  A walk through a pine forest?  A particular flower?

My life coach was telling me about a conversation he had when he met a fellow believer.  They had been talking a bit when the man commented, "You smell like Jesus."  In II Corinthians 2:14-16 we read "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ, and through us spreads everywhere the fragance of the knowledge of him.  For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.  To the one we are the smell of death, to the other we are the fragrance of life.  And who is equal to the task?"

It got me thinking...how do we move through our day spreading everywhere the frangrance of Christ?  And how can we tell if we smell like Jesus?  And, what will be the impact of smelling like Jesus?

It dawns on me that:
1.  Smells permeate an environment.  Once let loose you can't contain it.
2.  Smells trigger a sensory response...it can make us hungry, in fact smells will make our mouths water, or they can make us vomit.
3.  Smells can trigger a memory.  Have you had it happen where a smell transported you back to another time and place in your memory?  There is a smell to August that brings me to the farm lanes of my childhood.
4.  Smells can draw us to them, or repel us away.

I'm picturing a Charlie Brown comic strip and seeing Linus with his cloud of dust and dirt following him.  If someone were to draw our cloud, following us what would it smell like to God and others?  How close will people want to get?  And how can I make sure that I am spreading the fragrance Christ calls me to spread.  Sometimes I fear I am doing the "right things" but my attitude doesn't smell much like Jesus.

Remember too that for those who don't know Jesus...yet, we may not be so appealing, but perhaps our fragrance of Christ will permeate their world and linger long enough to begin to change their perceptions of Christ-followers and the Christ we serve.  Maybe the next person you meet will be a pre-believer and because the Spirit is at work our aroma will be one more tool the Spirit uses to touch them.

We better be sure we are authentic Christ-followers, because a phony can be smelly in a hurry.  We better be checking our attitude as we walk out the door, or greet those coming in, as we don't want our fragrance to be tainted by our self-will and sinfulness.

So, my friends, Go forth and smell like Jesus wherever you go. I pray the Holy Spirit will continually permeate your world with the sweet frangrance of grace in Christ Jesus.

Double Dipping in Baptism

I may be treading on some sacred and scary ground here, but as I pondered the thoughts about birdbath faith (Instigated by Richard Rohr) they led to me think about baptism and rebaptism.  In my path as a pastor and mom I have talked with those who were baptized as infants and longed to be rebaptised as adults.  They were sprinkled before they could remember, and desired to be immersed in the grace and love of baptismal waters.

Sometimes the parents were concerned or offended, as if the first baptism wasn't good enough, or wasn't real.  Most of the time it comes up when people have an intense encounter with God in a place and way they have never experienced before.  I tend to say, "Hallelujah!  Go for it.  If this is something you feel you need to experience I think God is fine with it."

It doesn't mean the infant baptism wasn't real.  It doesn't mean God's promises were any less that first time than what you will claim when you are re-baptized.  But I get it.  I understand how feeling that immersion, that take my breath away expereince, into the love and grace of God can be a powerful step in spiritual growth for some.

I acknowledge the need of some to say, "I want to decide to make this step."  For me it isn't a matter of right and wrong.  I don't think God is really upset with anyone on this issue.  I think the Father rejoices when his children declare I want to go deeper.  I want to dive into this faith walk/swim.  I doubt that God is offended because this(often) young person says, "For me the infant baptism wasn't enough.  I need to feel the living water of grace washing over me."

I have to admit I've been a little frustrated when during infant baptism we seem afraid to get the child wet.  I know the power of baptism has nothing to do with the amount of water, or the delivery system, but it does have a lot to do with symbolism.  

So however and whenever you were baptized I pray that you will have a fresh awareness of the living water that washes over us, cleansing us from sin and drenching us in the Spirit.  Take a spiritual swim!

John 7:37-39  "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me as the Scripture says, Streams of living water will flow from within him."  By this he meant the Spirit whom those who believed in him were later to receive.

ACts 2:38 Peter said,  "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Chrsit for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the Holy Spirit.  The promise is for you and your children and all who are far off."

Romans 6:4  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

It's a Wild Ride

It is VBS week here at Central Park Church here in Holland, MI.  ("It's a Wild Ride" comes from one of the songs.)  I am finding myself in a very strange role...I'm just hanging out.  Wow, after so many years of planning, recruiting, heading up and loving the kids this is a strange place to be.

However, I haven't been in Holland much on the weekends lately, and Diedrick and Annika are with us for the next month, so I didn't sign up to help, and have really enjoyed just hanging out, watching what God is up to.

The VBS is labeled as being for 4 year olds through 6th grade, but in reality it is a discipleship camp for all ages!  I love watching the interactions.

The other day Annika(2nd grade) was talking about Ellie, who is going into 7th grade.
Diedrick(4th grade):  "Is that the one who touched your nose?"
Annika:  "Yup, and then I touched her nose."  Annika loves Ellie!

There are middle-schoolers all over this place being the helpers.  It is a wonderful way to engage these youth in the mission of the church.  They continue to learn as they hear the stories, sing the songs, perform in the skits, lead the games, and watch the adults as well as the children.  They are the church!

So you could say the VBS is for 4 year olds through youth.  But then there was the conversation I had with one of the moms who said, "I've been a member of this church all my life and have probably been watching Jim and Marla serve for 40 years, and they are still dong VBS."  The 65+ year olds are modeling what belonging can look like for the 40 year olds.

Lynn, who retired in January talked about how much she enjoys being the point person for VBS, not just the week it happens, but working with people in preparation for weeks ahead of time.  Her gifts are being used in powerful ways...and she is loving it!

AND the KIDS!  They model for us the exhuberance and energy of young life.  They teach us as we see them building new relationships, opening themselves up as the week unfolds. They are discovering who God is and how much they are loved. There are a lot of kids who aren't from this congregation, so many start out timid, a little unsure of what is going on, but as the week goes on the place comes alive, and I'm sure God loves hanging out with us too.

As I watch I see this as a place of belonging; a place where all are welcome and needed; a place where love is shared between the generations, and where we celebrate God's grace and goodness as we grow in folloing Jesus.

Thy Will Be Done

Have you noticed that we live in a world driven by fear?  This is currently one of my greatest pet peeves!  Even as Christians we seem to believe that if we aren't afraid and worried we aren't paying attention to what is happening in the world.  We just don't care.

STOP THAT!!

How often do you find yourself trying to be light in a conversation or situation where everyone is focusing on the latest bad news...which is constant in the media?  I don't believe 24/7 news channels have been a blessing in our lives!  If we are defeated by the fear of the world how will we bring HOPE?  And we need to be hope-bearers, light bringers, peace makers, love lavishers!

This weekend seemed particularly bad.  I heard comments like:  "I fear for my grandchildren.  I won't be around long, but I worry about my grandkids and great-grandchildren."  "The world is getting worse and worse."  "You don't dare go anywhere anymore."  And it isn't just the elderly saying these things.

I am not trying to tell you this world isn't a mess, because it is, always has been.  What I am trying to say is that I believe we have to filter all the news we hear through the trustworthy Word of God.  Even in Christian media we are often told that the world will just keep getting worse and worse and the good news is that then Jesus will come back, and the rest will be destroyed.

So I've been wrestling with what Jesus means when he tells us to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."  Jesus tells us this is how we are to pray.  Is he kidding us? Conning us?  Giving us a useless prayer?  If there is no hope that God wants to work his will in this world, and bring His kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven why are we told to pray this way?  So I refuse to believe it..I refuse to believe God has disappeared from the scene...God has left us to our own ruin.  I believe God is still King of kings and Lord of lords!  I believe God loves this lost and broken world and has engaged us to follow Him into making it a place of the kingdom.

So I want to invite you to stoke the fire that burns within you...the fire of the Spirit of God.  I invite you to step it up on the radical christian continuum.  Regular won't cut it!  Let's be radical hope bearers, light-bringers, peace-makers, love-lavishers.  Let's believe, let's get to work!  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven...so be it Lord!