Cultivating Joy

On my way into work, I noticed a church had updated their sign.  It cheerfully read, “Enjoy the blessings of summer!”  That thought stayed with me as I continued on my way into work, and I started to count up blessings of summer and the seasons beyond.  I thought about the seasons themselves and the blessings that they hold; the four seasons recognized in our year and the many throughout our lives.

“Enjoy the blessings,” I cannot stop my thoughts from jumping from blessings to joy.  This is joy that goes over and above my own understanding of blessings.  The joy of the Lord, a blessing of fruit that nourishes and sustains when there are difficult times, that is something to be recognized and cultivated!  I thought that Psalm 30 caught this so well, a joy that permeates the seasons.    The words capture the seasons of life, feeling secure, feeling the need of mercy and throughout there is joy. 

This is not a vapid joy, washed out with the fatigues and difficulties of life.  It is a vibrant joy, warming and bright like the sun.  I seek to cultivate this as a strengthening force in my life, bringing God’s joy into my life. Cultivate joy as someone cultivates their garden - with hard work, persistent effort and hope. 

A few of the things that I see joy in...

the voice of a child singing worship songs  - the sound of a friend’s laughter - butterflies on brightly colored zinnias - a hug when it’s needed most - the sustenance of prayer - rainbows from rainstorms -starry skies so clear that you see the spill of the milk in the Milk Way - wild horses with bright eyes and swift feet  - the constancy of God - sweet fuzzy puppies that cuddle close at night - words of truth and kindness - the strength of gentleness - God’s words that give life - the smell of pine needles around the base of the tree after a rain - splashing in puddles - cold and sticky summer popsicles - the warble of the house wren - loving moments of a family, through good and bad times - the feel of a baby’s hand wrapping around my finger - being able to work hard and feeling the reward of a job well done - the pleasure of serving someone else - the excitement in grasping something new about God - reliance upon Jesus - grace

 

Cultivating joy is done through the ups and downs, happy and sad times, helping me grow in my faith and share the Lord’s joy with others.  It is a habit that sees me through unexpected difficulties, and makes good times even better.  It is a habit that I ask God to continue to strengthen in me. It is a habit worth cultivating.

“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.  Lord my God, I will praise you forever.”

Psalm 30:11-12

Disgruntled Mouth-box or Loving Messenger

I saw a poster for a band called Disgruntled Mouth-box law week.  I had to laugh.  I know nothing about the band or if they live up to their name.  But, the words in the name itself made me laugh, and caught my attention. 

Disgruntled:  to make ill-humored or discontented

Taking Advantage of Light Bulb Moments

                Synonym – alienate, estrange, and sour

Mouth-box: somebody who expresses someone’s views

                Synonym – mouthpiece

Sound like anyone you know?  Being human, I thought of others first…  (Hey, just being honest here).  For example, those who have been in positions of leadership that offer complaining and criticism; one negative after another without thought for offering a solution.  The classic complainers come to mind, the ones who are the constant grouch to be avoided at all cost lest they “infect” you with their sourness. 

Beyond someone having a bad day, this makes me think of words not being used wisely.  Eventually, I get around to thinking closer to home (a.k.a. me).  Though I wish I could claim that all of my words are paragons of wisdom and virtue that build up others with guidance and leadership, I know better.  Not every word that comes out of my mouth represents the best of me or my beliefs – I too can be a disgruntled mouth-box.  I don’t have to speak it, I may have disgruntled, grumbly, roll my eyes thoughts as well – acerbic mental tongue indeed.

But, is that what I want?  Are these the words and attitudes I want to present to those around me and to keep in my mind?  Of course not!  Probably few of us do.  Not a disgruntled person, or a mouth-box.  That makes me think of someone who eventually becomes of no consequence because they are avoided as they jump on their soapbox for the umpteenth time and rail out against others; someone speaking without purpose.

What is a better choice?  Is it not better to offer words of life, building, hope, encouragement, patience, teaching, instruction, and hope?  It’s not always fluffy words or thoughts, but those that are offered are from a different perspective.  The focus is not one that is soured and sours others.  It offers a perspective that reflects the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – Galatians 5:22-23).

I’ll challenge myself and I’ll challenge you.  Don’t be a disgruntled mouth-box, intentionally don’t!  Instead, let’s intentionally be a loving messenger.  

Seasons

I’m sitting on the front porch, staring up at the big tree in the front yard. Green leaves are popping out everywhere, from all of the branches. They aren’t full size yet, and still have that distinctive fresh and new green color. The leaves are opened as wide as they can, trying to catch the sun. I wonder if that tree could talk, what would it say about spring. Such tremendous growth is present, but there is a lot of work there as well. Winter came and the tree was quiet, no leaves, no growth, just maintaining life, just surviving. Weaker branches fell to the ground during some of the more harsh winter storms, with icy coverings and the weight of thick snows. But now, it looks quite beautiful.


I wonder if that tree could talk, would it opt for the quiet of the winter season? Would it want to remain quiet, not putting forth efforts for new growth. Of course, that tree wouldn’t survive forever in a wintry state. Eventually, it would need the energy it can only get from the sun, through the leaves.


People talk about seasons and history, as if they were circular. And in many cases, they probably are. We see repetition, even commenting on it with quotes about repeating mistakes, going and coming around. But let me just venture this idea out, it’s not really circular – it’s linear. Linear, and mobile. On that line, we can choose to move forward, move back, or stand still. Well, sometimes we choose. Sometimes, it is chosen for us. There may be seasons, times, in our life where we are like the winter tree. We are quiet, we do not produce fruit, we do not grow, we just survive, just maintain life. But spring must come eventually or we will become misshapen and malnourished. It will be effort, purposefully striving to grow, but grow we must. Then, it is a delicate time, full of promise and yet susceptible to damage by the frost.


“I am the vine, you are the branches.” If God is the vine, He can choose that the entire plant will grow. But what about those branches, the ones that just don’t produce leaves or fruit? Remember the branches in the tree, they fell off during the ice storms. We prune away the dead in the spring, removing the damaged parts and allow for new growth to occur. In much the same way, God prunes us. He sees the damaged parts, the parts which do not recover from the blasts of frost, ice, and snow. Those are removed, the energy that we pour into the them can be then sent someplace else. The damaged parts, they must be examined. Some can be fixed. A little time, tender care, and the appropriate actions can cause the damaged section to promote new life, sending off new shoots, in a new direction. Other damages are much more severe and must be removed, lest the whole branch sicken.


We are in a spring, it is a new season, with new days ahead. We can choose to repeat our to seek new growth.

Withering Fruit

Jesus spent the night away from the city, away from the stirred up crowd.  But, he didn’t stay away for ever.  The next day, “early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry,” (Matthew 21:18).  Before I go on, what a wonderfully subtle reminder that God was in Jesus fully God and yet fully human. 

“Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves.  Then he said to it, ‘May you never bear fruit again!’” (Matthew 21:19).  Now, knowing a little of the characteristics of Jesus, I doubt very much that this was some morning randomn sleepiness which promotes bad moods.  Instead, I think this was a fig that was not fulfilling it’s purpose, it was not bearing fruit. 

What was the result?  Jesus “said to it, ‘May you never bear fruit again!’ Immediately the tree withered,” (Matthew 21:19). A fig tree has a purpose to bear fruit.  But, by just speaking Jesus caused the fig to wither.  It sounds like something from a movie.  The disciples were “amazed, ‘How did the fig tree wither so quickly?’” (Matthew 21:20). Wow!  How did that happen? 

“Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer,” (Matthew 21:21-22). 

That is a pretty bold statement.  Mountains into the sea and receiving whatever is asked for in prayer?  Yet, lets dig just a little deeper with this.  Mountains seem to be things that are pretty sturdy, how in the world can faith make them move into the sea?  I guess I think of a couple different kind of mountains.  One is a real mountain, and for that my faith would need to be considerably stronger.  There are other mountains though, when the task or hurdle in front of me is looming larger and larger on the horizon.  I can’t climb it, can’t go around, can’t go under.  It either has to move or I’m not going to be able to move forward.  Prayer can help move that mountain. 

You will receive whatever you ask for in prayer… Oh my human mind, the created creature who thinks well, let’s see… I’m going to pray for this and that and the other.  It makes it sound like a Christmas wish list.  But, do you remember that fruit the fig tree didn’t have? No fruit, no faith.  But, with the fruit, with the faith, the nature of the prayers will be changed as well.  Instead of that wish list, it becomes something focusing on what God’s will is.   

Spring Dreams & Pruning Shears

Today is the day after Christmas!  In a day that is often made up of crazy schedules, clean up, recovering from lack of sleep, and of course a visit from Santa, thoughts can start turning towards winter and how long it is.  Personally, I like snow; the quiet star like beauty of each flake that washes the world in white.   It blankets the plants, providing the earth a barrier of moisture to prepare for spring.

I look out the window right now and the ground has a light covering of snow, just a dusting really.  And it’s stark, fresh color leaves the outline of the plants sharp and precise.  Hunkered down in the living room, with a roaring fire in the oven, a cup of coffee in hand; this is the perfect time to examine the Burpee’s seed catalog that just came in.  On the cover, in a summer red yellow color, only to found in perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes, a slice of such a fruit is presented.  I can hold that catalog, flipping through the pages as I look at different fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs that can appear come spring. 

Turning the pages over, I spot the grape plants.  As I stop to look at these plants, with their little ringlet vines, jagged edge leaves, and ornament like fruit of green, blue, and purple cluster on those vines.  I dream of the taste of these fruits fresh off the vine, the very taste and smell of purple. 

You know, Jesus talks about being the vine, the carrier of the nutrients to the leaves and fruit, (John 15:1-17).  Grape vine is hardy stuff!  If you have had to clear some out of the yard before, you will quickly come to realize that it is not so easy to clear away.   But, a grape vine that is taken care of will not just be allowed to grow wild and tangled through trees and under brush.  Instead, branches that don’t grow fruit are cut off.  The branches that don’t bear fruit are drains on the energy of the plant, taking away from it vigor needed in the production of fruit.  They are removed, wither and are thrown away – even burned up.  In other words, those vines are trash.

The master pruner cuts off those branches that don’t produce fruit, and then prunes the branches that produce fruit.  Take a moment and read that again.  No fruit, no branch, fruit, prune the branch.  Someone who is knowledgeable of the needs of the plant, knows that more grapes will actually be produced through careful pruning.

Many have experienced both of these.  As we grow and journey, God removes the branches which are non-productive in our lives.  These branches are the ones who hold us back, a drain on our energy and strength.  They may be something in our history or a choice we need to change.  One of the branches that was cut from me was a relationship.  The cut at the time felt like a blow that went to my very heart, draining my vivacity to life.  However, over time I realized that this was actually a branch that needed to go.  However, one little piece remained, a shred of the dead that had hung on to the vine.  Instead of removing that piece by force, I was told that it was time to be pruned.  I had to tell this individual that they were forgiven. 

I really didn’t want to do that!  I just wanted this time to be over, allowing me to move on and grow on the fruit producing branches.  Yet, I found myself holding my phone in a dark car, sitting in a parking spot for just a few moments.  The few words that were spoken left me with anxiety, and then it hit me – I realized the truth!  This removal was for me, I had been set free of something left over and dead.  Only the master pruner could have removed just enough, not too much or too little.   

As you prepare for spring, sit down with the Burpee’s catalogue and spend a little time with the Master Pruner.  Is there anything that needs to be removed from your vine, is there any pruning that needs to happen on those branches that do bear fruit?