Just a Sheep I – Selective Listening

I stood on a small ridge, looking over a shallow gully where a herd of sheep was staring back at me. Sharing the same pasture, I had hoped for some sort of friendly sheep connection leading to me getting to pet them. They stared at me, I talked to them. They watched me and I tried to think of a sheep song I could sing to convince them to overlook my being a stranger. I tried to convince them that they really were very nice sheep that would like to have their heads rubbed. The glares I received in return stated clearly that I was not winning these sheep over. They didn’t know me, nor did they have any inclination to get to know me. My voice was not recognized.

As much as I would have liked to pet at least one of those wooly headed creatures, I understand their reluctance. This caution for any unknown was part of how they defended themselves. They were listening for a familiar voice, the voice of their shepherd. My voice was that of a stranger, and did not appeal to their sense of security. However, if the shepherd were present, things might be greatly different. The voice of the shepherd is the voice of protection, good pasture, care and adequate shelter. Knowing the voice and trusting it, the sheep will follow the shepherd from place to place.

As Christ is my shepherd, I need to rely on his voice. As a shepherd, he provides me with truth, grace, love, nourishment, protection and refreshment. This means I need know the voice I am listening for, and that I actually need to be listening. It is so easy to be distracted by other voices, I know it doesn’t take much sometimes for me to lose that focus. The background noises crank up the volume and I forget to listen, wandering off on my own. Pretty soon I am stuck. I may not be entirely certain how I got there and will need some assistance to get out. Standing there, stuck, I am forced to wait and listen, hoping to hear the familiar voice of my shepherd coming to assist. What a sweet sound that is, especially because I am not great at waiting for rescue - I get squirmy and impatient.

Towards the end of Tuesday on this very busy week, a few of us agreed that surely it should be Thursday. Can we just make the next day Friday by group decision? I was tired, feeling the pressure I place on myself as I watch the list of projects I want to participate in grow. Wednesday came, the group vote for Friday was overruled by calendar makers, and again the day primarily passed in a blur of rushing. Where in the midst of the hectic movement around me was the shepherd’s voice? It was hard to listen – let alone hear in all of that commotion. I felt stuck in the pace of the moments, and was waiting impatiently, hoping to be hearing my shepherd’s voice once again to calm my heart and mind against the ticking of the clock.

Sitting at a picnic table that evening at a Bible study and fellowship time, I felt my spirit being refreshed even as my eyes grew increasingly tired. In the midst of this great conversation, a young man with his hand behind his back left the road, came down the hill, took the steps and crossed the pavilion. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect to see when the hand returned to his front. What I did not anticipate seeing was a beautiful yellow rose, tinged in coral. My favorite of rose colors is this, the one that looks like a sunset was shaped into a flower and smells like all the sweetness of summer. I looked into the face of a young man and his big grin. I couldn’t help but smile in return. “This is for you,” is all the rose giver said.

I’ve never seen this fellow before, nor do I expect to meet him in the future. The interaction lasted for a moment and contained less than a dozen words between us. But that moment will stay with me for some time. I was tired, feeling caught up in the background noise and wondering exactly how I was going to fit the rest of my week into the actual span of a week. Then, in an unexpected way, the voice of my shepherd burst through the noise with a friendly smile and a beautiful rose. It was an encouragement, a refocusing of listening for my distracted thinking. And in the moment, through the actions of a stranger, I listened to the familiar voice of my shepherd. He whispered to me through a sunset colored rose, caught my attention with the fresh fragrance, and told me that he was with me.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 

John 10:1-5

Better

Some life lessons are specifically addressed and others are woven into a persons’ nature with subtle shaping, until it is a normal reaction and not seen as unique. One of these valuable learned attributes is to always be looking for how you and I can better something for someone else. It was mentioned by journalist Marja Mills when she wrote about learning to wipe the bathroom sink off at a public restroom, just to leave it better for someone else. A simple act that only takes a few seconds led her to rethink this concept in a much bigger way and incorporate it more fully into her life.

Yesterday, I saw that lesson being taught to a young girl, from someone I am supposing is her mother. Coming out of a gas station/ Arby’s on a road trip, the girl tossed her napkin towards the trash can. It bounced across the top and landed on the ground on the other side. The little girl kept going, until she was pointed back towards the trash can and instructed to pick it up and throw it away. The lesson at the forefront seemed to be to pick up after yourself. But, it was also this bigger concept of making something better for someone else.

It really is a simple, but rather inspired, concept to be actively looking for how to better something for someone else. As I go about my day, I will be challenging myself to keep my eyes and ears open to what possibilities there might be to better something for someone else. I hope you join me. 

Why Do We Pray – Help Needed

   We pray when we are in trouble, when we are happy, when we are sick – and also when we need help. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” I have been going to physical therapy for knee problems lately. What I didn’t know was that part of the problem was caused by weak muscles in my hip. Relying on my own resources, I could never fix the problem. Instead, the irritation of the joint continues, creating further problems, thus more irritation and more problems. It’s not a pretty picture.

   We pray when we need help. Here in James 5 we are instructed to confess to each other and pray for each other for healing. Confess? Umm….. could I just confess that I ate to many thin mint cookies yesterday and leave it at that? Confession is good for us and yet very difficult to do. Why? Because we are afraid of the consequences and the reaction. What will they say? What will they think of me? And what is that supposed to do anyway? Well, when I got help for my knee – I found someone who had different resources than I did. They helped me find different approaches to stairs and other difficulties. So, the person we confess too may be able to help us by providing new insight and resources. Also, it is a matter that can build accountability. If someone knows where we fall, then they can ask how we are doing in that area. If we know someone will ask, then we are more apt to look at the change of behavior we are striving for. It breaks the vicious self-reliance cycle.
   Those who are hearing that confession, they must be prepared to respond appropriately and pray with that person for healing. That means that we don’t get to play the shocked and spotless person who has never messed up. We must instead be real and honest ourselves as we pray with them for healing. We are not the one who can wash away that sin stain, but we do have an opportunity of helping to hold up that brother or sister.

Coffee & Water Break

   A long time ago, I lived in Florida and there were two hurricanes. The first went through, and then the second followed only a month later. If you have never been through a hurricane, think tornado, but magnified over and over. Midst the roads that had been swept away, the flooding, the wind and storm damage, there was a small army of people who went out and started working. There were crews putting back the lines, repairing piping, patrolling, and in general putting the town back together. Working in the heat and humidity, the crews there received a mix of thanks and hostile hurry ups.

   Just this week in Iowa we have had a blizzard, in a storm that covered many states with snow and ice. There are many people who were left without power, in very messy snow drifted and ice covered circumstances. People headed out into the crazy weather, to do their job and help others. It is easy to complain, to moan and groan about circumstances. But, let’s remember those people who are working hard, as their own driveways remain needing plowed and their only families are missing them. Let’s remember to take them coffee and water and say thank you. You can make a difference to your community as well.

Stuck

   Ow, ow ow ow ow ow!!! Somehow I managed to catch my hand between the phone and the plastic phone case. It was stuck on a pants pocket and I couldn’t get it off my pants pocket or my hand. Let me set the scene….

   Buddy, the puppy needs to go out and I put his leash on him and we go out. I grab a hat on my way out the door. After a text, and trying to put the phone back into the case one handed with a leash being yanked on by a happy hyper puppy, somehow my a small chunk of skin got caught in the phone case with the phone. Thus, here I am standing outside in my rubber boots, hat, and with the puppy on the leash declaring to the entire neighborhood, ow ow OW! My attempt to release my hand wasn’t working and it was really jammed in there, I couldn’t just pull it out. So, I dashed inside and got assistance to get my hand free! Thank heavens for helping hands!
   So, what did I learn besides putting your phone back into it’s case should be done only with two hands and adult supervision? Sometimes, you need someone else to help untangle you!
   Matthew 18:15 tells us, “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.” We were not made to be solitary creatures, but to rely on each other as one part of the body relies on another part to function. There are times when we can work through a problem, just us and God. However, there are other times when we need someone else to come along beside and teach.

Lifejacket

   For a brief time, I lived on a sand bar island in Florida. The backyard opened out onto the bay and if I would have walked straight out the front and continued across the street, I would have eventually come to the Gulf of Mexico. The water was beautiful, and the sounds of it lapping against the barrier were very restful. I learned very quickly that the water, though beautiful, was something that had to be respected.

   People walk in their own little circles, stand on sand bars in life, and feel the waves move the grains of sand beneath their feet. But, life can be full off currents, rip tides, and hidden shoals in the tides. So, I vote for a life jacket. Actually, some days I vote for a life jacket, little army float things, an inflatable dingy and a raft. The thing is that we all need a life jacket. We cannot save ourselves in the water, floating around forever. Instead, we need something to help us keep afloat.
   So, what it is that keeps me afloat? Well, I have learned that my dingy gets water in it not only because of storms, but because I keep putting water in it. The water in it is because of worry. Instead of bailing the water out, I could hold onto worry. It’ s like taking one of those empty coffee cans and filling it up with water, only to pour it into the boat. Not such a great plan. Worry, sin, destruction, the world we live in is a turbulent one. Many times a day we refill our empty coffee cans with water and instead of tossing it back out into the water, we pour it into the boat. With all of that going on, we may find that our boat sinks. Treading water, we realize that we need something that we cannot just keep refilling. We need a life jacket. I need a life jacket that keeps me afloat.
   There are good days and bad days, good choices and bad choices – life is still turbulent. What I need is something that will not fail to keep me afloat, even when my boat fails. My life jacket is the one who created the sea. He holds me even when I fill my own boat.

Just the Right Time

There are some books that are like old friends, their words are comfortable and familiar. For me, The Hiding Place, a story of Corrie Ten Boom is one of these books. The story of Corrie, her sister Betsie and their family is full of wisdom. There is also great tragedy in this story. For me, knowing that this is real and about real people makes the hurts so much deeper and more real, but the grace and forgiveness becomes even more beautiful.

Corrie is a woman who grows up learning of God through her life and her family around her. She learns of a God who loves her absolutely, who guides her through various difficulties, and always supplies the strength that is needed at the moment it is needed. If you have never read the story of this family, I highly recommend it and I won’t give away the plot here.
But, I will mention just one story. Corrie and her father are traveling on the train. Corrie is asking her father questions, trying to determine the meaning of different things. Some of the questions are very big questions for a very little girl. The father ponders the question for just a moment, and then reaches for his bag. Asking Corrie to carry the bag, she reached for it and found that it was too heavy. After telling her father that she couldn’t carry it, he took it from her. This object lesson was used to help Corrie understand that some things are too heavy for us. But, when we are called on by God to pick up that burden, he will provide the strength we need at that time. Until then, we do not have to carry the bags which we can only drag.
I find that a very real comfort. I have a God, a Father, a Friend, who not only knows when I will need strength, but then goes about providing just what I need, exactly when I need it.

High Winds and Rainbows

Recently a friend reposted something on her blog (which I highly recommend because she writes as if she is the best friend and neighbor you never had and really wanted), but she inspired me to write about something in my life.

We have had quite a few storms here lately, torrential downpours where the streets gain a layer of silt filled dirt flowing down them in small torrents of water. Lightning has pierced clouds and trees, lightening up the night brilliantly with sharp crackles of light. Then, thunder that has rolled follows. There go the tornado sirens again. I’m to the point where I’m just keeping some things in the basement in preparedness so I don’t have to gather them each time. One afternoon this week, after the storm clouds had passed and it was starting to lighten back up, a friend called on her way home from work.

“Did you see it?”

“See what?”
“The rainbow!”

I stepped outside and saw the sky filled with a beautiful rainbow. What a wonderful promise God gives us in a rainbow. Noah was given that sign as a reminder, something like a great big visual sign post that says stop and pay attention. The rainbow was God’s personal promise never to flood the earth like he did in the great flood.
As for me, I have never been a huge fan of storms. I don’t like the unsettled feeling I have with them, not knowing which was the storm will turn or what will come of it. But, the rainbows that sometimes come after are a poignant reminder to me of God’s promise. Not only to Noah, but how he used a rainbow as a sign to me that he was there, present in a stormy time.

I stood at the door of a dorm at the University of Southern Mississippi. I had been there for a week and it was one of the worst weeks of my life. I had never had panic attacks before, but I did there. I won’t go into the long story of it all, but needless to say, I had had an exhausting and anxiety filled week. I was there just for a week for drum camp before the start of school. This was the college I had chosen to go to. Upon arrival, I could feel panic wash over me. I’m not sure why it started then, but it did. A trip to the campus nurse made it worse as I was given something for motion sickness which made me – that’s right – sick. A few animal crackers and cans of Coke were all I had that week, and then a can of chicken broth which tasted wonderful at the time. I remember laying in the bed, feeling very weak and exhausted and crying. In between the crying, I would try to read my Bible, I was seeking for solace where I knew I could find it. On the last full day there before I headed to meet my family in transit to their new home in Ohio, there was a storm. As I said, I’ve never been a fan of storms, but I was so numb by this point, I didn’t care much. It was after that storm, when the dark blue sky stopped throwing rain and thunder and lightning at us, that I looked out. A rainbow! A beautiful, bright rainbow! That storm had passed, but I felt like it had stormed just for me so that I could see the rainbow. It was a reminder to me of God’s promise. I may feel that I’m drowning, but I’ll be safe from the flood.

That was years ago. Many days and storms have passed since then. But, each rainbow I see holds a special meaning for me.

Weak Strength

Someone commented to me the other day that she knew she was weak. Weak? I felt the frustration rise to the top - you are not weak! What a lie that is. What a lie we are fed, when we are stuck in moments of indecision and paralyzed with fear. There is a little voice that creeps in. “You are weak…” You know what is weak? Weak is someone who victimizes someone else. Weak is someone who bullies. Weak is someone who uses words to cut and slice and hide behind, especially if it laying guilt and blame on. Weak is not taking responsibility.

Strength, this woman, this friend is incredibly strong and brave. She doesn’t know it. That makes me sad. She doesn’t realize it and that makes me sad. She is being fed lies that she is weak, and that makes me mad. Women who go about their life, doing what they have to to make each day work, they are displaying strength. Women who can display grace under pressure cookers of life are displaying strength. Women who put a child’s needs first are displaying a strength. Women who can laugh and cry, sometimes at the same time are displaying strength. It takes strength to rely on others, to ask for help, to admit that something is hard. It takes strength to step out and decide to face each day – one day at a time.
If you know a woman today who thinks she is weak, give her a hug and help her find her strength.

My High Places

I recently heard a sermon on Psalm 121 and was amazed at the verse which I have ready many many times over the years, taken on new life and meaning for me.
Psalms 121 starts with a walk along the road to Jerusalem; the walker lifts their eyes from the view of the road and looks up. Looking up they see the hills surrounding Jerusalem. Hills at one time held the high places, the shrines of many different gods. The people would select the shrine which they felt would best suit their need and then go there to make a petition. Eventually, God pointed out – rather strongly – that the high places were where the view of the people was taken off of Him and onto something else.
I love hills, the softness of them from a distance, the way they shelter and embrace you from close up. And at the top, you can see so far. Sometimes though, the hills seem really far and really high – very high and very hard to climb. The roads are rutted, difficult to walk up. Each step becomes one of concentration and effort. Each time a foot is placed, it is checked for solidness before fully trusting. Looking up, I see the top of the hill and declare my effort and exertion worth it.
Looking up on the way to Jerusalem, the walkers would have been greeted with the sight of the high places. Could those really help them? No, of course not. Even the next verse goes on to say, “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” There are high places in my life though, and if you are honest I would imagine that there are some in yours as well. What kind of high places? Well, security for one. I want to feel secure, and sometimes that means that I don’t really want to lean on God, because maybe it doesn’t feel secure. Another one might be trust as I have moved from place to place, why am I here God? Why not over there? Why move again? Time, priorities, matters of value, matters of conscience and integrity, decisions in a fast paced life.
When my eyes gather the view above, on the hills, I need to refocus. The refocus on God lets me cut past the places I put in place of God and realize where my help really comes from. “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

One Thing to Say on the Stage

The concert is going on, and the lead singer comes out father on the stage…. “I’ve just got one thing to say.” And generally there is some inane statement that comes out after that. What if you had a moment on stage, something to announce to thousands of people at one time, what would you say?
Standing on the stage, what would you talk about, share? If you could leave one thought or impression with these people, what would it be? With some people, you may only have a moment of interaction, one moment on the stage in life. What will you say, will you impact that life?

Thank you
                                                                             God loves you
                               Good morning
                                                                                                                                      How are you
                                                                                                              Can I help
                Will you help
                                                                    This is beautiful
                                                                                                                    You are amazing
Grace
                                                 Peace
                                                                                                   Hope
                                Joy
                                                                                                                                     Love
Can I pray for you
                                                                   Will you pray for me
                                        Believe