Oct 21, 2013 | 31 Days, The Good Word
Howdy, friend! This post is part of a 31-Day writing adventure I’m now rounding third on! I’d love for you to meet up ’round here and read along. You can find the introduction to the series, and a “Table of Contents” as each day goes live, right here. Thanks so much for dropping in!
As a continual student of art (while teaching a little art in homeschool this year) and of photography, I’ve observed an interesting trend in my own preferences, from the time that I enjoyed the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, till now as I look at which of the Hubs’ photographs will take up wall space in our home.
I often love pictures and paintings with small but interesting subjects, and a beautiful heap of negative space.
Negative space, in art, is the space around and between the subject(s) of an image. Negative space may be most evident when the space around a subject, and not the subject itself, forms an interesting or artistically relevant shape. {Definition from wikipedia}
There is something enthralling for me — perhaps its a sense of how small we are, compared to the magnitude of the universe, but still how precious and important we are, in the eyes of our Creator.
This picture is from the highlands of Scotland, where the Hubs was doing a winter skills course.
The hikers in front of him obviously create an interesting subject, but it’s the vastness of the snowy clouds, the rolling hills and the bright white snow that give the photo its interest. Standing in front of this photo, printed at a large size, I am usually transfixed for a few moments, feeling like I could step into that space, too. But first I’d need my ski coat…
Negative space – the space that isn’t busy doing something, busy filled with something – still brings something very positive to the image. And the same is the case for our own lives.
We often see the time where we are sitting still, enjoying quiet and solitude as time wasted. But the thoughts that best create things worth writing about often come to me when I’m not busy.
We are often tend to think that we should create large and long to-do lists for ourselves, and that we should then scramble to scratch as many things off the list as possible during our day. I sometimes catch myself feeling guilty for taking a few minutes to just sit down and be still during the day.
Even when we sit still, we often have our phones in front of us, reading something, scouring the Facebook news feed, examining pictures on Instagram. Our brains never get a chance throughout the day to rest and to wander, and to think about things that (oftentimes) are things really worth thinking about.
But our Creator never intended for our lives to be so full to the brim that they’re a mess. We see sitting still as negative space, in the negative sense — as time poorly used, time not devoted to doing.
While negative space in a photograph often gives a greater understanding of the subject, negative space in our lives often gives us a greater understanding of life itself.
Do you sit still and take stock of how things are going? For example, how is your marriage? The best way to stay in love is to never fall out of it. How are things going for your children? Are you staying connected with them each day? Paying attention to anything concerning, handing out praise and encouragement when you can?
The things that really need our efforts, like focused time on marriage-building or parenting, seldom appear on our to-do lists.
When we sit still and give time to just breathing, just thinking, we say to God “I trust that You are in control and not me. I trust that I don’t have to work a ridiculous number of hours without resting. My provision comes from you.”
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” {Ps. 46:10}
Are you filling your life so full there’s no time for breathing, for thinking, for just being? The most wonderful things often happen in that negative space – the time you never planned to do anything with.
Absolutely make active, focused time with your Creator a high priority on your to-do list — that is positive space and positive time well spent. But also allow time in your day (or at least your week) where you aren’t doing, even doing prayer. Where the Lord can meet you in your thoughts at a moment’s notice, or you can begin to work out in your mind some of the very important things that perhaps ought to be prioritized but aren’t.
The best creativity comes from a rested brain. The most focused people are often the ones who make sure they have unfocused time.
In the Lord’s glorious goodness, He gave us these brains that allow us to connect with Him in our thoughts and in reading His Word and in prayer. He also gave us these brains for reasoning and good decision making and gaining wisdom that will help keep us on the right path for the days that we have on this Earth.
We cannot afford to get stuck in the rut of always doing, never thinking.
It’s a bit ironic, and a bit unexpected, that sometimes when we are sitting still, we move in the direction of getting the most important things accomplished.
xCC
Oct 20, 2013 | 31 Days, The Good Word
Hello there! This post is part of a 31-Day writing adventure I’m now over halfway through! I’d love for you to meet up ’round here and read along. You can find the introduction to the series, and a “Table of Contents” as each day goes live, right here. Thanks so much for dropping in!
This week I had the privilege of serving friends in need. God put opportunities in my lap to choose to give from my wallet, give from my stuff, and give from my time. This week I’ve had the privilege of being on the receiving end as well. Amazing homemade treats are sitting in my fridge. A very thoughtful belated birthday gift is in my closet. New pajama pants (for me) and an adorable Christmas outfit for the Belle were personally delivered (thanks, Mom!)
Yesterday, it just so happened that a friend of mine called because she was on the way to a special pharmacy and wanted to know if I needed anything. I was at home with a kid with a nasty cough and absolutely did need something. With the Hubs away at a wedding, it had been a long and slightly lonely day (but writing these thoughts yesterday really inspired me to think about what voices I was listening to — and my attitude definitely improved as a result!) so hearing from her was extra-special.
When my friend showed up in the evening to drop things off with a quick hello, I just felt so fortunate to have such good friends. And as I think about it this morning, she would’ve gone at least a half hour out of her way to drop by my house before going home last night. My heart was warm as I pondered the gift that friendship is.
It felt like at the end of a week where I wanted to give more and more, God reminded me that I’ll never out-give Him.
This morning, I just want to ask a couple of questions and give you a few simple thoughts.
First, are you investing in relationships with the people around you? Are you experiencing the gift of giving, demonstrating a trust that God will provide for your every need and you do not need to become a hoarder? (Remember, hoarding loads of cash when you know others are in need is still hoarding.)
This week, the literature story that we read each day in homeschool was a wonderful book called The Rag Coat. At the beginning of the story, a young girl’s father tells her People only need people, don’t you forget that. And the young girl’s experiences in the months that follow demonstrate the wisdom and truth in her father’s statement.
While I might like to add that people also need Jesus, it is important to recognize that in God’s glorious goodness, oftentimes the gifts you are asking Him for come from the hand of your next-door neighbor or a family member or even a complete stranger.
We are wise to give thanks to them and to Him for whatever we receive. And, we are wise to listen for His voice and follow His leading when it’s time for us to give. It might just be a phone call or some of your time that He’ll ask you to give. Maybe a word of encouragement or an act of kindness that will speak volumes.
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. {Hebrews 3:13}
God clearly ordained Christianity to be a Team Sport. How would we have heard the Gospel without someone telling us? And throughout our lives, we will stand together with the different people God puts on our path to do His will and to walk out the call of following Jesus.
Give when it hurts, friends. Love without concern for the opinions of the people around you. Welcome new people into your life even when it’s inconvenient. People absolutely need people. In His glorious goodness, God knew we’d need each other. And we do.
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. {Eccl. 4:9-12}
xCC
Oct 19, 2013 | 31 Days, The Good Word
Hello there! This post is part of a 31-Day writing adventure I’m now halfway through! Woop woop! I’d love for you to meet up ’round here and read along. You can find the introduction to the series, and a “Table of Contents” as each day goes live, right here. Thanks so much for dropping in!
This morning I woke up to the sound of some unpleasant voices. None of them were speaking out loud — it was all an unpleasant cacophony swirling around inside my brain.
You see, yesterday, perhaps sometime mid-morning, this cheeky little itch of a sore throat started and I immediately began preparing for the worst, thinking I’ll be practically knocked out with this unpleasant sickness for a week or two, with only enough energy to barely make it through each day, getting the minimal amount of work done around the house.
By last night the cheeky little itch was a full-blown OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW sore throat with a runny nose quickly joining the party. The Tank began coughing suddenly, and fervently, and the Hubs had a full-blown OWWWWW sore throat, too. {The Bear never seems to struggle with the colds the rest of the family gets!}
It was an okay night at the Collie house, with a couple of sleep interruptions but nothing major, but when I woke up this morning, feeling poorly and knowing the Hubs would be away shooting a wedding today, the voices set in, ready to begin whispering discouragement to my every attempt at even getting out of bed.
Here goes another rough day. Hope you can get through it.
Mark’s not going to be here and I have a sick kid to deal with.
You’re trying to do more than you’re capable of. You’re going to have to back off of something.
I wonder how long this sickness will last this time?
Needless to say, I didn’t really want to get out of bed.
Yesterday, I mentioned the fact that the sheep know their shepherd’s voice, and we, the sheep of the Good Shepherd, will know His voice by spending time in His presence.
And all of those sentences listed up there? They don’t sound anything like His voice. Some of them have surely come from my own soul in its discouraged state, and others are straight from the pit, where the enemy of my soul (and yours) prowls about like a roaring lion, hoping to devour the destiny God has planned for you.
What does the Voice of the Lord say instead?
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze. {Isaiah 43:2}
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. {John 16:33}
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. {Hebrews 12:1-3}
What does all this mean?
First, the Shepherd doesn’t promise the absence of adversity. Bumps on the track are likely. But the Shepherd does promise His presence in the midst of adversity. Second, we don’t have a God who hasn’t walked through adversity. Considering the example of Jesus, and what he endured, let’s take heart when we’re met with opposition and discouragement. He has already made it through — He can coach us to make it, too!
Hope has a name — and that name isn’t our president’s, it’s our King’s.
No matter what the other voices are whispering, what the circumstances in the world around you make you want to believe, we will overcome if we learn to listen to the Voice, as He can enable us to walk through anything for our good and His glory.
Whatever it is that’s in your heart, that you deeply sense you were created to do, it’s going to be met with opposition and there are going to be days of discouragement. You and I CANNOT allow the voices of discouragement to turn into the excuses that determine the course of our life — and run it off the course that God marked out for us.
When discouragement starts whispering, friends, run as fast as you can into His presence, soaking up the Truth that He says about who you are — and most important, who He is and ever shall be. Let discouragement become an unexpected gift that pushes you to focus even more on finding the Presence and hearing the Voice of your Savior.
Whether it’s a catastrophe or a head cold — He is with you, and He is gloriously good.
xCC
Oct 18, 2013 | 31 Days, The Good Word
Hello there! This post is part of a 31-Day writing adventure I’m now halfway through! Woop woop! I’d love for you to meet up ’round here and read along. You can find the introduction to the series, and a “Table of Contents” as each day goes live, right here. Thanks so much for dropping in!
Last night, I won a Rock, Paper, Scissors match with the Hubs. And I think that was the first time I’d won in our six and a quarter years of marriage. It was an epic big deal… here’s why.
At bedtime last night, the boys were not particularly rowdy–they were just the same sort of rowdy they’d been the entire day. (Not sure why — maybe because after days and days of clouds the sun was finally shining?) Anyway, I have yet to figure out how, but somehow at teeth-brushing time, when I left the Tank after I’d finished brushing his teeth, while the Bear was still brushing his, I stepped out of the bathroom for a moment with the Belle.
During that moment, the Tank somehow got hold of the travel-size kid toothpaste I’d already told him he could not have and placed in the back of the cupboard and began to eat it. The Bear ran into the room with the grave announcement… “Blakey is eating TOOTHPASTE!!!” and handed me the offending toothpaste.
A few moments later, the mischief (as his Gammy in South Africa aptly calls him) toddled in and handed over the toothpaste’s cap.
We sighed and scolded, and put the boys to bed, and I started the ginormous task of getting the day’s dishes clean and starting a load of laundry.
I need to pause here to explain a different part of this story so that it will all be nicely connected for you.
Ever since we moved, I’ve looked at the den-area and thought this room really needs a rug. For the sake of the baby, to warm up the space and make it feel like home and comfortable in the evenings, it would just be really nice to find THE rug for this space. But I haven’t bought one yet. I found some I really liked at fairly good prices, but didn’t have a peace about buying one, and decided to set it aside and look more later.
The room is currently rugless, which is not an awful thing, not at all. It just is what it is.
So. I’m in the throes of preparing to climb Dish Mountain, when I hear the door to the boys’ room crack open. Through the open plan kitchen-to-rugless-den, I look down the passageway toward their room and see the Tank quietly toddle out, confused, looking down the hall toward our bedroom, and then looking my way and spotting me in the kitchen.
He turns to head toward me, slowly moving into the rugless den, there it is — his dinner all over the floor.
At first, I’m just shocked he has emptied his tummy onto the floor, and busy scrambling, as I call for HH, to think of what to do next. We whisk him to the bathroom, get him some water, wipe off the parts of him the need wiping, strip off the clothes — they definitely needed stripping — and a few moments later, he is his usual, cheeky, smiley self.
After we settle him back to bed, we ponder what could’ve caused it — tacos are a usual event on our menu, nothing out of the ordinary on the menu all day, no other signs of sickness at all. Then HH quickly arrives at the conclusion:
The Toothpaste.
{Hard not to love this little guy.}
It was a little later in the evening when the thought occurred to me to thank the Lord that I hadn’t bought a rug yet. I would have been SO disappointed if he’d puked on a new rug — would it have even come clean?
The principle behind this long story is a simple one, and these verses sum it up really well:
Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance. {Psalm 16:5-6}
There are times when things aren’t going the way we hope they will, or when we clearly hear a “NO” when we’re hoping for a yes. And sometimes it’s frustrating. Other times it can be devastating.
We put boundaries around our own children with No-no’s. From a very early age, we hedge them about with things they are not allowed to touch or do, and as they grow older, we choose more and different no’s for their boundaries: No playing in the street. No biting your brother. No drawing on the walls.
Sometimes the No’s are personal preferences, but very often, they are for the child’s benefit. His protection, his character development, his interpersonal skill development, his education.
No’s often lead to a better yes — and we sometimes have that yes in mind when we’re issuing the no. You can’t watch TV right now but you can build something with blocks, which is much better for you anyway.
If we are the children of an amazing Heavenly Father, then we can be sure, He, even more than you or I, is thinking clearly about what questions are answered with “No” and which ones are “Yes.”
When we shift our focus from the primary desire of gathering up stuff to make a comfortable life to “Your name and your renown are the desires of our hearts” we will naturally arrive at a place of trust.
Isaiah said:
But for those who are righteous,
the way is not steep and rough.
You are a God who does what is right,
and you smooth out the path ahead of them.
Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws;
our heart’s desire is to glorify your name. {Is. 26:7&8}
It takes trust to obey God, it takes trust to put a smile on your dial when you hoped for a yes and got a know. I never could’ve known that my rug would’ve been puked on when I was busy perusing the offerings at Overstock.com. But the Lord set a boundary line for me — and in His glorious goodness, I think that might’ve been part of the reason He did so.
Yesterday, we spoke about contentment — and this is where contentment becomes realest real. Your financial situation, your health, the amount of furniture in your living room — if you are living in obedience to God, you can trust His hand is creating boundaries for you.
Sometimes, they are boundaries He’d like you to accept for the time being. {Don’t buy that rug yet.} Sometimes, they’re boundaries He has created with the attention of calling you to rise to the challenge. If your marriage is on a rocky road, the Lord may want you and your spouse to seek some counseling or have some serious heart-to-heart time to find out what is at the root of all the strife between you, and to begin changing the way you interact with one another for the better. He may be calling you to fight for one another in a world that’s fighting to pull marriages apart.
How will you know what to do with those boundaries? Spend time in His Word and listen for His voice. His sheep know His voice, because they spend their days with the shepherd.
His glorious goodness speaks a good yes and a good no — and you can trust His greater plan is at work in both of them.
And about that Rock, Paper, Scissors match? In His glorious goodness, the Lord let me win this one, and my precious, wonderful, handsome and amazing Hero Hubs had toothpaste-incident-related-clean-up-duty.
Bless the Lord for another boundary falling in a pleasant place. {Mark, I love you.}
xCC
Oct 17, 2013 | 31 Days, The Good Word
Hello there! This post is part of a 31-Day writing adventure I’m now halfway through! Woop woop! I’d love for you to meet up ’round here and read along. You can find the introduction to the series, and a “Table of Contents” as each day goes live, right here. Thanks so much for dropping in!
A few days ago, I read an incredibly interesting infographic over at the Nester’s site, which explained how we devote so many of the precious hours and days of our lives to getting stuff, working to pay for stuff, taking care of stuff, and buying stuff to help manage our stuff.
I was not surprised to see the significantly higher number of hours American women spend shopping over the course of their lives — because we are at intersection of convenience, affordability, and disposable income (often at the expense of people in other parts of the world).
I was pretty amazed, however, that while the average number of people per household in 2011 is 2.6, compared to 3.37 in 1950, the average square footage of an American home has nearly tripled. An individual person has almost as many square feet as an entire family would’ve shared 61 years ago.
But are we better off? Are our families closer knit? Are we happier?
There’s a medicine we really need, and it’s not available at Walmart or by shopping on Amazon.
Paul once spoke about a soul-transition that took place as he continually followed Christ:
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. {Phil. 4: 11-13}
We love the last part of this section of Scripture: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. But what Paul is referring to here is not the ability to knock out an opponent in the arena or run a triathlon in record time. He’s saying No matter what my circumstances are, I can be content in every situation.
And contentment? Well that’s the medicine we really need and can’t buy.
Spending time on the mission field, both on long and short term missions, and listening to the stories of other folks who’ve spent time among people in poverty, it is rare to not hear the missionary comment on the happiness of “those people who totally have nothing you guys. Like, they have nothing and they’re still totally happy.”
{click the picture for more info on this little one}
It’s an interesting moment in the soul of a believer — when, almost jealous, they recognize that people in poverty sometimes have something that the wealthiest of the wealthy don’t have.
And there it is again — that medicine we can’t buy but really need — contentment.
So where do we go to find that medicine we need?
You have given me greater joy
than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.
In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. {Psalm 4:7-8}
There’s only one place I know of. In the heart of God, where you submit your desires to Him, and begin to see that in Christ we are already given all things. That Jesus is so sufficient and absolutely more than enough.
Because do you know what is a more powerful message than someone who has it all? Someone who has nothing but still has joy.
A couple of nights ago, Matt Redman won song of the year at the Dove awards for his powerful new song, 10,000 Reasons. One beautiful verse from the song is:
You’re rich in love, and You’re slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find
Searching out those ten thousand reasons over the course of every day you’re given on this Earth, and then giving thanks to God for His goodness — it is amazing how this can change your perspective about your life. It can help you choose the right measuring stick for making assessments on what you can and can’t live without. It can also help you discern areas where an adjustment of time or career focus or shopping and spending habits or home size could allow you to actually live the life you’re dying to live.
In His glorious goodness, our decision to consistently focus on and remember His glorious goodness will change us for the better. Isn’t that unexpectedly amazing? We can live happier, more fulfilled lives, with contentment in our hearts–simply because we choose to consistently remember and give thanks for the goodness of God, in the gifts He has already lavished us with, day by day.
In so many ways, less can truly be more — and that is glorious.
xCC
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