A few weeks ago I was reading about the prophet Elijah. Here is a guy who is fleeing for his life. He sets out to climb Mount Sinai and talk to God. As he stands on the mountain top God sends a crazy windstorm, next he sends an earthquake, and follows the quake with a fire. Now these are God sized calamities, I can only imagine what it must have been like to stand at the top of the mountain and witness God's power through these storms. But the bible repeats, God was not in the wind, not in the earthquake, not in the fire. God shows up after all of these mighty acts in the sound of a gentle whisper.
As I was preparing to go out of town to a children's conference last week, I felt myself behaving like a natural disaster. Everywhere I went was rushed, too busy for my co-workers, husband, kids, friends. I was creating the perfect storm around me. When I got to this conference one of the speakers reminded me of the story I had just read.
Sometimes I get so busy with doing "God's work" that I forget to seek him out. I think if I can work a little harder, get a few more things checked off my list, connect with a few more volunteers, I will be worthy of the title I have been given. Funny thing is, I create this storm around me and God's not there. He just wants me to take some time to hear the gentle breeze of his whispers.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Grace through my child's eyes
School can be a cruel place for children of faith. They are bombarded from an early age of the “ways of the world” and then we ask them to make good choices and do the right things. A task that I find impossible on most days to accomplish.
One Sunday morning as I picked up my eight year old from her Sunday school class her eyes caught mine and gave me the “deer in the headlights” look. She casually (or as casual as an eight year old can be jerking her neck from side to side) motioned for me to check out the visiting classmate for the day. As my eyes glanced across the room they rested on the sight no mother ever wants to see in her child’s “safe place”, the school bully.
I casually whispered, “Let’s talk about this in the car.” On our way outside to the car my mind was racing with thoughts of frustration and anger. This child has been responsible for countless tears and hurt feelings, I didn’t want her at our church too. This was our place, this was our sanctuary from bullies!
And then my eight year old daughter taught me a valuable lesson in humility. She said, “Mom, I am so glad she was there today.” I looked at her with a shocked expression and said, “Really, why?” “Because mom, if she learns about Jesus, I know she will learn to be nice.”
God’s grace was shown to me that day through the eyes of my child.
One Sunday morning as I picked up my eight year old from her Sunday school class her eyes caught mine and gave me the “deer in the headlights” look. She casually (or as casual as an eight year old can be jerking her neck from side to side) motioned for me to check out the visiting classmate for the day. As my eyes glanced across the room they rested on the sight no mother ever wants to see in her child’s “safe place”, the school bully.
I casually whispered, “Let’s talk about this in the car.” On our way outside to the car my mind was racing with thoughts of frustration and anger. This child has been responsible for countless tears and hurt feelings, I didn’t want her at our church too. This was our place, this was our sanctuary from bullies!
And then my eight year old daughter taught me a valuable lesson in humility. She said, “Mom, I am so glad she was there today.” I looked at her with a shocked expression and said, “Really, why?” “Because mom, if she learns about Jesus, I know she will learn to be nice.”
God’s grace was shown to me that day through the eyes of my child.
Sit and Be Still
I have never met a stranger, a gift I inherited from my father. Grocery stores, restaurants, out of town museums; he can, and will talk to anyone. As a child this brought me great amounts of grief. It took an extra hour to go anywhere because of the conversations that would inevitably come.
I inherited this “gift of gab” from my dad; I love to talk, I love to meet new people, I love the sound of my own voice. I am what you would classify as an extrovert.
Last year I went to work in a cubicle environment, a large room divided by small partitions. I thrive in the buzzing environment of conversations and activity, but not everyone around me shares my enthusiasm. I started noticing my colleagues wearing headphones and even shushing me on occasion. Have you ever been shushed as an adult? It’s not a nice feeling.
Last Sunday our Pastor, Brian Jones, was talking about the different personality traits of introverts and extroverts. He gave a humorous demonstration of how different an introvert and extrovert would go through the motions of looking for lost car keys.
The contrast between the two was humorous. I laughed at the comedy of what I must sound like from an outsider, but it got me to thinking. How can I ever hear what God wants for me to hear if I’m the one always talking? The bible tells us to sit and be still. How often do I take the time to listen, not verbalize the first thought that comes to my mind, not speak the many words of the voices in my head, but just listen. I have to admit, not often.
This is my goal for the week: to sit and be still. I will earnestly stop and listen for God. Who knows what he may be trying to tell me.
I inherited this “gift of gab” from my dad; I love to talk, I love to meet new people, I love the sound of my own voice. I am what you would classify as an extrovert.
Last year I went to work in a cubicle environment, a large room divided by small partitions. I thrive in the buzzing environment of conversations and activity, but not everyone around me shares my enthusiasm. I started noticing my colleagues wearing headphones and even shushing me on occasion. Have you ever been shushed as an adult? It’s not a nice feeling.
Last Sunday our Pastor, Brian Jones, was talking about the different personality traits of introverts and extroverts. He gave a humorous demonstration of how different an introvert and extrovert would go through the motions of looking for lost car keys.
The contrast between the two was humorous. I laughed at the comedy of what I must sound like from an outsider, but it got me to thinking. How can I ever hear what God wants for me to hear if I’m the one always talking? The bible tells us to sit and be still. How often do I take the time to listen, not verbalize the first thought that comes to my mind, not speak the many words of the voices in my head, but just listen. I have to admit, not often.
This is my goal for the week: to sit and be still. I will earnestly stop and listen for God. Who knows what he may be trying to tell me.
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