Restoring More Than Camps

 

Recently Joel and I have gotten into watching Maine Cabin Masters on the DIY (do it yourself) channel.  It is a show about a few friends and family members who work together to restore what they in Maine call, "camps".  Many of these cabins are deep into the woods near or on a lake,  They have been neglected and are so beat up they appear unsalvageable.  We have said more than once in the beginning of a show that they should just tear them down and start over.  Yet by the end of the show they have created a great little camp that the owners are able to spend their summers and weekends enjoying.  It is amazing to see them after they have been renovated, rebuilt, and restored.

I could not help but think about us humans, as broken people who need a whole lot of Jesus.  We who need renovating and restoring!  And our Master Creator has the skills and desire to take us and mold us into Christ-like beings who radiate His love and kindness into the world.  We certainly need that in this present moment more than ever, don't we.  

God loves us so much that He not only sent His only son to die for us in every way, shape, and form, but He also wants us to hold on to the knowledge that Holy Spirit lives in us.  He is part of us.  That gives us the power and authority needed to release the fruits of the Spirit in us.  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, the fruits that are to pour out of us as we walk with Jesus and let our Creator mold and shape us into His likeness.

Just like those cabins/camps that look so beat up and unsalvageable........we too may look that way when we look in the mirror, look at our past, or look at our failings.  We may look at others and think they should just be forgotten....no hope for them!  But God looks at us, all of us, just like the cabin masters in Maine, and sees our potential.  He knows we have all sinned and fallen short, yet sees what we can be and cannot yet see,  and He loves us enough to lead us down "paths of righteousness".

Thankfully, God is in the business of restoring more than camps in Maine.  It is up to us to open ourselves to the possibilities He sees in us.  To open ourselves to forgiveness and forgiving...to open our hearts to others as we all rely on His promises and let Holy Spirit release His fruits within us, grateful for our Master Creator seeing in us potential, seeing what we cannot yet see.....Isn't He amazing?!

A Fork In The Road?

The birthing process is made up of stirrings, contractions, discomfort, pain and effort.  And at the end of the process emerges the gift of a life, created by God with the help of mom and dad, of course.  A beautiful gift that has made the waiting and the journey worthwhile.

We go through a similar process when God works in and through His people, pruning us, stretching our beliefs and renewing our spirit. This birthing, this being reborn, and renewed in Christ to be more like His image, is a process that we take part in.  We open and surrender ourselves to Holy Spirit, so that we can be all He has created us to be.  Our unique selves, made for His purpose.

Joel and I have been in transformation the past 4 years, but especially the last 7 months. Our journey began with Joel's overnight microwave healing and continued on with my own healing journey.  We developed a deep passion for healing through prayer and could not learn enough about it. In the past 7 months the journey has involved healing through surgeries and radiation, and more recovery time than I want to admit.  But this is not the whole story.  This season has also been about way more than healing, it has been about having a closer relationship with Papa God and about being open to His continued purpose for our lives. It has been and still is about removing God from a place of our own understanding and saying with our whole being............We want more of you God........at. any. cost.

I recently saw a picture in my mind of a road and ahead were two forks.  I identified one fork as our Lutheran heritage, where we have been rooted our whole lives.  The other fork in the road was all that we have learned beyond our Lutheran beliefs, a place of more of Holy Spirit manifestations, more of the prophetic and a different understanding of healing.

As I looked at this picture it became a person with arms raised to God in praise. The fork in the road was really not a place of decision....do we go to the left or to the right......it was a blending of who we were and who we are now and finding peace with how both are molding and shaping us into who God desires.  In this process involving effort, discomfort and even pain, our focus needs to remain on God.....who in His infinite wisdom is creating something new~ someone new.

I don't think this process is unique or a one time event, but is an ongoing part of everyone's lives. We are transformed and renewed by a loving God who does not want to leave us where we are, but encourages us to grow and be shaped into the image of Christ for His purpose as long as we take breath into our bodies.  This birthing process is not always easy or comfortable, but it is an adventure we don't want to miss out on, that's for sure.  So we continue to ask with expectation and even some anxiety for something more...........at. any. cost.

Seeking Spiritual Whitespace

This past Sunday afternoon through Tuesday noon Joel and I attended the Northeast Iowa Synod pastors retreat in Dubuque Iowa.  It was the first time I went, so I was looking forward to the retreat and meeting some of Joel's colleagues.

My expectation was that we would be engaged in what Bonnie Gray calls "spiritual whitespace"  A time of rest and renewal....in ways that bring you peace and joy and healing. 

There was a speaker from Chicago's ELCA headquarters whose list of accomplishments and degrees took 5 minutes to read!  She lived and breathed academia, and for six hours over 2 days we took in her lectures.  I am not a theologian, but I was not the only one who found her fascination with research and presentation of Jesus as male and female a bit, actually more than a bit unsettling.   For me it was also frustrating and definitely not relaxing.  It was hard work for my brain to stay engaged.  I speak from my heart first and run it through my brain.  She spoke from her brain.

On day two I looked around and observed other rostered pastors, spouses, and staff.  Were any of them waiting for the point to be recognized, and how to apply this information to ourselves and our congregations?  Many had their iPads, tablets, and phones in hand.  Some were checking emails and Facebook (yep), others were taking notes.  I was making an effort to stay focused.

Don't get me wrong, there is a place for this kind of learning, although in all honesty, you could not pay me to sit through it again!  What kept running through my head was the question..."Is this a retreat or continuing education?"  In my opinion, there was nothing restoring or healing about those hours spent on hard chairs. 

In search of spiritual whitespace, I began to look forward to the worship times.  A man named Richard Bruxvoort Colligan led worship with Psalms set to music, using guitar, banjo, and drums.  It was beautiful, as we sang David's songs of lament and praise.  He would engage us in deep breathing, prayer for those on our left and right, and have us sit in silence until it became almost uncomfortable.  In these morning and evening moments, spiritual whitespace existed.  Moments to restore, rest, renew.  Moments to connect with Jesus in intimacy, One on one.   We also attended a service at Wartburg Seminary.  There is nothing like hearing a church filled with pastors singing.  Oh my the power in their voices!  Great food for the soul. 

Reflecting back on these days, I realized that no matter the circumstances, we have the opportunity to seek out and find spiritual whitespace, as we did within the beautiful music, the powerful church service at the Wartburg chapel, and even while swopping stories of our first years of ministry with friends over a meal.  Seek and ye will find.....  God waits patiently for us, in nature, in church, in our living rooms, even in hotel conference rooms.  He longs to give us nourishment for the soul.

Mind Renewal

"Be careful what you think because your thoughts run your life."

Proverbs 23:7

I was thinking about the purging of old meds, herbs, and supplements that I accomplished a couple of days ago, and how I carried that over into purging my heart of unwanted "stuff" too.  Spending time pondering this process, I soon realized  that I needed to include a good cleansing of my mind, too.

Truth be told, this is a difficult process.  It is not easy to get rid of the old tapes we play over and over ~ the ones that discourage us more than encourage us!! And what about how we talk to ourselves?  Would we ever say to others what we so easily declare over ourselves?  It is also easy to fill up our minds with garbage.  The  "garbage" we watch.  The TV ads alone are enough to depress a person!

Last week during pastor Rick Warren's sermon, he talked about how important our thoughts are.  They help shape our identity.  Warren reminded us that " We don't have to believe everything we think.". He went on to say, "We can choose what we think about.". The most important way we change how we think is with the Word of God.  We put the truth of Gods Word in us every time we open our Bible.  The scriptures help us renew our minds.

Cleansing and renewing the mind is a daily process, but not impossible.  After all, God supplied us with just what we need!  

Porch Sitting

One of the blessings Joel and I have experienced while living with illness is the gift of porch sitting. We love to have our morning devotions and breakfast on our covered porch, and sometimes we take our mandatory naps there too.  We live in a quiet neighborhood and sitting on our porch in the silence brings us in touch with nature ~ with what we see, smell, and hear.  It is so relaxing and peaceful!

In our world of over planning, rushing, and doing more and more, people often do not take time to be still.  At one time Joel and I were a part of that, while Joel served as a pastor, I often worked outside the home or as a volunteer, and we raised 7 children. I am not sure we took much time to rest and enjoy our surroundings.  Then illness came calling.  God's command to "Be still and know that I am God" has taken on special meaning for us now, as we rest in the hope of restoring our bodies.  The time of resting has also renewed our spirits.  Porch sitting has become our favorite thing to do!

So, just why does a person wait for illness before taking God's advice?   Dont' you wonder? Throughout scriptures God speaks of how important it is to take time to renew our bodies, minds and spirits.  Maybe we are afraid of what we will find when we are still with our own thoughts...or maybe we live so unconsciously on the treadmill called life that we are not even aware of time passing.  Possibly we have the false believe that things just won't get done if we don't keep going.  We think about taking the time....but it "just gets away from us."  We are constantly busy and it seems always connected to some form of technology.

 I wonder if God would hear from us more often if we were able to reach Him by email or a text!  Oh dear!  Oh, how God longs to hear from us.  How he longs for us to take the time to be still before Him.  He desires us to rest and restore our bodies and minds.   Psalm 23 says:

"He makes me lie down in green meadows

He leads me beside still waters

He restores mys soul"

Taking time to rest, renew, and restore ourselves is a good thing. May each of you find your own time for porch sitting!!!  I think God says it best!

"Come unto me ye who are heavy laden and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:28

Stop over and visit Ginger and Charlotte at Spiritual Sundays and read more posts or link up your own.

The You-And-I-Together Factor

This morning as my husband and I were having devotions, we read from Sarah Young's devotional, Jesus Calling.   One sentence stood out for me.  "It is this you-and-I-together factor that gives you confidence to face the day cheerfully."  Isn't that the truth!

Each day we wake up to another 24 hours to celebrate life.  Some days it just does not seem worth celebrating, other days our hearts burst with the joy of being alive.  The sun may be shining, or storms may be on the horizon.  At times the storms may be so loud and heavy over us that we wonder if they will ever end.  It is easy to feel we are alone.  Not so.  Whatever comes our way, we have the you-and-I (the I AM) together factor to get us through.

Yesterday I wrote an honest post about my journey the past few months.  It has been up and down physically and emotionally I have put myself through the gamut, choosing to worry, to focus on my circumstances, to try to get God to heal me my way and right now.  I am no longer in that dark place. I have come through the heavy depression I felt for the first time ever.  I am resting more in God's loving arms as I wake up each morning.  My resistance has turned to resting in Him.

One thing I am learning over and over is that I am not on my own.  Inviting Jesus into our thoughts as Jesus Calling says, gives us the best perspective.  What a precious gift that is ~ the you-and-I-together factor.

A Trip To The River

Yesterday we took a trip to the river!

Granted our river is only 3 blocks away by foot path

and one mile by car~

But it was the first time I had left our home in 28 days.

It felt wonderful!

Our cleaning lady was here so we grabbed my devotional basket

and headed out to the van for a short trip to the river park

where we drove in under a tree,

cracked the windows

took in the fresh air

and enjoyed the view of the river.

For at least 15 years whenever we would travel I would

take along with me my basket.

My handwoven basket holds my devotional books, a Bible,

a couple of tablets and pens and pencils.

It was made by a tribe that lives up in the mountains of Baguio

in The Philippines.

We spent 2 yrs living there.

I have had this basket for over 30 years

and carried it with me in the car for over 15,

The rest of the time it sits in my living room~

It is a companion so to speak~

It holds things most dear to me

It holds memories I cherish.

I have hope and dreams for the days ahead

when I can pack it up and travel once again.

For now I am just thankful I was able to take a trip to the river!

A Good Soaking

On Tuesday we purchased three beautiful bushes to plant in our yard. We brought them home and put them up front to be planted this coming week. It seems we then forgot to water them! This morning I looked out and saw all the leaves drooping on every bush. Checking the soil we discovered it was bone dry and desperately in need of water. With hope that we were not too late, we soaked each bush in water making sure to spray the leaves too. Two hours later I checked on them and the leaves were no long drooping. In fact, the bushes are back to looking strong and sturdy! Disaster avoided.


While soaking the bushes in water, it made me think of something I read this week about "soaking prayers". I could not help but see the analogy between the bushes and our spiritual lives. There are times when we feel the need for a good soaking. Life has left us parched and our own "leaves" are drooping! We have a need to be refreshed and renewed. One way to get a good soaking is to spend time in prayer.

Recently I joined a conference call prayer group for people with Lyme. This past Wednesday was our second session. The whole hour plus was spent in continual prayer. As the leader prayed, the 30 people on the phone line all lifted up the needs of the people in prayer, and the power in those soaking prayers for healing could be felt. I know my leaves are no longer drooping! These soaking prayers left me feeling renewed. A good soaking can provide us with the strength to carry on, just like our bushes awaiting planting!

To read inspirational posts, stop over at Spiritual Sundays~ www.bloggerspirit.blogspot.com ~ Ginger and Charlotte have blessed us with a place for a good soaking to nourish our faith!

A Good Attitude

"Attitude is your thought life turned inside out."

Joyce Meyer

Today I started my morning by listening to Joyce Meyer speak about the importance of maintaining a good attitude. I have to confess that too often my inner thoughts dwell on what I am worrying about. Being often alone and homebound, I can find myself struggling with negative thoughts or dwelling on how I am feeling. If someone were to ask, I would say I have a good attitude most of the time....but Joyce Meyer's quote above gave me pause. Does my attitude reflect my inner struggle with worry?

I chuckled when she asked her audience what song was "theirs" of the four she named:

"Make the World Go Away"

"Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head"

"I'll Do It My Way"

"Oh, What A Beautiful Morning"

I could claim all four at different times in my life...sometimes all four in just one day! I expect we have all felt this way at some time or another. Ephesians 4:23 gives us an idea of how to keep an attitude of gratitude, no matter what comes our way. "Be constantly renewed in the spirit of our minds...." (Amplified). Yes, the Bible gives us the tools we need to be able maintain a good attitude. And with the renewal of our minds ~ including a positive attitude, we will be able to sing more about beautiful mornings than raindrops!

Cleansing Rain

Psalm 51:7 "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow." Ps. 51:10 "Create in me a clean heart, O god, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."

It is raining hard today. There is thunder and lightening in the sky at times, and a good old fashioned steady rain is helping the grass and spring flowers to grow. The rain is washing "winter" dust off the house, roof, and decks ~making everything clean. The often used quote, "April showers bring May flowers" is ringing true here in the Midwest today.

At times I feel the need for a good old fashioned rain to rid me of my "winter" dust, while making me clean again and helping me grow. There comes a time when we all are in need of renewal. Our bodies may need a rest, our hearts may be in need of healing, or our minds just might need cleansing and reordering. Sometimes in our brokenness we need all three.

In such a time as this, God will cleanse and heal us when we come to Him with arms outstretched. He will restore us, renew us, and sustain us, just as a cleansing rain restores the earth.