grateful for the gifts.

• blueberry crumble from the dining room that closely resembles a starbuck's creation
• rain outside + cozy quilt + apple cider + good book
• kayaking

• cheez its and dr. pepper
• apples
• fabulous green pen

• legitimate bike rid with caroline...and then one with eli
• a creation that ended up being something akin to hot and sour soup
• an amazing way to spend a saturday

• "eye of the tiger."  makes doing the core caper so much better
• "The number of new cases of confirmed new Ebola infections in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone has been falling for the last three weeks." AMEN. 
• mooring lines

• emma + washing dishes + "all i do is win"
• cucumbers + raspberry balsamic vinaigrette + crutons
• caroline's fort/cave

• "the fact that I am with you makes ever moment of your life meaningful." - jesus calling
• emma riding her bicycle w/o training wheels.
• silly things that make me smile

 

Rudyard Kipling's "IF"

a poem that has made a difference in my life...in honor and in memory of the teacher that shared it with me (who also made a difference in my life.  a tremendous difference.), Mrs. Parrish. 

"If" by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you   

    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

    But make allowance for their doubting too;   

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;   

    If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

    And treat those two impostors just the same;   

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

    And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

    And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

    And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

    To serve your turn long after they are gone,   

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

    Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,   

    Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

    If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

    With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,   

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,   

    And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Source: A Choice of Kipling's Verse (1943)

5 minutes on the word of the week: Laughter

Laughter

“Make a joyful noise to Lord…”  I do believe laughter fits into that category. Laughter…it’s a gift, a balm, good medicine.  I think we laugh because the happiness can’t be contained – it has to come bubbling out.  And sometimes we laugh so that we don't explode.  There are certainly times when I choose laughter to keep from crying (especially if I'm in pain...)(I don't know why...just part of how I'm wired...).

Favorite laughs:

• Josh Young – it’s loud and strong…and can often be heard across the ship.
• Elisabeth – she snorts.  And I love it.  I snort sometimes…and that makes me laugh all the more.
• Caroline’s giggle.  It’s infectious and contagious. 

Another favorite is when you get to giggling in a moment when you really aren’t supposed to be giggling (like during a prayer…or at a funeral….).  The more you try to stop the more you can’t…and it hurts like crazy to not laugh and then it comes out in a big burst and is totally embarrassing. Nope, that’s never happened to me. 

Nick likes it when I make myself laugh.  I often think things are funny – even if no one else does.  I think I’m funny far more often than anyone else does.

I’m thinking laughter is kind of like fingerprints…a sweet gift from God that makes us who we are.  So many different kinds of laughter and different reasons for laughter….laugh on.       

t to the h to the ankful.

• little touches of thoughtfulness that make a big difference
• our good God, Abba Father
• caroline and her science experiments
• smoothie from naomi (no bananas!)
• norwegian chocolate & lovely note from elisabeth

• ultimate frisbee on friday
• successful room swappage
• celebrating krissy
• emma singing "if you want to be somebody, if you want to go somewhere, better wake up and pay attention."
• popcorn from the cafe (perfect afternoon snack)

• "you looked like snow white up there." kind words from a kind friend. 
• getting to be in the OR - such sacred space
• not a lot of food wasted at lunch
• the salted caramel hot chocolate from the packet was oh so good!
• skype time with the white family!!

• corne's determination (and ultimate success) with the shredder
• bigger and/or better
• "as you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work." - Colossians 1:10 (ish)(MSG)
• shea's laughter - what a joyful noise. 

snippets.

5 minutes on the word of the week: Hope

Hope

I can’t hear the word without thinking of the little girl.  The little girl that a dear friend carried in her womb…the sweet mama and daddy who received a terrible diagnosis about their precious daughter – the little one that they named “Hope”, believing in great faith that miracles would happen…the community that prayed and believed that our God could heal her…the grief that followed when that didn’t happen.  We lost Hope.

But we didn’t. 

Our hope is forever in Him.  The One who sees the end from the beginning and all the in between.  The One who loves us more than we can imagine and makes His plans for our life accordingly.  The One who never gives up and never runs out.  The One who understands us far better than we understand ourselves. 

I KNOW that I know that I know that “hope does not disappoint”...but sometimes life is disappointing.  Our God does not disappoint – but we would be fooling ourselves to say that disappointing things don’t happen…we don’t always have the whole picture – but we do always have hope!  And one day we will have the whole picture.  One day we’ll see it…and we’ll see how His love was woven into every hurt, every disappointment, every shattered dream.  He is with us…and that gives me such great hope. 

thanking Him for the many pleasures He provides...

• "when you thank Me for the many pleasures I provide, you affirm that I am God, from whom all blessings flow." - jesus callin
• the air conditioning that was turned on for the last 2 hours of the bus ride 
• tremendously warm welcome back to the ship
• tim tam from jas

• ultimate frisbee friday afternoon (though i'm terribly out of "africa frisbee" shape)
• obvious answers to prayers
• wiiU adventures begin

• taking the trash out (such a peaceful excursion)
• taking sleep in saturday to a whole new level
• new caulk (or something like that) on our window seal = no more rain on the inside of our cabin

• getting to organize things
• knowing shea is going to meet me on the dock 
• unpacking - putting things in their proper places
• drinking from a mason jar (coke with crushed ice to boot!)

• our last piece of luggage made it
• eli + alex + minecraft + skype
• ally & amy are back!
• return addresses (from the christmas cards we received!)

• the AFM youth leaders
• hearing about obedience (even when it's tough!)
• molly & ritchie's marriage
• two 12 packs of cherry coke, thanks to 'chelle!

favorite song right now: "Here's My Heart" by David Crowder

I heard an incredible song on the radio while we were in Columbus (88.5 the Truth, how I've missed you!!!).  It's David Crowder's "here's my heart" -- powerful words that blessed me and strengthened my spirit and resounded in my soul.  

Maybe the song will bless you, too (here are the words...and then a link to a youtube video of the song).  

Here's my heart Lord,
Speak what is true

‘Cause I am found, I am Yours
I am loved, I'm made pure
I have life, I can breathe
I am healed, I am free

‘Cause You are strong, You are sure
You are life, You endure
You are good, always true
You are light breaking through

Here's my life Lord,
Speak what is true

You are more than enough
You are here, You are love
You are hope, You are grace
You're all I have, You're everything

5 minutes on the word of the week: right(s)

Right (s)

The word given to me this week from the ever lovely word giver: Right(s)

And she added “As in: you've gotta fight, for your right, to party! See Also:  the bill of rights.”

Which really has me thinking not only about the Beastie Boys, but also that this word “right” (and/or “rights”) has so many different meanings!!!  I can turn right, be right, have rights…I can fight for rights, have my rights read to me…what about children’s rights? Animal rights? The right to bear arms (and the right to bare arms)? All kinds of possibilities…all kinds of cans of worms that could be popped open (aside: I’ve never actually seen a can of worms…I’ve seen a plastic container of worms but no cans of worms….).  I don’t even know where to go with this word "right(s)" (and 1/5 of my time is GONE!!).

I’ll head in the direction of “when it’s wrong to be right”  -- that was the title of an article that has had a significant impact on my life.  Basically it was talking about how being right isn’t always the most important thing (the article was specifically talking about this concept in the context of marriage…but it applies to all relationships and to life in general!). 

So many times in life we think our way is the way and maybe even the only way…and that’s just really not very true most of the time.  The reality is that most of the time there are lots of different ways. 

Silly example: when we lived in Columbus there were quite a few different routes to get from our house to pretty much any other place in town.  Nick and I usually chose different routes….I preferred mine, he preferred his. And it would have been ridiculous for me to suggest that his way was wrong and my way was right. Just because it’s not the way I would do it/not the way I would go, does not at all mean that’s wrong. 

Sometimes we get hung up on our own “right”…and we miss the chance to experience another version of right.  And in the words of somebody (Aerosmith?) I “…don’t want to miss a thing…”  What might we be missing when we refuse to accept any other "right" other than our own?

such kindness.

• sacred moments at starbucks (revving engines and all)
• new found love and appreciation for apple cider
• the way caroline loves on little ones (especially this little one)

• holly & gill's kindness (and tasty dessert and beautiful hospitality)
• the way Lane cares for and invests in my children (and in his own)
• the white car cranked right up!
• the (surprising) tastiness of mcdonald's caramel frappe
• the ongoing blessing of the cards shea collected for us
• the beautiful gifts from beth
• the gift of getting to see beth & her family
• God's ability to always outgive us

• being surrounded by such a "great cloud of witnesses" in lane & wendy's living room
• 1 suitcase is packed 
• a new monthly donor
• pretty blue fingers and toes
• the perfect last breakfast

• cash/white kid group hug
• shopping spree splurge at the airport thanks to aunt amy
• lovely last day
• eye spy enthusiasm with emma
• 56 reasons why we love yaya

Love Does - favorite quotes from the book!

I just finished reading a delightful book called "Love Does" by Bob Goff.  I started reading it after we got on the plane for our flight to Georgia - a girl walked by as she was boarding the plane and said (very enthusiastically and quite loudly) - "THAT IS AN AWESOME BOOK."  We talked for a quick minute (as much as one can as other passengers were pressing in and encouraging her to go ahead and move on through to her seat!).  Made me smile to connect with this stranger over the book that I had finally decided to read (and makes me smile even more after reading the book).    

It was definitely an encouraging, whimsical, insightful and life-giving collection of thoughts, capers & stories.  I'm glad I read it (even if it took me quite a while...I read bits and pieces here and there....this sweet book has been across the ocean and all over the state of Georgia).

Here are some of my favorite quotes (mainly because I want to have them all in one place):

Something happens when you feel ownership.  You no longer feel like a spectator or consumer, because you’re an owner.  Faith is at its best when it’s that way too.  It’s best lived when it’s owned.

You don’t need a plan; you just need to be present.

…love is never stationary.  In the end, love doesn’t just keep thinking about it or keep planning for it.  Simply put:  love does.

…he was “with me” in spirit as much as with his presence.  He was committed to me and he believed in me.  I wasn’t a project; I was his friend.

I used to think I had to act a certain way to follow God, but now I know God doesn’t want us to be typical.

He (Jesus) spent time with the kinds of people most of us spend our lives avoiding.

I don’t validate my faith with a church attendance scorecard. I think of church as a vibrant community of people consisting of 2 or more of varied backgrounds gathering around Jesus.  Sometimes they are at a place that might have a steeple or auditorium seating.  But it’s just as likely that church happens elsewhere, like coffee shops or on the edge of a glacier or in the bush in Uganda.  …it’s a matter of the heart, the place doesn’t matter…it’s Jesus plus nothing – not even a building.

What Jesus said we could do is leave typical behind.  We could leave all the comparisons and all the trappings and all the pretending of religion. 

…love that never grows tired or is completely finished finding ways to fully express itself. 

Failure is just part of the process, and it’s not just okay; it’s better than okay.  God doesn’t want failure to shut us down.  God didn’t make it a three-strikes-and-you’re-out sort of thing.  It’s more about how God helps us dust ourselves off so that we can swing for the fences again.  And all this without keeping a meticulous record of our screw-ups.

Things that go wrong can shape us or scar us.

God finds us in our failures and in our successes.

I used to be afraid of failing at the things that really mattered to me, but now I’m more afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.

God’s grace comes in all shapes, sizes and circumstances as God continues to unfold something magnificent in me. 

When you go after something you love, you’ll do anything it takes to get it, even if it costs everything. 

I think God sometimes use the completely inexplicable events in our lives to point us toward Him.  We get to decide each time whether we will lean in toward what is unfolding and say yes or back away.

Am I the right guy?  I don’t know, but I’m the guy being asked….

Maybe God is doing some inexplicable things in your life.  Each of us gets to decide every time whether to lean in or step back – to say yes, ignore it or tell God why he has the wrong person.

I get the invitation every morning when I wake up to actually live a life of complete engagement, a life or whimsy, a life where love does. 

It’s the invitation to actually live, to fully participate in this amazing life for one more day.

Decide to be fully engaged.

If people don’t want to come to the banquet, he’s not bitter or anything.  He loves them all the same, but he’s not going to force them.

A couple of other things happen when we accept Jesus’ invitation to participate with Him in life.  Obstacles that seems insurmountable aren’t.  Impediments that we believe disqualify us don’t.  

Accept the invitation to participate.

…think about how incredible a big life really is and how powerful the One who is throwing the banquet is too.

He asks if we’ll give up that thing we’re so proud of, that thing we believe causes us to matter in the eyes of the world and give it up to follow Him.  He’s asking us “will you take what you think defines you, leave it behind, and let Me define who you are instead?”

When we get our security from Christ, we no longer have to look for it in the world, and that’s a pretty good trade.

Power is easy to spot because it usually comes in the form of grace and acceptance, as well as sincere love and respect.

…fight the temptation to merely have the right wrapper and instead be exactly who He made us to be and who we are right where we are. 

Why does spellcheck make me capitalize satan’s name? I don’t want to.  It’s giving him too much credit.

Jesus doesn’t give satan any grace.  He just speaks the Truth to him and then tells him to go away. 

When God is big enough and loves me enough to say He forgives me, I should actually believe Him.  I shouldn’t keep feeling bad about all the times I’ve messed up because that’s ignoring what God said…

You don’t need to know everything when you’re with someone you trust.

I especially see evidence of God in other people’s lives.  What’s beautiful about them always looks an awful lots like God to me. 

God doesn’t think any less of us when things don’t go right. 

Our infinite value, the original masterwork that we are, is places in us because God is the master artist, not us. 

Secretly incredible people keep what they do one of God’s best kept secrets because the only one who needs to know, the God of the universe, already knows. 

…doing capers without any capes.

Don’t take the bait that if we do incredible things Jesus will dig us more.  He can’t.  He already digs us more.

Getting passed by can feel like a great injury.  But it’s not.  It’s people like us that can be secretly incredible and get the most done.

…doesn’t measure his value by what he has but by what he’d be willing to give up.

I don’t think bible verses were meant to be thrown like grenades at each other.  They were meant for us to use to point each other toward love and grace an invite us into something much bigger.

I want someone else’s suffering to matter more to me.

When I put on a suit and tie and jump on a plane to go take a deposition, we call it “fund raising.”

Just because we weren’t going to plan everything didn’t mean we weren’t going to be strategic.

God’s love…no reservoir can hold it, no disappointment can stop it, and no impediment can contain it.  It can’t be waved off, put off or shut down…

Pick something you aren’t just able to do; instead, pick something you feel like you were made to do and then do lots of that.