Just Do It! (again)

I nearly laughed out loud when I read this e-votional. My blog entry over a year ago with the same title attempted to make the same point. I’m glad I’m not the only one thinking along these lines.

“You are to go into all the world and preach [communicate] the good news to everyone everywhere.”1

One writer pointed out that there is a scene in “Winnie the Pooh” that goes something like the following:

Pooh: “Did you fall into the river, Eeyore?”

Eeyore: “Silly of me, wasn’t it?”

Pooh: “Is the river uncomfortable this morning?”

Eeyore: “Well, yes, the dampness you know.”

Pooh: “You really ought to be more careful!”

Eeyore: “Thanks for the advice.”

Pooh: “I think you’re sinking.”

Eeyore: “Pooh, if it’s not too much trouble, would you mind rescuing me?”

How sad when people all around us, among other things, are lost without Christ and we discuss outreach, form outreach committees, conduct seminars on outreach, read books about outreach, and do everything in the church except outreach.

Somebody else said, “If you see a poisonous snake in your kitchen, just kill it. Don’t appoint a committee on snakes!” Just kill it—or at least remove it to a safe place!

And as Meg Stawinski says in her book, Confessions of a Supermarket Evangelist, about a church she used to attend, as you exited the church parking lot there was a sign that read: “You are now entering the mission field.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, every day please help me to be ‘as Christ’ in some way to every life I touch—no matter where I am—and always be prepared to share a timely word about you as opportunity presents itself. And grant that our home will always be a house of blessing to all who enter in. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Jesus in the Gospel of Mark 16:15 (TLB … NLT)

NOTE: To have a vital role in God’s plan to reach the world with the saving gospel of Jesus Christ, please consider joining the People Power for Jesus group. See www.actsweb.org/people_power.

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Making friends

In my early years our family did a lot of moving. I distinctly remember at one point thinking that everyone moves every other year. I recall the move from Seaford, Delaware to Cliftmont Avenue in Baltimore. It was sad to say goodbye to all that seemed just fine. The tree house in the back yard, the playground nearby and the little girl across the street. As we drove down the long layered streets of row houses I asked my mother, “Why does that house have so many doors on it?” It was like moving to a foreign country in my young eyes and perhaps even produced a bit of culture shock.

There were not many children in my new neighborhood. So I mainly played with my sisters which could be great or not so great (as with most siblings). They always wanted me to play the witch and I didn’t want to be the witch. And when I tried to be a typical big sister doling out a bit of correction and direction they would say, “OK …MOM!” real nasty like. I didn’t want to be a mom either. They just had this chemistry with each other that apparently was not included in my DNA.

Being a shy girl who was sixteen months older than twin sisters which often drew a lot of attention, I suppose I chose to stay out of the way and let everyone bask in their magnificent cuteness. Oh yes, I was jealous. They had all sorts of adorable nicknames. Often, people would approach me and ask, “How are your sisters?” before they would even bother to ask, “How are you?” Even though today we are very close and communicate often, at the time my sisters just could not fill that spot in my heart that could only be filled with a friend.

For a while I thought my struggle with friend making had something to do with being ugly. I was lanky and awkward. Always chosen last for teams at school. Not very quick or witty. Buck teeth erupted from my face. By my preteen years it appeared that you might be able to harvest that stuff on top of my head and produce a garment of clothing. And arriving to school early where I had to figure out what to say to people who did not like me felt like inhuman torture.

Eventually, I concluded that being the pastor’s daughter did not work in my favor either. We had so many “I’m not allowed to” rules imposed on us that many peers could not relate to our lifestyle and, without realizing it, I think our family alienated ourselves from the very community we wanted to reach out to. I have more recently come to observe that this phenomenon may exist with other children whose parents’ position in the community creates a hierarchy which renders them unapproachable.

So what generated this trip down memory lane? NOW I am attempting to be am ambassador of friendship on my sons’ behalf. Two of my boys are diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders which can make the whole friend making journey exceedingly complicated. What if my son is trying to be friends with someone who does not seem to reciprocate that sentiment? What do I do if someone tries to be my son’s friend and I am leery of the potential for negative influence? What do I do if my son doesn’t want to be friends with anybody and nobody wants to be friends with him either? And if somebody finally seems to want to be friends with him, how can I be sure he will be okay? How do I gradually cut the apron strings and allow my son to go places where I am not and have peace that he is safe? What if he wants to walk down “that street”? Is it foolish for me to let him go there? Should I place more trust in the creator of the universe to be with my boys no matter where they walk? Will my boys be the influencers or the influenced? Should I play it safe and try to steer them towards peers which appear to have “good” families? Is my family “good” enough for the “good” families? Will those “good” families feel threatened by us? How can I live out my conviction to raise a family that is in this world but not of it? I do not want to choose only the safety of the fish bowl but I am honestly afraid of the ocean!

Choose Happiness

This is a lesson that I need to have drilled through my head constantly. My melancholy nature gravitates towards what isn’t. Daily I must choose contentment. This www.actsweb.org e-votional was a helpful reminder today…..

“I [the Apostle Paul] 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.”1

In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy asks Charlie Brown, “Why do you think we were put on earth?”

Charlie answers, “To make others happy.”

Lucy replies: “I don’t think I’m making anyone happy,” and then adds, “But, nobody’s making me very happy either. Somebody’s not doing his job!”

I know this may sound simplistic but in a very real sense happiness is a choice. Too many people in our Hollywood-crazed way of thinking expect other people to make them happy. People talk about finding the right partner to marry which is all back to front. To find the right partner we need to be the right partner. The fact is that only happy partners make happy marriages, and the only person who can ever make us happy is one’s self.

Furthermore, happiness and/or contentment is not only a choice, it is a decision, a commitment to action and to personal honesty that requires a good hard, honest look at ourselves, and then a whole lot of hard work to resolve all the things in our lives that hinder happiness and/or make us unhappy.

The starting point for finding happiness and contentment is by making up your mind that you will no longer look to anyone else to make you happy; that no matter what, you will accept responsibility for doing what you need to do to find happiness; and above all, by learning to pray the right prayer such as the following:

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please confront me with the truth about me—no matter how much it hurts—and reveal to me any and every unresolved issue in my life that is hindering my finding contentment and lasting happiness—whether the problem be emotional, spiritual and/or physical. And please lead me to the help I need to overcome. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Chores

I would really like to be sure that my boys learn to be independent, responsible young men who do not expect to be waited on their entire lives. They need to be developing a healthy work ethic. Gradually, I have been adding more chores to their responsibilities. When they were toddlers, we started with having them clear their own plate form the table, putting their dirty clothes in the hamper, feeding pets, removing shoes when they enter the door. As they have gotten older we have added taking out the garbage, carrying baskets of laundry to the laundry room, scooping the cat box. My oldest is 12 and I’d like to add more. He’s pretty willing to pitch in but my ten year old is more prone to eye rolling and whining. I told both of them they will need to be able to operate ALL appliances before they can operate a vehicle. Being burned by an iron a few times will hopefully help them to take a car more seriously. I’m curious if any of you have any suggestions on how to teach your boys to do chores without all the resistance and when did you teach your boys what jobs?