Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence
Happy Sunday, friends!
I am keeping it extra simple today as I enjoy time with my family this weekend. Yesterday, one of my boys, Sam, got married! I wrote about their proposal last summer, if you’d like to read it.
Feeling so blessed today, and hoping the same for you!
What is your state of mind?
Are you owning this rare season of creation and rebalance? Are you rethinking how you live and love? Are you prioritizing new traditions and generating new thinking?
Summer 2020 is just the time to sow some new and glorious seeds. If we so choose, this could be an amazing time to water our own souls, and perhaps those God has placed in our lives.
The season will reveal what you plant and nurture… I pray that your state of mind is pure sunshine and running through the sprinkler. BOLD prayers for you all as you enter another week!
Do you know the one thing I love the most about being over 50? The outstanding and very clear fact that I have so much to learn. I just finished a truly intense and beautiful book, “As Kingfishers Catch Fire,” a conversation on the ways of God formed by the words of God, by Eugene H. Peterson. Mr. Peterson, is the author of the Message translation of the bible and his wisdom is penetrating. (The Message by the way is a much easier way to read the bible, and many prefer this… if you haven’t checked it out, you might want to try that on the bible app so that you can see if it fits your style of learning…) The book is essentially a compilation of 49 sermons he wrote when he was a pastor… They are short and easy to read, but deep in context and meaning. Going deeper is somehow appealing to me right now.
This quote above captured me with the truth it holds. The chapter, titled, “With the Wild Beasts,”* contrasts and pulls together Isaiah 40 and Mark 1. The highlight for me is essentially “locating” the new (Mark) in the old (Isaiah) by way of referencing the “Way” and “Path.”- The term “Way” is familiar to the Jewish population, at least in that day, because of it’s frequent use in the Psalms. According to Mr, Peterson, this is where this thought came about, “Where “the way” is not the path we walk on but the way we walk on the path.”
Some additional thought here…
“The Way is not only a route we take but the WAY WE GO…the way we walk, the way we use our influence, (side note: we all have influence…) the way we treat one another, the way we raise our children, the way we read, the way we worship, the way we vote,” and on.
As this is “Simple Thoughts Sunday,” and a place I often talk about my faith, I find this so incredibly important right now. It’s always important to contemplate what “path” I am on… (I seem to prefer that to “the way,” but it’s the same thing.) I am especially focused on ideas of “the way I… think, research, listen, and learn before voicing an absolute opinion, the way I approach careful matters…
Jesus says clearly that he is the way. (John 14:6) I believe that if we will take time to really allow God to speak to us, that we will be able to follow a “way” that is better and that our paths can not only inspire growth and unity, but help advance one another and serve each other in the best possible ways.
*By the way, the context of the chapter title, goes to the opening of the conversation above and that we all generally go thru the “wilderness,” as Jesus did to get thru life. What I loved, is the concept that while we may experience testing and temptation in the wilderness parts of our lives, and even though it seems “empty of vegetation” that it is “full of God.” Essentially, God shows up in these seasons. I believe he is showing up now if we will listen.
I heard this last week from our pastor Kyle Turner of Hillsong Kansas City. If you know Bible characters, it is in part the “Mary and Martha” conundrum. True compassion takes us being both willing to slow down and alert…. it takes time.
In our generation, it’s the curse of distractions that most often do in our best intentions…generally due to our inability to be disciplined toward what I like to refer to as our “best yes.”
Compassion…
Compassion takes time. It takes us stopping everything to be present. Come to think of it, that was the direction of my “word of the year.” I’ll give myself a 3 on a scale of 1-10. I have work to do. Anyone else need to devote time to true compassion?
My prayers and love to all celebrating Father’s Day and those who find themselves wishing they were today. Let’s commit to a powerful week ahead!
Short and simple again today!
Once again, taking us back to something I picked up on a Peloton ride. As my girl Robin Arzón says, “I only hustle with royalty.” So, put that crown on!
I hope you all took the time to rest and re-center this weekend!
Happy Sunday! It’s Memorial Day weekend and no doubt most of us are thrilled to have an extra day off for rest and refreshment. It is good to remember that Memorial Day is designated for us to honor those who lost their lives serving in active military duty. Many also use this day to celebrate loved ones that have gone on before us. The occasion sometimes brings solace and sometimes brings loved ones around the dinner table via backyard BBQs.
What is most important this year – and every year – to me is that we focus on what is beautiful and honorable in this one life we have. Those moments that are made possible because of the sacrifices of those who paved the way for this generation.
I wrote this phrase down a few weeks ago, and it likely came from a podcast or someone pushing others toward inspiration.:“What is the most beautiful thing you have EVER seen?” I have held onto it for a bit, feeling that there are so many ways to answer the question. My mind went to the depth of our country, of those serving and protecting us. It then went easily to Greece and the almost unbelievable beauty of the water and white buildings and then to a myriad of options – my grandparents holding hands while walking into church, babies and toddlers giggling non-stop, fields of flowers and nature trails leading to the water… I could go on for hours. After some thought, I chose the image above.
The picture is from our family mission trip to South Africa in 2012 led by the One Life organization. This is of my son and a beautiful child he was playing with. The look on his face is beautiful. The moment was beautiful. This is what joy looks like to me – unbounded joy is beautiful. It’s the most beautiful thing no doubt.
We went because I wanted to expose my boys to different cultures. However, I am 100% sure the greatest impact was on me. I could not get the scripture, “The harvest is plenty, the worker’s are few,” out of my mind for months and it still pops up frequently. Always pushing me to ask myself if what I am even doing is enough. There is so much work to do both inside of our country and outside, but the contrast in true need can only be found by firsthand interaction with other cultures. This work is an opportunity for all of us to find, seek and create beauty. To serve one another.
Today we honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. We are all here today because of the sacrifices of these men and women and their families. May God always help us to hold deeply and provide us heart’s to serve others. That notion brings beauty.
Rewind! This is a throwback post that was speaking to me this week!
I heard this strong message last week and it captured me. The very thought that God meets us where we are is not only comforting, but galvanizing. Whether we are in a mode of praise and gratitude or on a path of seeking and searching… He is there. If we are boldly moving forward with fresh thinking and new plans… He is there. If we find ourselves in a matter of hours (or moments) circulating through emotions of love and struggle… He will also meet us there if we are open to Him.
If we, for some reason, cannot get to our faith, we can build on a committed focus in 3 key areas (although I’m sure there are many more – so consider this a start):
I hope that your faith will grow this week and that it is truly a week of happiness and extreme joy! Let’s all raise our expectations and allow God to step in with whatever we need right now.
Sitting here preparing to write, I was a bit perplexed on where to focus – and then I fell upon Ann’s blog yesterday, which is simply magical if you ask me. I have so many authors I love, but Ann Voskamp has one of the most incredibly impactful & poetic voices of our generation. Here are some quotes on this topic of motherhood that truly are profound… good conversation starters (if you will) for today’s blog post.
“Parenting is never about how your kids turn out. It’s always and only about how you keep turning toward your kids and their Maker.”
She urges us to keep “turning toward.” I love that. My interpretation… to turn in, to lean in, to listen and take it ALL deep into our souls. (Try is really what I mean… try to listen to understand). To experience the full onset of the messy days and celebratory moments is really what motherhood is all about, isn’t it? It’s literally ALL of it: the tough conversations, the midnight hours of fever and illness, the conflict, the sitting together silently waiting for someone to speak, and sometimes shared tears (or silent tears). And of course the very best parts – the dancing in the kitchen or on wedding reception floors, traveling & experiencing our world together, the car rides to practice, the curbside coaching moments and the bedtime rituals that fill our homes with love. The most critical to me: the constant refocus of myself and the boys to their Maker. I have found that to be the single element of truth in everything good and every struggle. Re-centering…often daily on God somehow brings it all forward as growth and goodness if we allow it.
“The work of every parent is to give the best they know how now, and the work of every child is to forgive their parents the best they can now.”
Does that just resonate? We as parents do what we think is best in the moment. Sometimes we know within minutes it was not our most shining moment, and sometimes we don’t know until years later that our words or actions were an epic fail. Nevertheless, we live out the days truly trying to do the best with what we have in that moment, be it knowledge, resources or emotional capacity. Someday our kids will understand that… but not quite yet. We live in that gap generally.
And then there is this part of the child forgiving “the best they can now.” Here’s the thing I love about that statement, “The best they can now:” We all… in every time of our lives, have certain levels of capacity to forgive, to give, to love, to whatever. Our capacity ebbs and flows and is largely dependent on the strength of our spiritual life in that season of our lives. We must remember that we all do what we can for the most part. Forgiveness, therefore is essential for both the parent and child. Grace – early and often!
“Motherhood is never about training your children to be so good they won’t ever fall, it’s about letting them see you fall in love every day with a good God.”
If I don’t do anything else in my life as a mother, and hopefully some day a grandmother, I hope that they will see me fall in love every day with a good God. It’s something I am committed to and fully believe that all levels of good, stressful, scary and beautiful moments can be worked thru if we all stay focused on this truth. Being focused on God is central to Motherhood for me so far…. directing and redirecting ourselves and our children in the ways we know how.
Offering deep thanks today for my mother who in this season is the very best cheerleader and spiritual supporter. Also so much love to the many mother figures I have had in my life. God has always provided the most amazing women to step in and meet me right where I needed their love and support and I am forever grateful. If you get a moment today, reaching out to some of those would be a truly wonderful things for us all to do! Sending love to you all.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1
What a lovely scene in the picture above. The sun and the strength of the thoroughbred painted across a beautifully calm pasture.
The Kentucky Derby would have been this weekend. The picture is from the Claiborne Farm Instagram account. Claiborne is a part of the “Derby” story with over a century of success in raising up the most-beautiful and incredibly-fast horses. I love their history, attributing their success to “adhering to the best principles of stewardship of the land, the horses, and the sport…” Stewardship. Today’s post is around this idea of how we “steward” our light… What we offer up to our own souls and those God has surrounded us with on our journey. So, how well are you stewarding today?
By the way, a quick Google search helps frame up this role of a “steward” as: “A person who looks after the passengers on a ship for example… A person responsible for/managing…” Essentially, a person faithfully looking after what God has given him or her to protect and even grow.
Shaping the path of any given day requires a commitment that we make to ourselves. We make this silently, in the quiet of our meditations or prayers as we go to bed and rise each day. The thoughts that we allow to run wild as we drive, or walk or otherwise navigate our cities and communities. Pastor Adam Hamilton shares that he asks each morning that God would be with him on his mission for the day. I find that to be profound. I find that any power to steward well comes from God speaking through me, whether by word or action.
We have this enormous opportunity to “be the light.” As we go into this week and this season, let us be mindful that this is a gift and that it requires a steadfast dedication as it has for centuries on end, for everything and everyone from thoroughbred horse breeding operations, to NFL football clubs, to local business owners; to teenagers, seniors and every age in between… We collectively can bring the brightest light together if we choose. I pray that our actions bring forward the most powerful joy and light to all around our community.
The power of the city. Collective unity. Buildings standing tall next to one another as if they are locked arm and arm. In many ways, they actually are. Dependent on one another for sustainability, for community building, for the generation of work for families and societies. The visual is strong and also offers inspiration if we will allow that to filter through our minds.
Our church hosted a virtual sisterhood/girls night last night. It was really, really good. My takeaway question that pastor Liz (@hillsongkc) asked us to consider: What truly is essential right now? As we rethink our lives and patterns, can we stop and ask ourselves what is really essential? In other words: Have I prioritized my one life as I would if I could start over? Redesign and level set against my values and goals? Is what I’m doing right now, or what I have been doing actually bringing me closer to or farther away from what I hope for my life to stand for? What seeds have I been planting? Are they the ones that will eventually produce the harvest I desire for my life? Are they what my family needs in this season?
She shared a personal example, in that she feels God is calling her to invest more time with her middle child. I love that, because I have found that when I listen to God’s promptings, I usually receive a nudge in one direction or another. Someone’s name will pop up out of nowhere it seems, or clear messages will shine right through someone sharing a personal story. Heck, even a billboard may speak to me.
So, where do you need to sow right now?
The image above, to me, was about prayer. I feel that God is saying, “prayer is power… stay with it… stay strong with a constant posture and persistence toward its strength. Stay in prayer over those I have placed in your path, especially your children and eventually their children… don’t let up….don’t get distracted…” I want to sow in prayer and with a sincere request for a listening ear and willing heart to pursue God’s direction and not my own.
What is essential? What actions – what prayers – do I need to take to allow our family to grow, flourish and serve each other and our community in the best way?
Have a powerful week my friends. We need collective unity right now.
The forecast is beautiful and I pray you feel the sunshine deeply rooted in every step you take.
