X-ray Vision? Well, Maybe not...

If you are as old as I am, somewhere between "older than dirt" and "just sprouted," you might remember those ads in the back of comic books that told us all about the AMAZING things we could buy. For $2, you could buy a family of "sea monkeys." For just a little bit more, you could buy X-ray glasses and have X-ray Vision! You could see through things and amaze your friends! Of course, none of those products were "for real" and many children learned their first lesson in life about "if it's too good to be true," but...just for a moment...the idea of owning the X-ray glasses was very exciting!

Now that I'm "grown up," I look back on the idea of X-ray glasses. When I think about it, they wouldn't be very practical unless you were a doctor. I mean, why would anyone want to see the inside of someone unless they were a doctor?

What I really need, though, is a pair of "God Glasses." Something that would help me to see things the way He sees them.

Do you ever get so busy in life that you just keep going and barely slow down to look around you? You have a checklist of things that you have to get done; a project at work, kids to baseball practice, laundry to be done, groceries to be bought, and on and on. Anything that breaks your stride feels like a distraction and can cause frustration. Have you ever been in a line in the grocery store and every line but the one you're in seems to be moving? Or what about when you are stuck in a traffic jam? You know you have to be someplace at a specific time and when it looks like you're going to be late, it can be stressful.

Let me ask you a question. When you are in any of those situations, do you ever look at anyone else around you? I mean really look at them? Probably not. When we are so focused on whatever our "plan" is at the moment, we really aren't aware of others around us.

This is where I need "God Glasses." If I stopped long enough from focusing on my "to do" list and saw things from His perspective, I might see things differently.

There might be a young mother, with a baby in the front of her cart, at the front of my checkout line who is carefully watching the total as her items are checked out because she knows she only has a specific, small amount of money to pay for her groceries. At that moment, when she sees the total and has to ask that some of the items be put back, she must decide which of the items that she really needs, will have to be left behind. She is ashamed that she went "over" and is causing the line to back up. She is dealing with a lot of emotions at the time.  If I was looking at the situation through "God Glasses," I could do something to help. Perhaps, if I'm next in line, I could quietly ask the cashier to add those items to what I was paying for, and have them bagged for the young mother.

What if I am in the traffic jam and no cars seem to be moving? What if it might be caused by an accident up ahead? If I was using my "God Glasses," I could look around at the people also stuck in traffic. I could pray for each of us to relax and be filled with peace as we wait, and I could pray for the people that might be involved in the accident up ahead.

The thing is, people all around us are going through many hard things, heartbreaking things. But we can't see it because everyone "puts on a good face" when we are out and about. If we could see people as God sees them, we would be sensitive to someone who might need a hug or an encouraging word. We might be able to help someone who might need a little extra financial help, like a bag of groceries. We could reach out to that person who God puts on our heart to ask them if they are ok and then stay with them long enough to know that their "I'm fine" really means, "ask me, again, please. I'm really not."

I really don't need "X-Ray Glasses," what I really need are "God Glasses."

Brandon Heath sings a song that is all about "God Glasses." It's called "Give Me Your Eyes." If you'd like to hear it, I've included a link to his YouTube version, here. It helps me to see things differently, to really try to be sensitive to what others are going through.

I have a long way to go, but I really need your "glasses," God, along the way.

Give me eyes to see and ears to hear.

Wearing Rose-Colored Glasses

Have you ever heard someone say, "Oh, she just sees the world through rose-colored glasses"? The meaning behind it is that the person only sees things in a positive light, looking right past the bad to the good.

When you think about it, is it really such a bad thing?

Part of the message at church today was about looking for the good in life. Pastor Craig Groeschel talked about the difference between vultures and hummingbirds. Vultures, he said, fly around looking for dead things. Hummingbirds, on the other hand, fly around looking for sweet things. He mentioned that if you are always looking for bad, you will find it. And if you are always looking for good, you will find that, too.

There is a lot of bad in our world. Always has been. That's practically all you see on the news, isn't it? Occasionally you'll see a "human interest" piece, but pretty much they should call it the "Bad News" instead of just "The News."

The thing is, there's a lot of good in our world, too. Always has been. Yes, there are the stories of good that make it on the news, that get passed around on the internet, but there are so many more little stories happening in our world every day. A mom with her hands full, shopping with very small children, drops something and someone nearby reaches to pick it up for her. Someone lets the person in when they are trying to merge into traffic. Someone "pays it forward" in a fast food line. Good is everywhere, if you know where and how to look for it.

The problem is we're just used to looking for the bad, finding fault, looking for mistakes. What if we made a decision, today, to change what we're looking for? What if we tried to "look for the good" in life...in others? What if we put on our "rose-colored glasses?"

I think I need to go shopping for a new pair of glasses! What about you?

Theology, Me-ology, or He-ology...What's Your '-ology?'

A lot of people think that being a Christian is all about going to church. Don't get me wrong, it's good to gather together to worship and grow with other people in learning more about God and His plan for us. But it shouldn't end there. Being a Christian, though, is much more than going to church, it's what you do with the rest of the week and how you live your life that really tells the story of what you believe in.

We should ask ourselves why we are going to church. If it is only to learn about God, sing a good worship song or meet up with our church-going friends, then perhaps what we have is more Theology than faith. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Theology as "the study of religious faith, practice, and experience: the study of God and God's relation to the world."

Or what if we go to church, hear a good message but then don't apply it to our lives and grow? What if we just go about our daily life focusing on the things that fill up our days or on the things that we want to fill up our days? I guess you could say that instead of "Theology" it would be more like "Me-ology."

Maybe it would be better, instead, to hear the message, pray about it, and ask how it could help us to grow and help us to know how to make a difference in ours and in other people's lives. Maybe it would be even better if we focused more on the One who first loved us and less about the things we think we need. After all in Matthew 6:33, it tells us that in "seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things (that we really need) will be added unto us. I believe we could call this "He-ology."

You see, if our focus is where it should be, being a Christian is less about going to church to hear a message and more about "being the church and living the message."

Something to think about, isn't it? What's your "-ology?

Good Tidings of Great Joy!

One of my most favorite shows to watch at Christmas, is "A Charlie Brown Christmas." There is just something about the scene where Charlie Brown asks "Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?" and Linus says, "Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about." Then Linus walks onto center stage, asks for the lights to dim, and starts sharing the Christmas story.

You see, Charlie Brown had been feeling down. While everyone else was hustling and bustling and being excited about Christmas and preparing for Christmas, he didn't feel the same "Christmas spirit."

How many of us feel the same way at Christmas? The Christmas carols are playing nonstop on the radio and in the stores, all the stores are decorated (and have been since Halloween, it seems), and people are running frantically about trying to find gifts. Sometimes we feel like all of this is happening around us but we just can't "feel" that Christmas spirit. Like Charlie Brown, we see the "trappings" of Christmas, but we don't feel "a part" of it.

Sometimes when life is busy and there are difficulties, I have struggled to "find" the Christmas spirit. It is when I stop to realize that the Christmas spirit is not about the hustle and the bustle and the trappings, that I remember...it is about remembering the most important gift of them all.

When Linus gets up on the stage to tell the Christmas story and all is quiet and the lights are dim, it helps me to focus on what is the most important. It helps me to have the "true Christmas Spirit."

Are you struggling this Christmas to find the "Christmas spirit?" It isn't about the carols, the tree, the lights or the gifts. It is about a gift that was given to you, to all of us so long ago...

...and the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

Immanuel, God with us... A gift of hope... A gift of love... for all... for you.

As you watch the hustle and bustle around you, do not be discouraged, you have been given Good Tidings of Great Joy! Take time to read the Christmas story and know that long ago, before you were even born, a gift had been planned ahead of time, just for you! (Luke 2:8-14)

And, if you get the chance, listen to Linus share the Christmas Story on "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and be filled with the true "Christmas Spirit."

Joy to the World, the Lord is come!

What Mountains Need Moving In Your Life?

Did you ever take a drive in the mountains on a sunny day when, all of a sudden, around the next curve, the sun disappears and it's darker outside? You know it's because the mountain is blocking the sunlight, but you can't wait to get around the next curve to be back in the light!

Our lives with God are a lot like that.

We can be going along on our merry way when, all of sudden, we're in the dark. We thought everything was fine. We followed the road and stayed between the lines, so where did the darkness come from? Why has the way become unclear?

Sometimes it has to do with not paying attention to the signs along the way. Sometimes it's because we've taken a wrong turn or exit. A lot of the times it's because we've allowed an area in our lives to become a mountain.

You see, unlike the sun rising and setting, God never moves. His light remains to guide us. It is when we "move" in a wrong direction or allow a "mountain" to block out His light, that we are in the dark.

A "mountain" can be anything in your life that has grown big enough to block out your focus on God. It could be that you've gotten so busy that you don't have "time for God." It could be that you've been following your own way for so long that you didn't even notice you were "in the dark." Or it could be that a very real problem, hurt or situation has become so difficult that you can't see anything beyond it.

So how do we "get back into the light?" The bible tells us that His word is a lamp for our feet and a light to our path. (Psalm 119:105). In 1 John 1:5 we learn that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.

If we spend time reading His word, we can't help but be "in His light." His word can guide us in knowing which roads to take and give us the "signs" along the way.

What about those mountains?  Maybe it's time to "move them" or "remove" them. God is bigger than any mountain we could possibly have in our lives. The creator of the universe is more than capable of helping us to move any mountains. Nothing is too difficult for Him. (Jeremiah 32:17) In fact, He tells us that we can move the mountains, ourselves, with a little faith. (Mark 11:23).

What mountains do you have in your life that need moving? Do you want to be "back in the light?"

Spend time in the Word, follow the road "signs" and keep driving...it'll be just around the next curve!

Are You Trying to Have a Hallmark Family Moment with an "Addams" Family?

With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming soon, there will be a lot of family gatherings. With everyone gathering in one place to spend the holidays together, you may be envisioning the perfect "Hallmark" family get-together, with everyone happy and enjoying each other. The house will be decorated down to the smallest detail, including the holiday salt and pepper shakers. The food, of course, will be cooked perfectly and served on time, and your table will rival any image featured on the cover of the Southern Living magazine. At least that's what it looks like in your mind, right?

What happens, though, when your family is less "Hallmark" and more "Addams" family? (The Addams Family was a television show in the 1960's. Each member of the family was quirky and unusual. They did not look like anyone's idea of the "perfect" family, but they were a close family).

There is a lot of pressure and stress in trying to create the "perfect" family get-together. It's almost as if you think that if you "set the stage" and make all the arrangements and preparations, it "will be wonderful."

But that's not how real life is.

Did you grow up in a house where everyone "got along" with everyone else and life just went along smoothly? Probably not. Do you remember getting together with grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins for the holidays? Did the visit always go smoothly or are you just remembering it that way?

When you mix together parents who work full-time, kids who'd rather be doing their own thing, and families traveling distances for the holiday, the odds are that things may not go smoothly. And when you toss in the individual personalities and issues that are ongoing in family relationships, it could even be "lumpy."

The thing is, you don't have to have a "Hallmark" family to be able to enjoy your family get-togethers. You just have to make the most of what you have and be thankful that you have it.

Let this holiday get-together be more about "being together" and less about "the perfect family moment." If you like to cook and have time for it, then enjoy your preparations. If you work full-time, however, consider buying a cooked turkey and having it sliced. You could have everyone bring an item and you could set up a "Holiday Buffet" with paper plates, napkins and colorful plasticware. Remember it's about the "being together" NOT the display.

Just a note about the people you may know who may not have family in the area to spend the holidays with. Invite them to your gathering. It will be a blessing to you both!

This year, make the decision to make the most of your holiday family get-togethers. Remember to "be in the moment" and make memories. It's not about the perfect family at the beautifully set table with the perfect menu, it's about the real people gathered together. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, so make the most of today... even if your family is more "Addams" than "Hallmark."

Are You A Master Gardener in Someone Else's Life?

My husband has an amazing gift for gardening. He can grow so many different kinds of plants and his specialty is orchids. They are beautiful! The time, care and nurturing he puts into the taking care of his plants shows in how they flourish. He truly has a "green thumb."

I, on the other hand, have a "black thumb." It doesn't matter how many different kinds of plants I try to grow or how much time I spend on them, they never seem to survive.

I am a Master Gardener, though, when it comes to nurturing, fertilizing and taking care of the loved ones in my life. I try to pay attention to their needs and am aware of their "growing" seasons and "dormant" seasons. I do my best to shine just the right amount of light (encouragement and wisdom) into their lives.

With all this tending to the other "gardens" in my family, I didn't realize that my own garden had gone dormant. Where there should've been buds and blooms, there were only stunted plants overshadowed by weeds.

Isn't it amazing how we can spend so much time taking care of others and forget completely about ourselves?

In the past year, I've been trying to learn more about me and what helps me to "grow." I'm trying things I've always talked about trying, but, until this year, never did.  I went to a writer's workshop in a town I'd never been to and with people I didn't know. I also went on a cruise.  I had so much fun at both and felt energized! It felt like coming out of a long sleep.

How is your garden growing? To quote my sister, "Are you Bonsai-gardening someone else's life and leaving your own to wither?" Bonsai gardening is a very detailed, labor-intensive, nurturing type of gardening. The careful, selective pruning at just the right time to shape the plant takes a lot of time. If you've ever seen the little Bonsai trees, it can take years to grow a very small, carefully shaped tree.

Are you spending so much time on everyone else that you've forgotten how to take care of yourself? Here's a test...ask yourself this..."If someone gave me a day all to myself to do whatever I want, would I have any idea what I would like to do?" If you can't come up with one thing you'd like to do, your garden has gone dormant and it's time to bring it into the sunlight and start nurturing it. Start by making a list of what you'd like to do. Have a "possibilities" list and a "dream" list. Do something off your "possibilities" list...soon...within the next month! Share your "dream" list with your loved ones. Sharing it helps you move toward  a "someday" of actually getting to do it.

It may take time for your garden to start growing again, but it's worth it. We weren't created to wither away, we were created to blossom and bloom!

Become a Master Gardener of yourself today. I guarantee you'll have a "green thumb" in YOU!