Martha

This is my buddy Marta. It all started when she came over to see what I was doing and said she liked the green color I was painting. So I smiled, put a little paint on the brush, and handed it to her. That led to hours of us working alongside each other: painting the green patio set, finishing the walkway, touching up all the white paint on the house, and even washing up all the team's paint buckets and brushes...not hindered at all by the fact we share un poquito espanol. I'll be remembering her smile, and her giggle, for a long time to come.

Challenge Day

I had one of those special small/big moments last Sunday.  It was "Spring Challenge" day in children's church. The kids had the opportunity to recite the Lord's Prayer from memory and get some cool prizes.  We've been studying it for weeks, and I think we teachers were just as nervous and excited as the students.

One of my 1st graders came up to my station to take the challenge.  I asked him if he was ready, and he took a deep breath and started.  He got a few phrases in and got stuck, so I gave him a tiny prompt. He did that thing where you look up and off to the side to try and retrieve something from your memory.  His confident smile turned nervous, but I just beamed at him and said "I know you know this.  Keep going!"  He skipped over the next phrase, and then got stuck on the end.  I stopped him and said, "Why don't you start over?"

He did. His confidence a bit shaken, but not defeated.

But wouldn't you know it, he started slow, but with each verse, his smile grew a little more.  He did need one little prompt in the middle, but when he got to the "Amen!" at the end, his smile was from ear to ear. "Ethan, that was awesome!  I knew you could do it!" "Thanks Ms. Regina!" Our simultaneous smile and high-five made my morning.

I still struggle with wondering if I'm being a good teacher to these 1st-6th graders, but that morning, I could see just how far we've come.  I could see that they know I believe in them, and each one who triumphed through the challenge showed me that they're getting the message.  

I know I'm not the only 30-something who looks around at her life and wonders how she got there, and longs to break from the momentum of the mundane to do something significant.  But last Sunday was a reminder that sometimes those significant moments hide in the middle of the ordinary ones.  I may only be an influence for an hour a week to these kids, but that doesn't make it small.  ...I needed that reminder.

We Have Pickles!

It was the afternoon lull at the Meadow Braiding Booth of the Maryland Renaissance Festival.  It's always crazy in the morning in the Meadow, but we tend to have a few quiet hours in the afternoon before people start passing us on their way home.

This day had been crazier than usual, and I was savoring a moment's solitude while sitting at the hostess station and keeping an eye on our book.

I spotted a family coming up the hill.  Two long-haired teenage girls, dad, and two little boys. One was dressed as a knight, the other as a pirate.  Not brothers, but obviously best friends.  The girls quietly approached and shyly started flipping through the pages of braiding designs.  I barely had time to greet them and let them know they were free to ask me any questions when the little knight walked right up to me. With a pickle in one hand and a wooden sword in the other, his chest practically touching my knees, he looked up at me with pride and declared, "I'm a knight!" This was the kind of boy whose personality is three times too big for his body.

"Why yes!  Yes you are!  And a mighty defender of the realm."

"I got a new sword!" he added.

"Me too!" chimed in little pirate.

"Very nice! That will come in very handy on your adventures."

"What's that?"  asked little knight, pointing at my little gel holder that I keep on my belt.  A very practical tool in a hairbraider's arsenal. Dad shot me an apologetic look.  One that said, 'I'm sorry he's bothering you.'  But I just shook my head and smiled.  'It's ok.'

"It's dragon snot."

"Dragon snot?"

"Mmm. Hmm.  It helps me to braid hair."

"Could you braid my hair?"

"I don't think so.  Your hair is too short to braid, even with the help of dragon snot.  But maybe I could spike it up for you.  Want me to try?"

He smiled from ear to ear and nodded.  So I dipped my fingers into my gel, and ran my fingers vigorously through his hair.  His hair was way too short for it to make a difference, but I've discovered that little boys care more about the fact that they've been infused with dragon snot, and less about the outcome of their hair.

Little pirate had been getting closer during this whole exchange.  As soon as I finished with little knight's hair, I asked "Would you like dragon snot in your hair too?"  Unsurprisingly, this question was met with a nod and a smile and I happily obliged.

"Did it work?" asked the little knight.

"Umm, not really."

He looked at me a little skeptically. "Do you really have a dragon?"

"Of course! We just don't let him come into the village."

"Why not?"

"Well, for one thing, he's a little shy.  Especially because he has a cold.  Plus, if he sneezed, with all this straw on the ground, he might catch the village on fire.  That wouldn't be good at all."

"So where is he?"

I pointed past the far shops and the big blue organ stage to the woods. "Back there."

He paused and considered what I'd said.  Then to my complete surprise, this valiant little knight turned in the direction I'd pointed, squared his shoulders and shouted, "DRAGON! Show yourself!" After a moment he added, "We have pickles!"  He raised his half-eaten pickle toward the woods as both evidence and offering.

Emboldened by his friend, little pirate stepped up behind him and shouted "Yeah! We have pickles!"

Sadly, our dragon was not moved to appear, even for such a tempting morsel.  Little knight held his pose for a few seconds, then dropped his hand and turned and looked back toward me.

I was doing my best to keep a straight face and not dissolve into giggles.  Dragons are serious business after all. Their challenge had been witnessed by everyone in a 20-ft radius though, and not all those who heard were as successful at holding back their laughter. Even Dad was grinning broadly.

"I'm sorry." I said.

He shrugged, then a grin broke across his face and he surprised me for a second time.

"En guard!" He cried.  Taking up a fighting stance and raising his new sword at me.  I suppose in lieu of a dragon, a hairbraider would have to do.

Little pirate was not to be left out.  "En guard!" he added.  Jumping to position and grinning at me from ear to ear.

What do I do now? In a moment of inspiration, I reached into our pick jar and pulled out a silver comb. "En guard!" I replied, taking up my own sword fighting stance.

And somehow a conversation about hair gel had transformed into a three-way sword fight between a knight, a pirate, and a hairbraider.

In the end, we all emerged victorious.  The girls didn't end up getting braids that day, but everyone left with a smile on their face, and a little more joy in their heart. It was a reminder to always look at the world not as it is, but as it could be...with a little bit of magic (and a little bit of confidence).

"Dragon! Show yourself!  We have pickles!"

I'll never forget that little boy.

Dominos

For the second year in a row, I've started the year off by playing dominos.  Mexican train to be exact.  It's such a fun game, and a glorious (sometimes frustrating) mixture of strategy and luck.

No matter how ingeniously you might form a plan and line up your tiles, chances are you're going to need help at some point each round.  Either by playing one of your errant tiles on someone else's train, or by someone else playing a helpful tile to help you get past a dead end.

With very rare exceptions, you just can't do it on your own.

Which is a great reminder at the beginning of the year.

In 2016, I want to keep an eye out for how I can contribute to other's lives, and treasure those who help keep me inspired and moving forward. I want to have eyes to see when those around me throw up the sign that they're stuck, and to be brave enough to indicate when I'm in trouble too.  (After all, no one can see what's in my hand.  They have no way of knowing that I've got myself in a pickle until that little train appears on my row.)

Doubling joys, halving burdens... remembering that life isn't lived in isolation, nor does it always go according to plan.  We don't get there on our own, but with those who share laughter (and frustration) in ordinary moments at the kitchen table.

Not a bad reminder from a game of dominos.

Order of Events

This past Sunday, our Pastor Emeritus gave his traditional Palm Sunday concert.  He really does have a gift for weaving songs and thoughts together to present a beautiful message, and I found myself paying attention more than I expected.

Perhaps that's because he said something that caught my interest.  Early in the service, listed all the things that happen between Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday.  It's quite a busy week! One of those happenings caught be by surprise.  It completely yanked me back from the beginnings of my sermon-time daydreaming. I knew it happened, but for some reason I had forgotten that it happened then.

Right after the triumphal entry is the infamous temple cleansing.  You know, the one where Jesus got really angry at the things he saw going on in the temple and started flipping over tables?

Really?  I thought.  That was the same week? I didn't think my pastor was lying to me, but I wanted confirmation.  So like any good church brat, I grabbed one of the pew Bibles and looked it up. There it was: Matthew 21, Mark 11, and Luke 19 all showed the same story.  (John 12 is the outlier because he only talks about the triumphal entry, not the cleansing of the temple.)

And then all of a sudden, the pieces fit together.

One of the biggest lessons I remember from that week is how quickly the winds of social favor can change.  And hearing all the events of that week as one list, it all sort of makes sense.

Because how natural is it to welcome Jesus with cheers, until he starts correcting and cleaning house? Suddenly "Hosanna" isn't the first phrase on the tip of the tongue.  It's "Hey buddy, back off!"

(Of course, Jesus knew exactly what he was doing and where this week was leading.  Perhaps this was just a very strategic first step in setting a lot of things straight.)

Stand

I've wrote about this before, but Joshua chapter 3 is one of my favorite passages of scripture.

After this big long journey, the priests stand in the middle of the Jordan river, holding back the water, and stay there while the rest of the Israelittes crossover into the promised land. This is flood time, so that's no tame river. And it's their promise too, but they stand there and wait for everyone else to get to their promise first.

Those themes seem to pop up often in my life: intercession, selflessness, empowering others, standing in the gap.

Reading it this time through, I was reminded that while they were obedient to their calling, the priests didn't do anything by their own power. (Maybe a bit obvious...but it still jumped out to me this time.) They were holding the Ark of the Covenant. They were just ordinary guys standing where God told them to stand. It's what they were carrying that made all the difference.

What's my modern-day equivalent? I think it's remembering to have God's word etched it into my heart and mind, and to let my character and actions be a reflection of Jesus. After all, my relationship with God is a covenant -- a promise I've made to follow him, and his promise to transform me from the inside out.  That covenant is one of my most valued possessions, and probably the greatest tool in my tool-house.

It's only when I'm walking in my covenant, that he can use me to help hold back the proverbial river, wherever he tells me to stand. If I try to step into that river without him, I'm toast. No matter how pure and selfless my intentions. But with him, I can stand against anything.

Even if it's a river at flood time, and he calls me to stand there long enough for millions of people to cross over to the other side.

I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. ~ Philippians 4:13 

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ~ Ephesians 6:13

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In case you're curious, here's my other post about Joshua 3: Don Pedro

Slalom

I was dropping off my favorite four-legged friend at my parents' house Saturday morning.  He's technically my mom's dog, but we're best buds so I love the times I get to spend with him.

My dad was doing his normal channel-surfing thing, and he happened to stumble upon the Alpine Skiing World Championships.  He must love me because he ceased with his surfing for a bit to let me enjoy the competition.  (I love things like this!)

I was even more stoked than usual because we caught the final runs for women's slalom, and I just love watching slalom.  There's a rhythm and grace to it that I find completely captivating.

But it's also exciting because in the blink of an eye, a perfect run can fall completely apart.  And not necessarily in dramatic fashion like a head-over-heels tumble.  I have this distinct memory from the Sochi Olympics last winter.  A skier was having a great run, leaning into every turn, gaining time on the leader, and just looking fantastic.  Then seemingly out of nowhere, she just stopped and took herself off the course.  It was very controlled, and left the commentators stunned for a brief moment.

"She must have missed a gate," one said.  And indeed, a review of her run showed that the tip of her ski just missed the second pole of a double gate.  She hugged the edge too much by millimeters and the pole went through her legs.

Just like that, her run was over.

She wasn't the only one who had trouble. That Sochi course was particularly difficult. Part of it was the course, and part of it was the weather. Watching skier after skier try to conquer that particularly tight section of the Sochi course brought to mind these verses:

Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:14 (One translation says: "The gateway is very narrow and the road is difficult...")  

So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Deuteronomy 5:32

I've been mulling on them ever since.

Doing the right thing can be hard!  It's a narrow and challenging course.  And like a slalom skier, things can be going so well, but it only takes a moment to lose it and get off course.

How do you do it?

Core strength. Being balanced on your skis, and being able to lean into those turns takes a strong core. Staying centered through life's twists and turns takes the same.

Look ahead.  I remember an interview with Ted Ligety during the Sochi Olympics last winter.  He talked about the whole process of an Olympic slalom run.  They go down those mountains at 50 miles and hour or more, so those gates come at them fast.  He said he's always looking 2-3 gates ahead and constantly planning how one turn will flow into the next.

Lean in. Saturday's story was a triumphant one. Mikaela Shiffrin kept her rhythm, made every gate, and found an extra dose of speed on the bottom half of the course to defend her title.  Doing so in her hometown made the victory extra sweet. But finding that speed is about establishing rhythm and then leaning in -- committing to each turn to get as close to each gate as possible, while at the same time maintaining control and finding the best curve.  (Which circles back around to core strength.  Flirting with that edge takes real strength that has to come from the center.  Both mentally and physically.)

Narrow is the way.  Difficult is the road.  And it takes both adventure and control to navigate it well.  Just like slalom, those gates can come at you fast, and any number of things can knock you off track -- whether by a millimeter or by a mile.

Thank goodness ours is a race that isn't one where missing one gate counts you out.  We get to brush the snow off our butts and continue.

For this I am very grateful.

Home

Home.  It's a powerful word.  It's where the heart is.  Whether it's with "your people" or in "your spot"....there's no place like it. And while I know I'm guilty of yearning for adventure, I can also attest to the truth that there's nothing quite like coming home again.

Imagine this scene from The Hobbit, just after the company of Dwarves have survived their escapades in Goblin town.  Bilbo had gotten separated from everyone else, and they're wondering where he might have gone.  Thorin, who doesn't have a lot of trust or confidence in Bilbo, thinks he has given up and abandoned them to head back to the Shire.  But after this less-than-supportive declaration, Bilbo emerges from behind a tree and says he's back.  Most of the company accepts this with a mixture of disbelief and joy.  But Thorin is still suspicious and demands a further explanation:

Gandalf: What does it matter? He's back.

Thorin: It matters.  I want to know.  Why did you come back?

Bilbo: I know you doubt me. I know you always have. You're right. I often think of Bag End. I miss my books, my armchair, my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. That's why I came back. You don't have one. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can.

It was this scene that flashed in my mind when I read this passage from the first chapter of Joshua:

So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’” 

But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’ Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites. You are to help them until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.” (Joshua 1:10-15)

I don't think I fully realized that not all the tribes needed to cross the Jordan river to claim their inheritance.  For two and a half tribes, their long journey was over.  They were already home.  But they still had to send their fighting men to help the other tribes claim their land.  This was their Bilbo moment.  But was also more than that. It struck me as a very clear picture of how the family of God really is one big family, who is expected to band together and help out, even at personal cost and sacrifice.

What impresses me most about Bilbo's story is that despite Thorin's consistent doubt, Bilbo sticks with the quest until the very end.  That's no small thing.  Could I do that?  Stick with someone who doubts me? Cross a river to help someone fight for their promise when there's no guarantee of coming home again?

But isn't that kind of the whole point of the Gospel?  To be love in action and live a life that points to the hope I've found?

You are to help them until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you. ...That's home. That's why I came back. You don't have one. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can.

The Catch

Nearly two weeks ago, I witnessed what was probably the most amazing catch I've ever seen in football.  It was the epitome of playing to the whistle.  Of never giving up.  Of basically willing the catch to be complete. In the age of DVR, it was the kind of catch that demands to be instantly rewound and watched again.

It was just incredible.

And thanks to YouTube, you don't just have to take my word for it.  Take a look for yourself.


This is the kind of catch that wins games and is forever etched in the annals of history.

Except....

Less than a minute later, there would be an interception that would again change the course of the game and become the talking point of Monday Morning Quarterbacks for ages to come.

In less than a minute, this play went from being "one for the ages" to that "awesome play that happened a minute ago that doesn't matter all that much anymore".

But it *did* happen.  Jermaine Kearse made the play of his career, and we were all beside ourselves with a mixture of disbelief and joy (or despair if you were rooting for the other team).

I couldn't help but think of the Paradoxical Commandments: "The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.  Do good anyway."

What if your awesome catch is only the headline for 30 seconds?  Would you make it anyway?

Because you should.

No one knows what the future holds.  So make that catch. Do good anyway. 

You never know. While history might take an extra second to remember it, playing to the whistle is worth it.

Every time.

Good, bad, or ugly.  Remembered or instantly overshadowed. Whether it's good for 30 seconds or 30 years.  Do good anyway.  

It's a beautiful play.  And it might just make all the difference in the world.

Divergent

At church this Sunday, we sang an oldie but a goodie:

I will never be the same again.  I can never return.  I've closed the door.  I will walk the path. I'll run the race.  And I will never be the same again.

Suddenly, I found myself picturing a scene from the movie Divergent.  In this world of this story, society is grouped into five factions.  Each one focuses on the cultivation of a particular virtue, and the idea is that they work together to all make their city better as a whole.

Things are never simple.  In this society, when children reach the age of 16, they have to decide which Faction they want to belong to -- whether it's the one they've been raised in, or one that's completely different. And of course, it's a decision that cannot be changed.  They're forever committed. Their Faction becomes their family.  In fact, there's a saying in this society: "Faction before blood."

Tris, the heroine of this tale, decides to change her Faction from Abnegation (selflessness) to Dauntless (bravery).  In doing so, she faces a pretty intense initiation period; one in which not all the initiates will succeed.  The stakes are high too.  If they fail, initiates can not go back to their original Faction.  By the rules of this society, they'd be condemned to being one of the "Factionless." And kind of like in "The Biggest Loser," if you fall beneath the red line, you're out.

All of that is backstory to set up the scene.  Back in the dormitory after a rough day of training, Tris is sharing her concern about her ranking (second from the bottom) with her best friend Christina.

Tris - I'm never gonna make it.
Christina - Yes you will.
Tris - I'm the weakest one here
Christina - Then you'll be the most improved.
Tris - You're Candor, you're not supposed to lie.
Christina- I was Candor, and I'm not lying.
Al - If they cut me I think my parents would take me back.
Peter - No it doesn't work like that. Even if they wanted to, their faction wouldn't allow it.
Tris - Even if my parents would take me back, I wouldn't belong there anymore.

I can never return.  I've closed the door.

There are days when I struggle, (And days when I feel like I'm doing pretty awesome.)  But whether it's day when all the cylinders are firing, or a day when all I can do to keep from crying tears of frustration, this one thing I know... even if I could go back, I wouldn't.  I've been forever captured and changed by a love I will spend the rest of my life trying to imitate and understand.

As Four might say: "It's brave, and selfless, and smart, and kind, and honest."  It's also divergent. And my choice to follow it has irrevocably transformed my life.

I will walk the path.  I'll run the race.  And I will never be the same again.

Maxing Out

Like many others, I made some fitness goals and resolutions a few weeks ago for the new year.  Actually, I got a jumpstart on the whole "new year's resolution" idea and started my new routine a week early.  My chosen program:  Shaun T's Insanity Max 30.  It follows a high intensity interval training format, which basically means it's no joke.  But thankfully for me and my sketchy knees, there's a low-impact modifier for almost all of the moves.

For three weeks, I was content to follow the modifier track.  But inspired by my dreams of a flat stomach, killer triceps, and 8-pack abs, I decided it was time for me to make the jump.  To take the chance.  To max out and go high impact.

So halfway through last Saturday's routine, I decided to leave my modifying ways behind and do the regular, jumping, high-impact move along with the rest of Shaun T's crew.

And I promptly rolled my ankle and landed in a heap in the middle of my living room floor.

Ouch.

As I gathered myself back together and talked myself into finishing the routine, I had the thought: "How many times has this happened in other parts of my life?"  (For example: not just with push-ups, but with patience?)  I try to take things up a notch and be a bit better, only to fall in a inglorious heap of good intentions, missed marks, and flubbed opportunities.

It's humbling to realize you're not ready for the high impact stuff.  But it takes away the sting to know that keeping up with the athletes on the screen isn't the point.  (Though, admittedly a hard one to always accept when you're competitive like I am.)

The point is to go as hard as you can, to take a break when you need it, and then to get back up and get in there and focus on making yourself stronger.  As Shaun T would say, "You are simply working on your personal best.  There is no shame in stopping at your max."

Whether in my workout, or in life, the point is to do the best I can.  Not to measure up to the superstars (or to the unattainable), but just to do my best.  And I won't discover what that point is until I push it and take that chance.

Surprisingly, this workout is teaching me to give myself a bit more grace; to not be afraid or ashamed of maxing out.  But to find that point (and perhaps fall down), then gather myself, get back up, and do better next time.

No shame.  Imua.  Moving forward and being better than I was before.

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P.S. - I want to mention that for a few days after my embarrassing fall, I walked with a bit of a limp.  Falling hurt!  But it made me think that sometimes a limp can be a badge of honor.  Because it means you tried.  You reached.  And maybe it didn't work out the way you planned.  But you'll heal, and you can try it again.

One Little Word: Imua

In late December, I was minding my own business and watching the latest episode of The Biggest Loser.  The final five contestants left "The Ranch" to go to Kauai, Hawaii.  When they were officially welcomed by Alison Sweeney, the host, she said:

"Aloha.  Welcome to the island of Kauai. Elite athletes from every corner of the earth head here to battle the elements and push themselves in some of the greatest physical challenges on earth.  It's traditional in Hawaii to wish people before a sporting event Imua, which means "move forward". So for all of you, keep up the good work. Imua everyone.  Good luck.  I'll see you soon."

And it was like a little bit of lightning struck my brain.  I immediately knew I had my next "One Little Word."  Because it was right around this time when I truly felt like I was emerging from a fog. It's a surreal feeling actually -- to finally get enough distance from something to have some perspective.

That sounded vague.  Here's what I mean.

I didn't really realize how much of a toll my spirit had taken over the past two years until I started settling back into my house and trying to move forward.  Instead of immediately springing into my dreams and ambitions, I feel like I've wasted the past two months! (maybe more.)  But God has been speaking to me; healing cracks and hurts I didn't know I had, and revealing areas in which I need to repent and change.  That's never comfortable, but at the same time, I'm also grateful to have my eyes opened.

Soon after finding the word imua, I read Philippians 3:12-14 from the Message translation.  It literally shouted out to my heart.

"I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back."

That's my prayer.  To go ever toward Jesus, and not turn back.

Taking a moment to look back on my previous words -- Tenacity, (2010) Generosity. (2011) Fast. (2012) Servanthood.(2013-2014) -- I can see how meditating on each one has helped me to learn and grow.

I really have a special feeling about this one though.

Like I said... I'm emerging from my fog, reconnecting to my life, and looking forward to my year of  moving forward.

Imua.

Amen.

Sniff

It was the summer between 9th and 10th grade, and I was sitting in orchestra rehearsal midway through the month-long summer music academy at Pensacola Christian College. I’d been playing violin for a few years, but this was the first time I was in the world of soundproof practice rooms, sectionals, and several hours of practice a day. It was challenging, but I loved it.

We were working on Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italian (A 15 ½ minute song! Talk about serious musicianship!), and the trombones were in trouble. There’s a part in the song where they have a tricky rhythm. Triplet 1, rest, triplet 1. If you sang it it would go something like “di-di-di-da {pause} di-di-di-da.” It starts at the end of the measure too, which is typically harder for young musicians because you have to count the rests before jumping into your notes.

It’s a critical rhythm at that point in the song, because it sets the tone and tempo for that section, and everyone else’s part layers on top of it.

And the trombones just couldn’t get it.

After trying everything in the book, from one method of counting to another, playing super slow, and trying over and over again to get it right, it still just wasn’t happening. In fact, I think it was getting worse. Because by this point, the poor trombones aren’t just frustrated and mentally tired, they’re also embarrassed because the rest of the orchestra is there just waiting and witnessing their struggle.

Then our conductor said something I’ll never forget. He was a short, Einstein-haired, big-nosed, elderly sort of guy. But he was diminutive in appearance only until he picked up a baton. Then he transformed to have this quiet assurance that brooked no contradiction. If he said it, that’s the way it was. He was picky, but he was right. And what made him special was he was able to communicate all of that with a sense of humor. 

Anyway, he rapped his baton on his stand and said, “You need to sniff.”

Everyone looked at him like he was a bit crazy. But our incredulity didn’t faze him in the slightest, “You need to sniff. Di-di-di-da {sniff} di-di-di-da. Beethoven would sniff. You need to sniff. Try it.”

Memory is a funny thing. I know it’s a Tchaikovsky piece, but I swear our conductor said Beethoven would sniff. Maybe he was meeting us halfway, knowing Beethoven would stand out in our minds.

So we did. First he just had the trombones do it, singing the rhythm out in time.
Di-di-di-da {sniff} di-di-di-da. Their sniffs were a little tentative so he had everyone join in. Di-di-di-da {sniff} di-di-di-da. After a few repetitions (and more than a few giggles), we got over the craziness of the whole idea and really committed to the sniff. And once we did, that tricky rhythm came together like magic.

It was amazing, and I’ll never forget it.

That’s what I think scripture means when it says Jesus spoke with authority. The phrase “with authority” was a known term in the rabbinical teaching structure. It basically meant that people recognized Jesus had enough insight to look at a familiar thing in a fresh way. But a little more than that because anyone can have a crazy opinion, but if you spoke “with authority” then people actually respected your point of view.

When I read, “The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority!” (Mark 1:27) I imagine the crowd feeling the same sense of wonder we did in the orchestra. After all, who in their right mind would tell a trombone section to sniff? You won’t find that anywhere in an exercise book. But he did, and “Beethoven would sniff” changed everything for us that summer. It took a tricky rhythm and made it attainable. Frustration gave way to comprehension and we went on to play the piece with confidence and unity. And I think that’s just what Jesus does with God’s law. Time after time, he offers a new insight that suddenly makes the convoluted very simple.

If you want to take a listen, the infamous rhythm is at 0:52. I dare you not to sniff. But make sure you mean it if you do.

Overcomplication

The following conversation took place in one of the early episodes of MasterChef this season:

Joe - Mystery Box, Season 5. We start with desserts. What's the biggest mistake we see with mystery boxes like this one?

Gordan - It's one of overcomplication.

Graham - As you get more and more experienced as a cook or a chef, it's all about putting less on the plate. I think here you're going to see people try to add every single thing possible, and we all know that just muddles it.

"You're going to see people try to add every single thing possible, and we all know that just muddles it."

Ouch.  How often do I (do we) do just that?  Try to throw every trick we have, whether it's to impress, to please, or to measure up?

But when we do that, the painting we're trying to compose with our programs or with our lives just ends up looking like the brown, soupy, finger-painted masterpiece of a four-year-old artist.  You know the kind. It might be beautiful to the imagination, but the reality is just a bit of a mess. As Harry Potter observed in the Half-Blood Prince: "Bangs and smoke are more often the sign of ineptitude rather than expertise."

"As you get more and more experienced...it's all about putting less on the plate."

Be intentional.  Keep it simple.  Put less on your plate.

It will be less muddled.

And ultimately, more delicious.

Silver. Refuge. All caught up.

Favorite Proverbs: #27 Silver is the New Gray

Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness. Proverbs 16:31

What words of wisdom would you offer anyone celebrating a milestone birthday this year?

I believe this thought is borrowed from a toast, but I've always found it both encouraging and wise:  To look forward with pleasure, and backward without remorse.


Favorite Proverbs: #26 Tower of Power

The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10

Liz suggested we can speak His name, open His Word, and seek His Church. How else might we run into His strong tower?

Change direction.  I think of a refuge and I think of being safe behind those strong walls.  One of the most humbling and beautiful parts growing and maturing is that my eyes are constantly being open to a better way. It's humbling to realize when I'm out of bounds.  Those boundaries aren't there to be restricting.  They're there to be protective.  (Not that God's protection is limited to a finite space of course.)  But when my eyes are opened to a new aspect of that better way and I find that I've been wandering in the woods instead of the tower grounds, the best thing I can do is change direction.  The quote the proverb:  the righteous run to it and are safe.

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And with that, for the first time in a long while, I'm all caught up!  (A nice way to celebrate the halfway point of this journey through Proverbs.) Now I can focus on finishing up some other posts that have been rattling around in my head for a bit.

Generosity

Favorite Proverbs: #28 How Low Can We Go?

Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud. Proverbs 16:19

If this devotion has convicted you to do more for those in need, how do you plan to get started? If you are already doing and giving in a sacrificial way, what has the Lord taught you in the process?

"Travel light."  This is an idea planted into my heart years ago by a very wise birthday card.  Ever since then, that idea has taken root and grown strong.  To me, traveling light isn't just about letting go of worry and regret.  It's also grown to be about being intentional about the things I decide to acquire and keep.  Even more, it's about not filling my time or my budget to capacity.  Why?  To be able to be generous.  It's been a learning journey, but in the process the thing I've learned the most is this (and it's going to sound cliche): I can't out-give God.  Mostly because as I pour out, he pours right back in.  Not always in the same way (it's not like he's running a divine reimbursement service), but always in a way that provides a blessing.

It helps that I belong to a church family that values giving.  My senior pastor often mentions the verse that talks about leaving the edges of fields for the needy (Leviticus 19:9-10).  Purposefully setting aside a part of my proverbial field has been life-changing.  Because what begins as a sacrifice then becomes a budget.

The other big lesson I've learned:  I don't need to out-give God (or anybody else). Once I started seeing the needs of the world, I felt like I started seeing them all.  And there's a lot.  How in the world could my little bit make any sort of real difference?  But God has shown me time and time again that it's not about an amount, it's about my heart.  Jesus famously took a sack lunch and fed a multitude.  God still does that today.  He doesn't want me to give my whole field, but he does want me to be a good steward and to be obedient with my edges.

Being lowly, living humbly...traveling light. So I can give him all my edges, and in his hands, those edges can change the world.

Hidden Motives

Favorite Proverbs: #29 Hidden Motives

A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart. Proverbs 21:2

What has the Lord been teaching you this week?

One of the great things about growing up in church is having a treasury of verses set to song that bubble up to the surface of my mind when I need them most. This one has been on repeat in my mind lately:

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his way.  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down.  For the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.  Psalm 37:23

What a great promise and reminder right?  And I honestly think that delight goes both ways:  God delights and sings over us, and when we are in the middle of what he's doing, we're delighting in him.

The best part is, perfection is not required.  We stumble, we hiccup, we sometimes hobble through, but this verse says that wobbles or falls or missed opportunities are not a disqualification.  No matter how bad/guilty/disappointed we might feel, we are not cast down, thrown out, or given up on. The Lord upholds us with his righteous right hand.

More than I would like to admit, I struggle with feelings of guilt and underachievement.  (Especially when I'm feeling particularly fallible, or simply...uninteresting.) But with that verse on musical repeat, his still small voice has been faithfully reminding me that his delight isn't contingent on my successes or achievements.  He loves me just as I am.  Not for what I've done or haven't done.  Not for my past victories, or in spite of my past failures.  He just loves me.  More than that.  He delights in this journey we are sharing together.

Remembering that restores my joy too.

Smart Money

Favorite Proverbs: #30 Smart Money

How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver! Proverbs 16:16

The CEV translation sums up this verse, “It’s much better to be wise and sensible than to be rich.” How might you convince a teenager of that truth?

There's probably nothing more convincing that someone faithfully walking out their own convictions.  The polar opposite of "Do as I say, not as I do."  Do as I do, because life is better this way.  How do I treat gold and silver?  What priority to I place on wisdom and insight?  The teenagers in my life will see that...and take note.

That being said, it wasn't until I traveled overseas that I fully understood just how rich our culture is in stuff while at the same time being so very poor in spirit. And I will never forget traveling to a small coastal town in Mississippi to help with the rebuilding effort the year after Katrina completely devastated the Golf region. Some of those people had lost everything, but not their spirit...and their stories were amazing. For that reason, I think encouraging teenagers to volunteer and serve (either here or abroad) is a great way to reveal the truth of this verse.  Sometimes you just can't know things until your perspective has been changed.

“If only people would realize that moral principles are like measles...They have to be caught. And only the people who've got them can pass on the contagion.” ~ Aldous Huxley

Heavy Lifting

Favorite Proverbs: #31 Heavy Lifting

Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. Proverbs 12:25

If you’re not okay right now, could you tell someone you trust?
If someone around you isn’t okay, what kind word could you offer them today?

There's no good way to get a grip on a runaway train of anxious thoughts.  Maybe that's what makes them so heavy on the heart.  Like a oversized load of laundry you're trying to carry in one trip to the washer, it's a wiley burden.  Just when you think you have a precarious hold, you look down only to discover you've missed an errant sock, and if you bend down to pick it up, you somehow drop another one from the towering pile.  It can be a comedy of errors if your mood is right...or the straw that breaks your fragile facade into a million pieces.  Yes, the laundry is dirty. You know that, and you're trying to take it to the right place to fix that.  If only you could get there.

How precious are the words of a friend.  A friend's encouraging words can enter into shattered mess of a pile gone terribly wrong and knock that runaway train right from its tracks.  A kind word can be an extra hand that picks up the errant sock, allowing you to keep your tenuous grip on the way to the washer.  A kind word can change the soundtrack and somehow make a tragic moment into a comedic one.  (Have you ever had a friend rescue you from frustration and tears by dissolving you into a pile of giggles?  I have.  It's the best kind of rescue.)

I'm definitely blessed to have friends I can reach out to when I'm struggling.  The hardest part is admitting that I need the help.  The thought of my friend's hands on my errant socks?  It's embarrassing.  But a friend won't air that laundry, they'll help you carry it to the washer.  And the thing is, I know I wouldn't be bothered in the least if the tables were turned.  It's a sock.  There's nothing to be ashamed about.  That's just life.  Why is it so much easier to give help than receive it? (Especially when anxiety is involved.)

My prayer is to have the bravery to be transparent with those who have my trust, and to have ears to hear and eyes to see when someone might need a hand themselves.  Not to carry the whole load. There's someone whose hands are big enough for that.  Just to pick up a sock or two on the way.

Beauty

Favorite Proverbs: #32 Beauty is as Beauty Does

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion. Proverbs 11:22

Several women chose this verse from Proverbs as their favorite. How does it speak to you?

I loved the quote: "With great beauty comes great responsibility."  So true!  I work as a hairbraider at the local Renaissance Festival, and for those nine weekends I get to see that quote and this verse acted out front and center.  It never ceases to amaze me how many people seem to leave their discretion out of their dressing process. The braiders actually have a "Bad Costume Bingo" card as a way of taking a tally of some of the...let's call them choices (because that's what they are)...we see often enough that while they might startle us, they don't surprise us anymore.

Some costuming is eye-catching for all the right reasons, and those are on the Bingo card too: for being beautiful or creative or well-executed or fun.  But then there are the things that are eye-catching for all the wrong reasons.

Everybody and every body is beautiful.  I truly believe that.  And some people really do have stunning wrapping paper.  But something gets lost when they don't treat their wrapping paper well.  Each time I see someone Bingo-card worthy, it grieves my heart a little bit.  Because while I'm sure they want to be turning heads, I can't believe they want to be turning them for that reason.

Every body is beautiful, even mine!  But no matter how confident I might be in my outer beauty (a sliding scale to be sure!), it's my inner beauty that I want to shine through.

This season, I guarantee you I'll be thinking about pierced pigs, and good choices.