tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33890737155175425812024-03-15T19:42:18.365-06:00Clare's Contemplations"To the pure, all things are pure..." Titus 1:15Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.comBlogger586125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-5663957048256343162023-11-24T20:03:00.000-07:002023-11-24T20:03:05.042-07:00To Jocelyn, on Your 18th Birthday<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrZ0wgNzPb-zK48bsy3J2h82MlKdAPNr7p3sg3DUTpBizIDVgw8dqc6TqgFfpctldsxd4DA4DtADVKKjlI7zzjdJa2YdP4AeG2T9jaKpidfPsGiAVkstEd48tfpMN6_gJKhEe1_c4W9puFlO82Gv-s5sI2nHE53s4EkfSYLJsM-Lc-9sG8DwFjQwEWonb/s1024/image000000.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrZ0wgNzPb-zK48bsy3J2h82MlKdAPNr7p3sg3DUTpBizIDVgw8dqc6TqgFfpctldsxd4DA4DtADVKKjlI7zzjdJa2YdP4AeG2T9jaKpidfPsGiAVkstEd48tfpMN6_gJKhEe1_c4W9puFlO82Gv-s5sI2nHE53s4EkfSYLJsM-Lc-9sG8DwFjQwEWonb/w480-h640/image000000.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>Dear Jocelyn,<p></p><div> I can not believe that I am writing this to you on your EIGHTEENTH birthday. I started <a href="https://www.clarescontemplations.com/2009/11/to-jocelyn-on-her-4th-birthday.html">writing to you when you were four.</a> I am almost at a loss as to what to say. While I know that I will always be your mom, I know that no matter how hard it is for me, this era of our lives is drawing to a close. I don't think it is wrong for me to take a moment to grieve that soon things will be radically different. You won't be in your room at the bottom of the stairs every night when I go to bed. Your dreams are coming true and they are much bigger than our little house. And I love that, but it hurts too. </div><div><br /></div><div> Parenting is the most beautifully, exquisitely painful, thing I have ever experienced. It fills your heart while simultaneously breaking it over and over. We are already experiencing the end of so many sweet "always" things. This was the first year ever that I delivered Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes without you. We didn't get to have corndogs at Sonic on Halloween. You have your own job, and school, and it is good! I'm so thankful for all the opportunities you have. We have worked hard to train you up in the fear of the Lord, and the time is quickly approaching where you will get to choose on your own how to put into practice all you've learned.</div><div> </div><div> And I know that you will still need me, but it will be different. You are already so wonderfully independent in so many amazing ways. You have made juggling college classes, work, and church commitments look effortless. But even beyond that, you have traveled with friends and student government on your own, found a new job, applied for college and managed to help out friends and family, too. </div><div><br /></div><div> You are creating a life that you love and seeing you achieve so many goals is absolutely inspiring. You decided to go after a position in the college student government and you have fallen in love with it. You found a place in a group of strangers who are now friends. You have put on countless events already, and attended so many retreats and conferences. The highlight was sneaking in a trip to Disneyland this last week, which was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for you! I could not have been happier for you.</div><div><br /></div><div> I know you have your heart set on going away to school, and I know you will be successful at whatever you choose to do. You are still so fearless, and you love a new adventure. I know that you will stay strong in your faith wherever life takes you. Your love for Jesus hasn't wavered, and He will never fail you.</div><div><br /></div><div> I am SO proud of who you are. I have always loved you, but the older you get the more I truly like you. You have reached an age where you need less "telling" and more "recommending". I can trust you to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and I am always praying that will be true. I hope you will always know that the advice I give is based on my desire for you to follow the Lord, and that you will be able to trust that my love for you is an outflow of the love He has for us. And I pray you will never "outgrow" your need for me to be your mother. I love you.</div><div><br /></div><div> Love always,</div><div> Mom</div>Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-61502550863422464182023-04-10T21:20:00.002-06:002023-04-10T21:20:43.211-06:00To Carson, on Your 15th Birthday<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQaZ_3maERMrwcCBwBAV9_fD0GK4JYFMDh658fivOywMveoVHgQ1hHKeSmgRpezXZjWszb6PYf-TQetFRmasvQk9v0ygN3pXWDT3aso1McFFuRiPrhy4Qb7kkoD6lNa_Sh36O5zWJdalhjNkVNn0h_SXgWS28omNDHXJKmc7NgQUoeWolvMLzXakL2VA/s4032/C9DA93DC-E9C4-4C04-8E37-CD9AC6C71502.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQaZ_3maERMrwcCBwBAV9_fD0GK4JYFMDh658fivOywMveoVHgQ1hHKeSmgRpezXZjWszb6PYf-TQetFRmasvQk9v0ygN3pXWDT3aso1McFFuRiPrhy4Qb7kkoD6lNa_Sh36O5zWJdalhjNkVNn0h_SXgWS28omNDHXJKmc7NgQUoeWolvMLzXakL2VA/w300-h400/C9DA93DC-E9C4-4C04-8E37-CD9AC6C71502.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> Dear Carson,</p><p> I love that we have a day when we can celebrate you. This last year has had so many moments, big and small, that are worth commemorating. You have taken on many new challenges and risen to the occasion over and over again.</p><p> I think sometimes perhaps you feel like you are in Jocelyn's shadow, since as the oldest she gets to do everything "first" but I don't think of it that way. You aren't doing it after her. You are each doing it. In your own ways, and your own times. And it is beautiful to me to see you figure things out, and to learn how to express yourself. </p><p> Now that Jocelyn is at work and college, it has been fun to have more time just the two of us. You are now my sole co-op buddy (something Jocelyn never got to do!). You are in my literature class for the first time, too, and I think you secretly like those old books more than you want to admit. You are really getting good at this whole school thing, and it is fun to see you understanding so many new concepts. You are taking so much responsibility for your education, and that is beneficial both now and in the long run.</p><p> You are really taking accountability for so many things. You really decided to put in the effort to analyze your basketball performance, and it showed this season. Watching you play was really just *fun*. Seeing you score was thrilling, but really, I love what a good team player and how sportsmanlike you are. </p><p> And you are succeeding at other new things, too. Soccer, high school Awana, a new church and youth group. I know you love routine, and continuity, but you have had a good attitude about all these things. You played Hoopfest, and went on your first basketball trip. You've made new friends, something you've always done so well. </p><p> But as always, the thing I love the most about you is how you care so well for people. Inclusion is important to you, and hospitality. You make me feel loved by leaving me little notes, and always checking to make sure I haven't forgotten anything. You take care of your dad, preparing all his lunch stuff every night. You love on all the babies in the family, and all the sisters agree you are an excellent babysitter. And there is never any danger that a door will be left unlocked when you're around!</p><p> We have reached the part where neither the days nor the years are long anymore. More so even than when you were smaller I wish time would just slow down. It won't though, so I'm giving it my all to try to enjoy these fleeting days. I know it you don't love it when I take photos or make sappy comments, but I'm just trying to remember it all. The eternal tension of parenting is knowing that the future holds so many more wonderful moments, while simultaneously mourning the ones that will never be again. But I wouldn't miss them if they hadn't been so sweet. Thankfully, I think the Lord will graciously give us many more. And because of your faith in Jesus, we are guaranteed eternity! I'm so thankful for you. And I love you. Truly, more than you know. </p><p> Love,</p><p> Larry</p>Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-29515730448074878542022-12-23T22:22:00.010-07:002023-04-10T21:25:22.408-06:00O Come, All<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklDim4ZRbi8VvyuxLaD_C7RqBZsseETqER3P0eFoUNMVZ96TckM-IurVqwTuDVpATxGb_CVSqYV90KqzvHBMFqN-aeeNhYL2YH3uLuvnYwdBrNu-wa6lWrlmsQq4TVONFcmLwn6Iky58A2aA33vImwamYMFXx1H9n40F1enMiZ2VDeyIPx1IxhK0hYA/s4032/CF78839C-4F9F-43CB-A33F-3C9747C48B4C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklDim4ZRbi8VvyuxLaD_C7RqBZsseETqER3P0eFoUNMVZ96TckM-IurVqwTuDVpATxGb_CVSqYV90KqzvHBMFqN-aeeNhYL2YH3uLuvnYwdBrNu-wa6lWrlmsQq4TVONFcmLwn6Iky58A2aA33vImwamYMFXx1H9n40F1enMiZ2VDeyIPx1IxhK0hYA/w480-h640/CF78839C-4F9F-43CB-A33F-3C9747C48B4C.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">O come, all ye faithful,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Those of you who haven’t been so faithful, you can come too, for there is forgiveness for those who repent.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">joyful,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(You sorrowful ones, come also. He brings joy in the morning. And the mourning.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and triumphant!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Come all you failures, as well, defeated by sin. He gives the true victory. )</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Come there, and find your way to the foot of the cross.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Come and behold Him born the King of angels:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Not just of angels, but of all the world. Come and behold the King of Kings)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Join the song, and know He sings over you.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Make a joyous noise along with them, knowing you are chosen, and yet still can choose.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Glory to God, glory in the highest:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(For He alone is worthy. For He alone sits on the throne.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Behold He stands at the door and knocks, will you welcome Him in?)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus, to Thee be all glory given!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(And honor, and praise, and love. For now and forever.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(And You chose to dwell among us full of grace and truth.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">O come, let us adore Him,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Together! Forever!)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">O come, let us adore Him,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Fall down before Him!)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">O come, let us adore Him,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(God with us! The rescue has begun! The Hero has come!)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christ the Lord.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0pt 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(And all will bow before Him. Amen.)</span></p>Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-82189545356574884962022-11-24T01:00:00.003-07:002022-11-24T10:24:42.108-07:00To Jocelyn, On Your 17th Birthday<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLLAgr3f5YpwbBrXLCnH--fPjp_CAXYi3OqFvwv8SbJWwJnABVB4epdTfqw2p5x2eryH9iHmjNjIa7YhjESyMAOix80DR-X37msqs7KkPXWi3uI-_lPHFZkldUupcYukZjSKDkbbF0vSt7j2YGM7Qo-4gOYrVYbjWwQfim_IqNf1pBQQeziaiEQK76Q/s4032/217700FD-53AE-4C4F-8B68-334306C4A25E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLLAgr3f5YpwbBrXLCnH--fPjp_CAXYi3OqFvwv8SbJWwJnABVB4epdTfqw2p5x2eryH9iHmjNjIa7YhjESyMAOix80DR-X37msqs7KkPXWi3uI-_lPHFZkldUupcYukZjSKDkbbF0vSt7j2YGM7Qo-4gOYrVYbjWwQfim_IqNf1pBQQeziaiEQK76Q/w300-h400/217700FD-53AE-4C4F-8B68-334306C4A25E.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> Dear Jocelyn,<p></p><p> What. A. Year. It was good. It was bad. It was everything in between. We have weathered all kinds of storms as a family, but you have had many tough challenges of your own. Anyone who thinks that getting your first job, learning to drive, and transitioning from homeschooling to college is easy should just spend a few minutes talking to you. You have done an amazing job, but it has been anything but easy. The learning curve has been steep. For both of us. We have cried, but we have persevered. We have passed driver's tests, turned in midterms, arranged work schedules, navigated piles of paperwork, and we are still standing. </p><p> I never needed anyone to tell me that time flies. You know that the moment you have a baby. But it is getting ridiculous at this point. I am trying not to imagine what it will feel like when you aren't just at the bottom of the stairs, because it won't do me any good. Instead, I am savoring the moments, the fun we have running errands, you standing in the door of my bedroom to give me the latest stories from work, or even just crouching over the laptop to edit an assignment before you turn it in. I love that you still look forward to our annual west side trip, it makes me so happy to have that time to hear your hopes and dreams uninterrupted.</p><p> Because even though I have been your mom for 17 years, I am still learning about you, in part because you are still very much in the process of determining your own identity. I never wanted a carbon copy of myself, as a matter of fact, I try very hard to help you learn from my mistakes. I want you to be *you*, wonderful, marvelous, created in His image but still amazingly unique. I want you to find joy in living for the Lord, to take pleasure in the small things, to be grateful in the tough times, and to learn to trust in the difficult ones. </p><p> Most of all, I want you to learn that you don't have to be afraid. The battle has already been won and He is with you. I love that your birthday is essentially the kickoff to the Advent season. All these festivities and decorations reminding us that Emmanuel has come and told us not to fear. You can fail, you can fly, you can live knowing you are fully known, and yet, still fully loved. You don't need anyone but Jesus. </p><p> And know, that as long as the Lord allows, I will be here. I will be honest with you, because that is the best way to teach someone. I won't tell you it will be easy, or pain free. But I will always love you too. I hope you always know that I will listen. </p><p> I have told you pretty much the same thing every year. But as we grow older I think it becomes even more vital to know that we have someone in our corner. The mistakes of a child do not have the serious consequences of the ones we can make as we grow older. But few mistakes are greater than thinking that we cannot be forgiven, and that we are only loved for what we do. I hope you know I will always love you because you are my dear daughter, but more so than that I pray that you will know and depend on the love Christ has for you. </p><p> I love you,</p><p> Mom</p>Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-83346252794226504722022-04-15T10:23:00.002-06:002022-04-15T10:23:15.312-06:00What Saturday's Stillness Says<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzXtfUh-4_j9tc9zKxFm4ifAxHWw1JWq2KgOB9Ck8_oaJev9A8pYxBwOvjadWOuhTI_GCGZwJM69GPqZf-jjyotu5kfS87BguQFv0SSMnxbiBQFdBffGZlNEoIuDzV5R9VWTUwMNH4bStKP8PynTCY3GPr6dyFwEoYgQypYjM28Xp9rP5jp0NsscEBw/s3021/7ACBD7E1-A40F-45B3-8CAC-39945E85107B.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="2279" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzXtfUh-4_j9tc9zKxFm4ifAxHWw1JWq2KgOB9Ck8_oaJev9A8pYxBwOvjadWOuhTI_GCGZwJM69GPqZf-jjyotu5kfS87BguQFv0SSMnxbiBQFdBffGZlNEoIuDzV5R9VWTUwMNH4bStKP8PynTCY3GPr6dyFwEoYgQypYjM28Xp9rP5jp0NsscEBw/w482-h640/7ACBD7E1-A40F-45B3-8CAC-39945E85107B.jpeg" width="482" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><blockquote style="text-align: right;"> "...But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment." Luke 23:56b</blockquote><p><br /></p><p> By nature I am a talker. Silence makes me uncomfortable. How can I know what you are thinking if you aren't speaking? How can you know what I am thinking if I'm not speaking? Anyone who has ever spent any great amount of time with me doesn't have to worry about that. I won't be quiet for long. </p><p> But there are times when even I do not speak. It doesn't happen often, although as I mature it seems to be increasing in frequency. I think perhaps it is a sign of wisdom. I am least prone to speak when I am angry-it is not a good sign if I stop talking in the middle of a fight. But I have also learned to limit my words when someone is grieving. I have begun to see that there are no words that I have that can make that right. At those times people usually just want someone to be with them, not offer empty platitudes or trite phrases of consolation. They don't need the sound of my voice, just to know they are not alone is enough. </p><p></p><blockquote> "The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8</blockquote><p></p><p> Today is Good Friday. Sunday is Easter. Saturday is...silence? We tremble before the power of the crucifixion. We rejoice at the power of the Resurrection. But what power does Saturday hold?</p><p>I like to think it holds the power of silence.</p><p>Sometimes when God doesn't seem to be saying anything He is speaking the loudest. Sometimes He is sitting with us in our grief. That verse is from the Old Testament. Well in advance of Jesus' death God had promised to be with His people. Jesus time in the tomb did not undo that promise. </p><p></p><blockquote>"For the word of the LORD is right and true; He is faithful in all He does." Psalm 33:4</blockquote><p>What happens in silence? We start to listen. We wait. We think of what we already know. When God does not seem to be moving we should start paying the closest of attention. There are times we have strayed from His immediate presence, to be sure. But I have found that in times of grief and loss, confusion and pain, we feel like God is not moving. And perhaps it is because He is sitting with us in our grief.</p><p></p><blockquote style="text-align: right;">"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18 </blockquote><p> I cannot speak for those waiting women. But Scripture speaks for them. Look at it again:</p><blockquote style="text-align: right;"> "...But they <b>rested</b> on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment." Luke 23:56b</blockquote><p>The emphasis is mine, but every word of Scripture is true. In the dozens of English translations that word is rendered "rested" except in one (Darby) that says "remained quiet." </p><p> What do rest and grief have in common? How can you be at peace in times of greatest loss? How can you remain quiet when your heart is wailing with fear and loss? Was there any greater loss than that of Jesus? How could these women rest? How could they remain quiet?</p><p></p><blockquote>"There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His." Hebrews 4:9-10 </blockquote><p></p><blockquote>"When He had received the drink, Jesus said, "<b>It is finished</b>." With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." John 19:30 </blockquote><p>We can rest when our work is done. And our work is done for us because we could never do it ourselves. We can remain quiet in the stillness of grief, knowing that we don't have to fight anymore. The battle is won. God didn't have to speak in the stillness of Saturday, the Word had already been spoken. All that remained was to believe. </p><p> And that is how we can rest in the stillness of whatever Saturday we may be currently going through. The end has already been written and it is glorious. The Word has already spoken and He is victorious. We can live on Saturday like it is already Sunday. We can walk in the same faith knowing He is risen even while He seems to be very silent, as still as the grave. </p><p></p><blockquote>"The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; <b>He has risen just as He said</b>. Come and see the place where He lay." Matthew 28:5-6</blockquote><p> He has already spoken. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14) He is with us, He is for us, He has given us rest. So if this "Saturday" seems so silent you feel like you are going crazy, remember that rest is possible. If those women could have enough faith in the promises of God to rest while Jesus was in the tomb, you can find rest in Him here. He is using the silence to speak and it is saying:</p><p></p><blockquote>"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through Him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God." 2 Corinthians 1:20 </blockquote><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-55721881383003605772022-04-10T21:58:00.003-06:002022-04-10T21:58:19.834-06:00To Carson, On Your 14th Birthday <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjql_nA22bKlLumcjwdozJS6-qae04d_hilH4U0n7YPdxG2W0zw7C6Mwc-7FAJQNq1y1WfxEAOI6hpEGwL1I0k1C2NaiFLc1OsvLD-SWM5FUPwKt-a-cIjWxWH3JGs-TJ4hM5_zPHphw_86x1tH5rhKsq9L_Tza6khVbMDVjimlRLdD9WGvf-P93nPRSA/s3000/F0ACFF9F-D0CC-42E8-B9DC-9F371531F1DC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2250" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjql_nA22bKlLumcjwdozJS6-qae04d_hilH4U0n7YPdxG2W0zw7C6Mwc-7FAJQNq1y1WfxEAOI6hpEGwL1I0k1C2NaiFLc1OsvLD-SWM5FUPwKt-a-cIjWxWH3JGs-TJ4hM5_zPHphw_86x1tH5rhKsq9L_Tza6khVbMDVjimlRLdD9WGvf-P93nPRSA/w480-h640/F0ACFF9F-D0CC-42E8-B9DC-9F371531F1DC.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>Dear Carson, </p><p> What a year it has been! I cannot believe how much you have grown over the last year, not just physically, but mentally and spiritually. You continue to show a sweet tenderness that is uncharacteristic of many men, young or old. You have a genuine love for people, especially little ones, and you work so hard to make people feel included. </p><p> I have seen so many great character strengths developing in you, and nowhere are they quite as apparent as during these last two seasons of basketball. We jumped into a new team in the fall, and neither of us what quite certain what to expect. At first you didn't think you had what it took-you were afraid you weren't strong enough or tough enough. You were so tired after practices. But I wouldn't let you quit and instead of complaining you threw yourself into the high school season-as an 8th grader! You started out by barely playing, and you never took a shot. But by the end of the season you scored several times and surprised even yourself by being a valuable member of the team. Neither one of us realized that the middle school season would be next, but you developed relationships with many new teammates and showed yourself to be a leader. Not because you thought of yourself as being worthy to be in charge, but because you showed yourself to be a teachable team player who was interested in everyone improving. You were a starter for most of the season-a tough one where you stayed humble and invested. You demonstrated a sportmanslike attitude and acquitted yourself well with both teammates and coaches.</p><p> Not only were you a great basketball player, but you continued to love and serve your friends and family. Katy says that you and all the little boy cousins are "Carson and the Carsonettes". You are Harry's favorite, and whenever he is around you two are practically inseparable. You truly care for and take care of him. You are the best at putting him to sleep and he will jump out of other people's arms to get to you. Your relationship is so sweet. </p><p> And you always make me feel loved, too. You tell me I'm "the best mom ever" and I can't tell you what that means to me. You know when I am feeling down, and you really try to make me feel better. You don't mind spending time with me, and some of my favorite memories will always be chatting with you about the deep questions in life while driving to practice or a game. I love your inquisitiveness, and I never get tired of answering your questions. You love to share fun new facts with me that you have learned and I like to hear how you are expanding your worldview. </p><p> I love who you are. You are a godly young man that really understands that one of the very best ways to serve Christ is by loving people. You are always a welcome member of any group, and it is easy to see why. I am so glad that I get to be your mom. I hope 14 is an amazing year for you. I love you so much.</p><p> Love,</p><p> Larry (Your current nickname for me)</p>Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-85894937673848970262021-11-24T22:30:00.000-07:002021-11-24T22:30:13.233-07:00To Jocelyn, On Your 16th Birthday<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4CeCpJlfsc-I4kCfekJ4cNmhgXySnSu_lNeBOwXvOxf71GBy5g_S6V2f1KCh5yf3MVehXH2AjtHX6hJQK6_sAcTo-YweWQBRWA16_lp-5AB3GU34wQErXHBm6N_47xwSJVPYEwNroEAwE/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4CeCpJlfsc-I4kCfekJ4cNmhgXySnSu_lNeBOwXvOxf71GBy5g_S6V2f1KCh5yf3MVehXH2AjtHX6hJQK6_sAcTo-YweWQBRWA16_lp-5AB3GU34wQErXHBm6N_47xwSJVPYEwNroEAwE/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></div>Dear Jocelyn,<p></p><p> Happy 16th birthday! It is impossible to describe the joy that you bring us, and I hope that on your birthday you know at least a small part of that. We are past the halfway point of your teen years (eek!) and it has truly been a pleasure to be your mom. People say teenagers are the worst, but this has been my favorite part of parenting so far. </p><p> The biggest reason for that is that you are not just my daughter, you are my sister in Christ. You are there with an encouraging word for me in tough seasons, and have already given me wise and loving counsel. I see Jesus in you and it continually delights me. You are the fragrance of the Gospel wherever you go and it is inspiring to all who know you. You live a life worthy of Him who called you, and it isn't one lived in a bubble. You have been in some difficult relationships, and you have had your beliefs tested. I doubt that it will end soon, but allow it to continue to make you lean into Jesus. </p><p> I am trying hard not to think about the fact that our homeschooling journey is almost at an end. I am having so much fun teaching you this year-you have developed a love for literature that delights me to no end. You still have a brain for science, and of course, math! You can run circles around me in those areas. You carefully chose to end your dance training this fall, so you could pursue other interests. You've put time into your social media channels, and it has been fun seeing your success. You are so brave! You have had fun learning guitar, and spending time on your artwork. When you won that art contest earlier this year it was nice to see the validation you felt-it was time well spent.</p><p> Of course you have had time for friendships, too. You make your friends feel valued and it shows in how they seek you out. I loved that you still find ways to have fun and be silly-you realize that one is never too grown up to wear a good costume. Your "White Rabbit" this year was one of my all-time favorites of ever. (And literature inspired, too!)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0JymiDJwkMRzaX7kt6zK3V8mVjscJtbDUqHzUvmQXc3inuhRpMXnOofqZyOHPqWZw_BNqj81TFZN2RDIhQIRl7M0i3eeCL4QuAz7qcpGkwidWVKTyu1aQHlV5aW65oq03TIMEfkLv06p/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0JymiDJwkMRzaX7kt6zK3V8mVjscJtbDUqHzUvmQXc3inuhRpMXnOofqZyOHPqWZw_BNqj81TFZN2RDIhQIRl7M0i3eeCL4QuAz7qcpGkwidWVKTyu1aQHlV5aW65oq03TIMEfkLv06p/w300-h400/image.png" width="300" /></a></div><br /> And you are as helpful and cheerful as ever. Awana, Operation Christmas Child, our Browne ministry, Vacation Bible School. You are my volunteering buddy and I love it. Your work is exemplary, and you serve more than many adults, but you never ask for accolades. I know that your future crown is already full of jewels. As always, you inspire me, challenge me, and daily remind me of God's goodness. I am looking forward to seeing you tackle driving and starting college soon. You will do great, I know, because you will do it with the Lord at the center. With Him, you will never fail. I love you so much, my wonderful daughter. <p></p><p> Love Always,</p><p> Mother.</p>Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-42647796663393321332021-04-10T22:26:00.002-06:002021-08-24T17:37:39.014-06:00To Carson, On Your 13th Birthday<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53u5VhZdywrMfYYiF5wFCTIPL6EY5nDwpNLiOXewBOmeqe55knVLXrjxPUTiMAouEfenTmV7BNlRcfy0I30hSXRpZpw8yIAWfXKaZojBK2dT0Urn7FXtqMJROLFfjsBq-kTYyW17urMBz/s2048/79461161-9514-43FF-8F8F-9E56E18B3218.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53u5VhZdywrMfYYiF5wFCTIPL6EY5nDwpNLiOXewBOmeqe55knVLXrjxPUTiMAouEfenTmV7BNlRcfy0I30hSXRpZpw8yIAWfXKaZojBK2dT0Urn7FXtqMJROLFfjsBq-kTYyW17urMBz/w480-h640/79461161-9514-43FF-8F8F-9E56E18B3218.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>Dear Carson,<p></p><p> Well, I did not have any clue when I wrote your last birthday letter that I would be here once again writing to you in the midst of pandemic restrictions. You've been a trooper this last year. You've always been sensitive to change, and you knew that I was not dealing well with all that was happening. I'm sorry for the ways that I've made the last year even more difficult for you. You have made me feel loved and cared for, which is such a big part of who you are. You vacuumed, made me cakes, and wrote me sweet notes. I'm sorry that so much of this last year was about me. But it has never really worked for me to try to hide things from you, so instead I did my best to show you what it looks like to wade through uncertainty, to trust God when you feel like the world is falling apart. I hope that will be what you remember: not a mom who crumbled when things got hard, but rather that you can always trust that no matter what happens God is in control. It will never work if your faith is based on how well I live out mine. I have always encouraged you: Your faith must be based on Christ alone, and your relationship with Him cannot be guided by what anyone else, even your own mother, does or does not do. </p><p> And I see you taking that to heart. You are wrestling with difficult topics, always so observant of those around you. I love that you still ask so many questions. You catch me off guard, and make me think. I try not to give you pat answers, often, by asking my own questions you find that you knew the answer already, grounded in what Scripture says. You are having tough discussions with others, too. It shocks me to overhear the mature conversations you have with your friends, over video games! And your favorite class at co-op has been literature where you have waded through weighty books and subjects, like racism and communism. I must admit: I'm very pleased that you have taken to literature. A boy after my own heart.</p><p> Yet, you are like your dad, too. You look for ways to serve others, and I am constantly complimented on how eagerly your help with your friends' younger siblings. You do love a baby and you are tickled that Kelly's baby is a boy. You are already planning all the fun things you can do with him and teach him because, "Mom, 13 years isn't really that big of a difference." It makes me melt, for sure! </p><p> As always, I am looking forward to watching your growth in the coming year. You are still helping with children's church on Sunday mornings, and you transitioned to helping in Awana on Wednesday nights now that you are on to Trek. I was impressed with how easily you made friends in your new club, but I supposed I shouldn't have been. You have always been well-liked, and in many ways you are a leader in your guy gangs, both at co-op and Awana. You have so many friends, I sometimes lose track! </p><p> I want you to know that I am so proud of you, you are already doing amazing things. I am so grateful I have the privilege of watching you. Thanks for loving me so well. I pray that I do the same for you.</p><p> Love Always,</p><p> Mom </p><p> (aka Larapea, your latest of many nicknames for me. I will never get tired of that.)</p><p><br /></p>Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-87034676861533158462021-04-06T20:03:00.001-06:002021-04-06T20:03:38.568-06:00Faith Before Fruit <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB278Wi6anDkvGbgOq5vSuk_rUkyIvtioy-jDHc9E0jZz5AL5S1_MXAyVSzlJ40PgX2JVy80xZUXiVNbh0eMzqsWZhO90Tk2RSBi6tMdfVV5GomvuxbemUpKsLymy7LuIGlBpqv7OO2GM6/s4032/IMG_8654.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB278Wi6anDkvGbgOq5vSuk_rUkyIvtioy-jDHc9E0jZz5AL5S1_MXAyVSzlJ40PgX2JVy80xZUXiVNbh0eMzqsWZhO90Tk2RSBi6tMdfVV5GomvuxbemUpKsLymy7LuIGlBpqv7OO2GM6/w300-h400/IMG_8654.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I have never felt spring so keenly as I have this year. We had spring last year, meteorologically speaking, but all of 2020 felt like always winter and never Christmas, or is that just me? This last year was so, so hard, full of loss, and change, and fear. So while the world seems to finally be “coming to” after a year of hibernation, I am searching until my eyes are tired for the signs of life, the quickening that is the hallmark of this season of newness and renewal. Outside, but in my heart, too. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s2"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">““Forget the former things;</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> do not dwell on the past.</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">See, I am doing a new thing!</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">I am making a way in the wilderness</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> and streams in the wasteland.” </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">Isaiah 43:18-19</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s2"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But then I am forced to ask myself: am I ready to let go of the “winter”? You would answer resoundingly “YES!”-that would be my initial thought, also. But I am still holding on to bitterness, frustration, resentful of the year that seemingly the locusts have eaten-forgetting that I am also promised:</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s2"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> the great locust and the young locust,</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> the other locusts and the locust swarm</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">my great army that I sent among you.</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> and you will praise the name of the Lord your God,</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> who has worked wonders for you;</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">never again will my people be shamed.”</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">Joel 2:25-26</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s2"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I have to let go to go on. And sometimes I am tired. I feel like everything is always changing and I’m not a gambler: I’m ashamed to admit that I’d always rather cling to a known evil than trade for a potential-but unknown-good. Some of it doesn’t make sense. What if things change and they’re not better? What if I let go and I never stop falling?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s2"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">“Where can I go from Your Spirit?</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> Where can I flee from your presence?</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">If I go up to the heavens, You are there;</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> if I make my bed in the depths, You are there.” </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">Psalm 139:7-8 </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s2"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I have a blackberry bush in my backyard. It was planted by the previous owner so I don’t know much about it. Except that it has gorgeous huge berries and loves to be pruned. That astonished me-I’m not sure why, as it clearly is biblical. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s2"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">John 15:1-2</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s2"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Any branch that doesn’t show signs of life has to be cut off. It seems so damaging and shameful to the plant, but it is one of the most beneficial things you can do. The first year we lived in our house I didn’t know to prune it. It bore meager amounts of berries, and I was satisfied because that was all I knew. But then I found out that it needed to be pruned, in an almost merciless manner. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s2"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And that next spring I, with fear and trembling, hacked off every dead vine. It was scary because you prune *before* the plant flowers, before the promise of fruit. And I was scared I had killed it. But I had to let go. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s2"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He never lets go. I don’t have to understand-but I do need to let go. It’s the only way to flourish. And that summer, after all that cutting and removing, it came to life. It produced many times more berries than it had before. Bigger ones, too. But first I had to give in, give up, let go. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s2"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Spring is about renewal, but it is also about letting go. I have to pull up everything dead that’s standing in the way-and I have to do it by faith. Those dead things are at least *something*-what if I give them up for nothing? But I </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">have to choose to walk by faith. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s2"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2">John 15:8</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s2"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>If it’s for the Father’s glory it is an absolute, ironclad guarantee that it WILL come to pass. I just have to let go. And as spring begins to flower-inside and out-I’ll be praying that I can bear much fruit. </span></p>Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-36514716170563959232020-11-24T22:10:00.005-07:002020-11-24T22:10:48.868-07:00To Jocelyn, On Your 15th Birthday<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHoz0OgrsCnorxsQpKkPK77pMSDeBut6Krnuy456KC0G5FlHOplWCfDXzc1mGrmzv9IKKk6CNkh43K9GWjQgUsC5nz2ILmuTGrOJGlXZlTxsh-hvof8_Mu2f-7od0ovLFbupXN5g9Ysvxw/s4032/IMG_0288.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHoz0OgrsCnorxsQpKkPK77pMSDeBut6Krnuy456KC0G5FlHOplWCfDXzc1mGrmzv9IKKk6CNkh43K9GWjQgUsC5nz2ILmuTGrOJGlXZlTxsh-hvof8_Mu2f-7od0ovLFbupXN5g9Ysvxw/w480-h640/IMG_0288.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><p> Dear Jocelyn,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> Happy Birthday! What a year to be 15! This year has been hard, no doubt about it. It has tried all of us in many ways and you are no exception. However, in the trying you have been refined, not broken. I see you wrestling with your faith, and I am thrilled. You are truly learning how to walk with Christ on your own, and that is all I could ever have asked for. All the other wonderful things about you are just extras.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> And there are so many extras. One of my greatest pleasures this year has been sharing classic literature with you. Wrestling with <u> Hamlet </u>and delighting in <u>Jane Eyre</u>, seeing you "get" "The Yellow Wallpaper" and chuckle over "Bernice Bobs Her Hair" has brought me such satisfaction. You haven't loved everything, (such strong feelings about "The Gift of the Magi"!) but you've tackled it with enthusiasm. I always want you to know that I have never lost sight of what an awe-inspiring privilege it is to homeschool you. Our homeschool journey together is drawing swiftly to a close. It is so hard to think of "graduating" from that part of our relationship. You've suffered from many of my mistakes, but when I see your love of learning and your skillful work, I know we made the right choice. I wouldn't trade this time with you for anything. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> In all of the teaching I've done, I am still learning, too. And you have shown me so much. You have an incredible talent for friendships. You are the friend to others that I always wanted at that age. You truly love your friends, and you care enough to work through tough things with them. You have faced some challenges, hard things, stuff that would have caused adults to abandon friendships without a second thought. Instead you have prayerfully confronted these things, and it blows me away to think of how the Lord has used you. People need to hear hard things from people who love them. It takes an incredible amount of grace and maturity, though, to be the one who speaks truth in love. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> I am constantly astonished that you turn to me for advice, that you listen to what I have to say. The relationship that we have is truly a gift. To know that you trust me to lead you in truth makes me strive even hard to be the woman of God that you believe to me. You have deepened my relationship with Christ in so many ways. I am constantly praying that the Holy Spirit will make me worthy of that trust.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> I am so thankful for you in so many ways. You are such a help to me-my companion in many of the ministries that I lead, and I don't think anyone realizes the ways that I rely on you. You are such a faithful worker for Christ-serving in countless ways, never expecting praise or recognition. You are essential in our Operation Christmas Child projects, we couldn't do VBS without you, you are always at Awana serving kids, you come early to co-op and stay late. You are involved in your own things, too. I know your gift of administration will shine in your new position as Student Representative. They have found a jewel in you! You know how to coordinate and motivate people in ways I could only dream of. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> You are amazing. You are already doing great things-you've never seen any reason to wait to invest the talents God has given you right now. Here, now, you are living in confidence that God can use you and you are absolutely right. I'm just glad He let me be a part of it all. I love you so much. I hope 15 is wonderful beyond your wildest expectations. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> Love,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> Mom</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div></div>Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-12049297613303541252020-04-15T19:45:00.003-06:002022-04-10T21:36:23.860-06:00Tossed But Not Torn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxI1ZXJenfI1wrWouq97KaFzo0JN6VFMwuLSs34Tgipb2dCJLYg_i2wXDes4NC1-ert9KtjmZye6-dmXBQAv-5J0PMMczva9vPIjN7cVexGA1HMEFGiew2gg7qHZwKCRDkVdTwWn1HFr2/s1600/D60C1B1E-F0DB-4AD4-BBC5-A5F83154D9FA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1147" data-original-width="1600" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxI1ZXJenfI1wrWouq97KaFzo0JN6VFMwuLSs34Tgipb2dCJLYg_i2wXDes4NC1-ert9KtjmZye6-dmXBQAv-5J0PMMczva9vPIjN7cVexGA1HMEFGiew2gg7qHZwKCRDkVdTwWn1HFr2/s640/D60C1B1E-F0DB-4AD4-BBC5-A5F83154D9FA.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is going to last forever.<br />
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This too shall pass.</div>
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The whole world is going to come down. </div>
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Perhaps this is what we need to find Jesus.</div>
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I am so tired of this, I just want to go back to normal.</div>
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What is normal? You only have first world problems.</div>
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The economy will never recover.</div>
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We've come through worse.</div>
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This is life and death.</div>
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But it doesn't feel serious...</div>
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Why can't I be happy with what I have?</div>
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I'm so thankful for what I've got.</div>
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I never really liked people anyway.</div>
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Then why do I miss them so much?</div>
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Maybe this is the end of the world...</div>
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There is no way, it wouldn't look like this!</div>
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Why can't I just trust and wait?</div>
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God is in control.</div>
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Only a small sample of the unending discussion that goes through my head every day. I feel divided, like I can't get a grip on this. I have heard this is what grief feels like-joy mingled with sorrow, and they alternate at times in surges and shallows. I think I am trying to process this, this complete unknown. </div>
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<b>"The LORD is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1</b></blockquote>
Written by the same David who said,<br />
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<b>"Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted, the troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish." Psalm 25:16-17</b> </div>
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David was literally "a man after God's own heart" but he, too, experienced seemingly conflicting emotions. I run the gamut of feelings, sometimes in as little as five minutes. However, don't be confused: my faith is not what is at stake here. I am, as David,</div>
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<b>"I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD, be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." Psalm 27:13-14 </b></div>
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Living in denial never did anyone any good. I can pretty much guarantee there isn't a person alive who hasn't been frustrated and discouraged by this whole pandemic. And that is rightly so, this sickness sweeping the world is a physical expression of the decay that corrupts each of our hearts apart from Christ. It should sadden and grieve us that we all are experiencing the consequences of hearts determined to follow their own ways. Illness is a result of the Fall. I can be disturbed by what is going on. </div>
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It is ignorant, in fact, to live as though external forces don't exist in the life of believers. Jesus Himself, in the parable of the house built on the rock, actually assures us of the opposite. He says, </div>
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<b>"The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." Matthew 7:25</b> </blockquote>
We will, indeed, weather storms. And just because they won't take us out, doesn't mean we won't feel the rain. Or hear the wind. We can't, and shouldn't, ignore it, if only for the fact that it reminds us that without Christ we would be hopeless and helpless in the face of the storm, and that is the case of anyone without Him.<br />
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So, perhaps, my tossing thoughts are a good reminder that I am not at all able on my own to face the onslaught of the elements, both physical and mental. I absolutely must rest on my Rock, the truest foundation there ever was. And again, as another psalmist demonstrates so clearly, I can recognize my feelings while redirecting my thoughts.<br />
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<b>"Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God." Psalm 42:5, 11 & Psalm 43:5</b></blockquote>
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Three references for the same verse? Yes, because it is a process that must happen over and over. I need Him every moment. Acknowledging my feelings forces me to turn to the Lord-I have to take my fear, worry and doubts to Him.<br />
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<b>"My heart says of You, 'Seek His face!' Your face, LORD, I will seek." Psalm 27:8</b></blockquote>
So while my emotions may be in conflict, my heart is not. My foundation is solid as the Rock of Ages, and He isn't fazed by my turbulent thoughts. Nothing can tear me from His grasp. He is patient and loving with me, He wants me to bring my doubts and concerns to Him. He is, after all, the only One with the power to calm the storms.<br />
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<b>"They...asked each other, 'Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!" Mark 4:41</b></div>
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This is my Savior and my God. My hope is secure, though my ship may be tossed. <br />
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Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-17669033032596776362020-04-10T22:01:00.002-06:002020-04-10T22:01:47.275-06:00To Carson, On Your 12th Birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Carson,</div>
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Well, this year will surely be a memorable one! You had big plans for a joint birthday party with your buds (from the Chicken Nugget Gang) but instead we all got to shelter-in-place. However, you have worked hard to have a positive attitude, and we planned to make the best of the day. You are my extrovert, you love to be with your friends, so it ended up being a lovely surprise that your friends came to you, albeit to social distance from the sidewalk and across the park, but I think their efforts will be wonderful memories in time.</div>
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You absolutely love hanging out with your friends and watching boy friendships is so fun. You are a leader amongst them (in part because you're a teeny bit bossy) mostly because they look up to you and trust you. You are mature for your age, and I am constantly impressed by your discernment. You really care about how people are feeling and you can frequently be found helping without being asked. You are very responsible, too, which is a quality every mother wishes for her children.</div>
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You are "the world's youngest Boomer", a nickname we have affectionately given you this year due to your grousing about "freaking hippies", what you disdainfully call anyone who hasn't lived up to your standards. You were washing out the kitchen trashcan the other day and grumbling about the gum that had escaped the liner. It was kind of hilarious because you sounded like a dad. I love that you don't realize that most twelve year-old boys don't do those kinds of things willingly or without being reminded. </div>
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You have been robbed of a few things this year besides a birthday party, but I'm thankful for all the things you have been able to do. You really enjoyed basketball (with your friends, of course) this last winter and you are on track to finish your final year of T&T in Awana. You have managed to coax me into doing all four books with you-you challenge me to get better and it has been inspiring.</div>
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Watching you love people well brings such joy to my heart. You love doting on the baby and toddler siblings of your friends, and you can carry on intelligent conversations with people of all ages. You have been helping in Children's Church all year, and you set an excellent example to the little people there. It is hard for me to believe that you will be in the youth group in the fall. </div>
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As always, I'm excited to continue to watch you grow, physically (you are taller than Grammy now!) mentally (you worked hard in school this year, especially at paper writing) and spiritually (I see your tender heart for Jesus and I adore it.) You remind me so much of your dad in all the best ways, and you just continue to get wittier as you get older. Your wisecracking keeps us all in stitches! I am constantly praying that the Lord will guard your heart and mind as He has always done. He has big plans for you! I am so thankful that I get to be a part. I love you more than ever.</div>
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Love, </div>
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Larry aka Mom</div>
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(your current nickname among many for me.) </div>
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Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-89261114871260426852020-04-10T14:35:00.001-06:002020-04-10T15:46:20.509-06:00Easter in Exile<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyQ2MabpX-tFQCb_gUGyVHhrpoJ7u5U1uAzgnJ4aEJdXQKoVE1sj1yoDxPXkpUwqSaUN7UX8ybN9bufPf4UkqXT350XI2eiNsYx1nugzz1C2MBf9w7kwMIijdZRLF1WpJ4RYMlafGDR8r/s1600/IMG_6448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyQ2MabpX-tFQCb_gUGyVHhrpoJ7u5U1uAzgnJ4aEJdXQKoVE1sj1yoDxPXkpUwqSaUN7UX8ybN9bufPf4UkqXT350XI2eiNsYx1nugzz1C2MBf9w7kwMIijdZRLF1WpJ4RYMlafGDR8r/s640/IMG_6448.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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(I must confess that the idea of "exile" was borrowed from Russell Moore who is using it as part of his series, "Reading in Exile".)<br />
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<b> "The roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to her appointed feasts. All her gateways are desolate, her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she is in bitter anguish."</b></div>
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<b>Lamentations 1:4</b></div>
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<b>"My sins have been bound into a yoke, by His hands they were woven together. They have come upon my neck and the Lord has sapped my strength. He has handed me over to those I cannot withstand. " Lamentations 1:14 </b></blockquote>
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When one thinks of Easter the book of Lamentations isn't usually the first one to come to mind. Any of the Gospels, if you want to go further afield perhaps another book of the New Testament. Really far out? Maybe throw in some Isaiah or Psalms. But I keep turning current events over and over in my mind. I am frustrated, I am confused, I am angry. Everything familiar seem ripped away by circumstances beyond my control. I feel thrown into a foreign land, one I don't have skills to navigate, one where convention and tradition have been tossed to the side like so much extra baggage on the Oregon Trail, abandoned with no hope of returning to it.<br />
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It might seem melodramatic to some, but go with me- to have freedoms taken, however small, and replaced with fear and lack of certainty always moves one to grief. To be haunted by death and illness should be saddening. We mourn the past, not the least because we knew what it held. And there are definitely those who know that feeling.<br />
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<b>"Joy is gone from our hearts. Our dancing has turned to mourning." Lamentations 5:15</b></blockquote>
This is not normal, and we should not treat it as such. We should be sorrowful for the way that sin has wreaked havoc through disease and fear over the entire world.<br />
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<b>"The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord. O wall of the Daughter of Zion, let your tears flow like a river day and night; give yourself no relief, your eyes no rest." Lamentations 2:18</b> </blockquote>
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The exile of the people of Israel is one of the most gut-wrenching events in the Old Testament. The promised land was no longer theirs-not only had they been overrun by the enemy they were wrenched from their towns and homes and thrown into a foreign land. They wanted to blame the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Egyptians, anyone but themselves. They found themselves alone, far from everything they knew.<br />
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And they weren't coming back. Normal would never be normal again.<br />
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And it was all their fault.<br />
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<b>"Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven and say: We have sinned and rebelled..." Lamentations 3:40-41a</b></blockquote>
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For decades, through Daniel and Esther, through Jeremiah and Lamentations, the people of Israel were foreigners in a foreign land. Birthdays, anniversaries, births, weddings, and even deaths happening all the while. And the feasts, the ones we slog through in Leviticus but that defined the seasons of their lives, kept occurring: the Feast of Tabernacles, the Feast of Weeks. Passover.<br />
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I can't begin to fathom the pain and irony of even considering observing a feast that was a celebration of release from exile. While in exile. Passover, the time they were redeemed from their oppressors. Celebrating, remembering, while in the grip of new captors. Painting doorways with blood to signal release. Baking bread meant for a journey of freedom. While locked in a cell of their own design.<br />
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Passover...<br />
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"He [Jesus] replied, 'Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house." Matthew 26:18<br />
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Passover...<br />
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This is My body given for you...<br />
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This cup is the covenant in My blood which is poured out for you...<br />
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Passover means Easter to us.<br />
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This year it may feel like we are in exile, separated, forced to let go of long-cherished familiar traditions. We may feel robbed and frustrated. But more so than ever before, let us celebrate Easter as one in exile.<br />
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One waiting for the coming King.<br />
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One covered by the Blood.<br />
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One knowing that this is NOT our home.<br />
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One knowing that all His promises are true,<br />
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One knowing that this will end and then we will really be Home.<br />
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One clinging to faith when the world is unfriendly and uncertain.<br />
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One who continues to look with hope, true hope, when it all seems hopeless.<br />
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<b>"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail, they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him. The LORD is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him." Lamentations 3:23-25</b></blockquote>
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We underestimate the faith of those who turned and repented in exile. They looked for Jesus. They looked for over 400 years. We live in the realization that Christ has come, but we, too, should be looking for Him to come again. There were those who continued to celebrate the release they had experienced, as we experience new life in Christ here on earth, but as they looked with expectancy to a better, fuller freedom, so do we. This world is not our home, but trusting fully that in Christ every promise of God is, "Yes!" Exile is always meant to teach us something. Don't let this be any different.<br />
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<b>"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead they were longing for a better country-a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them....These were all commended for their faith yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." Hebrews 11:13-16 & 39-40</b></blockquote>
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Better things are yet to come but we can still celebrate, for even in exile, HE IS RISEN.<br />
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<br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-67380486156208514462020-04-07T17:01:00.000-06:002020-04-07T17:01:46.236-06:00Lord of Peace Printable<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZvMXSZz1vJFZufefRpZixW0SWdXIPfkhM_qxVI5xYbkr7T4UHVg-Fh3m_yK25rlGY5q_MaDD997iRb21AvBIz-6tAZHQRb95xOZanj_Z-uuvMgM3v9sYHsSvT-lxp8c4Fr29fWc7zfHP/s1600/2+Thessalonians.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZvMXSZz1vJFZufefRpZixW0SWdXIPfkhM_qxVI5xYbkr7T4UHVg-Fh3m_yK25rlGY5q_MaDD997iRb21AvBIz-6tAZHQRb95xOZanj_Z-uuvMgM3v9sYHsSvT-lxp8c4Fr29fWc7zfHP/s640/2+Thessalonians.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1lU5h_isLo7RPDsrqizz8Cqfas1ZMPFpv">Find the printable version here!</a></div>
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I am not that old. However, my mind is very resistant to memorization at this point in my life. I have Scripture verses I learned in childhood that I can rattle off without error at a moments notice. (Thanks, Mom!) But I was really struggling to memorize Scripture as an adult, to the point where I had given up trying.</div>
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However, I believe that a big part of leading is setting an example, and I apply that to parenting, as well. Both my kids have participated in Awana since they were quite little. The amount of effort it takes for them to learn Scripture: zero. But when my son started Awana's upper elementary program he challenged me to start learning verses with him. I figured I would give it my best shot and then, when he wasn't paying any attention, I would quit.</div>
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I'm not proud of that. But don't look down on me, yet. That was 3rd grade. He is now in sixth and we are finishing our fourth Awana book-together. I have learned over 25 verses each year (the amounts vary) and I realized that the same Holy Spirit power that enables me to walk in truth was available to me to commit that same truth to memory. It hasn't been easy, I'm not going to win any awards for saying my sections without any "helps", but I am truly appreciating God's Word in a new way. </div>
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And, of course, God's Word will not return void (Isaiah 55:11). The passage that I have been working on this week is one that blew me away with its simplicity, and absolute perfection to this uncertain season we are all in. Right now, in the midst of this coronavirus craziness, one of the things we are all desperate for is peace. And, of course, only Jesus can provide true peace. Normally I use the NIV (NIV 1984 is my preference) but this verse is so beautiful in the ESV.</div>
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<b>"Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all. 2 Thessalonians 3:16</b></blockquote>
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Wow. Just mediating on that single verse has brought me such incredible peace, peace that the world can't give. Jesus is truly the Lord of peace. He alone is in control. I don't doubt for a moment that He challenged me to work on memorizing Scripture all those years ago because He knew that in this very trying time I would need a reminder to which I could cling. Now, don't be mistaken: there has been plenty of passages that I have memorized that have been very meaningful and appropriate to me through the years, but isn't it incredible that He can use something like that in so many ways and allow it to continue to benefit us?<br />
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Jesus came so that we could have life, and joy, and hope and peace. That is truly the message of Easter: we can be forgiven and restored to right relationship through the sacrifice of Jesus, and then we can begin to truly live. We can only find peace in Him alone. He is risen and triumphant over every thing that would cause us unease and turmoil-we can look to Him to give us peace in all times. Even these.<br />
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Because I loved this verse so much I put it into a graphic printable I wanted to share. It prints black and white so if you want it to be "fancy" you can use colored cardstock, like I did. Perhaps put it somewhere you can work on memorizing it? You never know when it will come in handy...<br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1lU5h_isLo7RPDsrqizz8Cqfas1ZMPFpv">Find the printable version here </a><br />
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P.S. If you are looking for more verses to bring you peace, c<a href="http://www.clarescontemplations.com/2020/03/promises-that-bring-peace.html">heck out this list of 40+ Scriptures</a> I put together. They're <a href="http://www.clarescontemplations.com/2020/03/promises-that-bring-peace.html">printable</a> too!<br />
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<br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-1128578243327539662020-03-27T17:40:00.000-06:002020-04-07T17:07:32.114-06:00Promises That Bring Peace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SxJJ0reyuB68Ug_D3n7K6B3F4m_rh4K41pNFMZiaggU/edit?usp=sharing">Click here to get the printable!</a></span><br />
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I lead what is essentially chapel time at the homeschool co-op our family attends. We divide our weeks at co-op into quarters and as chapel leader I choose different topics for each quarter. I had spent time praying about what to speak on for our recent winter quarter, ultimately needing to decide on a topic before the first of January that I would talk about for the next nine weeks. After much prayer, I felt strongly that I should focus on worry, or rather, on how *not* to worry. So for nine weeks at co-op, ending with our final week in the first week of March, we talked about how Jesus tells us not to worry, and why we don't need to when we trust in Him.</div>
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The Lord does not ever waste any energy. His timing is always perfection, and this was certainly the case in this. As I write this there are many efforts in place to stymie the spread of COVID-19, or coronavirus. We, with the majority of America, have stuck pretty darn close to our home since about the 13th of March, watching and waiting.</div>
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And, much to my chagrin, sometimes worrying. On our last day of meeting, unbeknownst to all of us that we would not be meeting again for who knows how long, the Lord strongly impressed on me that I should write out a variety of promise Scriptures, and so I did. I typed out 43 different Scriptures, from twenty different books of the Bible, each one a beautiful reminder of why we don't need to worry: because God is mighty, because He is in control, because He loves us, because He is on our side. I took the printed verses and cut them apart, and each child and parent that day received their own promise, a reminder that God is always with us, and we do not need to worry. I hope that those verses are serving to encourage them during these uncertain times!</div>
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I realized the other day that these verses might benefit others outside of our group, so I thought I would post them here. You can grab the link to the printable up top under the photo. If all you do is print these out and read them, they will be immensely valuable, not because they are anything fancy. As a matter of fact, you could probably type them yourself if you wanted. No, because the are the powerful, eternal, perfect Word of God. It is always worth our time.</div>
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But, if you are so inclined, you can just print these. You can do a variety of things with them, beyond simple reading. I printed mine on colored cardstock and sliced them up with my paper cutter and filled a vase with them. I plan to pull one out when I am frustrated beyond these circumstances beyond my control. You could read one each day, or read them all each day! You can encourage your children to adopt one of the verses as their own. Look for the similarities between verses. Look up the surrounding passages and see what the verses say in context. Have your kids group them by book of the Bible, or put them in order by passage. Interact with them and see how they will really, truly take on a deep and personal meaning.*</div>
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<br /></div>
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God is still very much says to us, "For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 'Do not fear; I will help you.'" Isaiah 41:13 </div>
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This circumstance is not beyond His control, "Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for You." Jeremiah 32:17</div>
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He is with us, and hears our prayers. "But You are a shield around me, O Lord; You bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the Lord I cry aloud, and He answers me from His holy hill." Psalm 3:3-4</div>
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For every promise find a reason it applies to this strange time, or to your life specifically. Make it real, take it personally. It is so, so good. I pray that these Scriptures bring you peace, God is certainly strong enough to keep all His promises. He is working!<br />
<br />
* I wanted to share how we have been using these recently. I have each of my children choose one every night and they read it aloud, and then I challenge them to incorporate that particular verse into their prayers. Teaching your children to pray Scripture is so important and this makes it very easy. It has been so sweet for our family! </div>
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Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-85204169394366021942020-03-09T15:59:00.000-06:002020-03-09T15:59:41.251-06:00Title Character<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tnBdbwekmfpnVuWfQmL2johh5_krnKZcM8-VTQJpzTzOoQ2LAq3bPiKcozGj4YxeanUo9-M6JXOO3lcUNem2rqs6g5A0qzZ27EhF2x_IXqgjYG8zv1PUv3LrbPcTMC7QwD7-8SZqm5iT/s1600/Shakespeare+quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tnBdbwekmfpnVuWfQmL2johh5_krnKZcM8-VTQJpzTzOoQ2LAq3bPiKcozGj4YxeanUo9-M6JXOO3lcUNem2rqs6g5A0qzZ27EhF2x_IXqgjYG8zv1PUv3LrbPcTMC7QwD7-8SZqm5iT/s640/Shakespeare+quote.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him." Philippians 3:7-9a NIV</blockquote>
I like a good television drama. I want a little uncertainty, and little action, some tears maybe. I wanted to be reminded of my humanity. I like to get invested in the characters, and vicariously experience their ups-and-downs, even in situations that I am 100% certain I will never find myself in.<br />
<br />
But at the end of the day, I want to know for sure that the characters I love the most are going to stick around for another episode. If I have given them precious hours of my life, I don't want to find myself crying at their (albeit imaginary) funerals. At the end of my forty-or-so minute roller coaster ride I don't mind not knowing everything, I want to be kept guessing within reason, but I don't want to have to contemplate that the show might go on without the player I've pinned my hopes.<br />
<br />
And when I am most frustrated by the way the script twists and turns, leaving me hanging, and fearful for the outcome, I often ask myself this: how important is this character to the show? How long have they been around? Is there a foreseeable future to their arc?<br />
<br />
When I begin that type of inquisition, I find that there is one answer that always satisfies: the title character. If the person in question is the title character I know: they're going to hang around. And regardless of what happens, they will either be there or the show will be over. Because it is pretty darn impossible to have a television show about someone when they're not in it. There will be highs. There will be lows. I will probably cry. I might laugh. I may be confused, knowing me that is more than likely. But I can count on that character being there, no matter what else occurs.<br />
<br />
Real life is more chaotic than any television drama will ever be. We watch TV because it redirects our thoughts from our own problems to those of someone else-and we get to turn those off whenever we want. We don't have any indicators for when, in our own lives, those very real characters we call our fellow human beings will exit the stage, and here poverty, illness, death and troubles of all kinds are very much tangible realities.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. <b>So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.</b>" 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV (emphasis mine)</blockquote>
See, thankfully, none of us is the title character. As much as I want "my" life to be about me, all of this is really all about Him. When Paul talks about the "surpassing worth" of knowing Christ, and how everything else (and I love this particular translation) is "garbage", that resonates so deeply with me. What a relief it is to know that I am not the point of the show! That is far too important of a role for someone with my talents, or lack thereof. I am more than happy to be a bit part in this story. He can have center stage, all day, every day. I know there is no way the show will go on without Him.Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-35267163976378104142020-01-10T21:14:00.000-07:002020-01-10T21:24:17.261-07:00Into the Unknown<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxyxDafA9U1mB3povzL2jG1999RSaUzrYsKKautNO6p7iQ9JYHT4aD1OqC15lfkbsHgKVHuATlQi4Og4l8F2JzCC7SLpY1DrVXCVEHhWvnvnHxtiMeyFY-u7-fnEvm1OLClcd0dPK8Bdt/s1600/Carson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxyxDafA9U1mB3povzL2jG1999RSaUzrYsKKautNO6p7iQ9JYHT4aD1OqC15lfkbsHgKVHuATlQi4Og4l8F2JzCC7SLpY1DrVXCVEHhWvnvnHxtiMeyFY-u7-fnEvm1OLClcd0dPK8Bdt/s640/Carson.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picture I unknowingly took before things went south. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Wow. I did not think this would be so hard to write about. As a matter of fact, I don't really want to write about it at all, I'd rather just pretend that it wasn't happening, that I wasn't suspended in the terrible "unknown" where the good is as likely to happen (maybe even more so) than the bad, but that is exactly where I am.<br />
<br />
You may be wondering what exactly is going on, well, I would like to know that, too, but I will tell you the little that I know. I want to write it all down, every detail, because regardless of how it turns out, I already know <a href="http://www.clarescontemplations.com/2011/06/pet-rocks.html">this is a memorial stone</a>. So here is all I know.<br />
<br />
Monday I made (or thought I did) appointments at the eye doctor for the kids and me. Wednesday, the day the appointments were, I called to double-check the time. And was informed that I did *not* have any appointments. There had been a mix-up. A little frustrated, but I was able to reschedule for Friday. We ended up seeing a new optometrist, and he wanted to dilate the kids' eyes. Jocelyn wears glasses, but Carson has 20/20 vision so I thought it was a little odd. But the optometrist felt it was a good idea to do it every few years and Carson has never had it done, so we went ahead. I have had my eyes dilated sooo many times, so I knew exactly what to expect. Which is why when the doctor repeated part of the exam I felt my stomach drop. He asked Carson to look up and to the right with his right eye. And stared. And then asked him to do it again. As soon as the doctor finished looking he said he wanted to "get a few pictures". Again, not the norm. He led him to a machine in a different room and I knew for certain something was off when he could not seem to get a shot of a very specific something. When I saw the images come up on the monitor in the area, even though I am not well acquainted with how the back of an eye should look, I was well aware the large black dot on the image was not right.<br />
<br />
The doctor was wonderful. He informed me my intuition was correct, the chorodial nevus, the official name for the black dot, was not normal. It is like a mole on the back of your eye, and while they are not rare, it isn't something they want to see, because like a mole on your skin, they must be monitored and are often the first sign of cancer. Never something that a mom wants to hear. I was trying not to panic, and I know it seems like there wasn't much at that point to be concerned about, but as soon as the doctor mentioned that they need to be monitored to ensure they aren't cancerous I flashed back to over 10 years ago, <a href="http://www.clarescontemplations.com/2009/11/sewing-story.html">to the last time that I was hearing a doctor mention the possibility of cancer in my son's eye. </a> And, then the doctor proceeded to tell me that this particular chorodial nevus did not have the halo they like to see, or the white dots, in other words, my son might have a common condition, but it was presenting in an uncommon, or concerning, way. Kind of like if a mole has irregular borders, or is growing.<br />
<br />
I did manage to find the presence of mind to ask about the concerns we had when Carson was little-could it be possible that issue had anything in common with this one? Instead of allaying my fears, the doctor immediately started taking notes on everything I said. He did assure me that he was directing us to the best specialist he knew, and that it was important to convey all that information to the doctor at the referral. He did mention cancer, again, and the importance of catching and treating the type of cancer that can be caused by this type of thing as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, much of what he said was kind of fuzzy around the edges, because I just kept hoping he would say, "But I'm sure that is not what this is." He didn't say that.<br />
<br />
And that is where we are. I'm waiting for a referral appointment to find out if my son has cancer. In his eye. Which if he does, he will lose. And cancer that can metastasize and be fatal. I am *really* trying not to think about that. Why do I want to remember this pain, this uncertainty, this feeling of someone holding me by the upper arms, pushing me down? Because God is good. In this place called the "unknown" He is very much known and knowing. I firmly believe that our appointments on Wednesday never materialized because we needed to see this doctor, today. He was the one who would strongly urge dilation, a procedure that I would have declined, except for his gentle insistence. And I have no idea if Carson has cancer, only God does at this point. But the thing is, this memorial stone will be there either way-and I don't want to forget that God is the same, whether my son is healthy and whole, or if he is at this very moment headed towards a painful medical ordeal. I don't want to forget that I need to cling to Him every moment the way I am clinging to Him right now. When the end of this particular chapter of my testimony closes, I don't want to dismiss it as "nothing". God is working here, He is working now, He is working always. And while I can't see how this will turn out, He can. And when He puts the finishing touches on this part of the story I don't want to forget any part of it, because all of it is in His control and He is working it all together for my good and His glory.<br />
<br />
I picked a word for 2020 a few weeks ago. It is "flourish". I always base my word on the Scripture I choose, this year it is Jeremiah 17:7-8:<br />
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<span class="text Jer-17-7" id="en-NIV-19365" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
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<span class="text Jer-17-7" id="en-NIV-19365" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: "Arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; left: -44px; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">7 </sup></span></div>
<span class="text Jer-17-7" id="en-NIV-19365" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span><br />
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<span class="text Jer-17-7" id="en-NIV-19365" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">“But blessed<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-19365A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-19365A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 8.26px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> is the one who trusts<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-19365B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-19365B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 8.26px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup> in the <span class="small-caps" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 6.73px; line-height: 0px;"> </span><span class="text Jer-17-7" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">whose confidence is in Him.</span></span></div>
<span class="text Jer-17-8" id="en-NIV-19366" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text Jer-17-8" id="en-NIV-19366" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><sup class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: "Arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; left: -44px; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">8 </sup></span></div>
<span class="text Jer-17-8" id="en-NIV-19366" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text Jer-17-8" id="en-NIV-19366" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">They will be like a tree planted by the water</span><br />
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 6.73px; line-height: 0px;"> </span><span class="text Jer-17-8" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">that sends out its roots by the stream.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-19366C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-19366C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 8.26px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup></span></span><br />
<span class="text Jer-17-8" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">It does not fear when heat comes;</span><br />
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 6.73px; line-height: 0px;"> </span><span class="text Jer-17-8" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">its leaves are always green.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Jer-17-8" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; position: relative; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">It has no worries in a year of drought<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-19366D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-19366D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 8.26px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup></span><br />
<span class="indent-1" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 6.73px; line-height: 0px;"> </span><span class="text Jer-17-8" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">and never fails to bear fruit.”<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-19366E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-19366E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 8.26px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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I don't know if this is a year of drought. I don't know if the heat will come. My frail human spirit prays that it won't. But I do know that the unknown is the very best place to trust, and confidence in the Lord will never be misplaced. I know because He always keeps His promises. </div>
Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-3122013855201337342019-11-24T22:45:00.000-07:002019-11-24T22:46:22.601-07:00To Jocelyn, on Your 14th Birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGKzLnnqPqaJ5P08JDVEqElJRE66pYNPWvPibj-pZccQv6xhSlc9jtNYhi6azH9zIChDiF64vkmMAwULtmm3ohrt6Bbb3DWZX2Ugame1OdhThmnBwJNLSwrBYp3zLX7EOJVkRxQiqb_CQ/s1600/Bday+Pic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGKzLnnqPqaJ5P08JDVEqElJRE66pYNPWvPibj-pZccQv6xhSlc9jtNYhi6azH9zIChDiF64vkmMAwULtmm3ohrt6Bbb3DWZX2Ugame1OdhThmnBwJNLSwrBYp3zLX7EOJVkRxQiqb_CQ/s640/Bday+Pic.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
Dear Jocelyn,<br />
Happy Birthday! It is easy to celebrate all the wonderful things you are: Christ-like, talented, creative, loving, kind, smart, pretty. I wish that you could see in you what I do. I see the fears that are fighting to steal that light. I wish I could hide you from those anxieties and protect you from the things that try to steal your joy. However, that isn't truly my job. My job is to teach you to turn to the only One who can take away all your worries, and protect you from anything that comes against you.<br />
<br />
My job is to remind you that He alone can truly bring comfort and peace. My words can only be a poor imitation of His, but as long as I have breath my prayer is to point you to Him. In everything, big and small. I keep telling you that things won't get easier, not to frighten you, but to say that now is the time to fully trust Him. Your dad and I do our best to be a loving, safe haven for you, but we are flawed. We will let you down, frustrate you, at times we will even hurt you, because we too are humans. But if I only teach you one thing let it be this: You can trust Jesus fully. He will never let you down, He will never hurt you, He will unconditionally, eternally love you. He will always be there.<br />
<br />
Life isn't fair. Life isn't for the faint of heart. But Jesus can help you learn to live without fear-only imitate me as I imitate Him. My hope has never been to have a daughter that takes after me, but rather one that takes after her heavenly Father. Perhaps one day, instead of hearing that you are like me, people will say that I am like you, as you follow after Jesus completely, unashamedly, without any reservations. That would bring me more joy than anything I can think of. This is my constant prayer for you as you navigate the complexities that maturing brings:<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always." Psalm 105:4</blockquote>
If you can grasp this now, during these tumultuous, coming-of-age, times you will find true success. I could not care less if you are famous, or rich, or even happy. None of those things matter, what truly matters is knowing that you are worth so much to Christ that He gave His life for *you*. And you were created to "glorify Him and enjoy Him forever". You do not have to wait to be a "grown-up", whatever that means, to do those things. Christ is fully in you now-You have complete access to every promise in Him that you ever will. Don't wait to follow Him without reservations. Today is the day! And all I want you to know is I am behind you, cheering for you, praying for you, and at many times, learning from your example. Jesus is all you will ever need. And it is my honor to be able to remind you of that when you need to hear it. I love you.<br />
Love,<br />
MomClarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-22039769942112619592019-11-13T17:19:00.000-07:002019-11-13T17:28:41.274-07:00Cardigans and Kindness<div style="text-align: center;">
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Today is "World Kindness Day". And because Hollywood loves nothing better than a tie-in, they have co-opted this celebration by encouraging people to wear a cardigan, which is posited to be in memory of Mr. Rogers, but is really a promotion of the new bio-pic of his life. </div>
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Since I am a lover both of cardigans and kindness, I am willing to buy-in and, therefore, I have on a cardigan today. I don't really know that this particular "movement" will gain much traction, because here's the thing: wearing cardigans doesn't make you kind any more than it made Mr. Rogers who he was. And I want to say something else: it won't even be beneficial if it only reminds you to be kind. </div>
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I am quite certain that there are many who would argue that point with me. "Of course being kind is always beneficial!" "Why don't you want people to be kind?!" "What sort of monster are you?" Here is the thing: there is no goodness apart from Jesus. There is no kindness without Him. That is why I said, "only". Being kind serves no purpose if it isn't based in glorifying God, because apart from that, anything we do is only to serve self.</div>
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I know that it seems that unbelievers do a lot of "good". They feed the poor, they clothe the naked, they visit the imprisoned. And all those things, on a surface level, are "good".</div>
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"'Why do you call me good?' Jesus answered. 'No one is good-except God alone.'" -Mark 10:18 NIV</blockquote>
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"'I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.'" John 15:5 NIV</blockquote>
Those things that we perceive to be good, noble, perhaps even righteousness, are "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6) apart from salvation in Jesus Christ. We can do no good thing apart from Him.<br />
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So, as usual, I have taken something rather benign and made it heavy. I've dragged the Bible into something innocent and silly, right? I disagree. I am firmly convinced that every aspect of a believer's life, even the "little" things actually add up to something very important. And I am certain that even pertains to wearing a cardigan.<br />
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"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV</blockquote>
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If what I eat or drink is supposed to point other to God, then I think what I wear can, too. And that is why I am wearing a cardigan on World Kindness Day. Because Christ showed the ultimate kindness to me when He gave His life. When I placed my faith in Him I vowed to "do it all for the glory of God". So while others might be wearing a cardigan to draw attention to the latest Tom Hanks' movie, I am reminding myself that kindness is showing sinners the way to salvation, that true goodness only can be found in Christ alone, and that *any* "virtue" apart from Him is worthless.<br />
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So wear a cardigan today, or don't, but whatever you do remember this:<br />
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"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." 1 Colossians 3:12 NIV 1984</blockquote>
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If you put on those things, it won't really matter what else you are wearing, because those suit everybody and they are not a result of anything we can do apart from Christ. It's a good look for all of us.<br />
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Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-20745759229359868202019-09-06T17:13:00.001-06:002019-09-06T17:13:31.929-06:00Feeling Freaky <br />
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I have been on an "oldies" kick. For many people that means listening to the pop hits of the 80's and 90's. For me that means Rich Mullins, vintage Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith. Old school Newsboys, Audio Adrenaline, Jars of Clay. My teen years soundtrack was these pioneers of Christian "contemporary" music. They shaped my understanding of myself and my world, and in many ways, they helped me understand what it meant to follow Christ.<br />
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I still listen to Christian music, it isn't the same, for better or worse. I miss many of my old favorites that aren't around anymore (The Waiting, Geoff Moore and the Distance, and more that I am too old to remember the names of!) but I especially miss DC Talk. I know that pieces of the band are still making music, and I am so thankful for that (Toby Mac still makes me turn up the radio!) but during my sophomore and junior years of high school you could find "Supernatural" and "Jesus Freak" on endless repeat.<br />
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So today, feeling nostalgic, I requested that Alexa play DC Talk for me. She busted out "Colored People" and "What If I Stumble" and then it started playing: the one that everyone talked about: "Jesus Freak". I smiled as the song started, it brings back so many good memories for me. But then I started *listening*:<br />
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"<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">What will people think when they hear that I'm a Jesus freak?</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-spacing: 0px 0px; border-top-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">What will people do when they find that it's true?</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-spacing: 0px 0px; border-top-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak </span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-spacing: 0px 0px; border-top-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">There ain't no disguising the truth</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-spacing: 0px 0px; border-top-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">There ain't no disguising the truth</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-spacing: 0px 0px; border-top-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">No, I ain't into hiding the truth."</span><br />
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A thought suddenly pierced me: what if they *don't* label me a Jesus Freak? What if all my long-hidden desires to be "normal" have finally been realized? Who in my life would say that Jesus has made me a stranger in a strange land? What if they look at me and see themselves?<br />
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"Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us." 1 Peter 2:12 NIV<br />
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What if I'm not a freak?<br />
What if I'm blending in?<br />
What if I'm unnoticeable?<br />
What if I'm <i>normal</i>?<br />
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I've struggled with fitting in my whole life. I deeply desired to be accepted. To be a part of the group. To fit in. I was hideously awkward as a teenager. I didn't realize that in my decades-long fight to ditch those labels from my identity, I have accidentally shelved something that shouldn't have just been a descriptor of my character, it should, <b>He</b> should, be my identity.<br />
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"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9 NIV<br />
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What if I'm not any different?<br />
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"If you belonged to the world it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." 1 John 15:19 NIV '84<br />
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What if they don't hate me?<br />
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It's not good, man. It's not good.<br />
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But it isn't too late.<br />
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"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's might hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV '84<br />
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We break those verses up so often, but read them together. I don't have to be anxious about my position, I can cast those cares on Him. I don't have to be concerned about fitting in, or finding my place. I don't have to worry about standing out, either. It isn't about me. It's about Him. I don't have to keep my eye on the clock, or on my social ranking. He has it all planned out, I just need to submit.<br />
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And that's what will really make me a freak in today's world. Surrender control? Give up my "rights"? Stop trying to micromanage every teeny detail and forecast every possibility?! Get real! How much will I stand out if I am fully submitting to God? How crazy will I look if I quit looking out for number one and bow before the Holy One? I think that would be pretty darn freaky.<br />
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"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded....Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up." James 4:8 and 10 NIV '84<br />
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That all will look awfully strange. I am quite certain that it will stand in opposition to anything the world requires for me to fit in. And I'll be honest: it isn't all it's cracked up to be, this being "normal". I am ready to be changed, to be different. I'm ready to be a freak-because I really can only have time to care about what He thinks of me.<br />
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<br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-87617901266494328412019-07-11T10:57:00.000-06:002019-07-11T18:18:50.804-06:00Beautiful Feet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My Dearest Daughter,<br />
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I wanted to apologize to you for something: we tease you about your feet sometimes, and it isn't very nice. You, unfortunately, have your Dad's feet. We jokingly refer to them as "Hobbit feet" (although, just to clarify, yours are not hairy!). You often lament that you wear a bigger size shoe than I do, evidenced by that span of less than three months you jumped two sizes. Don't feel bad, I am definitely out of the running to be America's Next Top Foot Model, too.<br />
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But I wanted to tell you something today: you have beautiful feet. (And not just because we got pedicures earlier this week.) And you are smart enough to know that I am not talking about the things that are at the end of your legs. You have the kind of feet that Isaiah was talking about:<br />
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"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!". Isaiah 52:7<br />
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I learned that verse in VBS before you were even a thought to me. The summer of my junior year in high school, a single year spent at my grandmother's, feeling adrift because I knew that my time there was fleeting. Frustrated, because I had big hopes and dreams but no way to give them...feet. Knowing so strongly that I was called, but only hearing a Voice, with no words.<br />
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It would be many years before there was you. You and your beautiful, beautiful feet. You and your going feet. Finally, my dreams are starting to become clearer: it was you. You are my calling, to raise you up in the knowledge of the goodness of God. And while you may not have my feet, you do have your grandmother's: feet that love to take the Word to everyone. And your great-grandmother's: feet that long to share the greatest Gift to the ends of the earth. And maybe, just maybe you do have a little of me, after all. Because in knowing about those beautiful feet from Isaiah, all those years ago, I've spent all your lifetime praying to God to help me prepare your feet. Feet that are literally taking the Gospel in answer to this:<br />
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"[F]or everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"" Romans 10:13-15<br />
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You are the beautiful feet of my dreams. You are living boldly-and I, along with the Body of Christ, am sending you and your precious feet. It is the hardest thing I have ever been asked to do, this sending. But, I know this to be true: the Good News that you and your feet are carrying is far too wonderful for me to keep here at home, no matter how much I want to. And I hope that in this, one day, my feet will be as beautiful as yours. I love you.<br />
Love,<br />
MomClarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-15635571960818539252019-06-10T22:23:00.000-06:002019-06-10T22:23:04.499-06:00Pressing On<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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(This is a five minute blog post.)<br />
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We are hosting a home group Bible study at our house. If you have the gift of hospitality the following will probably not apply to you, however, I don't. Therefore, when someone new is coming to my house it is like the scales fall from my eyes and all I can see is every.little.wrong.thing. In stereo surround. Full color. Imax version.<br />
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It's not fun. As I surveyed my un-mown yard this evening I reflected: I am far from perfect. You don't even have to look hard to see all the areas I can improve in, not the least is my less-than-persnickety housekeeping style. And my home is not the only area that could use a helping hand in the tasks to be accomplished department.<br />
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Because just like with my home, my character could use some upgrades, too. I need some routine maintenance, but some things just need a straight up trip to the dump and total renovation. Just like my kitchen floor, there are more things that need replacing than I should keep.<br />
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And I often think about how the world tells us that just makes us "real". Don't worry about those "imperfections"-they're part of your "charm"! You're not rude, you're "outspoken". You're not angry, you're "passionate." That we should tout our flaws like badges of honor. "You're doing the best you can." "Messy hair, don't care." "You do you." The art of bragging about our shortcomings, and failings, curating an attitude of disdain for anyone striving to do better. To be better is viewed as a haughty "fakeness".<br />
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But what does the Bible say?<br />
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"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14 NIV<br />
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"[Jesus said] Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48 NIV 1984<br />
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Yikes. Later in the same chapter of Philippians, Paul talks about unbelievers whose "glory is in their shame." What does it say when I am delighting in being a "hot mess momma"? Perhaps that my priorities are a little askew. It is equally as wrong to strive for worldly "perfection", but I should focus on daily "pressing on" to become more Christ-like. I should lean into the work that must be done in my heart and mind, I can never rest in anything less than looking and acting as my Savior would. Yes, He has given, and will continue to give, grace upon grace to us, but I can't use that as an excuse to revel in my shortcomings. Rather than seeing the places my home doesn't meet those HGTV standards, I should turn that laser focus to my heart. The best part about that type of self-improvement though? I'm never doing the work on my own.<br />
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"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."<br />
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"And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."<br />
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"[B]eing confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."<br />
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Philippians 3:14, 4:19, 1:6 NIV 1984<br />
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And that's just what Paul has to say about it!<br />
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"Father, help me to trust that you will continue to give me what I need to look more like You, including the ability to resist the temptation to laud my laziness and applaud ambivalence and mediocrity. Thank you for promising me that You will carry on the good work Christ started in my heart."<br />
<br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-14974467722918680682019-05-28T22:45:00.000-06:002019-05-28T22:45:31.282-06:00The More Things Change<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
(This is a five minute blog post.)<br />
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...the more they stay the same. Except it doesn't really seem like that at all does it? Lately, more than ever, it seems like I finally get something "figured out". And then that ugly "c" word rears its head. And we are all up in the air again.<br />
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I. Don't. Like. Change. I am creature of habit, a lover of routine. I like the familiarity of continuity. But here is the cruddy, but oh-so-essential, lesson spring teaches us: growth absolutely requires change. A seed that stays a seed is useless. We actually call it dead. Because that is what it is. To live is to change.<br />
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And so while in the immature part of my heart I don't like it, I recognize its absolutely vitality to the human condition. If I am growing, I am changing. If I am changing, I am living. Seasons come and go, no two ever alike. Days go by, each containing similar elements but always different ones, too. Some good, some bad, some uncomfortable, some exciting, all part of the process.<br />
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This time of year is hard, perhaps because so many endings are so boldly proclaimed: graduations are a big 'ol celebration of over-ness. You're done, moving on. Changing, hopefully for the better, but you are literally not allowed to stay where you were. Kids are shedding grades like butterflies come out of their chrysalises, not fully fledged but ready for the next thing. Weddings, too, signal a big fat end: say goodbye to singleness, for better or worse. Programs are ending all over the place, shelved for the summer, and next year won't be quite the same.<br />
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I think these may seem like New Year's musings, but truly, if January is for beginnings, this time of year is for endings. But that's okay, because I only need one thing in my life to stay the same.<br />
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"Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever." Hebrews 13:8</div>
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And I have to recognize: if I want to be more like Him, many more things will have to change then stay the same. So here is to bittersweet endings. And to growth, even with the change it brings. </div>
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Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-6271906291923381112019-05-21T11:24:00.000-06:002019-05-21T16:40:57.447-06:00Dear Broken Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Broken Girl,<br />
I'm a reader. Not just books, but anything with words. My eyes are drawn to wherever there are letters, constantly trying to find meaning from the signs and shapes around me. Today, I sat at the park, the one right on the grounds of the middle school, and I pored over the graffiti-covered table, picking out all the "she loves him" messages and strange initial additions when I saw your message. All it said, in the handwriting of a child was, "Broken Girl."<br />
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I am fairly certain you are a middle-schooler. Frankly, that's a terrible age. I know it isn't comforting to hear that, but I was once a middle school girl, and I have one of my own now. She is bright and beautiful, just as I am sure you are. She is often a giant puddle of tears, too, a mess of emotions she isn't mature enough to manage, floundering in a saltwater sea she created. The hope in this is that it won't last forever. I don't know how old you were when you scratched this into the table, and whether it was in a fit of high drama, or just a small, sad sigh from a soul too old for its body.<br />
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Regardless of the reasoning, (other than the fact, that as a mother, and a law-abiding citizen, I do not encourage anyone to carve into public property) I wanted you to know that I saw your cry. And I have some things I want to say to you:<br />
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At one point or the other, sometimes at so many points that they all seem to connect together in an endless underline of pain, we are all broken. We aren't breaking, or bending, we are past tense, beyond repair. Sometimes the reasons are obvious: a boy, a bad grade, parents who don't understand. Sometimes they aren't even clear to us: just a black hovering mass of thwarted desires, misunderstood feelings and tangled emotions. Sometimes the things that break us are things that will soon be forgotten, but some inflict scars that last a lifetime: abuse, abject poverty, destroyed families, death. But we are all broken: in your case, some of us sooner than later.<br />
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And while I am sure you know that misery loves company, it is never quite satisfying in this case to know that you are not alone. "So what?!" you probably say in the ages-old refrain of teenagers everywhere. Who cares that we are all broken? It isn't the same. No one could understand my unique brand of suffering. No one has ever walked in my shoes.<br />
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And that would be the next thing I would say to you. You may be broken, but you don't have to stay that way. There is Someone who understands your pain, sees how it is as much a part of you as your DNA. How your very identity has become the things that have carved themselves into your heart, damaging you beyond even being able to hope for repair. He's the one who created that DNA-and He has engraved you someplace much more lasting than an ugly green picnic table.<br />
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"I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands..." Isaiah 49:15b-16a NIV<br />
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His name is Jesus and He is in the business of restoring broken things, actually, restoring broken people. And He is so good at it He can bring the dead back to life.<br />
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"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3 NIV<br />
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"[B]ut it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel." 2 Timothy 1:10 NIV<br />
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He can never forget you-He has a constant reminder of His love for you, right on His hands, where He bears the wounds that He received so that we could be healed.<br />
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""He himself bore our sins" in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness: "by His wounds you have been healed"." 1 Peter 2"24<br />
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What breaks us more than sin and shame? Our sin, the wrong things that we have done-you know what they are. They are the things that you want to shove down into the deepest, darkest places inside of you, but instead they throw you in that hole. And you remain there, suffocating under the guilt, trapped by burning shame. Perhaps some shame you didn't bring on yourself, perhaps some you did. But does it matter? All that is down in that hole is your grave.<br />
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And these might seem like things that a middle-schooler can't handle. But you have already handled more than you should. Isn't that part of what broke you in the first place? No one needs to tell you that life is cruel-you learned it before you could articulate what that even meant. You are grown up enough to recognize that things are wrong. But you will never be mature enough to make them right. Thankfully, you don't have to-Jesus came and did that for you.You may think your name is "Broken" but with Jesus it can be changed to "Child of God".<br />
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"See what great love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1a NIV<br />
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I got your wood carved message on a peeling picnic table bottle, cast into the waves of a school yard, in the center of a city that all seems bent on ignoring you, burying you and your cry for help under endless waves of life. I saw your plea, and I am sending back my own message: typed and tossed into the frail bottle of a tiny blog, hurled into the unmeasurable depths of the internet. And you may never see it. But I can promise you this: no matter how broken you are, pieces scattered from here to the sun, He sees you and He is calling you by your true name.<br />
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"Now this is what the Lord says-the One who created you....Do not fear, for I have redeemed you: I have called you by your name: <b>YOU ARE MINE</b>." Isaiah 43:1 (paraphrase, emphasis mine)<br />
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He sees. He knows. He heals. He repairs. He loves. And your true name is His.<br />
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Praying for you still-<br />
ClareClarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389073715517542581.post-64296275738549861852019-04-24T15:08:00.000-06:002019-04-24T15:08:32.041-06:00See What You Want to See(This is a five minute blog post.)<br />
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What do you see when you see me? To be honest, I'm never really sure. I try to spend less time thinking about what other think these days, so I can spend more time thinking about what God thinks, instead. I don't say that to try to sound holier-than-thou, more that I am prone to be too introspective, too easily swayed by the opinions of others.<br />
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And also because the longer I am around, the more I realize: we see what we want to see. We meet someone new and we instantly start forming opinions, applying adjectives: short, tall, skinny, plump, smart, sweet, in-charge, mousy, silly, rich, frugal, and the list continues on, never-ending. And most of the time we make a snap decision: I do or don't like this person. And then we expect them to carry the weight of our expectations.<br />
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Sometimes this happens in a few moments, other times it can be built out of long-term data: a person's Facebook page, their Instagram account, their family, their other friends, their positions at work, at church. We don't really get to know them, instead we play Sherlock Holmes, collecting information that supports our theories, discarding what doesn't suit.<br />
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But do we really get to *know* them? Very few of us fit neatly in boxes. Very few of us suit the label "perfect". Very, very few of us, when you boil it down to the bare bones, are deserving of jealousy. Very few of us want to incite that feeling in others.<br />
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"Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?" Proverbs 27:4 NIV</blockquote>
Sometimes I want to borrow the refrain of the rebellious teenager, "You don't know me! You don't know my life!" Because, sadly, this is often true. You judged me based on what you wanted to see, you never took the time to get to truly know me.<br />
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And the reverse is often true. You intimidated me, you sparked the green monster of envy, you looked pulled together, fit, you were smart and sassy, confident in your decisions. So, I never chose to look past the labels that I slapped on you, perhaps some fitting, others just a mistake made in haste. I never asked you if you had needs, or burdens. I never wanted to let you outside the box I created, it was too much work to re-think things.<br />
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"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." Ephesians 4:2 NIV</blockquote>
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It was too much work to bear with you, to suffer through your ups and downs while suffering through my own. I didn't want to be patient; I wanted you to be what I thought you should be <i>now.</i> Or I thought you were something you weren't, and I was unwilling to see where the road might take us.<br />
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I'm sorry for the times that I only saw what I wanted to see. The times that I missed out on beautiful friendships because of jealousy, or fear, or impatience. I'm sorry for the things you missed out on with me-that I am many, many things, but none of them is perfect. Perhaps the next time we can be brave enough to look past, look through, look into, and not only see what we want to see.<br />
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<br />"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 4:11 NIV </blockquote>
Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099741201045032990noreply@blogger.com0