Life After Rehab

Lent: Day 18 & 19…

March 11, 2015 — 1 Comment

Day 18: Snap Dragons

Earlier today, I finished painting my bargain-find chairs and recovered the seats.   Now, my earlier Lenten goal of friends gathered around the table is in sight.  I went to the store to buy the ingredients for the main course and dessert.  As I was rounding the produce section, I passed the flowers.  Ahhh, snap dragons.  I love snap dragons, and what better way to finish off my new dining room with a mason jar full of the pretty pastel flowers.

photo

Today I added beautiful flowers.  They were not a necessity by any means.  But it is in the nonessentials that the extravagance of God is seen.  Oh, the depth of a God who creates unnecessary beauty!  He goes above and beyond to create moments of artistry and loveliness for us.  It reminds me of the beautiful poetry of His Word.  It’s not crucial to the message, but communicates His character and lavish love.

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” 

Psalm 27:4 

Day 19: K-cups

I recently made a new friend and invited her and her four kids over to play this morning.  She came bearing coffee…lots and lots of coffee.  In her recent move, she was given a plethora of k-cups.  She shared her wealth, unaware that coffee holds the key to my heart. 🙂

Today, I added boxes and boxes of k-cups and a new friend to Lent.  I am so thankful to God for His provision and His timing.

The purpose of this season is to reflect and prepare for the death and resurrection of Jesus.  What I am learning through adding to Lent, is that His death and life continues to add to my daily living.  He is alive.  By adding daily, or maybe I should say “by receiving daily”, I am witnessing His resurrection.  He is alive…and finding ways to let me know it.  By opening my eyes to His blessings and bounty, I witness Him being alive and active.

“This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead… Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”  

John 21:14&25

Lent: Day 15,16 & 17…

March 8, 2015 — Leave a comment

Day 15: Gummy Vitamins

I’ve never been big on taking vitamins, even when I was pregnant, I opted to try and eat really healthy instead of taking a huge pill.  However, given all the sickness running through our house lately, I decided now would be a great time to start beefing up our daily intake of vitamins and minerals.  And let’s face it, our consumption of junk has sky-rocketed recently.

Today, I added gummy vitamins to the grocery list, to dinner, and to Lent.  Of course, they were a hit.  Now the challenge is thoroughly explaining that taking more than the recommended dosage is not just my rule, but printed on the bottle.

I think I need a similar once-a-day spiritual vitamin-taking-routine.  I probably could benefit from a devotion pill every morning and evening.  I used to consume a daily devotional diet.  I think I have unfortunately associated devotions and routine with a very legalistic approach to spiritual living…partly because I allow guilt to consume if I miss a day, and guilt doesn’t come from Jesus.  However, when I consider devotions as just a good healthy routine to boost my spiritual immune system, the idea is less shaped like a huge horse-pill and more like a little glossy-red sugar bear.

“I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.”

Job 23:12

Day 16: Swatches

Judah and I went in search of fabric for the new dining room chairs.  So many colors.  So many designs.  So many patterns.  So many choices.  It was fun for both of us to leave each store with free long strips of colorful samples.  He would grab a handful and shake them as he sat in the cart.  We both felt like we were somehow getting away with a great heist, waving our loot in the air without paying as we ran out the door.

We added swatches to Lent today.  We added joy and admiration of pretty little things…and the thrill of a free gift.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

Day 17: Calf Scramble

We were invited to the Houston Rodeo.  My favorite event was the Calf Scramble.  Fifteen calves were released in the arena along with thirty kids.  On foot, the youth chased and roped the calves.  It had the entertainment value of The Amazing Race and America’s Funniest Home Videos piled into one.  Kids were darting and dashing in every direction with great purpose and execution while others were being dragged behind the dirty end of a bovine.  Catching and roping the calf proved to be only half of the battle.  Once caught, the calves have to be led back to the center starting point in order for the child to receive the payout.

There was one little cow that was quite stubborn.  He dug his front hooves into the dirt, head down, determined not to budge.  His juvi-wrangler spent a solid ten minutes in a stand-off with him, the two in a battle of the will.

I think I’m a stubborn cow most days.  And the days I’m not fighting the Father as He tries to guide me back to center-point, I’m running like a Banshee for the nearest exit.  Who do I think I am?  He always wins.

“Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.”

Deuteronomy 10:15-17

Lent: Day 13 & 14…

March 4, 2015 — Leave a comment

Day 13: Prayer

After a day of following your child back and forth from the bathroom to the bed, any and all efforts are made to not have to repeat the itinerary over the next few days with all your other children.  Today, as I washed laundry and wiped down surfaces with bleach, I added a lot of prayer.  I asked others to pray.  I pleaded with God to protect the rest of us from this yucky little bug.

Then my husband came down with it.

God was faithful in answering my prayers…none of the other kids have caught the illness…(yet).  And I start to wonder, “Did I leave him out of my requests to God for health?”  And in this question, I’m somehow trying to understand and make sense of why he got sick.  Perhaps, God’s answer to my prayer isn’t at all dependent on if I get my request right.  I don’t think He answers only according to the exact words I use.  I think He answers the way He does for reasons I just don’t understand.  And I’ve got to learn to be okay with that.  I have to learn to trust.

So I added prayer.  And I will keep adding prayers…and Lysol.

 “But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.”

Psalm 69:13

Day 14: Lysol

You thought I was joking… I added so much Lysol to the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen today, that I think my lungs are disinfected.  As I add to Lent, the whole point is to remind me of all I have gained because of all that Jesus gave on the cross.  This deep burning feeling in my chest, while caused by inhaling potent and probably harmful chemical vapors, reminds me of the deep spiritual cleansing I receive through Jesus.

It is His death on the cross that wipes away my sins and purifies my every inch of being.  This doesn’t mean that I am perfect.  I daily bring my germy, nasty self to the foot of the cross and He covers me in the Lysol-like grace of His forgiveness.  When God looks at me, He sees Jesus in my place.  It’s completely undeserved, but He sees someone who was perfect and spotless…in my place!  This free gift was given to me on the cross as Jesus willfully took on all that my sickness of depravity deserves.  Each day, His death works it’s wonders, canceling out my sin and shame, making me clean and new.  Unlike Lysol, His blood kills 100% of my grime, there is not 1/100th of a sin that His sacrifice doesn’t cover.

What freedom!  What health!  What grace!  What a way to live!

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

Psalm 51:7

Lent: Day 11&12…

March 2, 2015 — Leave a comment

Day 11: Hotel Liquidation

Ahhh…Saturday.  Our oldest three were invited for a playdate/sleepover so most of the day we only had the little raccoon in tow.

My brother-in-law, Aaron, built a dining room table for us.  It’s a beast.  It sits 10.  And since it’s arrival, it’s only been able to accommodate one person, because we only have one dining room chair.  So on this Saturday, mostly free of kids, we added a Hotel Liquidation Warehouse to Lent.  It was a very fruitful trip.  We walked out the door with 6 more chairs, a desk chair, 5 mirrors, a little footstool, and more than enough chalk-paint projects to keep me busy.  For me, having this many creative/remodel home projects is like Christmas morning.  I can’t wait to start.

The purpose of these purchases is not just to appease my creative appetite, however.  The goal is to have a plethora of chairs around our gigantic table so that we can fill the seats with warm bodies.  We want to have friends over for dinner.  We want to share life with some people.  We just need somewhere for them to sit.

So while I anxiously await adding brushes, paint, and furniture wax to Lent in the next few days, I also look forward to adding friends at my table.  Acts 2 is my inspiration for these future gatherings…(no pressure.)

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.  And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.  And all who believed were together and had all things in common.  And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved”

Acts 2:42-47

Day 12: Blue Raspberry Pedialyte 

One kiddo didn’t make it all the way through the sleepover.  The tummy bug struck.  So on this twelfth day of Lent, we added blue raspberry Pedialyte.  Poor thing.  Such a little body having to go through such a tough day.  Praise Jesus for electrolytes.  Again, I am made thankful for the healing powers of Jesus and the medicine that He has provided through doctors.

So many fluids are lost during these unfortunate illnesses.  This little one was so thirsty, but couldn’t keep anything down.  I can’t help but think of spiritual thirst and my own failure to keep the living water in my system.  How many times have I gleaned from the Word, only to regurgitate it?

Sharing biblical wisdom is a great thing, but only after it has first permeated through our own souls.  I think more often than not, I take it in, only to spew it out moments later, avoiding deep mediation to have it’s way in me.  I think this often translates into feeling like I am always pouring into others, but never being filled myself.  Well, it’s not for a lack of the Spirit desiring to dwell in me.  It’s not due to a lack of service of those around me.  It’s because I’m rejecting the powerful work of Jesus from actually hydrating my parched soul.

What a humbling (and gross) reminder to spend time meditating and soaking in His word.

“Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.””

John 4:13-14

Lent: Day 8, 9, and 10…

February 27, 2015 — Leave a comment

Day 8: Sudafed, Tylenol PM, Mucinex

I woke up today congested, feeling a bit yucky.  So I added a lot of over-the-counter pills to my Lenten observance throughout the day.  I am thankful for modern medicine technology, for pharmaceuticals, and for relief they bring.

Thankful that one day will come when there will be no more sinus headaches, no more sneezing, and no more medicine-head.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Revelation 21:4

Day 9: sleep

After the Tylenol PM, I was blessed to have the opportunity to sleep in the next morning.  I added some extra hours of rest and night-time sleep, as well as a nap in the afternoon.  Sleep is good.  Thank you Jesus, for inventing sleep, for my comfy pillow, for a nice mattress, and a house to cover my head and drown out the outside noise.  I am also thankful that rest is commanded by God.  What a wise and wonderful God!  I am thankful that He allows us to rest guilt-free.

I am also thankful that after adding extra sleep, I’m starting to feel a little better.  I am thankful for the ultimate healing in Jesus.  He is the great physician.

“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Psalm 4:8

Day 10: Julia Child

Helen had a biography project/presentation due this morning at school.  The aspiring chef chose Julia Child as the subject of her assignment.  She dressed up as Child and presented a cooking show for her class of fellow 3rd graders.  I was so proud of her.

Julia Child’s once said, “I didn’t start cooking until I was 32, before that I just ate.”  How many areas of life am I just eating, missing out on an abundance of tastes and scents.  Helen also played a remix video of Julia Child, and in it she mentions, “never stop cooking.”  And to think that she didn’t start until she was 32.

As we pay tribute to Julia Child today, I pray that Jesus reveal to me what I have been merely consuming without producing.  I pray that He whisper into me a new desire to start something and never want to stop.  Trusting that He has something for me, I am excited to open my senses to whatever it is.

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”

Psalm 34:8