Monday, May 2, 2011
MOVING!!!
After much deliberation, I have decided that I will be transferring my blog to Wordpress. The primary reason behind this decision is the flexibility it offers me to maintain multiple pages as well as the option to create my website when I am ready to do so. I am grateful for the usage that I maintained on Blogger and hope you all will check out my new page. simplylivingthelife.wordpress.com
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Just Out of Reach
My daughter figured out how to roll over from her back to her stomach this past week. Now, every time I lay her down on her play-mat, she will flip over. The problem is, while she is physically able, she will rarely flip herself back from tummy to back. I find myself amazed watching her. My four month old will flip to her stomach and proceed to try and figure out a way to move (what will later result in scooting and subsequently, crawling). She grabs onto the mat; she legs try to find traction. Finally, frustrated and tired, she starts to cry because she can't quite figure it out. She wants to move, but her body does not have the coordination to make it happen, yet.
I find that we are like this a lot. We see something that we want and we flip over to ascertain it, only to become frustrated in the pursuit because we aren't quite ready for that venture. I think God planned it that way. Not that we would fail, but that while we were still spiritually immature, there would be certain things that we would not be able to reach on our own. We had to get to the point of crying out to God to help us. Sometimes, that means He will move that thing that we desire within our reach. But sometimes, it means that he will pick us up, comfort us, and lay us down to try again, knowing that the journey and the struggles help us to grow and mature.
As I picked up my crying little girl, she is now content to just sit on my lap. I know that when I lay her down, she will try to get the toy again, even though it is just out of her reach. But for now, she is content just to be with me. Do we give find that much peace in the arms of our Heavenly Father? Or are we so focused on what we want that we push him aside as he tries to comfort and reassure us?
I find that we are like this a lot. We see something that we want and we flip over to ascertain it, only to become frustrated in the pursuit because we aren't quite ready for that venture. I think God planned it that way. Not that we would fail, but that while we were still spiritually immature, there would be certain things that we would not be able to reach on our own. We had to get to the point of crying out to God to help us. Sometimes, that means He will move that thing that we desire within our reach. But sometimes, it means that he will pick us up, comfort us, and lay us down to try again, knowing that the journey and the struggles help us to grow and mature.
As I picked up my crying little girl, she is now content to just sit on my lap. I know that when I lay her down, she will try to get the toy again, even though it is just out of her reach. But for now, she is content just to be with me. Do we give find that much peace in the arms of our Heavenly Father? Or are we so focused on what we want that we push him aside as he tries to comfort and reassure us?
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Our Own Little Bubbles
We live in a world of individual "comfort zones." In his book, Outlive Your Life, Max Lucado refers to these as our clamshells. We have our bubble that we walk gingerly within and pray that something doesn't come along and pop it.
We that God for the blessings he has provided and fell sad when we see a homeless man, dishuveled and unbathed, sleeping beneath the freeway. A single shopping cart holding all of his earthly belongings. "Oh," we say to ourselves. "I wish we could do more to help." Then we turn away, blow up our little bubble and don't dare to step closer to that man, at the possibility that our little world could be torn beyond mending.
We like the idea of sending a check, but if an opportunity to go in and get our hands dirty, our bubble is blown up around us. Because we maintain this comfort zone mentality, we shrink our potential to change the world.
A.W. Tozer once said that, "when we bring God down to our level we are left with a God that can't astonish us." We like God to fit inside our lives, our bubbles, rather than chasing after Him. God has gifted us all with such unique gifts that when we settle to live within our comfort zone, we are settling to live safe. Mark Batterson says it best. "Jesus didn't die to keep us dafe, he died to make us dangerous." (Chasing the Wild Goose
)
If each of us to a single step outside of our own little safty bubbles, what would we be able to accomplish? I'm not even suggesting extreme change. I am proposing that we each take a step out. That a single step would open doors to a drastic change that we can't even imagine.
What was the final command Jesus left his disciples with before returning to heaven?
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Mat. 28:19)
Jesus' last command can be simplified into a single word--GO. A command, not a suggestion. It is a simple directive that leaves no room for question, complaint, or confusion. And yet, we (more often than not), respond with a resounding "no."
Who are we to do anything except obey and still we are audacious enough to cast this instruction aside as though it were merely another man's suggestion.
GO. Step out of your bubble and cast away the safety net. And be ready to be amazed at the Glory that God is sure to reveal to you in your obedience.
We that God for the blessings he has provided and fell sad when we see a homeless man, dishuveled and unbathed, sleeping beneath the freeway. A single shopping cart holding all of his earthly belongings. "Oh," we say to ourselves. "I wish we could do more to help." Then we turn away, blow up our little bubble and don't dare to step closer to that man, at the possibility that our little world could be torn beyond mending.
We like the idea of sending a check, but if an opportunity to go in and get our hands dirty, our bubble is blown up around us. Because we maintain this comfort zone mentality, we shrink our potential to change the world.
A.W. Tozer once said that, "when we bring God down to our level we are left with a God that can't astonish us." We like God to fit inside our lives, our bubbles, rather than chasing after Him. God has gifted us all with such unique gifts that when we settle to live within our comfort zone, we are settling to live safe. Mark Batterson says it best. "Jesus didn't die to keep us dafe, he died to make us dangerous." (Chasing the Wild Goose
) If each of us to a single step outside of our own little safty bubbles, what would we be able to accomplish? I'm not even suggesting extreme change. I am proposing that we each take a step out. That a single step would open doors to a drastic change that we can't even imagine.
What was the final command Jesus left his disciples with before returning to heaven?
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Mat. 28:19)
Jesus' last command can be simplified into a single word--GO. A command, not a suggestion. It is a simple directive that leaves no room for question, complaint, or confusion. And yet, we (more often than not), respond with a resounding "no."
Who are we to do anything except obey and still we are audacious enough to cast this instruction aside as though it were merely another man's suggestion.
GO. Step out of your bubble and cast away the safety net. And be ready to be amazed at the Glory that God is sure to reveal to you in your obedience.
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