Monday Morning Memo: Are You Comfortable?

I know I have shared with you, more than once, that my favorite season is summer.  I really enjoy the warm, sunny days when you don’t have to bundle up in 20 layers of clothes just to step outside.

 

But I have to admit there is one thing about the cooler (or right now…frigid) weather that I look forward to and that is Sunday afternoons.  The reason is because I love to come home from church and put on my sweatpants and sweatshirt and relax.  Now I can come home and relax on most Sunday afternoons regardless of what the weather is outside, but there is just something about being able to wear those clothes that make it even nicer.

 

Why do those clothes make my afternoon better?  Because they are so comfortable.  They are soft and baggy and don’t bind me anywhere.  They’re warm and cozy and I don’t have to worry that they will wrinkle if I kick back in my recliner and take a nap in them.  When I have them on, I don’t care if I make a fashion statement and honestly, I really don’t even care if they match!   To sum it up…they are easy.  I know when I am wearing them, I can just unwind and not expect too much from myself.

 

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every moment of every hour of every day were that way?  Complete relaxation.  Never have to push ourselves to do anything.  Never have to care if we accomplish anything or do anything to impact anyone else’s life.  Never have to worry that something or someone will come along to put a “wrinkle” in our day. 

This may sound wonderful…but if we were honest…a life like this would be rather shallow.  It would be a life centered on us and what makes us comfortable.  We would miss out on the blessings that are received when we stop dwelling on us and do something to make someone else’s life a little easier.  We would surely become stagnant in our walk with Christ because our focus would be inward instead of outward. 

 

I read something that made me start thinking about all of this.  The quote said: “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”  What a convicting statement.  If we are always only willing to do what makes us comfortable, we will miss out on the life that Christ has planned for us.  He has more waiting for us than we can ever imagine and even though it may include some hills and valleys and detours that we don’t expect…it will be much more fulfilling than any afternoon in the recliner.

 

So, my question to you is, “How comfortable are you?”  If you are really comfortable day in and day out…you just might want to reevaluate your walk with Christ.  Are you listening to Him and following His directions for your journey?  Or are you content to just kick back and only do what is the easiest and makes you feel the best?

 

Life is so short and today is the day that we need to step out of our comfort zone and begin living for Him instead of us.  If we don’t, we just might fall asleep and miss out on the adventure He has planned to make us look more like Him!

“Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said,

“If any of you wants to be my follower,

you must turn from your selfish ways,

take up your cross, and follow me.

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.

But if you give up your life for my sake

and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.”

Mark 8:34-35 (NLT)

Monday Morning Memo: Let's Get Fishing!

Do you ever cringe when your children give you advice?  I mean…aren’t we supposed to be the wise ones?  Aren’t we supposed to know it all?  What in the world can someone in their 30’s know…that I don’t already know?  Well, I’m finding out that in many situations…they know a lot more than I ever knew at their age…or know now!

 

This was proven to me this past week.  Several months ago, my son, Adam, graciously agreed to help me get a new ministry up and running.  I knew when God laid it on my heart, that it was going to take wisdom in the field of technology that I just don’t possess.  So, I approached Adam and explained to him what was rattling around in my brain, and much to my surprise, he didn’t laugh me out of the room.  Instead, he immediately began sharing his wisdom with me.

 

I’m not going to lie…these past months have included some struggles which have pushed me way out of my comfort zone.  I have had to learn new computer programs that have really stretched this old brain of mine.  But Adam has patiently answered all my questions and when he didn’t know the answers…he started researching until he found the resolutions for me.

 

So, by this past week, I thought I had learned all the new programs needed for this endeavor…until I asked Adam how to do something…and he broke the news to me that I would need to learn another one.  Adam could see that I was somewhat exasperated at this and that’s when he shared these words with me, “Mom, you need to realize that this is the hardest part.  Right now, you are in the most difficult stage of this whole process because you are in the learning stage.  Once you learn it all, it will become second nature to you…but for now…you have to either keep learning or quit.  Those are your only two options.”

 

His words have rung in my ears ever since, because they can be applied to so many areas of my life.  It’s easy for me sometimes to want to give up when the going gets tough.  I can easily start making excuses and that’s usually when all the “what-if’s” materialize.  What if I’m laughed at for what I’m doing?  What if I fall flat on my face?  What if I’m censored and all this work ends up being for nothing?  Oh, I could go on and on and when Adam shared his wisdom with me, I knew it was time to put a stake in the ground and resolve that I will keep learning and I won’t give up.

 

After mulling over Adam’s words for a couple of days, I was listening to music and the old song from the Gaither Vocal Band came on, “I Catch 'Em, God Cleans 'Em”.  I’ve always loved this song…probably because we owned a fish business for over 40 years!  But as I listened to the chorus once again…I knew that my Jesus was trying to send me some encouragement.  The words were:

 

“He said, "I catch 'em, God cleans 'em

I bait the hook with the love of the Kingdom

I've been called to be a fisher of men"

"I catch 'em, God cleans 'em

Heaven knows He saves every soul that believes Him

I reel 'em in and He washes away their sin"

 

There was my answer.  I’m not called to worry about any of the what-if’s.  It’s not my problem if any or all of the what-if’s come true and I’m not called to save someone from their sins.  My job is to do what Jesus has called me to do…which is to be a “fisher of men”…and He will take care of the rest.  I can’t tell you what a relief it was for me to realize, once again, that all I need to do is fish…and He will do all the cleaning!

 

I can’t help but wonder if there is someone reading this today who has been called by Jesus to do something new…and they are ready to throw in the towel because all the “what-if’s” are piling up.  If that is you, I want to urge you to keep going…keep learning…keep seeking wisdom from those who know more than you do.  Remember all you are called to do is fish…and He will do all the cleaning!  My friend…let’s get fishing!

 

If you would like to hear the entire song that I referenced, click on this link.  Warning though…it will be in your mind and on your heart the rest of the day!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zXtnLD5glQ

 

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said,

 “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Matthew 4:19

Monday Morning Memo: A Dreaded Question...

There is a question I really hate to be asked.  I’ve had it spoken to me many, many times over the years and I cringe every time I hear it.  It’s usually said to me by a doctor and while I know they have my best interest in mind…it still irks me.  The question I always dread hearing is, “On a scale of 1 to 10…with 10 being the worst…what is your pain level today?”  Ugh.  I just think that trying to put my pain level on a scale doesn’t really give a good picture of how I am feeling.  Each person has their own pain tolerance, so a “4” on my scale may be a “2” or a “6” on someone else’s scale…so I just don’t think it reveals a lot of information.

 

I proved this point one day when I was asked this question by one of my doctors.  My face immediately brightened as I told her that I was having a good day since my pain was about a 5 or a 6.  She just shook her head and asked me if I realized that having a pain level of 5 or 6 was not a good thing…that they would like to get me to the place of no pain or at least minimal pain.  I told her I understood that but having experienced many days in my life where my pain level was a 10+…I was quite satisfied to be down to a 5 or 6!

 

I’m just so thankful that I’m not asked this same question when I go to church.  What would I answer if I walked into church some Sunday morning and my Pastor would stop me and ask, “LuAnn, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the farthest away and 1 being the closest…where do you see your relationship to Christ?”   Would I answer him that I was content to be at a 5 or 6…because I’ve had times in my life when I’ve been much farther away from Christ so at least this was an improvement?    Or, would I try to explain my place on the scale by telling him to look at “so and so”…you know…that other church member who appears to be a 7 or 8…so at least I’m better than that person. Hmmm…I’m not sure he would be very impressed with either of my answers.

 

I have a feeling that when I get to heaven and stand before Christ…He isn’t going to compare me to anyone else.  I’m not going to slide in through the gates because I happen to be a notch closer to Christ than someone else.  And, thankfully, I’m not going to be turned away from heaven because someone else looked more like Christ than I did.  Oh, I am so thankful for His amazing grace!

 

As I have given this some thought, I’ve decided that in this particular area of life, we should never want to be “satisfied”.  We should want to do whatever it takes to strengthen our relationship with our Jesus.  We shouldn’t be content with just some improvement…we should want a huge improvement!  We should want each day to bring us closer to that number “1” on the scale, knowing that if He has brought us to where we are today…He is more than able to take us the rest of the way!

 

Even though I really dislike this scale…maybe it would be a good idea to take some time this coming week to evaluate where my relationship with Christ is on the 1-10 scale…with 10 being the farthest away.  Once I determine where I’m at…then hopefully I will be more intentional in doing those things that will draw me closer to Him.  Will you join me?  Let’s set our eyes on the #1 so that we will look more and more like Him!

“So all of us who have had that veil removed 

can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. 

And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more 

like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”  

2 Corinthians 3:18

Monday Morning Memo: Complete Surrender

Snow.  As many of you know, this word can often be considered a swear word in my vocabulary.  I’m just not a fan.  But like it or not…it dumped on us over the past 18 hours and now, as I look out my window, it is a wonderland of white.

 

We don’t always get what we want in life do we.  Circumstances happen…detours suddenly appear in front of us…and what we thought was in our future suddenly changes.  It’s at those times when we realize that our plans must not have been Christ’s plans and we can either fight against them or surrender to them.

 

I often have a feeling as I come to the end of a year, what Christ wants me to focus on for the new year.  But   December 2020 came and true to everything else the past year brought us…I felt nothing.  The entire year hadn’t been in my plans so trying to figure out 2021 seemed next to impossible.  Then, on December 31st, a quote from Corrie Ten Boom hit me between the eyes.  She said, “You see, a potter can only mold the clay when it lies completely in His hand.  It requires complete surrender.”  Wow.  I am a visual learner and I quickly realized that the picture this brought to my mind is what I was supposed to work on this year.

 

I am not one bit artistic…but I can still picture sitting at a potter’s wheel with a clump of clay in front of me.  If I wanted to make a bowl, I would begin by putting the clay in the center of the wheel.  Then, working it with my hands I would begin sculpting it…stretching it…molding it into the shape I desired.  But if that clay had a mind of its own and was able to fight against me…negating every move I made…I can guarantee you that the end product wouldn’t be very usable.  As the potter, I wouldn’t be able to complete the necessary steps to transform the clay into something beautiful.

 

We can chuckle at that, knowing that clay is unable to think, but since we can think…it makes me wonder how we react to our Potter (Christ).  First of all, are we in the center of His “wheel”?  Are we intentional on listening to what He wants for us and then making sure we are smack dab where He wants us?

 

Then, as He begins to sculpt us…stretch us…mold us into something He knows will be usable for His glory and kingdom…are we completely in His hand…allowing Him to have complete control?  We have been given free will to do and react to Christ, and it is our choice whether or not we will allow Him to transform us into something beautiful.  

 

I can say He has complete control of me…but if I’m honest…it doesn’t take much sometimes for me to become anxious and worried about the days ahead…especially after the past year.  But how can I reach others for Him, if I don’t trust Him with my tomorrow?  Others need to see that I am totally surrendered and trust Him completely…so they will want the same thing for their life.  Time is of the essence and it is more important than ever for me to be completely in His hand because if others don’t see Him in me…they may never see Him at all.

 

How about you?  Are you allowing the Potter to have complete control as He molds you into something beautiful?  I sure hope so.  But if you are like me and you have a little work to be done in this area…don’t give up!  I know that He has big plans for you and me…so let’s both jump in the center of His “wheel” and let Him get to work.  Let’s make 2021 the year of complete surrender!  

“And yet, O Lord, you are our Father.

We are the clay, and you are the potter.
We all are formed by your hand.”

Isaiah 64:8