Monday Morning Memo: Dancin' Shoes

If you know me well, or even if you only slightly know me, you recognize the fact that I’m rarely at a loss for words.  I can usually find something to talk about with just about anyone I meet.  In fact, I’m confident that there are times when I need to remember the words, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.”

 

There are just certain topics of which I have trouble staying silent.  Ask me about my husband and children…and you will hear an earful.  Ask me about my friends…and you will probably learn way more than you wanted.  Ask me about my church…and I’m pretty sure my face will light up and you will hear how much I love my church family.  And beware…ask me about my grandchildren…and you better hope a chair is nearby because you are in for a long description of each precious blessing and more than likely…pictures will be included.

 

I am passionate about each of these subjects.  I love my family, friends, church and grandkids more than I can even put into words (even though I will try!).  They all mean the world to me, and I am never bashful or embarrassed to talk about them.  But do you know what?  None of them are perfect…(gasp)!  They are all human and probably, at one time or another, have let me down.  Maybe they did or said something that hurt me…or maybe they didn’t live up to my expectations.  But regardless…it hasn’t stopped me from bragging about all of them…especially since I know I have also let them down at times too.

 

So, how come I can ramble on and on and on about all these people…but shy away from telling everyone I meet about my Jesus…who IS perfect and has never let me down?  Why are there times I don’t speak up about everything He’s done for me because I’m afraid I might say the wrong thing?   Why are there times I keep my mouth shut…when I should open it…to stand up for issues which go against Biblical values…because I’m afraid I’ll step on someone’s toes or make them feel uncomfortable?  

 

There is a fairly old song which I love to listen to by the Gaither’s called “Good, Good News”. The first verse and chorus are:

 

I woke up Monday morning and I walked out on the lawn
My eyes were barely open and my mouth began to yawn
Picked up the daily paper, every single headline said
That this whole world is full of trouble and I wished I’d stayed in bed
Sometimes the bad that's goin' on's enough to bring you down

Turned on my television and began to flip on through
All one hundred channels, HBO and pay-per-view
Not one message had a meaning that was good in any way
Just before I wrote the whole world off, I heard the Father say
"Don't forget what I have promised, you can overcome it all"

I'll spread this talk all over town 'bout the peace and joy I found in you
(good news, good, good news)
This story is about to break and blessed are the feet that take the truth
(good news, good, good news)
I'm slippin' on my dancin' shoes 'cause I’ve got good, good news

 

As I was listening to this song the other day, all I could think of was, I’ve got Good News to tell!  Not just Good News…I have Great News and I need to make sure I’m spreading what I know all over town!  Christ has given me peace and joy and I need to tell everyone I meet.

 

Just like this song says…there sure isn’t much good news in our world today and people are starving to hear about the hope, joy and peace we have in our Jesus.  So, as we go throughout our week…let’s be intentional on telling those who Christ puts in our path about our Good News.  If we don’t tell them…who will? 

 

If you still aren’t convinced that you should speak up…click on the following link and listen to this song.  Then join me as we slip on our dancin’ shoes (I want red ones!)  because we have good, good news to tell!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehxHP7AO-Vc

Monday Morning Memo: How Comfortable Are You?

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 must admit there is one thing about the cooler (or too often frigid) weather in Indiana 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 which 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 which 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: Never Satisfied

Last week I shared with you how often we tend to compare ourselves with someone else.  I was referring to those times when we wish we had those good qualities or attributes that we see in others…wishing we were as thin, or as pretty, or as handsome, or as creative, etc. as we think they are.

 

I was thinking this past week that there are other times in our life when we compare ourselves to someone else…but it’s in a different way.  We compare ourselves…thinking we are better than they are…and as a result, we can quickly puff ourselves up, thinking we are surely racking up more “points” in heaven than the other person we know.  Let me give you an example.

 

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 a 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, (yes, I’m finally getting to my point) 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 which 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