Yearly Archives: 2013

Delete that.

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When families come together over the holidays, inevitably there are picture-taking sessions. Everybody lines up, and someone gives the universal command to “Say cheeeeese!”

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Faces smile and cameras click, but when we inspect the finished product, results are mixed. Sprinkled amongst the happy poses we see faces with closed eyes, artificial smiles, goofy expressions, or strained looks. None of us are picture-perfect. Even in pictures.

We do strive for that, though, primping in front of mirrors and dressing in flattering clothes. Thinking we look pretty good, we smile for the camera with confidence, but often when we see the photo, we grimace and say, “Delete that.”

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Never being satisfied with our exteriors probably emanates from not being satisfied with our interiors. But is that good or bad? Isn’t it prideful to think we really look good? Wouldn’t it also be pompous to assume we’ve “got it all together” on the inside, too?

According to Scripture, what’s happening outside and inside are polar opposites. Proverbs 31 says that dwelling on external beauty is vain. Working on being charming is defined as downright deceitful. (v. 30)

 

Yet we insist on deleting photos of ourselves that aren’t attractive, which encourages us to play mind games about external beauty. So we don’t like what we see in our pictures, but what are we supposed to do with those feelings of inadequacy and displeasure?

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We’re to walk away from the camera and look inside instead.

What does it mean to focus on the inside? God details it for us. We’re to dwell on things that are worthy of praise, are lovely, pure, commendable, honorable, true, and just. (Philippians 4:8) If we do that, our insides will become beautiful, and something else interesting happens, too.

 

Our outsides, no matter what they physically look like, begin to take on a special attractiveness that is radiated from the inside out. We’ve all known people who are beautiful on the inside. We enjoy spending time with them and are willing to sacrifice just to be in a relationship with them. We can’t usually explain it, but we want to be around them.

Maybe that’s because they’ve taken on Christ-like characteristics inside, and after that, what they look like doesn’t matter at all. Psalm 27 tells us David found great satisfaction in “gazing upon the beauty of the Lord.” Maybe it’s a bit of His beauty that we’re recognizing as attractive within people who have their insides in order.

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External beauty disappears with age, without exception. Inner beauty has staying power. As a matter of fact, it’ll stay with us throughout eternity. So let’s not fuss over pictures we want to delete but hold up a mirror instead to what’s happening on our insides. When that becomes beautiful, the rest of ourselves will follow.

 

AFC

“Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart… which in God’s sight is very precious.” (1 Peter 3:4)

Stepping Up

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Clog spotWhen I lived alone in my cottage, I used to put my clogs on the fireplace hearth when I wasn’t using them. The opposite of that simple picture is the one below, a line-up belonging to Hans, Katy, and their 3 young children.

 

The Line-up

Today as I studied the assortment of boots, shoes, and slippers next to my front door, my mind rushed to the word “commitment.” Having a family is a massive one, and footwear is only a small part of it. For Katy and Hans, there will soon be a pair of baby booties at the end of that long line, too, and an increased commitment to go along with it.

Having children requires making an ongoing commitment that refuses to quit. But isn’t that true with most of life’s worthwhile undertakings? To make them work, we can’t allow ourselves to give up or walk away. On this New Year’s Day, I’ve been asking myself what worthwhile commitments God wants me to make in 2013.

Scripture tells us to carefully count the cost of taking on new responsibilities, and to do so for an important reason: so that we’ll be able to do what we said we’d do. Saying yes to something without following through is to be avoided.

Jesus is our example in this, demonstrating the ultimate in follow-through. He volunteered to do the most difficult job that existed, giving his sinless life for our sins. Sticking with that commitment turned out to be excruciating for him, but he did it anyway.

My response to his example should be to accept whatever assignment he asks me to do in 2013, first counting the cost, then making plans to pay it. He won’t ask me to do what I can’t, nor will he assign me something that will swamp me. If I find that happening, the commitment I’ve taken on won’t have been from him.

But how will I be able to tell if a commitment I’m asked to make is from God or some other source? Jesus is our example in that, too. He only did what God asked him to do and nothing else, a pro at discerning what that was. So if we ask him to help us sort through our own commitment-confusion, he will.

As 2013 begins and we decide how we’re going to spend our time (whether it involves a long line of family shoes or a single pair of clogs) we should run it all past the Lord first, to get his take on it. And then once we commit, we should take it all the way…. just like he does.

The Lord says, “Even if the mountains walk away and the hills fall to pieces, my love won’t walk away from you, my covenant commitment of peace won’t fall apart.” (Isaiah 54:10, The Message)

Looking Back?

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A quiet evening home alone on New Year’s Eve? Perfect.

A lovely light

As my cottage emptied out tonight and no one but the small fry remained (asleep), I lit some candles and sat by the light of the Christmas tree along with a beautiful cd of orchestra and choir music. It seemed like a good idea to let God choose my thoughts as 2012 ticked toward its end.

Each year on December 31st it seems logical to look back at the year’s low- and high-lights, searching for God’s blessing. So that’s how I assumed he would lead my thoughts. Or maybe he’d remind me of the biggest events of the year past: engagements, weddings, funerals, pregnancies, births, my book.

But as I sat meditating on the scriptural messages coming through the music, the Lord wasn’t leading me to look back through 2012 at all. Instead he wanted me to look at him:

2013

  • Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty, only Thou art holy!
  • What is man that you are mindful of him?
  • Lord, have mercy, for I have placed all my hopes in Thee.
  • There is none beside Thee, perfect in power, in love, and purity.
  • Jesus, Rock of Ages, I hide myself in Thee.
  • Great is Thy faithfulness O God my Father!
  • Morning by morning new mercies I see.
  • To God be the glory!

One after another the marvelous messages came, solidifying my resolve to use 2013 as focus-time toward Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Regardless of what’s happened in the “overfull” year just past, my every tomorrow will be anchored in the heavenlies rather than the “earthlies.” I want to attach myself to the Three-in-One, knowing they will do and be as they always have, bringing stability, peace, and hope.

This year I want to take God at his Word(s) to a greater extreme and trust him more radically than ever before so that by December of 2013, I’ll have seen him more clearly and understood him better than I currently do in December of 2012.

Charmed by Emerald

Tonight, when Emerald and Birgitta came home, I looked at this 10 week old baby and thought, “Last December we knew nothing about her, but here she is, along with the many changes she’s brought along with her. And Emerald is only one example of how different life can become between Decembers.

So, what’s coming in 2013? In a year, we’ll know.

In the mean time, Birgitta, Emerald, and I brought in the new year in conversation with God, knowing the only wise place to spend 2013 is in partnership with him. As tonight’s music so beautifully sang, “All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.”

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” (Isaiah 43:16)