The Gift that keeps on Giving

I learned an amusing new German phrase the other day. The 'Deutsch' love their complicated compound words, and this new expression I heard basically means, 'everything.'

When a product promises a lot or when you refer to someone as a 'jack of all trades', you call it an 'eierlegende-wollmilchsau.'

That's right...an egg-laying-wool-milk-pig.

It's the perfect animal! Good for food, drink, clothing. 

In other words, impossible. 

The all-giving animal doesn't exist. And neither does the all-giving person. You need to know if you're made for milk or meat!

As a mom, it's easy to feel like I am in constant demand. Nursing, changing diapers, rocking to sleep, as well as cooking and cleaning and taking care of the hubby and, and, and...it is rewarding but definitely tiring. Though everything might be expected of me, I cannot give everything. I need to set boundaries so that I have the strength (and sanity!) to give what I can. Sometimes that means letting my baby cry for 10 minutes so I can actually take a shower and get ready for the day. Sometimes it means saying no to an invitation and instead planning an evening off for my husband and I to spend together. Somtimes it means asking for help from others who can do what I can't.

There's a reason that chickens lay eggs and that cows produce milk. When you know who you are and what you're made for, it's easier to say no to things that distract you from your real calling. If you are secure in your identity, you're not tempted to be an 'eierlegende-wollmilchsau' for people, because you know that your worth isn't based on what you do.

As Christians, we often talk about being 'on fire' for Jesus. That's nice, but we have to be careful that we don't 'burn out' for Him! Saying no IS an option.

Sure, in the Bible Paul writes that he made himself a slave to everyone and became all things to all people (1 Corinthians 9), but by that he didn't mean that he gave to an extent where it was unhealthy. Instead, he simply wanted to reach people where they were at. He, like many of us, wore many hats. Paul understood what it was like to be in demand.

And yet this same Paul shares an amazing promise: ^''God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work...You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion'' (2 Corinthians 9:8,11).

Blessed:

...in ALL things
...at ALL times
...having ALL you need

...for EVERY good work
...in EVERY way
...on EVERY occasion

Sounds like a lot of grace to me!

We're not called to give everything, but we're called to give something. And God promises to enable us to do the giving.

We need to be able to say no, but also be confident in what we say yes to, knowing our Heavenly Father is able to equip us and help us do it with excellence. God's resources are rich, His mercies manifold, and His supply ceaseless.

Since being a Mama, I've learned something interesting about the way God designed us women. The more I nurse my baby, the more milk my body produces. Genius, isn't it? The more I give, the more I receive and am able to give. If I were to stop giving, the resources would dwindle.

I believe the spiritual principle of giving is the same. When we're generous, God enriches us. When we give (of our time, talents, resources), we also receive.

''A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.''

Proverbs 11:25

Giving of ourselves can be a hard thing to do. People require things from us physically, emotionally, mentally, financially, spiritually. But WE are the gift that can keep on giving, because we give out of overflow, not out of lack. We are blessed to be a blessing.

''Freely you have received; freely give.'' 

Matthew 10:8

Let's not try to do it all, but whether we're called to lay eggs or produce wool, let's do it with joy, giving freely.

 ''Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.''

Luke 6:38

Easter Treats and Truths

Our little one isn't even born yet, but I did something today that I think I want to turn into a tradition and do every year with my kids at Easter: baking with a purpose! (What can I say...I'm a teacher at heart and if I can combine a meaningful lesson with fun and food, why not? :) )

These 'Resurrection Rolls' are yummy, fun to make, and a great symbol of the true meaning of Easter. You simply wrap a marshmellow in dough, and when the rolls are finished cooking, the inside is hollow and empty - just like the tomb was!

He is not here: for he is arisen! (Matthew 28:6)

You can make these sweet treats using pre-made crescent roll or Pilsbury dough, but since we don't have that here in Germany and I like to make things from scratch anyway, I've included the instructions for everything (adapted from Love From Scratch.) Below are some snapshots of my afternoon...

To begin with, the ingredients (this makes about 48 rolls):

1 1/2 cups scalded milk 

2 eggs

6 cups flour 

2 teaspoons salt 

4 Tablespoons sugar 

3/4 cup butter 

3 teaspoons yeast 

1 cup butter 

1 cup sugar 

2 Tablespoons cinnamon 

48 marshmallows

And now, the directions (simple but time consuming):

Combine first 8 ingredients. Let rise until doubled. (I let mine rise for about an hour, and though it hadn't doubled it worked out fine)

Divide into 48 balls and flatten. 

Mix sugar and cinnamon together. 

Dip marshmallows in melted margarine, then into sugar mixture. 

This represents the oils and spices that the body was prepared with after the Savior's death. 

Wrap roll around a marshmallow, sealing completely.

This represents his body being laid in the tomb.

Sprinkle the top of the rolls with the sugar mixture. Place them in a large greased pan and allow to rise till double (approx. 35 min). Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes.

And enjoy!

(A few tips from my experience...the pans really should be greased, even if using parchment paper like I did, since the marshmellow 'bursts' and leaks, leaving a sticky mess. Also, next time I think I would use only half a marshmellow per roll - you get the same effect, without the roll popping open during the baking process.)

HAPPY EASTER! He is risen!

Knowing His Voice

Leading...protecting...disciplining...carrying...providing. The job of a German Shepherd.

No, not a 4-legged furry animal, but a real German man whose job is shepherding. I was privileged to meet one this week.

I was at our ministry base (located at the edge of a village nestled in the hills) and about to head home for the afternoon break when I heard the sound of bleating. I rounded the corner and saw not just one “baaa-ing” sheep, but 480 of them walking the path up to a hill! And at the front of the flock, a young, friendly, gentle man, leading them to fresh pasture.

What a sight! Once they made it up the hill they spread out and began grazing. The young lambs loved exploring, and the faithful sheep dogs were ever on watch to keep the flock together. Meanwhile, we visited with the German Shepherd.

This man literally knows all 480 sheep individually and can recognize their faces. And they know his voice! I caught this video clip of him simply saying “Come, come!” and calling them together when it was time to move onto greener pasture:

What if hearing our Good Shepherd’s voice was so simple? In John 10:14, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” Notice in the video that the shepherd didn’t have to shout, and only repeated his invitation once. Just after turning my camera off, I noticed two little lambs left behind in the field. They had been too busy with their faces in the grass, eating, and then looked up at each other, as if suddenly realizing, “Oops, I think we missed something!” They skipped off to catch up with the rest of the group, with those of us observing encouraging them, “Come on little guys, follow the voice of your shepherd!”

What amazed me was the sheep’s obedience, despite not knowing where their shepherd was leading them. They simply trusted his voice, and even if they were enjoying eating or drinking or resting, as soon as he called, they came, knowing something better was ahead.

Are we that obedient when our Shepherd calls? It can be hard to obey if we don’t know that our Shepherd is GOOD. But He is.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.”

His goal is to care for us - to lead, provide, protect. “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” (Is. 40:11)

“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’” (Rev. 7:17)

Two babies had been born to the flock just that morning, and the German shepherd left them in the previous pasture with their mother since the lambs couldn’t walk yet. So he didn’t venture far with his flock, but he accepted his responsibility to lead, to provide.

And he indeed had a staff in his hands - ready to protect, defend, and discipline if necessary. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11).

That is how good our Shepherd is - laying down his very life for us so that we could live in abundance, not lacking anything. He knows where good pasture is; he guides us along the best paths. He anoints us with healing oil, and removes the burrs that get attached to us when we choose to wander off on our own.

And our responsibility? Simply to listen to his voice and obey. You don't have to strain to hear it; you already know it. It's the voice that first called you to Him, inviting you into relationship and offering the gift of salvation.

Praying, friends, that you will receive what you need from your Shepherd today: guidance, refreshment, provision, rest.

Dust to Dust

This past weekend I attended my first funeral in Germany.

Sure, "there is a time for everything," but when the "time to die" (Ecc. 3:1-2) hits, it's never easy.

I didn't know the man very well, but I remember that he laughed often, and seeing his lifeless body  was so surreal. That, combined with yesterday being Remembrance Day and reflecting on many lives laid down, was such a strong reminder that "all come from dust, and to dust all return" (v. 20).

Image Credit: Timo Kahlen

Death seems so daunting, the grave so greedy. And the last breath appears so final. Indeed, if "passing away" is understood as the end, even the Apostle Paul wrote, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die" (1 Cor. 15:32). 

God "he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more" (Psalm 103:14-16). 

If death really is the end, and there is no such thing as resurrection or life afterwards, Paul writes that preaching is useless, our faith is futile, and we believe in vain.

That doesn't sound very hopeful. 

But what if there is something stronger than the power of the grave?

What if a lifeless body returning back to the earth is not a symbol of meaninglessness, but instead of hope and promise? Like how a seed sown in dust, in earth, in soil, does not bear fruit...unless it dies?

 Image Credit: Ladies of Virtue

"The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body" (1 Cor. 15:42-44).

Sounds pretty impossible, doesn't it? How can life come from lifelessness? But I have good news for you: "Death has been swallowed up in victory!"

Jesus Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, and because He lives, we also may live! God Incarnate, through His death, conquered the power of death itself.

Whoever believes in Him has eternal life. What a promise!

This reality provides hope for our life here on this earth. It gives us a purpose, because it shows us God's plan. After an entire chapter where he focuses on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Paul concludes: "Therefore, my brothers and sisters..." Therefore, since we know that Christ is risen, since we too will rise, since God has the victory, since the grave has lost its sting, since our faith is not useless, and because of resurrection power... "Therefore, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

What we do with our lives here on earth is not in vain. The work we do, the people we love, the ways we serve...it matters. In the famous 1 Corinthians 13 chapter we read that "LOVE NEVER FAILS."


And it was exactly THIS great love that took Jesus to the cross. 

GOD…the greatest Being

SO… to the greatest degree
LOVED…the greatest passion
THE WORLD…the greatest company of people
THAT HE GAVE…the greatest act
HIS ONLY SON…the greatest sacrifice
THAT WHOEVER…the greatest opportunity
BELIEVES IN HIM…the greatest decision
SHOULD NOT PERISH…the greatest rescue

BUT… the greatest alternative
HAVE …the greatest possession
EVERLASTING LIFE…the greatest gift 

(adapted from PawCreek) 

 

 

Thanks + Giving + [Always?]

Sun shining; house cozy warm from the heat of the oven, which contains a 12-pound turkey; smell of apple cider and cinnamon candles; husband peeling potatoes and me kneading dough; table set and awaiting guests.

It's Thanksgiving. Autumn is here - my favorite time of the year!

 

There's no way to exactly duplicate a tradition, but we took joy in the newness of Thanksgiving and our first time celebrating it in Germany was a success!  I even managed to come up with a maple leaf - Canadian Pride! :)

Funny how memories are triggered. Memories of family members showing up at our house, of board games, of kids, of lots and lots and lots of (great) food, of getting to use the "special" plates and glasses, of the "go-around-the-table-and-everybody-say-one-thing-they're-thankful-for" round.

Giving Thanks. Because so much has been given to us; it's the least we can do in return. 

But Thanksgiving is more than a day; it's a lifestyle. 

If we only choose joy when we have a full plate, a full stomach, and a full house, are we really giving thanks?

This year my husband and I were confronted with the biblical mandate to REJOICE ALWAYS.

Three days before Thanksgiving, his mom took a fall outside, was rushed to the hospital where it was discovered that she had a complicated wrist and elbow break, had an emergency operation and likely has to remain in the hospital for 3 weeks now.

That wasn't exactly part of the plan. Or at least our plan.

For awhile, I felt guilty for excitedly anticipating food and fellowship, but then the Holy Spirit reminded me, "It's perfect timing to celebrate Thanksgiving." If not now, then when? 

 

The Lord called us here to help bring restoration. And it looked like restoration was happening - my mom-in-law was overcoming the effects of her stroke and was beginning to ride a bike again, re-learning how to write, and becoming more engaged in activities and conversation. And now? She's laying in a hospital bed with metal plates in her arm and can't remember what happened or why she's there.

What does giving thanks look like in this situation? I read a quote from Ann Voskamp the other day which made me think:

"My lips may have said YES to God's grace of a Messiah - 

but my life has said NO to God's gift of this moment."

How is it that we so easily receive God's GIFT of grace, His GIFT of salvation, His GIFT of a Savior...but so often reject His GIFT of each new day? What makes us think we can pick and choose what we get to give thanks for?

And so, in the middle of hospital visits, short nights, telephone calls to family, and conversations with the doctors and nurses, we choose joy.

• We're thankful that in a matter of minutes after calling emergency, we had 5 medical personnel at our doorstep.
• We're thankful for hospital staff working the night shift, so she could receive immediate care.
• We're thankful for friends and family who have stopped in to visit. 
• We're thankful for a praying community of brothers and sisters in the Lord.
• We're thankful that none of this is a surprise to God. 
• We're thankful that God redeemed the situation - my mom-in-law's "room mate" gave her life to the Lord after my husband had a conversation with her about Jesus!

And although the reality of the situation isn't nice, we're allowed to celebrate.

“Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10). Joy is something deeper than circumstances. Receiving each moment with thanksgiving is what allows us to live in joy.

There is another quote that says: "Hope is hearing the music of tomorrow. Faith is dancing to it."

So we "turned up the music" yesterday and enjoyed a feast, knowing God is in control of the end of the story. We're still working on the dancing part, but we believe that God is good and that He's worthy of receiving our thanksgiving. Always.

P.S. Would you pray with us, please? For a quick, miraculous healing, for peace for us as a family, especially my husband's dad, and for the strength to dance? Thank you.

Don't Forget Where You Came From...

1:30am, downtown Toronto City, Canada. August 2013.

We had come in two vehicles, excited to celebrate our friend's upcoming wedding and have fun at a Bachelorette party. And fun it was! A dinner cruise on the harbor, dancing, Starbucks espresso shots, night view from the CN Tower. Good times!

Then it came time to part ways and hop back into the cars to head home. Five of us headed toward the Parkade. We walked the downtown streets in our skirts and high heels, passing pizza shops that were closing down for the night, and construction workers who were just starting their shifts, taking advantage of slower traffic after midnight to finish bridge repairs.

So we walked...and we walked...and we walked...and we walked. Somehow, in the midst of our girly giggling and picture-taking and time together, we could not remember where we parked. I had driven into the city with the other 5 girls, so unfortunately I couldn't be of any help as we tried retracing our steps, even asking a security guard for help at one point after we'd been walking around lost for over an hour and a half.

[Side Note: never get lost in Toronto!]

Not only are there a bunch of parkades in the city, but after awhile, they all start looking the same. Did we drive up, or down? Was the signage black, green, or red? Were we on level 3 or 4? Did we enter from this corner, or a block further down? We passed hundreds and hundreds of cars, but none of them were ours. 

Photo Credit: Led Lighting Toronto

Long story short, we were getting worried (especially since all of our cellphone batteries were slowly dying), tired, and frustrated. We decided to go back one more time to the very first parkade we started in before calling someone for help.

Lo and behold, we walk in and go up a level, clicking the remote for the car alarm, and HALLELUJAH we hear it beeping! Found. Never had we been so relieved, and never had we been so happy to arrive safely back at home and catch a couple hours of sleep before the rehearsal the next day.

We all knew we'd look back on that situation and laugh about it some day. Some day. But you know what the most embarrassing part was? Driving out of the parkade, we noticed BIG signs written in BOLD letters posted all over the beams of the parking garage - "Please make note of where you park!" Oooooops. 

If there's one thing I learned from that adventure, it was this:

Don't forget where you came from.

Canadian Thanksgiving is coming up in a week, and it's a perfect opportunity to REMEMBER where we came from. Like the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 77:11-12 - 

"I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 

 I will consider all your works
    and meditate on all your mighty deeds."

Our past doesn't define us, but it is a part of our story and we need to remember where we came from. Frustrated with your spiritual growth because nothing seems to be changing? Consider where you were a year ago. Under financial pressure? Remind yourself of how the Lord always came through up in the past. Tempted by pride? Consider Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 - "Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."

Don't forget where you came from. It will help you get to where you need to go.

(Coming next week...pictures from our Canadian Thanksgiving Celebration as some German friends of ours are introduced to this feast for the first time!)

"And take up the shield..."

Hundreds and hundreds of years ago, between 100 and 200 A.D., these stone walls were part of the "Limes" - a Roman wall of military defense that ran along parts of their empire. Thirty thousand soldiers were stationed along the Limes, controlling traffic between the Roman provinces and the area inhabited by Germanic tribes. It lasted until the late 3rd century when they surrendered the Limes due to pressures within the empire, and violent raids by Germanic tribes.

 

My husband and I got to visit this heritage site yesterday, which is now a tourist area in southern Germany. The remaining stone walls are enclosed in glass; nothing special in and of themselves, but one could picture the "Kriege" (wars) that took place on those plains, Roman soldiers positioned in 900 watchtowers along the wall to defend their empire. 

And how did they defend themselves? With these Roman pieces of armor, of course!

These weapons are modern, but were created to intentionally resemble the weapons from long ago as closely as possible. We were allowed to take a try at resembling Roman soldiers, too...

 

 

As I did my best to hold up the 8 kg (approx. 16 lbs) shield, I was overwhelmed by its hugeness. No wonder David felt unfit to fight when Saul dressed him up in armor way too big for him! Add a heavy helmet, tight belt, long sword, and a few other necessities to the whole outfit, and you're set to go! 

My thoughts drifted to Ephesians chapter 6, and the 6 words that I have so often read, have underlined in my Bible, and stored in my memory: "in addition to all this, take up the shield of faith...." Why? Because with it, "you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." These thick shields, made from 3 layers of wood, bound with leather, and sealed with metal, can definitely do some serious flaming-arrow-extinguishing. 

As I noticed how it was big enough to duck behind, I thought of how faith should also be big enough to cover our entire selves, our whole life. Faith isn't a small, wimpy bunch of good wishes that we pull out when we realize there's flaming arrows coming our way. No, it's much, much bigger than that. Faith is a state. We dwell in it, behind it, under it...prepared for when the attacks do come (because we know they will), knowing we are protected.

My husband and I have walked through something in the last couple of weeks that reminded us of the power of the shield of faith. When things happen unexpectedly, when circumstances don't turn out like you'd hoped or expected, when dreams appear to be broken and you're left in pain, take up the shield of faith.

 

There's a psalm (and a song) that says "You are my hiding place." The Name of the Lord is a strong tower, and Christ is our security.

Psalm 32:7
"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."

The shield of faith is big enough to hide ourselves behind. We don't hide out of fear, but hide in the shadow of His wings, dwelling in Him, our resting place, knowing His grace is enough. Faith knows that God is good and that I am loved. Always. Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrews 11).  Faith distinguishes the flying arrows of doubt, insecurity, and hopelessness that the devil would try to aim our way, and shields us from his attacks, at the same time opening the door for miracles to happen. Just like it did for the woman who was healed of bleeding and the once paralyzed man who got up and began dancing in praise to God because he BELIEVED that his circumstances weren't too difficult for Jesus Christ.

Jesus himself warned us, "In this world you will have trouble..." Our posture should be one of faith, prepared for attack because we know this earth is still groaning for full redemption, but confident in our Lord who has "overcome the world." Therefore we can take heart, and take up our shields of faith...

Vision & Surrender

Today marks one year of my husband and I living in Germany! It's crazy to think of when we landed in Frankfurt on August 30, 2011, and consider how far the Lord has brought us since then - what we've experienced, the challenges we've faced, how we have grown and the ways God has used us. All with incredible blessings and lessons along the way! God is SO faithful...always.

As we were reflecting last night on what an adventure it's been, we were faced with the need to remind ourselves to continually surrender. God gave us a vision and has led us and provided for us, but oh how easy it is to take matters into our own hands!

"It makes a difference whether you were sent, or whether you just went..."
 
God gave us a clear vision of what our work and ministry here were to look like: "Bringing restoration to your family and my Glory to Germany," He said. And as we shared that vision with family, friends, and our church, we were supported on all sides and all the love, advice, encouragement, and prayers felt to us like fuel in our jet that was preparing for "take off." We didn't go on our own strength; we knew we were called, and we had people standing by us (thank you!)

And now we are here. It hasn't always been easy, but obedience isn't always comfortable. We have adjusted though, and are feeling quite at home. In fact, we thought that if God were to now tell us to move, even to the next village, that would be kind of hard for us! To leave our nice apartment that we've invested time and money into decorating so it's just our style? Our cozy fireplace? Our newly renovated kitchen? Our quiet neighborhood? But the key is that IT'S NOT "OURS." We need to live with open hands and intentionally acknowledge that it is God's house and God's time and God's ministry and God's marriage and His heart for our family members here is bigger than any love we have for them! It's HIS vision and HIS will.

It's easy to walk in excitement when God gives you a vision or reveals a next step, etc. But the key is to remain just as dependent on His Spirit, just as attentive to His Voice, and just as denying to yourself one month, one year, or 30 years later as you were during the time you were seeking His will in the first place. It's like Paul's tough exhortation to the Galatians: "Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" (3:3). Beware of becoming comfortable, becoming competent in your own strength, becoming apathetic. 

We serve a God who is all about relationship and he LOVES to communicate with us! He has a good plan and he doesn't mean for it to be difficult or mysterious to discover His will. It is easy - His word says, " If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5). When we're lacking wisdom or don't know the way, all we have to do is ask! But here's the key -  "When he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does" (vs. 6-8). God is generous and freely gives out wisdom - without fault. He doesn't stand there thinking, "Come on, can't you figure this out on your own? Why are you so uncertain? Don't you get it?" He delights to give.  

But the key is this: I can't ask for wisdom yet still insist on doing it my way.

One of my pet peeves (spoiler alert: insight into our marriage!) is when my husband asks me about something, for example, "Hmm, should I eat cherry or strawberry yogurt today?" and then when I answer, he ends up doing the exact opposite. I suppose that's just because he's extroverted and needs to think aloud :-) But it makes me laugh every time and I always say, "Why do you ask if you're not gonna do what I suggest anyway?!"

Well, it works the same with God. We can't ask Him to direct our steps and then when He shows us the path we say, "Oh actually the other one looks more appealing." His plans are *always* good and even if we don't understand them, we have to be willing to obey. God doesn't like to reveal his heart if He can't trust us to live out what He speaks to us.

So...it comes back to surrender. In my life, it meant moving across the ocean to my husband's homeland and taking care of my sick mother-in-law. The Lord has given us the great blessing of getting involved with a discipleship center here as well. Obedience and the unfolding of the Lord's vision for your life will likely look different for you, but one thing is the same:

"The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it" 
(1 Thessalonians 5:24).

Transplanting

They came in a can. I opened the lid, set the can by the window, and added water...a little bit...every other day.

After a couple of months they looked like this:

I was thrilled that something was at least growing in my house! My roses, parsley, and lavender have all turned brown and dried up. Maybe I have a "black thumb" (as my mom likes to say!)

I admired the tomatoes in this can for awhile, marveling at their ability to grow and produce fruit. How something can come from seemingly nothing is always amazing to me!

 I finally realized it was time to do something with them, since there wasn't much more room for them to grow in the little can the seeds came in. So I started the transplanting process:

 Slowly, carefully taking out each individual plant and gently pulling it out by the roots and placing it in a bigger container with new soil.

Ta-da! :-)

I'm sure those little plants are happy to have more room to breathe. I'm sure they would have started to shrivel up had I not moved them to a bigger pot. I'm sure their roots would have become tangled or moldy if they were not separated. I'm sure that now they can GROW.

Isn't that the point of transplanting? Giving something more room so that it can grow? I worked in a greenhouse one summer and stood for hours on end in a type of assembly line, poking my fingers into soil, making room for seeds to fall into, or for small vegetables or flowers to be transplanted. 

Growth is linked to transplantation. Yes it is also linked to other factors like water and sunlight, but if a plant continues to receive water and sunlight while it remains in a small pot when there is potential for more, it will not grow fully or healthily.

In the last few months I've seen growth in my own life, and I realized it's because I've been transplanted. I was reading through some old journal entries the other day in which I recorded parts of our journey of contemplating moving to Germany and praying about what we were supposed to do after Bible School. Allow me to share this entry from April 13, 2011:

Ecclesiastes 3 says 'There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven. ' What stood out to me is verse 2 - 'a time to plant and a time to uproot.' It seems that leaving Prairie will in a sense be uprooting. But Germany won't just be about planting; it's about trans-planting. Perhaps this Bible School is too small of a pot - good for a season, but ultimately my roots won't be able to grow any more or expand to their full potential. Moving Germany isn't  about destroying what's already been planted in my life, but about transplanting so there's room for more growth.

Little did I know at that time exactly what type of "pot" God was transplanting me into. Here I am now, over a year later, having lived here for 9 months and having experienced so much, being challenged and changed along the way. 

Looking back I know that if we had not moved here my roots would have remained shallow. If I had stayed in my small comfortable pot soaking up the sun, I never would have grown and expanded like I am doing now. I was so content with where I was back then and wouldn't have minded staying there forever, but God had a bigger pot for me.

I feel like I am in such an exciting season of life right now; it is hard to describe. It's not always easy, but I simply know deep in my heart that yes, this is indeed where God wants my husband and I . I never would have dreamed it and some days, on the hard days, I wish it wasn't so, but I know God is doing a deep work in me. This doesn't discount the last "pot" I was in - it was extremely vital soil for me to learn to bloom and bear fruit in. But whenever God takes us out of our comfort zone by transplanting us, it means there's even more potential. It feels sometimes like the rug is being pulled out from under my feet, or should I say that my roots are being harshly yanked out from the soil I was so familiar with, but as I settle into new soil - spiritually, emotionally, relationally - my roots find their way down and I am strengthened and refreshed, excited about the potential for more.

Jeremiah 17:

⁵ This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
    who depends on flesh for his strength
    and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
⁶ He will be like a bush in the wastelands;
    he will not see prosperity when it comes.
He will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
    in a salt land where no one lives.

⁷ “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
⁸ He will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”



 

Perspective

The other evening my husband and I were sitting in our living room -- him on the chair, me on the couch. Our conversation was interrupted by a noise that was barely audible...thankfully, not a mouse! But we both could hear a high-pitched buzzing sound. I looked in his direction, and he looked in mine.

"Oh it must be the lamp above you," I told him.

"No, it's definitely coming from behind you - check the heaters."

"What? No way. I can hear it plainly - it's coming from your direction."

"Uh-uh, definitely from yours."

I got up and turned off the light switch to see if that would solve the problem. We listened for a couple seconds...nope, the buzzing was still there.

"Okay," he said. "Let's switch places."

So we did. As soon as I sat down, I could hear as plain as day that actually, the sound was indeed coming from the opposite direction as I had first thought. Before I could say anything, my husband said, "Wow, actually you were right...it's definitely coming from that direction!"

"No way! Now that I'm here I can definitely tell it's coming from the other way."

We were both pretty convinced, and we had to laugh at how changing places also changed our conviction.

In the end, we discovered that the buzzing sound was coming from a tool that was plugged into the electrical outlet...right between our seats! No wonder when we changed places the sound seemed to come from the other direction :-)

Interesting what perspective can do to you. 

I've had a few opportunities recently to "switch seats" with people, and have my perspective challenged and changed in doing so.

A couple of weeks ago we went with friends of ours who were visiting to the site of the Dachau Concentration Camp. Let me tell you, that was a reality check!

All of my so-called "problems" seem like nothing in comparison to the horrors that thousands of people suffered there! If I were to "trade seats" with a prisoner of war, I would realize that in my life I have nothing to complain about. But even in the midst of such awful conditions, the right perspective is a powerful hope. Last night I watched an interview of Alice Sommer (click here to see it), a 108 year old survivor of a Nazi Concentration Camp. In the video I saw pictures of Dachau - the camp I had just been to. Alice is one powerful old lady, and even during the years that she and her son suffered so much at the hands of the Nazis, her perspective was still optimistic. She found strength in music, in community, in laughing. And even today she has no bitterness toward her captors or her experiences in that time. The power of the right perspective.

In the last little while I've also had to remind myself often to "trade places" with my mother-in-law. Her health seems to be going more downhill, and after another episode in the hospital the other week, her memory is getting worse, and she is definitely not herself anymore. It can be exhausting to spend time with her and try to help, but all I need to do is consider what I would need and appreciate if I was in her situation, and suddenly I can see her perspective, and the small sacrifice that it is for me is worth it.

Interesting what perspective can do to you...

Interesting that when I'm complaining about having to decide what to cook, I just have to think about the more than 3 billion people who live on less than $2 a day, and am suddenly thankful that I can make the effort of preparing a meal.

Interesting that when I was a student, I spent lots of time wishing I could do something other than homework, but did not often consider the fact that nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.

Interesting that I can feel intimidated living in this new land, but then I think of my own Grandmother, a war bride from England (advanced Europe), who married a Canadian solider and moved to a farm in Saskatchewan with no heat or running water. 

I can so easily take for granted the love of friends and family, and the continuous ways God provides. It's so easy to get caught up in my own little world, and fail to see from the perspective of others. But I am called to something higher. I am called to see life and other people from God's perspective - the Creator of the universe, whose ways are different than my ways and whose thoughts are higher than mine (Isaiah 55:9). I am called to fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, because "what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).

And what a difference a heavenly perspective makes!

Your spirit lifts when you realize that God is fighting for you, and He is your Provider.

Your emotions change when you consider that you are called to serve others, not be served.

Your mindset is totally different if you know that you are but a stranger on earth, and Heaven is your home.

Your relationships are no longer the same once you hear the life stories of your friends and learn about their backgrounds, their struggles, their passions.

Interesting what perspective can do to you. 

Praying that this week, no matter where you're at in life, you are able to see past your own experiences and see from the perspectives of others. Praying that God gives us the grace to be patient and empathetic with those around us. Praying that our minds are renewed with the truth of God's Word, and that we claim His will in our lives, not succumbing to the lies that the world and our enemy constantly throws at us. 

 Who can you "switch places" with this week? And are you setting your thoughts on heavenly things, and seeing from God's perspective?

A New Citizenship

Today I received my Immigration Card for Deutschland!

This means that I can enter the country as a resident, not a tourist, that I can live here as long as I want, and that I am allowed to work. Woo hoo! Now that the paperwork and everything has gone through, I am also able to take a German "Integration" course for free. It will be about 600 hours, and will cover everything from the language to German politics and traffic laws, etc. So the next year will be full of a lot of learning! It's a little nerve-wracking, but I'm thankful that the authorities want to help me integrate into this culture and equip me for life here.

 

This whole process has brought to my mind the reality of another citizenship I have. Actually, a citizenship that you have too:

 {"Our citizenship is in heaven."} 

Philippians 3:20

It's a biblical principle that this earth is not actually our home! If we belong to Christ and are following Him, we are only here visiting :-) In the "Faith Hall of Fame" in Hebrews chapter 11, the author writes that these heroes of the faith "admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth" (Hebrews 11:13). It's hard to live in this reality, because this world can be pretty deceiving and it's easy to feel at home in it. But the fact is - we were created for something more. We have heavenly DNA, and one day even our physical bodies will be transformed to match our new identity.

But even as we are living as strangers in this world - a country not our own - we should be adhering to the principles of the heavenly land where our citizenship actually lies. Just as my immigration in Germany includes both special privileges and responsibilities, so our heavenly citizenship implies that we live and act a certain way. We have the hope of eternal life in our heavenly home, but we also have a life that needs to be lived out here as "aliens" on this earth. An alien doesn't fit. An alien stands out. An alien doesn't belong. And our lives should be like that too. We must be different.

Peter wrote to his friends, "I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul" (1 Peter 2:11). There are desires that we need to fight against, which are not part of our real identity. We ought to to adhere to a heavenly, higher spiritual standard.

But it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks, right? Like when I'm driving here in Germany, and go to turn right at a red light (after stopping, of course!) But that's not allowed here. I need to wait for the green turning arrow. But in the only life I've ever known beforehand (Canada), I learned that it was okay to do so (and that other drivers behind you actually get angry if you block the lane by not doing so!) In a similar way, our "old life", our sinful flesh, teaches us that it's fine to be selfish. It's okay to lust (everybody else does it!) You need to lie sometimes. It's impossible to actually love everybody. Self-pity is okay.

But that's why we're told, in Romans 12:2, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind"! Our old ways of thinking and our old patterns of behavior have to go once we accept Jesus as Lord of our life and receive citizenship in heaven. Spiritual guidelines and principles apply instead of earthly standards.

And what are these new responsibilities and privileges? They involve love, not apathy. Peace, not worry. Joy, not discouragement. Patience, not frustration. Kindness, not selfishness. Self-control, not self-indulgence. Mutual submission, not discord. Preferring others, not controlling others. A spirit of power, love, and a sound mind, not a spirit of timidity. A spirit which cries out to God, "Abba, Father!" not a spirit of fear. The power to overcome evil with good, not to be overcome with evil. The authority to live in the abundance that Jesus died to offer, not allowing Satan to steal, kill, and destroy in your life. The strength to rejoice in suffering, because we have a hope beyond this world.

These are the rules and rights of our heavenly citizenship! Sure, it takes learning and adjusting. It takes the "putting to death" of our old ways. It may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable. It may involve more cost in the short-term. But it's worth it in the long term! The Holy Spirit is our Teacher, our Counselor, our Guide, ready to train us in how to live in this new spiritual reality.

Are you living to the full potential of what your heavenly citizenship implies?

Five Minutes...

"When will my husband be home?" she asked. "He gets off work at 5:00 this evening," I replied for the sixth time today.

We sit down to eat lunch. "You know, I had a friend once who always complained about not having enough money, but she was so wasteful with food..." It's the same story that I've heard, without fail, every time we eat together. I respond like I'm hearing it for the first time.

At the end of the meal she comments that the food tasted great. But an hour and a half later, she wonders if we've already eaten lunch.

My mother-in-law had a stroke two years ago, and because of it, her short-term memory was affected. She recognizes her family and she remembers the past, but in the day-to-day activities she simply can't remember what happens. She can't really be left alone, because she forgets where we are or what she's supposed to be doing. One of the main reasons we moved back here is because God gave us a burden to care for my husband's family, and especially his mom.

Some days she remembers that she had a stroke, and then she recognizes that her memory isn't as it should be. I can't imagine what she goes through when she is faced with her own weakness! It destroys her emotionally when she can't find someone or something in the house, and knows she can't do anything about it. It confuses her mentally when she sees things done in a way that hasn't been done before, and doesn't realize she was the one who did it. It burdens her spiritually to care about the welfare of her children but constantly not know how they're doing. And it hurts her physically if she overuses her right arm, which was paralyzed at first after her stroke.

As I spend my days with her, sometimes I wonder why I do what I do. Why make a nice meal if, within the hour, she will forget about it? Why initiate an activity when it will only last 10 minutes and then she'll be tired? Why invite friends and family over when, after they've left, she will have no recollection of them being here? Her face lights up with joy when she's doing something she loves, like teaching piano to a student, but that joy always seems so short-lived.

God is teaching me something through my mother-in-law's condition, though. And that is,  Live in the moment. Sing, pray, laugh, play, eat, reminisce, share deeply, cry, create...make the most of all opportunities. And enjoy them as they are. Have you ever had one of those holidays where you were so caught up in trying to take pictures and preserve the memories that you didn't stop to enjoy what memories you were making in the moment? We need to slow down.

A story has been going around on Facebook lately (you can read it by clicking here) about a man playing violin at a Metro Station in Washington, D.C. He played for an hour and collected a total of only $32, and no one applauded or paid attention, except a few young children who stopped and watched curiously, but being quickly hurried along by their parents. "No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music."

No one saw the beauty of what was happening.

If that can happen so easily in a metro station, how much more does it happen in our own lives? As we go about our days, our routines, our responsibilities, how much beauty are we missing out on?

It takes situations like my mother-in-law is in to remind me to slow down and appreciate what I have right here, right now. The psalmist prayed, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12). When you're in a condition like my mother-in-law is, you take things one day at a time. In fact, five minutes at a time. Every five minutes is precious, and every five minutes is new.

I know it's easy to be so eager for the next stage of life, or be worried about tomorrow, that we miss out on the joys of where we're at now. When you're young and single, you dream about being married. Then once you're married, all your friends start having babies and soon you want to be a parent. When you're a parent, you can't wait for your children to leave the house so you can have peace and quiet again. Then once the children are gone, you long for the gift of grandchildren to once again fill your home with laughter.

While no stage of life is easy, every stage of life is worth it. Take a look at this challenge in James 4:
¹³ Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷ Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.

We don't only sin by doing something wrong...we sin by not doing something right.

Why is it worth it for me to cook something special for my mother-in-law? Because she'll enjoy it for that hour. Why is it worth it doing an activity together? Because it's good therapy that aids in her healing. Why is it worth it for her to get together with friends? Because as humans, we need relationship, and every conversation plants seeds.

Why is it worth it to pause from your busy agenda and listen to a violin in a metro station? Because in that time, you can "stop and smell the roses" and appreciate beauty...simply because.

Why is it worth it to cancel a meeting (the third this week) and instead spend an evening with your family? Because our days are numbered. Why is it worth it to pay for the order of the person behind you in the drive-thru? Because that may be the only glimpse of hope they have that day. Why is it worth it to show extra patience with the clerk in the store when you're having trouble finding everything you need (or just want)? Because she's already been faced with dozens of customers throughout the day hastily and greedily clamoring to check things off their Christmas list. Why is it worth it to donate items to a homeless shelter, release a child from poverty, or send a goat to a family in need? Because faith, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead (James 2:17).

Every five minutes counts. Ephesians 5:15-18 says, "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."

As Christians, we live in this "already-but-not-yet" tension. We have the hope of eternal life, but we haven't experienced heaven yet. We have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, but one day we will see Christ Himself face to face. Our citizenship is in heaven but meanwhile we live as strangers on this earth. Christ's death brought full victory over death and pain, but we fight every day against temptation.

In Lamentations 3 there is a beautiful passage:

¹⁹I remember my affliction and my wandering,
   the bitterness and the gall.
²⁰ I well remember them,
   and my soul is downcast within me.
²¹ Yet this I call to mind
   and therefore I have hope:   

²² Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
   for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness. 

God's grace is new every morning...and every five minutes. His well never runs dry. And I challenge you today: how do you need God's grace in this moment? What is one thing you can take thirty seconds to appreciate, simply because it's a reflection of God's goodness? Who is one person that needs caring for today? Life is too short to live in unforgiveness and bitterness. It's too precious to get caught up in consumerism and forget to slow down. It's too much about others to get distracted by our own problems.

It's likely taken you a few minutes to read this blog...what will you do with the next five minutes?