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Thursday, August 10, 2006

"What will you get up for?"


Imagine with me a couch potato stretched out on the sofa, watching TV. Well, not really watching TV, more like flipping through 150 channels and complaining because there’s nothing on. There are grip marks on the remote because of its constant use.

And due to the constant use, the remote control’s batteries go dead. That’s right, the couch potato is on the sofa, remote in hand, and the batteries are dead. The solution may be obvious to you—get up and replace the batteries.

But what if the couch potato is such an extreme couch potato that the thought of getting up is just too much? So the couch potato just lies there, not moving to replace the batteries, watching the same channel all day long.

Extreme case? Maybe, maybe not. How many times a day do you choose the same channel of a bad habit rather than getting up and replacing it?

God created you with a great gift inside—the gift of choice. So get up and choose wisely as you listen to life and make a life today.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

"Is your light on?"


Do you remember the first jigsaw puzzle you tried to put together? You probably sat down with a parent or older sibling or maybe even a grandparent and stared at all of those pieces. You wondered to yourself, “How in the world are we going to get all of these tiny pieces to fit together and make that picture?”

I mean, the task seemed impossible, didn’t it?

But then your friend or family member gave you the secret to putting together jigsaw puzzles: Find all of the pieces with straight edges, the outside pieces, and put them in a pile. Put them together first, the four sides to the puzzle, and then you can begin to fill in according to colors.

It was like a light came on! Rather than trying to figure out how to put a million pieces together all at once, you had a manageable task with insider information that gave you key to success.

Today, when you’re overwhelmed by an enormous task, ask God to show you one part that you can do immediately and well. Let God turn the light of life on for you as you listen to life and make a life, not just a living today.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

"Who cares for you?"


My wife, older daughter and I recently ate lunch with some friends who have a new baby. He’s the cutest little guy, just a few months old so he’s starting to wake up a bit more and make his presence known.

Well, he decided to make his presence known during our meal. So his parents took turns walking him around, trying to calm him down. Neither feeding him or a diaper change seemed to help. So they walked.

Our older daughter said something about the interruption to their meal and how she just wasn’t ready for all of that responsibility yet. And I said, “You’re right. It changes your lifestyle. Your mother and I thought we’d never get to eat out again because of you. But we loved you enough to keep trying and here we are eating out with you today.”

“I hadn’t thought about that,” she said.

And I guess most of us don’t. But someone took care of you early on and was patient with you. And that’s the way God lovingly treats you for your entire life. So listen to life today and make a life and let God care for you.

Monday, August 07, 2006

"Are you listening?"


Each morning, I get up early to read and meditate. My favorite place to spend this quiet time with God is in our kitchen, rocking in the chair I rocked our infant daughters in while looking out over the horse pastures through the bay window. There are windows beside the bay window and on a cool morning, I’ll raise them.

One morning, I sat sipping my coffee, rocking and meditating on the day ahead, eyes closed. I realized that the window was closed so I got up and raised it.

As I raised it, a bird was singing the most beautiful song, welcoming the day and gifting the world with his music. I enjoyed the bird song as a kind of morning serenade. Then I thought, “I’m sure this bird was singing before I opened the window, but I either didn’t hear it or pay attention to it.”

Your life is a lot like that. There is so much to listen to in life—birds and all of life, really—but if the window isn’t open to your spirit, you miss the music.

Throw open the window to your spirit right now and listen to life for God’s voice.

Sunday, August 06, 2006

"Are you afraid?"


A year ago today, bombs exploded in London, killing at least 52 people riding on the mass transit system. As with so much of life, British citizens couldn’t control whether or not such tragedies happen in their country, but they discovered again that they do have control over how they react to it.

One way they chose to react was through Alfie Dennen’s web site at www.werenotafraid.com. The purpose of this site is to “show the world that we’re not afraid of what happened in London, and that the world is a better place without fear.” Tens of thousands of people have posted images on the site, each one proclaiming, “We are not afraid.” There are pictures taken moments after the blasts. There’s even a photo of Mr. T—remember him from “The A Team” TV show?—and the caption reads, “I ain’t afraid of no fool!” A community of people encourage one another to choose not to cave in to fear, the real target of such insane acts, through this site.

As you listen to life today, don’t be afraid and remember: God is in control.