Magical Moments

Disney World specializes in magical moments. It's a motto for the company and is encouraged, even taught, to its employees (called "the cast"). The cast is told to make the visits of their guests memoriable and to do whatever it takes to make it so. If a child drops an ice cream, run over with a new one. If a person has food allergies, create an entire delicious meal they can eat without worries. If a person has a disability, provide whatever comforts they need so they can participate in any possible attraction. And it's worked for the company. People come back year after year paying top dollar (Disney is not cheap) to visit. But you leave that place with a sunny disposition, smiles and a cheerful heart. And many a parent of children with special needs has said Disney is the only place they can truly be "on vacation."

My daughter, who is currently a member of the Disney cast through its college program, told me about the mandate for magical moments. I got to see it in action first-hand while on a visit to see her recently. Ayla told me you could ask any restaurant for a tall glass of ice water and they'd hand it over for free. However, the streetside stands don't have the same policy. Only soft drinks and bottled water are offered there. I didn't know this at the time and went up to ask for a glass of water at one of these stands. The gal behind the counter said, "I can't offer that at this stand, but here (she handed me two cold bottles of water) ... have a magical day." Another time while getting two T-shirt designed as gifts, I noticed the wait time was such that would cut into precious and highly needed sleep time before my long drive home. I said to the cast member at the cash register ... "I need you to make a magical moment happen for me here. Is there anything you can do to speed this wait time up." I had my T-shirts in half the time. And I watched as my daughter congratulated every newly married couple wearing "Just Married" buttons or couples wearing "Happy Anniversary" buttons, wished a Happy Birthday to those celebrating, and ask countless children if they were having a good time. It was fun for me to watch.

Now imagine a world outside of Disney where this was the motto. You know, where people love without expecting anything in return. Where people do things to make others' lives easier. Where people genuinely care if you are celebrating something important in your life. A world where people followed, say, Leviticus 19:18: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," what Jesus called the second greatest commandment. It would be Heaven, wouldn't it?

This expression of agape (a Greek term for "unconditional love" expecting nothing in return) is not a difficult thing to do. In actually, it's quite fun! And while bringing joy to the one the love is given, will actually bring you even more joy.

Make a day of it. Take a day where your goal is, not to make a magical moment, but to make agape moments. The stories you will have to share later with others will be priceless.

We joked often while walking around Disney World that we were having a "Hap, hap, happy day" or even "It's another magical day at Disney" because of the efforts made to see to it we did.

I pray your days are hap, hap, happy and filled with moments of unconditional love. I believe that is what God intended for us from the very beginning. And all the instruction we need to accomplish this, after our failure in disobeying Him as early as the Garden of Eden, is written in Scripture. First Corinthians 13 is filled with guidance on how to love. So does 1 John 3 and 4. Let's give it a whirl, shall we?

It's those little glimpses into Heaven that give us just the encouragement we need while living in this world ... the wonderful world of our Almighty, Loving, Creator God.

Flashing By

Lying across the street recently I noticed a cable. I've seen these kinds of cables before. They are placed there by the city to count the number of cars that drive by. It's the city's way of finding how how well traveled a road is. I'm assuming if they find a high figure, they maybe add a lane or create an alternative route to give traffic another flow pattern. Whatever the reason, the city is taking count of the cars that drive by.

On another road I saw a sign flashing the speed limit. As you go by, it flashes the miles per hour you are driving ... only if you are over the speed limit posted in the area. In this area, the speed limit was 25 mph, so when I reached 30, the sign started flashing. My son said, "You're at 30!" So I slowed down immediately.

One device counts the number of people that go by. Another warns them when they've gone by way too fast.

Most recently, I have been preoccupied. It started with the days leading up to our move to a new home from our apartment. We began having guests arrive to help us with our relocation and repairs on the new home. Then came the move. Then all the work involved with unpacking, moving furniture, fixing additional items, sorting, cleaning, etc. In the midst of that, we moved a second load to the house and began the process all over again. As a result, I found myself pushing my devotion time with God away. I'll do it after this ... I'll do it after that... I'll get to it in a little bit, etc. And of course, I wouldn't. My important private time with my Father was taking a backseat to the craziness of the day, over and over again. Were the Lord a cable on the road, He would have seen me pass by countless times. But it wasn't that I needed additional time or an alternative time, I just needed to prioritize it. The warning signs were definitely flashing. I found my stress level increasing. I found my focus skewed. I became irritable, lost, confused, all the time continuing to zip on by.

While attending my first Reunion Group meeting (a Christian accountability group) here in Alabama, I finally noticed the flashing sign. I realized that I needed to discipline myself to be sure to set aside time for the important - the most important - things in my life. My time with God. My husband. My children.

I caught it early, and I'm grateful. Just like my son reminding me about my speed, this group meeting was a reminder to get myself back on track as a Christian. Praise God for other Christians to remind us of our obligations as Jesus explained in Matthew 22:37-40. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

The cable's count of me passing by is about to slow down ... just like the signs warned me to. I've got some prioritizing to do.

Makes Cents To Me

I walk 30 minutes every day. And just about every day, I find a penny. I kid you not. It's like I'm getting paid 1 cent to go walking. And everytime, I say the same thing when I find a penny: "It's another lucky day!" Doesn't matter to me if it's heads up or Lincoln Memorial up, it's always a lucky day to me when you find a penny. Whether it's a shiny copper one or tarnished with time, I am sure to pick it up and carry it home. I never pass up a penny.

Yet, who knows how many other people have walked by and haven't picked it up. And even more disconcerting ... who's dropping them? Are people really just losing pennies everywhere they go through holes in their pockets? Or are they really that heavy in your pocket that you toss them out? Or it it that you are financially just fine, and don't have to worry about a measily penny. When did people begin disregarding the value of the penny? Are we Americans that arrogant that we can throw money away? Granted, I've heard it costs more to make the penny than it's worth. However, a penny is still 1/100th of a dollar. I figure in 100 days I will have myself a dollar just from walking. And you wouldn't just walk by one of those on the street.

How do we decide as humans what has value and what does not? A cardboard baseball card. Photographs. A piece of jewelry. Time. People. A penny.

One thing I'm truly thankful for is that God finds me valuable. Piddly little me. He never walks by me in disregard. He sees me there alone, sometimes shiny, sometimes tarnished, and loves me just the same. Me, a sinner. He found me so valuable in fact, that He sent His precious, sinless Son, Jesus, to die for me. He sent Him to die for you, too.

Each of us is priceless to God. Even if today you don't feel that way about yourself, I promise you God feels that way about you. While I'm collecting pennies to make a dollar, God is loving lonely souls to build a Kingdom. And if I'm shouting, "It's another lucky day," for just a penny, imagine what God is shouting about you! Jesus said, "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:10). So apparently, even the angels are shouting!

Maybe I'd better start stopping by the people I walk by like I do the pennies. Telling lost souls the Good News of Jesus Christ! A collection of hearts on fire for Christ would be a far greater treasure than a piggy bank full of pennies. You can bank on it.

You know ... I think it's time for a walk.

Gum Scraping Weed Digger

Today I got to spend an hour lounging by the pool at our apartment complex. The temperature was a toasty 84 degrees and the skies were sunny. I'd already jammed much into the day, and thought one hour for me catching up on a six-month-old November magazine by the pool would be just the thing. When I got there, I was the only one at the pool ... at least the only one lounging. There was an employee of the complex there as well. He wore a protective mask over his nose and mouth and carried a sharp scraping tool with him. Every so often I'd glance up from my magazine to see him digging our a weed or scraping at the concrete around the pool. For the longest time I wondered what he was scraping. Then after dipping in the pool, swimming to the stairs and getting out near him, I saw that he was scraping off dark, flattened wads of gum. Apparently people had carelessly spit out their gum around the pool and on the sidewalks leading to it, just feet from the many garbage cans conveniently available. I thought to myself, "Good heavens, how does a person get so lucky to have that job: gum scraper and weed digger." After my hour at the pool was up, I gathered my towel, bag and magazine to head back to the apartment, and looked around the pool. It was gorgeous! He had cleared off every bit of gum and pulled every weed from cracks between the pool's brick edging and the concrete patio. I wondered as I walked away if there was a smile on the man's face behind his mask as he looked over his handiwork. He had done a thorough, yet thankless job. I'm sure not one other resident will look at that pool today and notice it's gum-free, weedlessness and think to themselves: "I really need to thank that guy and tell him nice job!"

My Jesus has that job. He's the gum-scraping, weed digger of my life. When I go to Him for forgiveness, He wipes me clean, creates in me a new heart and puts a right spirit within me (Psalm 52:10). So the next time you see me looking so pretty (on the inside, that is; look closely, my actions will give me away), look to the One who took on the dirty job to cleanse me ... and don't forget to thank Him, because He's got a lot more scraping to go with me.

By The Sea, You And Me, Oh How Happy We'll Be...

Our family recently returned from a Spring Break vacation in Garden City Beach, SC, one of our favorite places. I went on ahead a couple days earlier than everyone else so I could have time to myself on the beach. I wanted to have a spiritual retreat with God. I decided I would spend two days, just God and me and the beach. I figured a little sunning, sand, seagulls and surf was just what I needed to refocus on my Lord, listen for His beautiful voice, worship Him fully and absorb His goodness.

Those two days I had alone at the beach were certainly not what I hoped for weatherwise. The skies were grey and stormy and the temperature chilly. It rained nearly the entire time, stopping twice for 30 minutes each to allow me the chance to walk along the shore. I believe it was God's way of saying, "Are you here to see me or the ocean, dear daughter?" I admit, I was there for both. This was God's way of making sure the focus was truly on Him.

I glorified the Lord in the silence of being alone and in the roar of the tempestuous ocean ... which by the way provides praise songs with excellent acoustics and background sound. I spent much time in study and prayer. It truly was a retreat with my Almighty God. It was Father/daughter time, with me crawling onto the lap of my Abba and cuddling in His precious arms, pouring out all I wanted to share with Him. He truly is an awesome, loving, amazing, patient Creator. God has billions of kids, so it was cool that we got to spend some quality one-on-one time together without the world to interfere. And I loved being with Him.

Later in the week, I was rewarded with beautiful, warm sunny days, gorgeous sunrises (one that even looked like the Star of David on Holy Week - how cool is that!?), a full moon rise on the horizon, dolphins swimming by, pelicans' dive bomb fishing, a gentle starfish in a tide pool and the cherished company of my family. We had a wonderful time.

You don't have to go to the beach to be alone with God. We have that opportunity every single day, whenever we want, to boldly approach the throne and delight in His company. I'm grateful He loves us that much to give us that access ... access that came at quite a cost in the cross of Christ. But I have to say, looking out over that vast, sometimes violent, often times glistening, always breathtaking sea ... it's pretty cool to be able to be alone with Him there.

Just As I Am

A gal from a welcoming committee in town came to see me today. She called at 15 minutes after the hour and told me she'd be to my apartment in 45 minutes to give me some community information and gift certificates. As soon as I hung up with her, I gasped as I took a quick look around the room and at myself. I was still in my pajamas and the living room was less than stellar. I could still smell onions in the air from dinner the night before. I hadn't vacuumed in several days. I needed to dust. The room needed tidying, counters needed wiped off, etc. So I quick, like a whirlwind, whipped through the apartment putting things in neat piles, dusting, picking specks off the floor, sweeping the kitchen and porch and spraying a room freshener all over. Then I quick got dressed and applied some make up. Ahhhh. Perfect. I even stood at the front door and looked around the room as if I was a guest, checking for anything that might be out of place. I found a couple more things, then found a couple more. Finally I was pleased with the finished product. My guest came. She sat on my couch, gave me much information to peruse, gave me a welcome hug and was on her way. I don't know that she noticed the fresh smell, tidy piles, clean counters or fluffed pillows. But I sure didn't want her to see the way we REALLY lived.

Similarly I went on a website today to play with some photos. On this website, you can change your photos to have soft focus, special effects, tinting, sharpening, brightening and even cover blemishes and whiten teeth. Using a photo of myself shot on my birthday, I brightened my teeth, took away blemishes, cropped it tighter and wa-la ... the finished product of retouched photography. In one photo I even gave myself lilac eyes just for fun! I sure didn't want anyone to see the picture of the REAL me another year older.

Picture perfect living room. Picture perfect photo. Both are a lie. Both are a lie because perfection, as we know, is just not possible. I used to joke with people not to get too used to my face as they see it because in Heaven there's no make up, and they won't recognize me when I get there.

Thankfully, you won't care. Jesus handles all that perfection and does it, well, ... perfectly. And he knows all my flaws and filth and loves me just the same. As the Charlotte Elliott hymn says, "Just as I am thou wilt receive, welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve." Jesus said he went to prepare a place for me, so I'm guessing He's cleaning and tidying, me in particular, to get ready for my arrival. And He says in John 6:37 anyone who comes to Him he will never drive away. Praise the Good Lord for that!

Does that mean I won't clean and put on makeup the next time you come to visit? Ha! Oh, no, I will perpetuate the earthly fantasy ... just please remember to give me enough time to get ready!

Public Affection

Yesterday I reached out to give my son a hug while we were shopping and stopped myself. Not because of the usual reason, which is when he quietly whispers, "Public," as a reminder to me that he doesn't want any motherly affection where someone might see (ah, teenage boys). I stopped instead because just as I was about to reach out and hug him I remembered that he had fallen that afternoon on a gravel road and had scraped up his back, left arm and hands to bloodied abrasions. I knew if I hugged him I would graze those tender areas and cause him pain, so I refrained. He noticed that I started to reach for him and pulled back. He said, "What, Mom?" I told him I'd almost hugged him, forgetting the wounds his T-shirt covered. He then reached out for me, putting both of his hands on my shoulders, and hugging me. "I love you, Mom," he said. "You've done a lot for us over the last few months since we moved. Thank you." I almost started to cry. Here was my son, who typically shuns public affection, hugging me in a department store where we were surrounded by people. I was moved beyond words and glowed the rest of the day just thinking about that brief moment.

As all things do when I'm dealing with my children, I reflected to my relationship with my Father in Heaven. I thought about the countless times He reaches out to me to hug me, sharing His beautiful world with me, His precious Son and His great mercy. And thinking to myself, how many times I have put my hands up and said to Him, "Public." Today was one of those days. I was walking through a subdivision, and while doing so was praying for a youth friend of mine who is sharing the word of God with a student in his high school who is a proclaimed atheist. I was lifting him in prayer, when I suddenly realized I was praying out loud. It was then I saw a man staring at me who was fertilizing in his yard. I instantly shut up until I rounded the corner. Not because I didn't want him to see my praying, but rather because I was worried he'd think I was a nutcase talking to myself. Basically, I was telling God, "Oops, hold on a second. Public." After I rounded the corner, I wished I'd have said, "Not crazy ... just talking to Jesus." What a discipleship opportunity I missed!

Needless to say, I'm going to spend a significant period of time today telling my Father how very much I love Him and praise Him for everything He's done for me not just in the last few months, but my whole life. I am blessed beyond words. And I'm going to start right now, here, in public ... Lord God, I LOVE YOU! You are so amazing. You are beautiful. You are awesome. Thank you, Lord. And Lord, even with all my wounds ... feel free to hug me, any time.