Cap Hands!

While standing at a crosswalk with my son at Pier Park in Panama City Beach recently, I looked up at the Don't Walk sign - a glowing red hand - and remembered with a smile a story from when my daughter was about 2 or 3 years old. We were stopped at a city crosswalk in Tennessee. She looked up at the Don't Walk hand and exclaimed, "Cap hands, Mommy! Cap hands!" She immediately started clapping her hands and encouraged us to as well, believing that was what the red hand wanted us to do. So there we were, my husband, daughter and I all standing on this street corner -  and every other street corner that day - clapping our hands each time the red hand flashed. We continued clapping and clapping until the little white walking man came on permitting us to walk. People were most definitely staring. We looked ridiculous trying to clap inconspicuously, looking around and smiling sheepishly to the other people at the crosswalk. But how precious it was that our little girl thought everyone was supposed to clap their hands while stopped at a crosswalk. Now every time I see that red hand, I think of that sweet moment, wanting to exclaim with the same joy, "Cap hands, everyone! Cap hands!"

Yesterday during my Bible devotion time, I was reading Psalm 47. It begins jubilantly, "Clap your hands, all you people; shout to God with loud songs of joy. For the LORD, the Most High is awesome, a great king over all the earth." In verse 6 the psalm continues: "Sings praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the king of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm."

Wooo hooo! I love this psalm. It's a call to sing and clap your hands just because God is king and GOD IS AWESOME! Unlike the feeling of embarrassment we had while standing on those street corners, we need to be singing with great joy and excitement about our Awesome God.

https://youtu.be/IpVsF4W8V2Y

One of my favorite fan-made videos is by Andrew Bowser of the David Crowder Band song O Praise Him. In the video, a young man is walking through the busy streets of a city with headphones on listening to this song, mouthing the words. He begins to lift his hands in praise at one point in the song and some passersby begin to stare. Then at the chorus, he stops in the middle of the street on a median and raises his arms high. The music stops and you see and hear what the people on the street do as he sings loudly, "Alleluia! Alleluia! He is holy! He is holy!" Then he drops to his knees in prayer as the music continues. It gets me every time.

Now that is how you handle a crosswalk! How blessed we are to worship this loving, forgiving, almighty, merciful, Creator God! May we frequently and exuberantly clap our hands and sing praises, sing praises, sing praises with loud songs of joy every chance we get, especially when people are staring ... and certainly while stopped at a cross walk.

I See You

I used to watch three of the most precious little blond boys in the world. And oftentimes, I would take them for long walks through the neighborhood or to the park, just to get them out on adventures (especially during the COVID quarantine days). When we would walk along the road and a car was coming by, I would make them stop and wave to the people in the car. I did it for a couple reasons: 1) to make sure the driver was paying attention and saw them and 2) to teach them to be friendly and welcoming. It got to the point where I never had to tell them to stop and wave, they just did it. 

Now here in the South, this is not an unusual occurrence. People wave to each other all the time. If you are from the North, this can be unnerving at first. As I hail from Pittsburgh, the first time it happened I wondered, "Do I know you?" because typically only people who knew you would acknowledge you as you went by. But having lived in the South for the majority of my life now, not only am I used to it, but I prefer it. I will wave to everyone. A late friend once told me with a chuckle to wave to everyone, cause you never know when you'll need their help. Personally, I think he just enjoyed waving to everyone.

Now that we live near the coast, we are in an area with a mishmash of relocated or vacationing cultures. So while walking along the beach road, I will get all kinds of reactions. Sometimes it's just a nod of the head. Sometimes the pointer finger, two fingers or four fingers will come off the steering wheel. Sometimes just a smile. Sometimes a full-on wave. One guy even blew me a kiss. One time the person holding their breakfast burrito used it to wave hello. And then sometimes the person driving by me won't even acknowledge I'm there. Sometimes people are looking down (I assume at their phones) and can't see me. Sometimes it's just the driver that waves and other times just the passenger. Sometimes it's the whole crowd in a golf cart waving. It always makes me smile for the same two reasons above: 1) they see me, and on that beach road, that's important and 2) it's friendly and welcoming. For me, it's a little roadside evangelism without using words.

See, I want them to know I see them, too. I cannot tell you how many times I've seen a person's face that is maybe sad, grimacing or drawn and I will lift that person in prayer. Perhaps a smile will brighten their day just a bit, but certainly lifting them to the Most High will. Or if they are speeding, I'm praying for their safety or if they are looking down, that they will lift their heads and pay attention to their surroundings. And if they do wave and give me a smile, it lifts my spirits. Coming home from church Sunday, a young boy on his bicycle paused to wave to me ... perhaps to make sure I saw him or just to say hello. Either way, it brought me joy to wave back.

Sometimes I wonder how many times I have missed God walking by, hoping I will see Him and acknowledge Him. I know He is El Roi, the God Who Sees Me, just as Hagar named Him in Gen. 16:13 when she thought no one did. He is seeing me and waving, hoping I will smile and wave back. I try to do that with my devotion time each morning ... wave to the Creator of the universe, praise Him, and pray for Him to guide my steps throughout the day. It's the most important greeting of my day and I can think of no better way to start it. And if my eyes stay on Him, my choices and actions that day will be far wiser ones.

So when you see me in my sparkly visor, walking shorts, and T-shirt with the sleeves cut off, I will be waving. Even if five or more cars are going by one after the other, I will wave to every single one. And, of course, saying "hello" to those walking, running, skateboarding or biking by as well. If I'm waving at you, know you have been seen and prayed for ... and that I'm hoping those waves I see on the gulf shore won't be the only ones I see on that walk.

Stuck in the Fence

 I saved a goat today. Our neighbor has several goats that daily graze behind our back yard and to the east of us. Today while reading my Bible, I could hear some bleating (which is the sound a goat makes when it's crying; very different from the "baa" they greet me with when they want me to give them a leafy branch or bread). I looked outside, and at first thought they all looked okay, but I quickly realized one was struggling. This goat had gotten his head stuck in a wire square between two fences. The saying, "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence," is true of these goats; they are always checking out what is in our yard. Reaching for a tall weed on our side, his horns had trapped him in that wire square. And he could not wiggle free. So I threw on some shoes and ran out there in my jammies to see if I could help. As soon as I got to him, he twisted more fiercely in fear, but nothing was working. I wondered how I would be able to guide his head back out, then I decided to just grab his horns and tilt his head inward toward his side of the fence so he could pull his head back. So I did just that and he was free in seconds. I clapped and shouted "Yay!" as he leapt away from the fence, then said, "I hope I didn't hurt you." He turned quickly and looked at me in surprise (as much surprise as a goat can express) almost as if to say, "I can't believe that worked. I hated that, but this is better."

My husband was walking at the time, and when he got back I told him the story. He instantly said, "That's a blog. Actually that could be a whole sermon." I blog, he preaches. It took me a second, but understood what he was thinking. Basically because we are that goat right now.

The goat was in a challenging situation. And he was stuck but good. And the only way to get loose was for me to put the goat in an even more challenging, more uncomfortable, possibly painful situation in order to free him. And that is exactly where God has us right now. We are in a challenging situation. And it is hard. And to get out of this situation, we are being uncomfortably forced in a direction we did not expect. It is painful. It is not easy. It is not where we thought it would go. It honestly feels like God's got a hold of us and twisting us in an awkward way to force us in a different direction. And we can only hope that once free of it, we'll turn to look at our Father with the same surprised look of "Wow, I can't believe that worked. I hated that, but this is better ...and thank you." His Word confirms it:

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:18

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2 Cor. 4:17

I heard a couple of parents in an interview recently respond to the question, "What would you wish for your children?" to which one responded, "That they would have challenges to make them better people." At first listen, I was thinking, "Yikes, challenges?" but quickly realized she was right. It's not our successes that make us better; it's our challenges. They are never fun when you're in the midst of them. Often times they are painful and hard to see a clear path through. But God has used His word and the encouragement of friends to guide us through it. Praise God for those who uplift us when we are incapable ourselves.

So I may have saved a goat today, but God in His divine wisdom through my husband's sweet metaphorical look at the situation gave us a lesson to encourage us both. So while the we're still in the horns-held, forced-twist right now, we know things are going to be better on the other side. Praising Him that He has us firmly in His grip.

The Big Picture

 I am working on my first cross stitch. I thought it would be a nice, calming thing to do while listening to music or watching TV. I was wrong. It's super stressful. The stitches are simple, but with my 50+-year-old eyes, the tiny stitches, the counting and making sure I'm stitching in the right place have not been calming in the slightest. The directions said to start in the middle and work your way out. So after determining the middle, I began to stitch. The first thread color is called pale gray, but it is actually white. So to make an already stressful craft project more stressful, I'm making half-cross stitches with white thread on white canvas. I have gotten frustrated a few times, pulled out stitches, recounted and pulled out my ocular to get a closer look. When you are right on top of this design, it is hard to believe these tiny "pale gray" stitches will make any difference in this project. But I will do this. I will get this done.

The story behind this cross stitch kit is important. My husband and I have been dealing with quite a bit since the beginning of the year. Recently we believed things were making an upward turn, only to have something else come along to beat the joy out of it. We felt our hearts sink and the darkness creeping back in. It was right at this time that we were leaving for our annual vacation to St. George Island. Each year, we are invited by dear friends to join them at a beach house on the Florida panhandle barrier island for a week in the spring. It is one of our favorite places of respite. You don't go there for the shopping, mini golf or night life. You go there for the beach and wildlife. It is a breathtaking place where we are rejuvenated and refilled spiritually. It has a beautiful white lighthouse, gorgeous beach, lots of seashells, gulls, pelicans, dolphins, sea turtles, herons, beautiful dunes, sweet breezes and a vast blue gulf. We love it there. But we were heading into it beaten and struck down emotionally. While sharing some of our story of the last few months with our hosts and guests, my friend Joanna said, "You need to read Isaiah 43." I have read the Bible through many times, and I am always so surprised when God takes what I have read before and brings new life and meaning to the Word. So I read it and was blown away, acknowledging its timeliness.

    "When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire you shall not be burned and the flame shall not consume you." Isaiah 43:2

    "Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:18-19

Later that day, we were introducing our friends to The Chosen, a fabulous series on the disciples and Jesus' relationship with them, His ministry and the part each disciple's story plays. We showed the first episode to them that night. At the beginning of the episode, a character begins to recite Scripture. Joanna looks at me and says, "Isaiah 43." I have watched these episodes five times now, but never recognized the Scripture prior to Joanna pointing it out to me. It grabbed my heart. "Thus says the Lord who created you ... I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine." Isaiah 43:1 I knew it was no coincidence and went back to reread Isaiah 43 again.

The Lord likes to work in threes for me, so while shopping after we returned from our vacation, I stumbled across this cross stitch kit called Peaceful Shores. It features a white lighthouse, the sea, beach, seashells, a gull and dunes, just like St. George Island. And quoted in the "pale gray" clouds ... Isaiah 43:2. "When you go through deep waters, I will be with you." It was a perfect combination of our vacation and the spiritual rejuvenation we felt. I felt compelled to try to make it to give glory to God and as a reminder that He has us.

But I had no idea it would be so trying. Peaceful Shores? Something I'd hoped would bring me peace has only added to the stress. I stare at those tiny stitches and for the life of me cannot see the big picture.

It was then I realized how the cross stitch, and not just the verse, was so poignant to our lives right now. Those stitches are part of a beautiful, finished, complicated product. And while I cannot see it now, once combined with all the other stitches and colors, it will be a lovely, handmade, captured moment where God made Himself so clear to us. "Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?"

We have had a hard time perceiving it. But behold, He is doing a new thing. And I am excited to be a part of that new thing. I am going to finish this cross stitch. I may end up with a few new gray hairs (as pale as those threads) after this, but like this trying season of our lives, the new thing will be worth it. 

In Isaiah 43:21 the Lord reminds the Israelites that He is providing for His chosen people, "the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise." God hasn't chosen us for our success and joy. He's chosen us so that we may declare His praise! Whether the world has dealt us a bad deck at this time or not, we are to praise His name, declare the great things He has done and keep worshiping on. And we are. This season, while I can't see the value of it completely now, is part of the big picture. God has a perfect plan. How blessed we are to be a part of it.

Ironically, I don't think my cross stitch will emulate the "perfect" plan. I'm already off by at least one stitch and hoping that doesn't make a huge difference in the end result. But I've been off by a few stitches quite a few times in my life, and God's made beauty from it. I can only hope for the same with Peaceful Shores.

Done Excellently

My maternal grandmother is on the far right.

"Why do moms have to be so judgy and shaming of one another?" my daughter asked me recently. "They need to just leave each other alone and let them raise their kids their way."

She's not wrong. Ayla has had a few friends recently who have had babies. As new moms, they are learning the ropes of feeding, sleep schedules, diaper changing, clothing, what certain cries mean and how to best protect their newborns. They are searching the internet, reading books, watching videos and asking their mom or friends who are moms what they do for all the above. Some nurse their children till they're 2 years old. Some only a few weeks. Some start their babies on solid foods at 6 months. Some at 4 months. Some have babies sleeping through the night. Others are feeding their children a few times a night. Some use disposable diapers and others cloth. Some let anyone hold their new baby, while others ask if you've washed your hands or - these days - if you've been vaccinated. I've yet to see the book or person that gets it perfect. Every mother is different, as is every child. I know with my first baby I was a bit more careful and particular than with the second baby. I was more comfortable in my mommy skin and knew a bit better what to expect.

My daughter & newborn son.

But Ayla is right in that people can be opinionated about how other people raise their children. I know for me, it was about discipline. If I heard a parent comment that they felt guilty about disciplining their child, my eyes would roll. "These children are not your friends. They are your children. They need to know their boundaries. For crying out loud, tell them "no." And while I still am big on discipline, I have realized over the years there are different ways of doing so. Some are quicker and more effective than others, but there are lots of adults walking around with defined boundaries whose parents had completely different approaches. Nonetheless, in those early years I had my opinions about what I thought was the best way.

 Motherhood is a tough job. It requires sacrifice, patience, persistence, grace, energy, creativity, routine, lots of love and rest any chance it can get. It is an unpaid position required to provide the emotional, spiritual and physical needs for offspring until they move out (and for some that can be later than preferred and for others, too soon). It's paid for in hugs-n-kisses and results. And personally, I think it's the greatest job there is. It was exhausting, and there were days I wished someone would come get them to give me a day off, but it was so rewarding and exhilarating at the same time. And I would not trade it for anything in the world.

They grew up too fast.

Moms are doing the best they can with what they know and learn. Can we gently offer ideas for moms to make their job a bit easier, sure. But to criticize how another mom does it is certainly not helping. We moms need to support and encourage one another. We need to observe how other moms do it to learn what works, what doesn't and how many different ways it can be done. You may shake your head at what other moms do, but don't knock it. It just may be the best way.

Best Mom Ever.

Courage, moms. I see you. I know you are tired. I know you are frustrated at times. I know you would love a break now and again. Hang in there. Those babies will grow up very soon. Very, very soon. And you will wish these days were back. Enjoy every second from the challenges to the milestones and the tears to the cuddles. This Sunday may you be embraced and heralded, showered with gifts, cards, flowers, feasts and family. May your children rise up and call you blessed (Prov. 31:28). 

And to my Mom - who did it perfectly - I love you so very much. What an example you are to me. What a beautiful friend you have been to me. How generous you have been with your prayers and love. How grateful I am that you asked God how to raise me, because you obviously listened. Have the Best, Happiest, Most Wonderful Mother's Day! Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all. (Prov. 31:29)

Forest For The Trees

Have you heard that quirky little statement, "I can't see the forest for the trees?" It means that you are so embroiled in a situation you can't see it for what it really is. You know, as in, "Wow, there are so many trees!" "Well, hey, you're in a forest, so..."

Since the beginning of this year, I have felt that way. It seems as if there are so many trees, that I can't see the forest for it. We have had a number of trying situations of late: family health issues, broken hearts, death and job challenges among others all piled one on top of another. It got so bad that one day I started to forget which situation I was crying about. And I shed a lot of tears. I felt like there were so very many hardships filling up our life at every turn that I was being defeated. It got to the point where I couldn't even pray clearly. I was having trouble forming words to pray to our Father. I would simply say, "Father, you know what is going on. Help. Amen." And those were the good prayers. Tree after tree after tree. I became convinced every phone call would bring more bad news. It was a sad, defeatist mentality, but it was ever present. I was like one of those moles people whack at an arcade. When would the beating stop. At one point my husband even said, "Is this worth it?"

I caught my breath when he said that. The Lord did a little Holy Spirit reminding for me in the moment. I said to my husband, "When Christ hung on the cross, he looked at the faces below him and asked, 'Is this worth it?' And decided we were. What we are going through is nothing like that."

Thankfully during this time period (which is still going on), our family in Christ has picked up the slack. In the moments where we couldn't pray, they did. In the moments of true despair, we were being uplifted by hundreds of people to our Father. People reached out to us in ways that were so perfectly and divinely timed that we felt God's embrace. Because of that, we were able to face each moment, each day. Matter of fact, in the deepest, darkest times, there was peace, strength, encouragement and sweet moments of grace that blew us away. 

How do people without a church family do it? How to they face death without their brothers and sisters reminding them of heaven? How do they face major health issues without their church family offering words of comfort and prayers of healing? How do people without Jesus face challenges in the workplace or struggles with people around them without the saints reminding us to love the sinner and hate the sin? How grateful I am that we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses in the faith to hold us up when we are broken. Oh, that I may be the one holding up another in similar circumstances.

Recently while hiking one of our favorite trails, I was reminded of the thickness of the forest around me. Even in the winter season, it was difficult to see past the trees. But last week when hiking through that same path, we saw wildflower after wildflower peeking between the increasingly greening trees: God's sweet reminder of hope, joy, and calm in the midst of it all.

We will have more trying times like these, maybe even worse. And I can't say while in the middle of it that I'm better for it. Not yet. But I know my Father has me. I know we are being lifted in fervent prayer by people who have loved us, cried with us, comforted us and spoke or wrote words of encouragement to us. And that one day - maybe not on this side of heaven - we will see the forest in all its glory and understand what this season was all about.

Till then, we hike on, taking one day at a time, finding joy in so many precious moments, relying on the sojourners with us and praising our Father God for holding us so closely in the midst of it. After all, He who created the forest is the One who will help us find the path through it.

 

All the trees of the field shall know that I am the LORD. I bring low the high tree, and I make high the low tree: I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I the LORD have spoken; I will accomplish it." Ezek. 17:24

Sweet Land of Liberty

The Christian music community has a message for us. And it's a message I've heard repeated quite frequently in songs lately. And frankly, it's sad we need it at all.

On top of this being a political season which has put our country at odds, we've also been dealt blows with COVID-19 that just won't let go, racial issues, protests and riots and a few natural disasters like wild fires and hurricanes that are wreaking havoc. So while we struggle with various opinions on the latest issues of our time, we also are getting sucker-punched by the burdens of 2020. I've found myself saying, "Well, it's 2020," every time something else crazy happens ... and it seems there's been a lot of crazy.

The sad part is, in the midst of this, a lot of folks, a lot of Christians, are forgetting to love. And that's the message I've been hearing more and more frequently on Christian radio.

 In Josh Wilson's "Revolutionary:"

Why does kindness seem revolutionary
When did we let hate get so ordinary
Let's turn it around, flip the script
Judge slow, love quick
God help us get revolutionary

"Start Right Here" by Casting Crowns says:

We wanna see the heart set free and the tyrants kneel
The walls fall down and our land be healed
But church if we want to see a change in the world out there

It's got to start right here
It's got to start right now

 

And in Danny Gokey's "Love God Love People:"

 

We're living in a world that keeps breakin'

But if we want to find a way to change it

It all comes down to this

Love God and love people

 

I hear these songs and my heart breaks. Because as Christians we have two commandments Christ professed that encompass all, which Gokey summed up in just five words: "Love God and love people." But with all the bizarreness of 2020, we've forgotten it. People have got their heels dug in so deep that they won't listen to others. Even our presidential candidates displayed such behavior at the first debate with interruptions and name calling. 

I have friends who perpetually post political statements on their social media accounts, and frankly I am weary of it. Pretty sure everyone has already decided on who they are going to vote for, and honestly I've yet to see in the comment sections of those posts, "You have opened my eyes! I have changed my opinion." But it's not just political comments. It's statements on whatever the latest issue of the week is. Sometimes I feel these folks for not one moment will attempt to walk the shoes of others around them. And I bet there are a few folks reading this right now pointing at the other guy and saying, "I know, right, they don't get it," when it's likely you don't either.

I have opinions, too. Strong ones. But if you disagree with me, I am not going to hate you. Why? Because God told me to love you. He demands it. Loving people means loving the person who looks different from you, loving the sinners, loving the poor, loving the rich, loving the criminal, loving the unborn, loving the foreigner who lives among you, loving the other political party members, loving your church family ... loving your enemies. Why? Because GOD LOVES YOU. He loves you so much that His Son died for you. You who do not deserve it. And guess what ... His Son also died for the other guy, too.

It starts right here and starts right now. Love God and love people. Be kind. Stop the name calling. Stop the constant criticism. Stop assuming what you believe is 100% right. Stop assuming God is only on your side. And just love as God loves. Please, Christians, pause, reflect, reevaluate, repent, forgive and love. I'd really like to be living in the "sweet" land of liberty again.