The Disruption of Peace

I love Pinterest. I've made no secret of that, and I usually manage to keep my love of it within healthy boundaries. However, it can be easy to get sucked into a sea of new ideas for recipes, activities to do with kids, home organization projects, etc. One of the great ironies of Pinterest is gorgeous photos of tantalizing desserts immediately followed by tips on how get in peak fitness shape!  For those of you that have not ventured into the realm of Pinterest, it is a site where you set up virtual pin boards to collect and organize ideas you find from around the web. One of my favorite boards is a spot where I save quotes or phrases I come across that are meaningful to me. From time to time, I'll read through them and be inspired. Some are visually stunning as well as beautifully said. This striking photo with equally striking quote from C.S. Lewis never fails to spark my imagination:

C.S. Lewis quote

However, the most visually simple pin on my words board is the one I want to share today:

Mother Teresa quote

At Mattis Avenue FMC, we have recently started using a Christian video subscription service called RightNow Media www.rightnowmedia.org There are over 2,000 videos to watch on a huge variety of topics. It's a really cool resource! One short series I've watched recently that has been meaningful to me is called 24/6 by Matthew Sleeth, M.D.  We'll be encouraging the congregation to watch it this summer in the midst of our building expansion, a project where we're all tempted to work overtime!

Book cover for 24/6 by Matthew Sleeth, M.D.

Here's how the book and video series are described on christianbook.com: "It's not easy finding peace in our digitally crazed world. How can we free ourselves from busyness and reconnect with our Creator? Offering his prescription for living a healthier, more God-centered life, Dr. Sleeth shares how his family was dramatically changed by adopting Sabbath practices---and shows how you can be transformed by a 24/6 lifestyle!" 

To me, it seems that this medicine of slowing down Dr. Sleeth prescribes is treatment for the symptoms of suffering and lack of love in our families Mother Teresa is talking about. This advice is coming from two experts on healing! When we slow down we have more time to love God and one another, which ultimately leads to peace in our homes, spilling over into how we relate to the world. My prayer today is that God will truly help me to "be still" and know that he is God, and mindfully slow down, particularly on the Sabbath. That way my family and I can be recharged and refreshed to love him, one another, and our world throughout the week. For me, reducing my use of digital devices on the weekend is something I'm working on so I can focus on the real people in front of me. I guess that means I may have to confine my love of Pinterest to the other 6 days of the week!     

Do you have any tips for mindfully slowing down and reconnecting with God?

  

Before You Ask....

Matthew 6:7-8 "And when you pray, do not go on babbling like pagans, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (NIV).

Matthew 6 opens with Jesus teaching about giving to the needy and prayer. The verses following 7 and 8 (above) give direction on how to pray, including some of the most often quoted verses in the Bible, commonly referred to as "The Lord's Prayer." The second part of verse 8 came to mind this week at home, and although I do not typically blog about personal matters, this time I couldn't pass up the opportunity to say thanks to God, and share a story of his faithfulness. I never cease to be amazed about how God cares about the little details, and this week it seems that we have seen proof of the verse "for your Father knows what you need before you ask him" vividly. Here's why:

My husband, Chad, has been self-employed in some form or another for most of the time I have known him (over 16 years!) There are some great advantages to self-employment, and a few notable drawbacks; one of which is not always knowing where your next paycheck is coming from. We have been blessed beyond explanation over the years through his career, and in retrospect it is easy to see how God has provided for and directed us. I could write many posts on that topic! Being self-employed can be a roller coaster of great opportunities and great disappointments, and the past 18 months have been no exception for us.

A few weeks ago we became aware of a relatively small need that we could help out with. Chad felt led to help directly by giving a gift, and I agreed. Although we are regular givers, it's rare that we give in this manner. I guess we're traditionalists, and give to the church or other charities directly. This situation was unique, and we felt God had given us the resources and nudge to take care of it.

A few days ago, a letter arrived in the mail addressed to us both. Faithful servants of Christ within our church family felt led to write us a note of encouragement and give us a gift, to be used personally or to be put toward our ministry at MAFMC. The gift was given with no strings attached.... it was to be used freely in whatever way we thought appropriate. It brought a huge smile to my face. Not because of the money, but because of the way it made us feel blessed, loved and appreciated. I know that this family prays for us regularly, and it was just a sweet surprise. At the time, I didn't even think about the fact that the check they wrote slightly exceeded the gift we had just given.

Fast forward to yesterday. We received news of a short term self-employment speed bump we were not expecting. Will we be fine in the long run? Yes! God has us in the palm of his hand, I have no doubt. This month, we may be dipping into some savings. Not uncommon on our roller coaster- that's why we have savings! However, as I was reworking this month's budget, it hit me..... BEFORE I had the chance to be stressed one bit about how to cover the gift we had given earlier in the month, or hit my knees in prayer about it, God had provided (and then some!) through the gift someone had given us. Amazing. "For your Father knows what you need before you ask him", or in our case, even know about the need!

Our church family is kind and shows us their appreciation in many ways, including faithful prayer, occasional gift cards and notes. However, in almost three years of ministry at MAFMC, this is the first time anyone has ever sent us a check! Today I'm praising God for his perfect timing, and for providing for our needs before we even ask!