Measuring by God's Standards

I crocheted headbands for my close friends last Christmas. I made up the pattern myself. I measured a few heads and came to the conclusion that my headbands should be around 23-24 inches. I made my first headband and it came out ok. Ok, so I used it as my standard to make the next one. I made a total of 6 headbands, and I kept using the most recent headband as my standard for the next one. After I was all done, I laid them all out in a row and noticed that each one was just a tad longer than the one before! First of all, I hadn’t accounted for stretching. As you crochet, the yarn naturally stretches a bit, which made even my first headband a bit longer than I intended. If I had checked my measurements with a measuring tape each time, I would have noticed my error early and been able to make adjustments. Due to my lack of judgment, I had to unravel every headband and start from the beginning.

When we use each other as standards, we can get way off from God’s intended plan. We can always justify our attitudes and actions by finding someone who is a bit worse than we are. Cultural shifts can completely change our ideas of what is acceptable and normal. Over many years, we stray so far from what is true and right.

Every day, take the time to measure yourself against God’s true standards. Don’t compare yourself to your friends, relatives, and the rest of society. When you find you are a bit off, correct yourself right away. Stay true.

My Sister's Wisdom

As the eldest daughter in my family, I tend to take charge of situations. I’m the self-appointed fixer, even when I don’t know what I’m doing. I usually have answers to everything.

Yet when someone close to me becomes sick, I freeze up. My brain stops functioning. My mind is filled with questions but not answers or solutions. What should we do? How can I help? What is the best treatment option? Is what I’m saying comforting or insensitive? What if I say or do something that makes everything worse?

As I was voicing my questions to my sister, she said something profound. “You are not directing this! God is directing this! Your thoughts, words and choices are not going to make a huge impact on the outcome.”

My sister’s wisdom helped me gain perspective. God is in control. God is the Director of this play. I am just one of the actors. I just need to listen carefully to His instructions and follow His directions.

　

Solitude vs. Loneliness

I've been thinking about the difference between solitude and loneliness lately. Loneliness is a negative emotion. It is involuntary isolation from others. You can be in the midst of a crowd and still feel lonely, friendless. These feelings of alienation lead to sadness and melancholy.

Solitude, on the other hand, can be positive. I associate the word with a voluntary retreat from distractions. A time of quiet, a time to think and sort out. Solitude can be refreshing and rejuvenating.

Both loneliness and solitude are familiar to me. I can sense God in solitude, but not in loneliness. God is there during both times...but my feelings of alienation and  self-pity prevent me from perceiving Him in times of loneliness. Solitude clears the clutter, turns off the static, erases the distractions, and makes space to notice God.

Cancer

My Dad was diagnosed with cancer 2 days ago.

A few uncontrollable cells can bring his whole body down.

We all feel helpless. We turn to God as always. We ask God the usual questions: Why? Now what?

We pray that it hasn’t spread, that it is removable, treatable. We pray for peace, courage, wisdom.

I wish I could fix it. I wish I could tell my parents: It’s going to ok, everything is going to turn out fine, I’m going to take care of everything… I know what to do.

But I don’t. I don’t know what to do or what to say. I have gone from being a know-it-all, to being speechless.

　

Anyway

(Reportedly inscribed on the wall of Mother Teresa's home. The original version was written by Kent Keith.)

 Anyway

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

_______________________

I would like to be God's hands and feet...but my appendages are clumsy. My hands keep breaking things I touch, and my feet keep tripping. I get discouraged in my attempts to serve God. This poem reminds me that even Mother Theresa felt clumsy in her attempts to serve God, but she did it anyway.

Diving

"I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life.” (1 Cor. 19-23 MSG)

These verses made me think about how I can be a part of this world yet remain godly. I thought about the ropes that tether divers to the surface. How divers go down into the murky depths and then pull on their ropes when they want to come up. As long as I'm tethered to God, I'm ok. I have to be aware of how long I can stay down without harm, and then tug on the rope when I want to be pulled up. No matter how fascinating the ocean floor is, I need to come up for air eventually.

Lord, let me be tethered to you at all times. Let me hear your voice whispering to me as I dive into this day. Help me to learn and experience all that you want me to. Pull me up to you when I'm in distress. If there are others under water that are not tethered to you, please help me to bring them to safety too.

Fractional Devotion

“In our surrender, we must give ourselves to God in the same way He gave Himself for us-- totally, unconditionally and without reservation. The consequences and circumstances resulting from our surrender will never even enter our mind, because our life will be totally consumed by Him.” (by Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for his Highest)

Is this level of surrender even humanly possible? The closest we come to this kind of sacrifice is for our children. Most parents give of themselves, without reservation, for the welfare of their kids. We don’t expect reciprocity. Yet if our kids even acknowledged our unconditional dedication, if they attempted to be devoted to us, we would be overjoyed.

Just as we know that our children are not capable of reciprocating our love for them, God, our Father, knows our attempts at sacrificial love will never measure up to His. I hope God is pleased when we acknowledge His unconditional love. I wonder if He is forgiving of our fractional devotion and partial surrender.