Seeking Him

30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.” Luke 2:30-32

This year, I have a group of students who really likes to try to pull one over on me. At one point, I have to admit, they were pretty successful. They entered the room as I was finishing something at my computer and when I quickly finished, I realized that one of them was missing. But I was almost certain I had seen him come in the room. After I stepped to the hallway to check on him and then re-entered the classroom, the giggles gave it away. He had crawled under a table in the back of my room, pulled a chair in front of him, and sat there in hiding while I searched.

Now, of course, after that attempt was such a success, for the next couple of weeks I regularly caught one or the other of them trying to hide again. But I was on to their game now! Now, I know exactly what to watch for. I know where to look, too.

Sometimes I am tempted to think that God is a little like that -- hiding from sight so that it is difficult to see Him. I mean, I have never experienced a visible presence or an audible voice -- no burning bush or “angel of the Lord” appearance.

But I know that God clearly says if we seek Him, we will find him. (See Jeremiah 29:13 for just one example.) God promises to be found when we truly set our hearts to finding Him. But we have to seek. We have to be looking. For me, it seems like this is a practiced habit. I am learning what to watch for and where to look. I am learning to be a better “seeker.”

In the Christmas story in Matthew 2, we are told that wise men from the east traveled long and far, following a star that had appeared. They came to Jerusalem looking for the newborn King of the Jews. I’ve always wondered exactly how they knew the meaning of that star’s appearance. We don’t really know, for sure. But it strikes me that the Jews had not noticed this sign. Surely the star was visible to them, as well, but they had to ask these foreigners for details of the star’s appearance. It seems they had not noticed this star, nor did they know the reason for its appearance.

Not that there weren’t any Jews who were waiting and watching for signs of the coming Messiah. Luke tells us of two by name who saw the baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph at the temple, Anna and Simeon. These two both recognized that Jesus was the Messiah and proclaimed the news to those in the temple. We are told that Simeon had been told that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah, and so he was watching and waiting for that promise to come true. And Anna never left the temple courts, fasting and praying, and when she saw Jesus, she began to tell everyone who was waiting for the redemption of Israel about this child.

And yet, the religious leaders missed it. The political leaders missed it. Many of the people missed it. Why? In my opinion, it was because they weren’t looking for Him. They weren’t seeking. They weren’t watching and waiting like the Magi, Simeon, and Anna were.

I feel like this is a lesson God is trying to teach me. In those moments when I question, “God, where are You in this?” I need to stop and focus on seeking Him. The Magi would never have seen the star if they didn’t spend some time looking at the sky. I cannot presume to see God working around me if I never stop to look for Him. If I never spend time in His word and in prayer, I am not likely to find Him. But I know I can rely on His promise -- if I seek Him, I will find Him. And so will you.

Father God, thank You for making Yourself known. Thank You for showing Yourself to us. Jesus, thank You for coming to earth to live and to die that we might know You and be reconciled to You. Help us to consciously seek You, and as we do, teach us where to look and how to find You. Guide us as we search for Your hand at work in us and around us each day.

Immanuel, God With Us

Picture found at: https://4mygodsglory.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/christmas-haiku-7/

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:22-23

December is here! I love how excited the kids at school get about Christmas. The anticipation of the coming break from school, holiday gift exchanges, and parties - not to mention Santa and all his “Elf on the Shelf” operatives with their regular shenanigans - is almost more than the kids can stand! (And some days, honestly, it is way more than a teacher can handle!)

It is so easy to lose sight of the reason behind all the celebration--the coming of our Lord and Savior, Immanuel, God with us. My brain has a hard time wrapping around the idea that Jesus came to earth and took on the form of a lowly human, giving up His glory and position to redeem sinners like me. He came to be with us and to make a way for us to forever be with Him.

Last week, our Bible study at church was on the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Do you know their story? Three young Jews of noble birth who were taken captive to Babylon from Judah and trained in the Babylonian king’s palace in order to serve in his government took a stand and refused to bow to the golden image the king had ordered everyone to worship. They knew the penalty -- death by fiery furnace. But they boldly refused the king’s command, proclaiming their faith in God to save them if He so chose. And so the furnace was stoked, and they were thrown in. 

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” Daniel 3:24-25

The king calls to them, and they walk away from the flames without even smelling of smoke.

As I studied this familiar story, I was struck by the way God chose to save these young men. He did not prevent them from being brought before the king. He did not keep them from being thrown in the fire. He did not put the fire out. Instead, He met them in the fire and protected them from the heat. God was with them in that furnace, and even a ruthless, brutal, unbelieving king gave God the praise and glory for it.

You may be facing your own personal fiery furnace right now. It may look and feel a lot different than the physical furnace of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. You are not likely having to defy a king’s orders and face execution. Maybe though, your furnace is a difficult relationship or family situation. Maybe it’s a work setting that is hostile toward you. Maybe it’s a bleak medical diagnosis for you or a loved one. Maybe it’s the grief of losing someone dear to you. Perhaps it is a mountain of debt that you cannot possibly repay. Maybe it’s something different altogether, but a situation where you see no hope of coming out ahead. Whatever the situation, please know that God is with you. Immanuel has come. He may not choose to provide the miracle that you are praying for -- at least not in the way you have asked. But He is with you, and He has a plan to work even this awful situation for your good and His glory. 

Maybe it’s not you in that fiery furnace situation, but is someone you know there? Could God be calling you to stand with someone else - to provide her love, encouragement, and support in the middle of her trial? You may never know just how much a kind word, a whispered prayer, or a quiet presence could help someone in the midst of their flames. God may use you to remind that person that He truly is Immanuel -- God with us.

Father God, we are so thankful for Your presence in our lives. You have promised to be with us always. Help us to trust You more and to boldly proclaim our faith even in the middle of our fires. Give us the strength to lean on You when things are hard. And help us to be there for each other, reminding one another that You are always our Immanuel.

Showing Gratitude

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3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 2 Timothy 1: 3-5
Only a few more days until Thanksgiving! And only one more day of school this week -- for us, anyway!

Last week, the sweetest little note appeared taped onto the box that hangs outside my classroom. It is shaped like a leaf and says, “I am thankful for Mrs. Schroer.” Inside a student wrote a heartwarming little note saying he was thankful for the work I do with him and his classmates. That is so precious to me!

I have to admit: I am not very good at thanking other people for the impact they make on my life. I know I should. Sometimes I even think about words to say or people I want to thank. But more often than not, I fail to follow through. I’m ashamed of that. I have so many people in my life that are such a blessing to me, and I don’t take the time to thank them like I should.

These verses that Paul writes to Timothy remind me of how important it is to make sure I show my gratitude to the people in my life who constantly pour into me to help me grow personally and spiritually.

I was very blessed as a child to have parents who were very present in my life. Parents who love each other and loved us always. I had grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins that I got to spend time with regularly, and who actually spent time with me, too. I grew up with three siblings who teased constantly, but who were always supportive of their nerdy, book-loving, sings-all-the-time, laughs-way-too-loud sister. I am thankful for my family.

My mom made sure we went to church every Sunday and showed us what it looked like to serve - both in church and at home. She taught me the power of faith and prayer and the importance of knowing God’s Word.

At church, there were so many wonderful Sunday School teachers, G.A. leaders (girls mission group), youth leaders, Vacation Bible School workers, and more who gave their time each week to teach me the Bible and how to live it out.

As a student, I had countless wonderful teachers who took the time to encourage me and challenge me to do more and be more. Teachers who rarely (if ever) spoke in the classroom about their faith but made it obvious through the way they treated others.

My husband and children constantly amaze me with their grace and love toward me. I am so thankful for how God uses them to teach me about His love for me, and for how they push me to be better all the time.

My life is full of amazingly supportive coworkers who lift me up and challenge me to be a better teacher and follower of Christ. I have administrators who cheer us on and make sure we have what we need to be successful in our classrooms - even if that’s an extra jeans day now and then! I work in a school full of people who go above and beyond the basic job requirements each day, and I know I am so blessed to have that!

My church family, including our pastor and his wife, are a constant source of joy and blessing. They feed my soul and lift up my spirit over and over again. They help me apply the scripture to daily life and hold me accountable for living out my faith. They stretch me to serve in new ways and to give more generously of my time, talents, and money to further God’s kingdom.

Friends, can I challenge you to show your gratitude to someone this week who has made a difference in your life? You may never know the impact you might make with just a simple note, text, or call. Stop and make the effort this week to encourage someone by thanking them for impacting your life. God will turn it into a blessing for you, too.

Father God, thank You so much for blessing me with countless people who have helped me to know You better and to trust You more. Forgive me for taking for granted that they know how much I appreciate them. Help me to do a better job of thanking them - starting today!

Wiped Clean

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

Some of the things I am thankful for are small things. Some would call them trivial. I know how many blessings God has poured out on me! But when some of those “little things” are not working or available, I quickly realize how thankful I am for them.

Ever gone a few days without a dishwasher, washing machine, or other appliance? I am thankful for those! Clean clothes, hot food, hot water -- not absolutely necessary in life, but I am thankful for them all the more! If you’ve ever traveled much outside of the U.S., you probably appreciate your toilet paper and working plumbing a bit more.

There is no doubt that we live with so many conveniences and luxuries which are absent in many parts of the world.

As cold and flu season sets in at school, I found myself thankful for another little thing: disinfecting wipes. I’ve been battling a head cold this week, so I have wiped down the tables, desks, and computer keyboards/mice more than once over the last few days. I am so glad to have this easy way to kill germs in my classroom and to keep myself and my students healthier.

Last week, I had already wiped down my classroom table earlier in the day, but after having a student with some particularly hardy coughing spells, I decided to go ahead and wipe it down again at lunchtime. I wasn’t expecting to get a lot of dirt off, since I had just wiped the table a few hours prior. But I was very surprised at how black the wipe was when I finished.

We use dry erase boards and markers in my room for spelling practice many times each day, and they leave a lot of black gunk behind. But I didn’t notice that it was looking dirty. It wasn’t until I ran the white wipe over its surface that I saw just how much grime was on it. Anytime I have students help wipe down our tables and desks, I inevitably hear, “Yuck!” or “That’s gross!” when they see all the dirt they wipe off.

And that, my friends, makes me think about something else I am thankful for -- a much bigger thing this time -- the complete forgiveness of sin by a graceful, merciful God.

I have sin that is much like the dirt on my classroom table. It may not be the first thing you notice when you look, but it is definitely there. We all have sin. It is ugly and offensive. It is repulsive to our holy God. It stains us and separates us from our loving, heavenly Father.

But John writes that God is “faithful and just and will forgive us our sin and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Because of our faith in Jesus and His sacrifice for us, we receive forgiveness that washes us white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18) It is difficult to completely comprehend how God can do that over and over again for us, but I believe He does. And that is something I will forever be thankful for!

Heavenly Father, we have so, so much to be thankful for - big and small. Words just cannot express the gratitude I feel for the way You forgive me for my sin. Thank you for purifying me, for constantly working in my life to remove the sin and make me more like Jesus. Help me to see my sin as You do and to always cooperate with Your Holy Spirit to avoid sin and keep it out of my heart.

A Good Soldier

Photo by Raul Luna, found at: https://flickr.com/photos/superman_ha_muerto/4640359494/

3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 2 Timothy 2:3-4

I have so many things for which to be thankful. I cannot possibly fit them all into one post, so I am going to write a few posts this month about things for which I am grateful.

Since today is Veteran’s Day, I am feeling so blessed to live in this country. I am so thankful for the brave and selfless members of the military who have or are currently serving around the world to promote freedom and provide protection for so many. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Each year on Veteran’s Day, our school hosts a breakfast for local veterans and current members of the military. I love how our students sit so respectfully, applaud so enthusiastically, and perform so beautifully to honor all those who have served.

Today, the guest speaker at the assembly, Mike Nichols, spoke about his experiences and some of the lessons he learned from his time in the service. He spoke about working as a team to achieve goals, about how important it was to sleep when he could, about how he learned to appreciate times of waiting, and about being given opportunities to do things outside of his comfort zone. One of the other organizers also spoke about the sacrifices military men and women and their families make when they are deployed and away from home. I can easily see how all of these ideas relate to our spiritual battles.

I realize that we, too, are called to be like soldiers in our Christian walk. In 2 Timothy, Paul charges Timothy to suffer “like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Soldiers must put their own comfort aside in order to fulfill their orders. Soldiers are away from home, where food, clothing, and housing are functional but not luxurious, and where they are sometimes in extremely difficult and dangerous places. And because of their willingness to suffer, the rest of us enjoy the peace and freedom to live in comfort every day.

Am I willing to put aside my own comfort to follow Christ? Am I willing to put the needs of others before my own and suffer so that others will know the Lord and reap the benefits of knowing Him?

Paul also encourages Timothy to stay focused on pleasing his commanding officer and not to be distracted by the affairs of the world. Soldiers understand how important it is to obey their orders, and they know that they cannot afford to become distracted and drawn away from carrying out those orders. When there is a mission to complete, the only way to please the commanding officer is to successfully complete that mission.

I don’t know about you, but that challenges me. I get tangled up in distractions every single day! It is difficult to always be working toward the mission of sharing the gospel of Christ with those around me without getting sidetracked and thrown off course.

So today, I thank God for all those who have served in the United States armed forces. Thank you for your sacrifices. Thank you for protecting the freedoms we hold so dear and making it possible to live the life I live. And I thank you for setting an example of how to serve. May God richly bless you!

Precious Lord, please be with all of those who are currently serving in the armed forces all over the world. Draw near to them when they are lonely. Keep Your hand of protection upon them when they are in danger. Grant them victory over those who seek to harm them. And be very near to their loved ones who anxiously await their return.

Changing the Flavor

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13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. Matthew 5:13

Well, Halloween has come and gone. Now, it’s just the candy left! So much candy!

When my kids were younger, we always ended up with way more candy than we needed. I never let them keep their own candy separately. But we didn’t just dump everything into one big bowl, either. We always went through their orange, plastic pumpkin buckets and sorted everything out into at least two bowls. One bowl was for the fruity candy, and one was for the chocolate. And if there was anything minty, it had to be in a container all its own. There was a reason for this separation. I do not like a chocolate candy bar to taste fruity, and there is something very unpleasant, in my opinion, about a peanut butter-chocolate-mint flavor combination. Nope. Not appealing.

Now, you might be thinking that’s a little crazy, but apparently, I am not the only one that does this. I had to laugh at a teacher’s meeting last week. We had a large amount of candy for staff members out on a table. It was full of Starburst, Nerds, Laffy Taffy, etc. Beside the container was a large variety bag of chocolate candy bars. When one teacher went to add an additional bag of chocolate candy to the large container of fruity flavors, there was more than one teacher who quickly corrected the error!

When different candies are mixed together in the same storage container and left for a period of time, there will be some of the flavors that bleed over into the others. Even though they are individually packaged, somehow, if they spend enough time next to each other, the fruity or minty candies manage to bleed through their wrappers enough to change the flavor of the chocolate candy.

Jesus taught his disciples to be a little bit like that. He told them that they should affect the flavor of the world around them. They should be like salt. Have you ever eaten a bag of popcorn without salt? Ever forgotten to salt the potatoes when you fixed a meal? Without salt, food is just not as tasty. Just a little salt enhances the flavor of whatever it is added to. A little salt will permeate a whole dish of food. Suddenly, the food that was once bland and unappealing is now flavorful and enjoyable to eat.

It makes me ask myself: What kind of flavor am I adding to my world? When I am “mixed in” with the world, can others tell that I’ve been there? I want to affect the world around me in a positive way. I want to let a bit of Jesus seep out and change those around me.

In order to do that, I must first be filled myself. I have to spend time reading and thinking about God’s word each day, praying and listening to His Holy Spirit all throughout my day, and being available to others around me. For me, Christian music is a very important part of my “filling up.” Sometimes, I have to empty out some of the negative thoughts and feelings -- confessing my sin and turning my worries over to Jesus. Without that emptying out process, I don’t have room to be completely filled with God’s goodness, grace, and love. And then, I have to be intentional about connecting with others around me, too. I have to purposely mix myself in!

I wish I could say that I was always full of the Holy Spirit, but I know I am not. I do not always make a positive impact on those around me like I could. But God is still working on me, and I always hope to be closer tomorrow than I am today. And I hope you are, too. Because when Christ is in us, and we are in the world, we can make a difference for His kingdom, one connection at a time.

Lord, help us to want more and more of You each day. Show us how to live in this world so that we change its flavor, without allowing the world to change ours. Fill us up with Your Holy Spirit so that we can overflow and touch those around us with Your love.

More Than Playing Dress-Up

Picture found at: https://girlgloss.com/childrens-dress-up-clothes/

This week is Halloween. (Teachers everywhere just shuddered!) It is usually a difficult week at school as students are excited about the coming fun, and then worn out from it afterward!

I’ve never been one to enjoy the creepy, spooky Halloween traditions. Haunted House? Not for me. Zombie costume? No, thank you.

But trick or treating? That was always fun! Of course, I loved the candy! But what I really enjoyed was the fun of dressing up in a costume and visiting the homes of all our friends and neighbors.

When I had my own children, I really liked finding or making a special costume for them. The boys usually wanted a superhero or favorite character. My daughter always wanted something pretty and sparkly. The more glitter or sequins the better! And she loved to wear makeup with her costumes, too.

It was always special to imitate someone else for an evening - to dress just like that person, to carry props like they had, and to pretend to be them for one night.

I have been reading through Paul’s letters over the last few weeks. In his first letter to the church at Corinth, he writes about how to handle situations where the believers were invited to eat with non-believers who were eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols. He recommends that if someone pointed out that it was an idol sacrifice, then they should not eat it for the sake of that person. But he ends with a statement that makes me pause. Here’s what he writes in 1 Corinthians 10:32-11:1.

32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

11 1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Did you catch that? His advice is for the Corinthians to imitate him, as he is trying to imitate Christ. Wow. That hits me hard. Am I confident enough in my Christian walk to encourage others to do as I do? If others were to imitate me, would their actions be Christ-like? Is my life lived to please God and to benefit others that they might be saved?

Paul wrote similar charges in 1 Corinthians 4:

11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.

14 I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. 15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
And again in 2 Thessalonians 3:

7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.

No matter who you are, people are watching you each day. When you work around children, you know that they naturally imitate others around them - including you! But it is not just the children who are watching. People with whom I live and work see me and my actions - hear my words and my attitudes - every day. Am I being the example I should be?

I’m trying. But I fail often. I am still a work in progress. But Paul has challenged me to follow Christ so that others are led closer to Him. It’s not exactly a dress-up costume I put on to do this, though. In order to imitate anyone, you have to know them well. That means I must study my Bible constantly and be open to allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me and change me. I must constantly put my faith into action, applying the scripture in my life, putting others before myself, and laying aside my own agenda.

It’s definitely more than playing dress-up for just one night! It’s a life-long commitment that I hope I become better and better at as I go.

Father God, I know I am not confident enough to tell others to imitate me as I try to imitate Christ. Please continue to work in me and around me to make me more like You. I want to be an example for those around me, but when I fail, help me to admit it and try to make it right. Thank You, Jesus, for Your perfect example, for Your Word, and for Your Holy Spirit that helps us along the way!

True Colors Revealed

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45

The leaves have turned here in Mid-Missouri this week! They are so beautiful! I’ve always found it fascinating that the colors we see in the fall leaves are actually present in the leaves all spring and summer. It’s only in the fall when the temperatures begin to drop and the trees stop making food that the green chlorophyll is allowed to break down and be absorbed. Then, we see the beautiful colors that have been hidden by that chlorophyll all along.

Not all leaves have vibrant fall colors, though. Sometimes when the chlorophyll is gone, all that’s left is a very drab, lifeless, brown leaf.

I saw a teacher walking in from recess this week holding a gorgeous, bright red leaf. I didn’t stop to ask her about it, but I’ve been out at recess enough to guess that a student probably picked it up and gave it to her.

I wonder if two weeks ago, when a student ran across a green leaf on the playground, do you think he would have noticed it? Would a green leaf have been handed to the teacher? Probably not.

And I’m also pretty confident that the red leaf the teacher received was not the only leaf on the playground. There are more than a few dull, brown ones out there, too. But the leaves that are deep red, orange, or yellow catch our eye. We treasure them because of their beauty.

In Luke 6, Jesus says that what comes out of my mouth is exactly what I have stored in my heart. Sometimes I can cover up a bad attitude with a smile on my face, but once I start to talk, that bad attitude is going to show up. Just like a fall leaf whose chlorophyll has faded away, my true thoughts and feelings will come out in the words I speak.

Am I frustrated with a situation? That’s going to show in my words.

Am I excited about an opportunity? That’s going to show in my words.

Am I resentful of someone else’s gain? Guess where that’s going to show?

Am I feeling overwhelmed, joyful, guilty, proud, ashamed, thankful, sad? What I say will flow out of whatever feelings are in my heart. Some of those are beautiful, vibrant emotions that draw people to me just like the brightly colored fall leaves. But some of those are unattractive, life-draining emotions that push people away.

For our school, this week is parent-teacher conference week. That means I will be doing even more talking than usual! I always want my speech to be “full of grace,” as Paul says in Colossians 4, but I am more mindful this week of choosing my words wisely so I can communicate clearly. And I want my words to be encouraging and positive and beautiful--as much as possible.

So I am realizing that I need to check my heart condition this week. Unlike the fall leaves, I can choose which emotions I allow myself to store up and which ones I decide to give up. I can take those negative thoughts and feelings and pour them out to Jesus, confessing them and letting Him control the clean-up process. 

And I can fill my heart with scripture and encouraging truth that will change my outlook and bless others, too. When I open my mouth and my true colors are revealed, I want to be like a beautiful, fall leaf that brings God’s joy and peace to others.

Father, help me to see the evil that is in my heart as You see it. Take away my sinful thoughts and attitudes and transform them as only You can do. Help me to have a heart full of Your love, grace, joy, peace, and compassion so that my words will flow from there and uplift all those who hear them.

A Blind Mouse

Image found at: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Apodemus_sylvaticus_bosmuis.jpg

12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. I Corinthians 13:12
I have a picture book that I like to use during lessons about similes and lessons about drawing conclusions. It is “Seven Blind Mice” by Ed Young. Do you know this story?

In this story there are seven blind mice who argue about a strange object they happen upon. Each mouse, in turn, investigates the object and proclaims to the others what the object is. The problem is they do not agree on what they have found. That is, until the last mouse explains to them that they have each described only a part of this unknown thing and that they must put all their information together to understand what the object is. I won’t spoil the end for you -- it’s fun to see if you can figure it out before they do.

Oh, but how I need to be reminded not to make the same mistake of the first six mice! So many times I take the bit of information that I have in front of me and presume to understand the whole situation.

Sometimes I jump to a conclusion about a students’ behavior. Other times I make a quick judgment about a student’s achievement based on one or two assessments. If I’m honest, I do this all the time with coworkers, parents, and other adults that I interact with, too. I hear one comment and assume I understand their thoughts and their situations. I am just like those blind mice!

I remember several years ago reading a book about assessment where the author compared assessments to windows. (I’m sorry I can’t properly credit the author now -- I have no idea what book that was this many years later!) When you look out your window, you can only see part of what is outside. You get a limited glimpse of the surroundings, but there is also a lot you can’t see. I see how this analogy applies to many aspects of daily life with other people.

There is no way I can understand someone’s point of view on a particular topic without spending a great deal of time learning about all their past experiences that led them to that belief. I should not be so quick to assume I understand someone else’s behavior when I only get the view from my window. I need to be reminded to step back and realize that I don’t have all the information.

When a mother complains about an assignment, I am tempted to be defensive and short-tempered. But what if there are circumstances that I don’t see? She may not be telling me that her Dad has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer, or her husband lost his job six months ago, and they are facing foreclosure on their home. In short, her complaint about the homework is really not the root of the problem, it’s just one more thing she feels she cannot deal with right now.

When my coworker refuses to help with a project or fails to complete it, I get frustrated and decide she’s taking advantage of me. But maybe what I don’t know is that her child is lashing out at her over everything since her divorce. It’s possible that her best friend has just betrayed her, or she has just discovered that her husband has been unfaithful. The project that seems so important to me is not even on her radar because she is overwhelmed with her own problems.

When I think like this, it reminds me to be kind and forgiving. I can be more patient and understanding. Even when I don’t know the whole story, I can resist the temptation to make a quick judgment.

This idea also applies to my spiritual life. I cannot comprehend all that God is doing from the limited viewpoint that I can see. He is at work on such a grand scale! God’s plans are so much bigger than I can even imagine, but He is at work all around me. I should never assume I completely understand what He is doing. While I see what’s out my little window at one given point in time, He sees a view even bigger than a google earth shot! And He sees across all time! In this life, there are going to be a lot of times when I don’t understand what God is doing. But God sees the whole picture -- all the time! I can trust Him to work in His perfect timing and His perfect ways, even though I can’t completely see it myself.

And one day, we will see clearly the whole picture of God’s plan working around us. Until then, I’m going to try to be more and more like that seventh mouse who didn’t jump to a conclusion but who took the time to gather up all the information and see as much of the picture as she could.

Father God, help me to avoid jumping to conclusions based on partial information. It is so easy to do! Help me to be the person who always attempts to understand, who always offers the benefit of the doubt, who seeks Your wisdom and shows Your love even when I don’t know the whole story. Help me to be gracious to others, as You are gracious to me. And help me to see more and more of You each day and to understand how You are working around me.

Give It to Me

Picture found at: https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/how-to-help-kids-cope-with-disappointment

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

A coworker told me a story about something that happened in her classroom a few weeks ago, and I just can’t stop thinking about it. I’m not sure I’m going to remember all the details of the story. I’ll probably not get it exactly right, but I want to share what I remember anyway.

She said that she has a particular student who sometimes comes to school with a difficult disposition. Sometimes, things at home are just not great, and it affects him as he comes into her room. One day he came in like this and was having problems with the other students.

When she called him over to her, he exclaimed, “I don’t want to be in trouble!” Even though that wasn’t what was happening. She told him he wasn’t in trouble and asked him, “What’s wrong?” He said, “I’ve just been having a bad morning!” At this point, she held her arms open wide and said, “Come here. Squeeze me hard. Give me all the bad.” So he hugged her tightly. She asked, “Was that all the bad? Did you give it all to me?” When he said yes, she let him go, and his day turned around.

This just really struck me. Sometimes our students carry around so much bad that it affects everything they do and say. Wouldn’t it be amazing if they had someone who was willing to take all the bad? Someone who would hug them tightly and help them make it through the day? What if we were that someone for them?

What if we looked at behavior from others and instead of reacting with our own frustration, we took the time to find out the true source of that behavior? How much of a difference could we make in someone’s day by asking the right question or just giving a hug?

I can’t literally take away all the bad in someone else’s life, but I can be a positive presence. I can be a safe place or a listening ear. Paul encouraged the Galatians to do this for one another. Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

How can we carry someone’s burdens today? Could I lighten the load for someone who is feeling swamped at work? Could I make a meal or send a note of encouragement? Could I ask how I can pray for them -- and then do it right there?

Jesus said in Matthew 11:
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus wants us to come to him with our burdens. He wants to give us rest from the worry and weariness that come with life.  If I'm doing that each day, then I'm in a place where I can take on the bad of others around me and bring it to Him, too. 

Jesus, help me to look at those around me with your eyes.  Help me to understand that some are carrying around an awfully heavy burden that makes them weary and affects how they act.  Help me to know how to bear those burdens with them.  Thank you for taking our burdens and for giving us Your peace.

Just a Pencil

9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” Jonah 4:9-11

I am no different from many other teachers all over the country. When Wal-Mart is full of yellow cardboard boxes each summer, I go and buy supplies for my classroom. One thing I usually purchase for my students is a couple big boxes of yellow pencils so my students don’t have to carry them from their regular classrooms to mine.

The first day I had students for classes this year, I had several brand-new pencils out for my students. As I put them out, I noticed that the erasers in these new pencils were just a tad longer than normal. Now, I’m sure that sounds like a good idea to most people, but what I know is that a longer eraser usually ends up breaking off right at the metal band - if not just below it - the first time a student goes to erase. Since I knew it was likely to happen, I warned my students to be gentle when they used the eraser so they wouldn’t break.

We hadn’t even gotten to the point in the lesson where the students were actually using their pencils when I saw one particular student’s eyes go wide. I’m not sure exactly how it happened, but he managed to break the eraser off before he had even used the pencil.

I am not going to lie to you, my first instinct - my gut reaction - was pure frustration! I was irritated! I had just warned them about this very thing! In fact, I was starting to compose a lecture in my head about listening and treating our supplies more carefully.

But, right then, I felt a tiny prick in my heart. It’s just a pencil. Look at his face. He’s waiting to see how you react, and he’s bracing for it. My frustration level instantly deflated. I took a deep breath and let go of that lecture. Instead, I chose grace. I handed him a new pencil and went on with the lesson.

This last week, I studied the book of Jonah. If you’ve been in church much as a child, you are most likely familiar with the story of how Jonah disobeyed God’s command to go to Ninevah and ended up in the belly of that giant fish. You probably know that after three days and some prayer time, Jonah was vomited onto land and then obeyed God and went to Ninevah.

But the part of the story that we don’t often teach our children about comes later in the book. After Jonah preaches to the citizens of Ninevah, they humbly repent, and God, in response to their repentance, pours out His grace and does not destroy them.

Jonah, however, was not happy about this outcome. You see, Jonah didn’t want the Ninevites to be spared. He wanted God to punish them and bring the destruction he warned them about.

So Jonah goes out in the nearby desert and sits down under a shelter that he builds. Then God makes a plant grow up overnight to provide Jonah some relief from the punishing sun. Still Jonah is angry. The next morning God sends a worm to destroy the plant so that it dies and Jonah is left in the scorching heat with no shade. At this point, Jonah is absolutely livid.

That’s when God asks him a pointed question: “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

You see, sometimes I get angry because of my circumstances. Someone breaks a pencil eraser that I bought with my own money, and I get mad. A coworker gets an opportunity that I wasn’t given, and I become angry. A parent is demanding something I feel is unrealistic, and I get irritated. I could go on . . .

But is it right for me to be angry about these things?

God goes on to tell Jonah that He is concerned about people who do not know Him. He is concerned about people’s spiritual needs, their eternity.

Am I concerned about people like God is concerned about people? Do I put my own wants, my own comfort, my own well-being, above all else? Or do I have God’s heart to help those around me know the amazing power of God’s grace?

I know that I personally need to be reminded that sometimes, it’s just a pencil. Let go of the anger. Be a conduit of God’s grace so that others might turn to Him and find eternal life. So if you see me carrying around a pencil with the eraser ripped off, you’ll know that I’m trying to remember this lesson that God is teaching me - to have more compassion and to be full of His mercy each day.

Father God, You are so compassionate towards us. Your grace and mercy are extended to us over and over. I know we live in a world full of people who don’t know You, who seek only their own gain, who regularly practice evil in order to get ahead. When we encounter these people in our daily life, help us to remember that we don’t deserve Your love either. Remind us of their need for You, just as we need You. Help us to be merciful and full of grace, just like You.

Vision Check

Image found at: https://mywhiteboards.com/glassboard-marker-trays.html

Have you ever felt like God has had to hit you upside the head to get your attention?

I had an after-school teacher’s meeting that I was in charge of one day a couple years ago. For the meeting, I had taken some equipment from my own classroom to the meeting room, and afterwards I had to put it all back away.

I don’t know if any of you are like this, but I tend to move quickly and try to do things as efficiently as possible, especially at 4:45 when it’s time to go home. So, I was moving quickly around my room putting these different items back where they belong.

One of those items was my wireless router. I had to plug it into the network box, which was located right at the edge of my whiteboard, and also to the power strip which sat on the floor right beneath my board. I plugged it into the network box, no problem, and then very quickly leaned over to plug in the power cord.

It was at that point that my efficient and timely progress came to an abrupt halt. When I leaned over to plug in that cord, my forehead suddenly slammed into the aluminum tray sticking out from the bottom of the board. You know, the marker tray that holds a few tools that I literally pick up and set down over and over again every day!

After nearly knocking myself silly, I had a few thoughts in rapid succession. First, “OW! That really hurt!” Second, “Thank you, Lord, that no one else was here to see that because that was really dumb!” And third, “How in the world did I do that?” I mean, I could plainly see that tray there. I knew it was there. But in my rush, with my eyes solely focused on those three little holes in the power strip that I was aiming for, I failed to truly see the bigger picture of my surroundings. My focus was too narrow.

Unfortunately, I think I often have this same problem in my spiritual life. I am often focused only on my own little world -- my family and all our activities, my work, my to-do list, my bills, my problems, etc. I don’t often take the time to look around me for how and where God is working.

This week my Sunday School class studied a passage from 2 Kings chapter 6 where Elisha keeps informing the king of Israel about his enemy’s plans. When the enemy king figures out that it is Elisha who is sharing his secrets, the king hunts Elisha down to capture him. When Elisha’s servant wakes up and sees the enemy king’s army of chariots surrounding the city they are in, the servant panics in fear. Here is Elisha’s response:

16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
That speaks to my heart! God was there the whole time. He had a plan. He had resources - a whole army ready to respond and act on their behalf. But the servant couldn’t see them until Elisha prayed for God to reveal it to him.

How many times do I run around in a panic because I don’t see what God is doing? How often do I let fear and stress and anxiety rule in my heart because I am not even trying to see where God is working?

And do I regularly pray for God to open the eyes of those around me who are panicked and fearful because of their life circumstances? Am I ever the calm reassurance for someone that God is right there ready with His perfect plan?

I don’t know what’s going on in your life right now that has you full of fear and stress, but God does. I believe that our Sovereign, Almighty God has a plan for you and for me that does not involve running around in a panic or being paralyzed by fear or overwhelmed by stress and anxiety. He wants us to see Him, to hear His voice, and to trust His perfect love for us.

I know life is not easy on this earth. But I know that God has promised to be with us always. He is right here - even when we cannot see Him.

Lord, I pray for each and every one who is reading this post. I pray that they will be granted a glimpse of You today. Show them that You are with them. Show them that You are in control. Help us, Lord, to trust You more and more. Help us to pray for one another and to encourage one another. Open our eyes that we might see.

For small groups:

Do you have a story of a time when you saw God working?  Share it with your group!

Like the Moon

Photo found at: https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6084/6142430996_37b335c4d0_b.jpg

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations. Psalm 67:1-2

Last week we had a full harvest moon shining. It was beautiful! I love to gaze out my bedroom window after all the lights are out while the full moon is shining over the landscape. It is amazing how much light there is, especially when you consider that the moon is only reflecting the sun’s light. It is not producing that light on its own. It is only catching the sun’s light and beaming it back at us.

But the moon is not always that bright. At some points in the lunar cycle, the moon is not reflecting light to us at all. Sometimes it’s just a tiny sliver. Other times it is completely, fully aglow with the sun’s light. It all depends on where the moon is along its path around the earth. We can be a reflection of God’s glory to those around us, like the moon reflecting the sun’s light. But in order to do so, we must be in the proper position. We have to be in God’s presence to catch His light, but we do not have to produce the light ourselves.

Moses experienced this in an amazing way. In Exodus 34, Moses spends 40 days on Mt. Sinai receiving God’s Ten Commandments. In verse 29, we read “Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him.” His face was literally shining because he had been in God’s presence -- so much so that the Israelites were afraid to approach him. But then the Israelites came to accept this as a visible sign that Moses had been in God’s presence and had received His word. And in 2 Corinthians 3:13, Paul tells us that Moses used a veil to prevent the Israelites from seeing this glow fade away.

As I reflect on that, I wonder: Do those around me see God’s light shining from me? Does my life reflect His glory? How long does that radiance last before it starts to fade?

I know that some days I do not shine because I do not spend enough time in God’s presence. I want to be alight with God’s love every day, but I don’t always receive that light like I could. And even when I do, it is easy for me to be sidetracked by life and allow that glow to fade away.

I slept too late, so I hurried through my time with God so that I wouldn’t be late to work. I allowed a student or a coworker to dim my light with a few words that made me angry. I hurried past a hurting friend so that I could get something else finished and missed the chance to encourage her. I reacted with harsh words when someone was critical of me. I could go on and on.

So how can I be a better reflection of God’s light? I can play worship music as I get ready in the morning and allow its truth to sink into my heart. I can place scriptures around me to remind me of God’s truth during the day. I can give myself time to meditate on my daily scripture reading and work to memorize those verses. I can sit quietly and listen during my prayer time so that I can hear God’s voice. I can consciously look for ways to minister to those around me through acts of service, encouraging words that build others up, or even a smile and a hug.

It doesn’t take much to make a big difference in someone’s day. I think the key to reflecting God’s light is to allow His Spirit to control, guide, and flow through us. If we are turned towards Him, we can shine with His light.

Lord, help us to be better reflections of You. Help us to be steadfast in our efforts to spend time in Your presence. Teach us to avoid the enemy’s distractions so that we can stay turned towards You. We want to shine Your light in our dark world and spread the love, joy, and peace that You have so graciously given us!

A New Day

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:21-23

A new school year has begun. I love the start of the school year! The rooms and hallways are clean and shiny. The pencils are long and have full erasers. The crayons are all still pointy and sharp. Student desks are neat and tidy, and so is mine!

But the best part of a new year is the energy and excitement in the building. Teachers are excited to get to know their students and try out the wonderful new ideas they’ve planned over the summer. And students are eager to impress and please their new teacher, too. Everyone starts fresh in a new school year. On day one -- even week one or two -- students and teachers alike expect to have good days ahead.

But I know that before long, the new will wear off. The excitement will wane. The students’ best behavior and desire to please are less evident. Things become routine and even that new idea that we are still excited about right now will become mundane.

And if you’ve been in a classroom much at all, you know that over time expectations begin to change. As teachers, we begin to anticipate bad behaviors from certain students, and sometimes we treat them differently because of that. Even when we don’t do it intentionally, we begin to see patterns in our kids’ behavior and start to treat them differently because of it.

I saw a Facebook post that advised teachers to get to know their students without letting last year’s teacher’s opinions taint their own. It said that we should allow each student to start with a clean slate. I wish that was as easy to do as it sounds!

Instead, I often start to view everything that certain students do through a different lens. I start looking for them to misbehave or to have a bad attitude. I start expecting them to make bad choices and be disrespectful--even before they have walked in my classroom. And I start to allow my feelings and irritation change how I interact with that student. I am less patient and kind and more grumpy and short with them.

I was thinking about this today. I realized that God is not like us, and I am so grateful for that! God sees our mistakes and failures and poor choices. He knows all of our sin and bad behavior patterns, but He does not stop loving us because of it. His mercy and compassion is new every morning! He forgives quickly and loves constantly -- every day.

I am going to challenge myself--and you, too. This school year, I want to allow each student (or coworker even) to start fresh each day. I want to show love and mercy and expect good things every day.

We all have bad days, and some of our students have more bad than anyone should have to endure as a child. When they come to us, there is sometimes a whole lot of bad that has happened at home the night before or just that morning. They need me to have God’s grace and mercy in full measure every morning! And that is not going to come naturally! I am going to have to be full of God’s Holy Spirit each day. And that will require some intentional prayer time and meditation on verses like Lamentations 3:21-23.

So let’s pray for one another as we continue through this school year. Let’s pray that we could learn how to wipe those mental and emotional slates clean every morning and greet our students and coworkers with mercy and compassion like God has for us.

Dear, Gracious, Merciful God, grant us the ability to start new every morning in the relationships with our students and coworkers. Help us to remember the amazing grace and mercy that You show us over and over again.  Give us hearts of compassion for those around us. Give us the ability to separate the behavior from the person and to love them like You do.

Preferential Seating

“Come near to God and He will come near to you.” James 4:8a

School is back in session! Welcome back!  

When I was a classroom teacher, I always allowed my students to choose their own desks when they came in with their families for Open House night. As my students came in, I told them to choose a desk, but that I would be moving everyone around very soon.

I don’t remember ever having a student say, “I think I should sit right up front where I can see and hear clearly and have fewer distractions so that I can experience optimal levels of learning.” Ha! Absolutely not! No, no, no. It was all about sitting beside their friends, or people whom they wanted to call friends.

However, being the wise teacher that I was, I knew almost immediately on the first day of school who should likely be separated from whom if there was going to be any learning occurring in the room! And the desks only stayed where they were for about the first two days. After that, I often spent many hours arranging and rearranging the student desks so that each student was in a good spot to be successful in our room.

As the school year progressed, I often had students who were supposed to always be given “preferential seating.” I was supposed to make sure that they were seated in a place in the classroom that helped them to be successful. Often that meant that they needed to be close to me as I was teaching so that I could prompt them to stay on task or explain directions or even just be heard more clearly.

In life, I often get to choose my seat. Sometimes I wonder if I make wise choices about where to sit. Who am I choosing to sit next to? Is it an arrangement that is working for me?

In Luke 10:38-41, we read the story of sisters Mary and Martha. When Jesus came to the home of these sisters, Martha was scurrying around doing all the work of hosting Jesus and his followers, and she became frustrated with her sister because Mary was not helping her. (Am I the only one that relates to her?) This is a familiar story, but when I read it recently, I was struck by the fact that Mary had chosen to sit and listen to Jesus. It wasn’t that Mary just happened to accidentally end up sitting by Jesus. It wasn’t that she was purposely trying to frustrate Martha or that she was avoiding the work Martha was trying to do. Mary recognized the importance of the opportunity she had been given to sit and learn from Jesus, and she took advantage of it.

Friends, Jesus would love for us to choose the seat right next to Him. He wants us to spend more time with Him.

As I think about the school year that has just begun, I know how easy it will be to allow myself to be distracted and pulled away by the many “preparations” that the job requires. I want to continue to make the decision to sit with Jesus each day, to soak up His love and His wisdom, to receive His joy and His peace, to know Him more intimately so I can recognize His voice and obey. I know that if I can commit to spending more time sitting with Jesus this year, not only will I benefit, but so will others around me.

Lord, help me to be more committed to making time to sit with you each day. Thank you for drawing close to us when we draw close to You.

For Serving Unseen . . . Thank You!

1“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."  Matthew 6:1-4

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week! I cannot believe that we are so near to the end of our school year, but here we are. It is so nice to be spoiled all week with lots of treats and meals and jeans days and hand-written thank you notes! Our job is tough, but these little things can be such an encouragement to keep on keepin’ on.

I just want to say thank you to each and every one of the teachers that work with my children. I appreciate all you do--the lesson plans, the grading, the encouragement, the reminders, the challenges to do more, the high expectations you hold them to. Thank you for all the meetings you sit through to become a better teacher for them. Thank you for taking the time to get to know them and their personalities, for learning their strengths and their weaknesses. Thank you for putting up with them on their bad days because I know how trying they can be! Thank you for all you do to help them be successful in school and in life. I can't say it enough: Thank you!

And to all my co-workers: Thank you for living this life with me, for being my sounding board, for offering help and giving advice, for laughing with me, crying with me, for pushing me to be the best I can be for the kids, for encouraging me and lifting me up, and for praying for me! I get to work with such an AMAZING group of people, and I cannot imagine doing this job without you all!

And thank you to all the wonderful teachers who taught me and shaped me into the person I am today.  Each of you left a mark and influenced me. 

Our job is like no other! And, in my opinion, it is getting harder and harder as demands increase from every front -- children, parents, school boards, state education agencies and policy makers. Everyone expects teachers to accomplish so much just in one school year. Everyone knows we don’t get paid well. We’re not usually acknowledged for all our efforts. And yet we can have an impact that is immeasurable, and we may not even know the difference we’ve made for our students.

I think it’s safe to say that many, many teachers serve selflessly without any kind of recognition. But that doesn’t mean that it is completely unnoticed.

Jesus encouraged his followers to give generously and to do it secretly. He told them that those who give of themselves in order to be honored by men have received all the reward they are going to get. But those who give with a heart of humility, who give because they want to serve others, who over and over again give and do for others behind the scenes, they will be rewarded by God.

So thank you for all the things you do that no one notices. Thank you for serving your students and their families every week of the year, even when no one was thanking you. Thank you for pouring yourselves out as an offering in a true act of worship every single day that you enter your classroom. God sees you, even when no one else does, and His rewards are so worth the wait!

Father God, I thank You for all of the teachers you’ve placed in my life. May they feel Your presence and know that You see them each and every day. May they know Your love and grace. May Your joy flow through them as they serve in their classrooms. Help us to keep a proper perspective and to continue to humbly serve in whatever ways You lead, not to be recognized by others, but to please and honor You.

What Is That Smell?!

image from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/135213460@N06/21473796202

14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 2 Corinthians 2:14-15

Spring is in the air! This year there seem to be so many vibrant, colorful blooms everywhere! I have heard many commenting especially on how beautiful the lilac bushes are this year. My mom has a lilac bush in her yard, and it is loaded with blossoms. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they also smell so lovely!

Sometimes around this time of year, I’ve noticed the classrooms in our building seem to also have a strong aroma. Unfortunately, it is not usually a pleasant scent! Lots of warm, sweaty bodies in a closed room will create a memorable fragrance of their own.

A week or two ago, for some reason, the smell of the cafeteria lunch was unusually strong in our hallways. I do not know why, but it was pungent. I think it was the smell of the corn that was served that day that was permeating the hallways, but I'm not really certain. I happened to be in the hallway as several of the youngest classes were entering the hallways to wash and head to lunch. The smell was so noticeable that every class of students immediately asked, “What is that smell?!” Many of the students even pulled their shirts up over their noses or pinched their nostrils against what was, to them, a very offensive odor.

Smells often have a very strong memory trigger for most of us. My daughter was chewing a piece of gum in our van this weekend, and the spearmint-y smell sparked a conversation about my grandmother, who often bears the same spearmint-y smell because of the cream she uses to ease her arthritis pain.

There are probably many smells to which you have a strong memory attached, as well. Maybe a perfume or soap of a loved one. Maybe a special scent from a holiday tradition that you grew up with. Maybe a particular flower that is a favorite. Maybe it’s a specific food smell that is deeply connected to a memory for you. When you catch even a tiny whiff of one of these smells, you probably immediately take a deeper breath to draw in more -- maybe even closing your eyes to intensify that wonderful fragrance and revel in the memories that come flooding back with it.

These verses from 2 Corinthians, chapter 2, say that we (believers and followers of Christ) are a pleasant aroma to God - an aroma that He uses to spread the knowledge of Himself. My “Life Application Bible” has a note that explains this further. It says, “In a Roman triumphal procession, the Roman general would display his treasures and captives amidst a cloud of incense burned for the gods . . . .” We, in Christ, are that treasure to God. I love the thought that God experiences that thrill of pleasure over me!

But I also feel the conviction that I may not be such a pleasing aroma to others around me. When I am critical, when I am negative, when I allow the stress of life’s busy-ness to drain my energy and shorten my temper, I am not likely to be labeled as a “pleasant aroma” to those around me. I am more likely to get the response of the nose-wrinkling, nostril-pinching young students I encountered!

When others see Christ in me, though, that should be a wonderful fragrance that makes them want to inhale deeply and enjoy for a bit. When I am full of His joy and love and peace, that should be just as uncontainable as a strong perfume in the air. It should overflow and be evident to all those around me. It should be something appealing that draws people in and leaves them wanting to experience more.

I pray that I can be more like that each day -- starting today!

God, help me to be a pleasant fragrance to those around me -- a fragrance that draws people to You and helps their knowledge of You to grow. But I can’t do that on my own, Lord. I need You to work in me to make Yourself known. Help me to always cooperate with Your Holy Spirit and teach me to recognize when I am not so that I can be a pleasing aroma to You and to all those around me.

Passports

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” John 11:25-27

My three kids and I have an opportunity to go with a team from our church on a mission trip this summer to Mexico. We are excited about having this chance to go and serve beside a missionary couple that we know personally. But we can’t just buy our plane tickets and go.

First, we all have to apply for and obtain passports. If you’ve never done this, let me tell you, it’s a process. You have to fill out a form. You have to collect and present several documents to prove your identity. If you’re a minor, you have to have both parents in attendance with you ready to sign your forms. And, of course, you have to pay the fees.

But this document, once secured, is critically important to have when traveling out of the country. It is required. No exceptions. It will be checked and inspected and the outcome of your trip depends on it being valid.

As we get nearer and nearer to Easter Sunday -- Resurrection Day -- I find myself thinking a lot about what Jesus did for me when He willingly died on that cross and was raised again. And since I also have all this passport process on my mind, I am realizing some similarities.

In this passage from John 11, Jesus is talking to Martha, whose brother, Lazarus, recently died and was buried. Jesus tells Martha that whoever believes in Him will live. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. He goes on to raise Lazarus from the dead later in this chapter. And through His own death and resurrection, He has provided the "passport" to eternal life for us.

Jesus has given us our identity as co-heirs to the kingdom of God. Through our belief in Jesus and His blood shed for us on the cross, Jesus completed our “passports” to eternity. He paid the fees. All we have to do is accept the gift by believing that He is who He says He is--the son of God.

There is no other “document” that we can count on for eternal life. Jesus alone is the way. Our access to eternity in heaven will either be granted or denied based on this one important decision: Do we believe in Jesus and trust Him as our Savior?

If so, we can rest in the glorious promise that Jesus made here to Martha. Jesus is the resurrection and the life! That is certainly something to cherish and hold dear -- way more important than a U.S. passport!

Thank You, Jesus, for submitting to God's perfect plan, for enduring the humiliation, suffering, and pain on the cross, for paying the fees for my sin, that I might know eternal life with You one day.  May I never forget what You have done for me!  Help me to boldly share this gospel with others that they, too, will enter Your kingdom and know eternal life.

The Value of Practice

This time of year is very busy for my family. One son is on the track team (throwing events), one son is on the baseball team and in band, my daughter is on the archery team and is also beginning to practice for softball, plus other school events, church events, and family events. It makes for a very full calendar. I missed writing a post last week - mainly because we were just not at home long enough at any point for me to get it done.

When it comes to sports, most everyone can agree on the value of practice. Even the most gifted athletes need practice, and often, those who aren’t as naturally athletic but are willing to put in the time at practice, those athletes consistently perform well come game time.

In my work at school, I often tell students and their families that the right kind of practice is a crucial key to improving as a reader, too.

A little over two years ago, I decided to take up violin. I expected it to be difficult -- and it is! It is not something that comes naturally to me. But I practice. I practice a lot and would practice more if I were home more. I can tell I definitely have improved, even though I still have a long way to go.

But my practicing took on a whole new level when my instructor asked me to play in a recital she was planning for all her students. Most of my violin playing is “enjoyed” only by myself, any of my family who happen to be home when I practice, and my instructor. I have played once or twice at church, but those pieces were fairly simple. The pieces for the recital were much more difficult. And so I had to step up on the practice. The more I played those pieces, the more comfortable I got with them.

I’m not going to say I wasn’t nervous when I played--because I was! But I made it through my pieces (although not perfectly) that day. And I’m guessing that if I do that again, it might be a little easier for me.

Last week, I studied the story of Rahab from Joshua 2. Rahab was a Canaanite woman who lived in the fortified city of Jericho. She had heard the stories of all the miraculous ways God had taken care of the Israelites, and she believed that God was going to deliver her city of Jericho into the Israelites’ hands.

Rahab hid two Israelite spies in her home and lied to her own king’s men when they came looking for the spies. And then, she asked the spies to spare her and her family when the day came for them to destroy Jericho.

8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. (Joshua 2:8-9)

12 “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.” (Joshua 2:12-13)

It wasn’t enough for Rahab to simply believe that God was going to give the Israelites the victory. She acted on it. She put her faith into practice. She was in a very uncomfortable situation, betraying her own people and even risking her life.

And I think God does that with us today, too. I think He gives us uncomfortable situations and opportunities that require us to practice what we are learning from His word. I think that acting on our faith over and over again is a practice that makes us stronger and more useful in God’s kingdom. Each time we step out in faithful obedience, God proves Himself trustworthy, and that helps our faith to grow stronger so that the next time we are called to step out, it’s a little bit easier to do.

We know from Matthew’s genealogy that Rahab later married into the Israelite community and was one of the ancestors of King David, and of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). This story from Joshua 2 is just the beginning of her faith journey, even though we don’t know much more about her. But we do know she practiced her faith and was saved, and she was used by God. Because her story is recorded, she is still being used by God today.

I want to be like that. I want to step out in faith and practice what I believe. I know I often fail, but I know that God is still working, and each time I step out, I learn to trust Him more. I don’t know what God might be doing in your life right now, but I pray that you will also have the desire to be faithful - even if it is something small. May we all be found practicing our faith this week.

Heavenly Father, You are always faithful. You are able to take care of us, no matter what our situation may be. You are always working things for our good, and we can trust You. Help us to practice our faith in You. Help us to be like Rahab - to not only believe with our hearts and minds, but to act on those beliefs, too. Help us to be obedient when You call us to step out into uncomfortable situations so that we can honor You and bring You glory! Thank You for growing our faith!

Daffodils

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16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

One of the first signs of spring’s arrival around my house is the appearance of the daffodils. Many years ago, a dear lady gave me some bulbs that she had dug up to thin out her beautiful flower beds. Some of the bulbs were daffodils, and I put them out in a flower bed on the south side of our house. I have struggled with that particular flower bed, though, (that may be a topic for another day!) and last summer I decided to dig up those bulbs and move them.

I had several bunches of daffodils in that bed, spread down the length of it, and I put that shovel to work digging up daffodil bulbs in a large circle in each place I knew the daffodils had come up each year. Then, I transplanted those bulbs to a different flower bed.

But guess what came up in that bed on the south end of my house this year? Yup! Daffodils! I was just sure that I had gotten all the bulbs out of that bed, but I was so surprised to see them again this spring -- and not just one or two here or there! I have several healthy bunches again, right where they were before. (Plus the ones I transplanted in the other bed -- they came up, too!)

Sometimes God surprises me like that. In a situation where I’ve given up and was completely convinced that the situation was a hopelessly dead end, He was still busy at work breathing life and growing things beneath the surface of the visible.

Those bulbs lie dormant for most of the year. They come up early each spring, bloom for a short time, and then seem to do nothing until the next spring comes around again.

In my work at school, it sometimes seems very much like nothing is happening. Scores don’t improve. Data shows little to no progress. Sometimes, scores even drop! Behaviors continue or re-surface. Attitudes and motivation plummet.

This happens in other areas of my life, too. All kinds of situations that seem to be dead ends - where nothing is changing that I can see - make me lose heart and become discouraged. The illness of a loved one that just can’t quite be overcome, the heartache of broken relationships that just never improve, yet another financial set-back that eats up the meager savings, the choices of a loved one that keep pulling them down paths you never wanted to see them traveling. It is difficult to remain faithful and trust God to work in these situations.

But then, I will get a little glimpse of something blooming. There’s nothing like the cheery yellow daffodil blooms to lift your spirits after a long winter! And there’s nothing quite like a little glimpse of progress in my students to keep me going, or a little glimmer of hope that God is working to answer my prayers.

And I am so very thankful that God continues to move and work in my life and in the lives of those around me, even when that work is invisible to me. You just never know where and how God is working in the lives of others around you, until suddenly, something sprouts and blooms!

And sometimes I need the reminder to be patient and wait for God to reveal the work that He’s been doing all along.

I need to remember that God is not limited to what I can see. Just because I can’t see the results, that doesn’t mean God isn’t working. God can breathe life into the most hopeless situations. But it may not be on my schedule, and it may not be where or how I expect it. I need to learn to do as Paul writes and fix my eyes “not on what is seen, but what is unseen.” I need to continue to focus on those things that make a difference for eternity. I need to have the faith to know that God is working, even when I can’t see it.

Father God, I praise You for Your unlimited power to work and redeem even the most hopeless situations in our lives! Help us to trust You more when we cannot see Your hand at work. Help us to fix our eyes on what is unseen and of eternal importance. Increase our faith in Your perfect ways and perfect timing. Help us to not lose heart, but to live a life pleasing to You and guided by Your Holy Spirit. Continue to breathe life into our dormant places that we might bloom for Your glory.