Can we do this another time?

Arriving back to normal life hasn't been the easiest adjustment.  I have so many thoughts, and a different worldview than ever before. If you know me well, you know I am a talker. I am a verbal processor, though many times I am unwilling to tell you what is really on my heart. But when I am ready to tell you, I expect you to listen. Not because I think my thoughts are superior, or even worthy of being heard. I don't expect you to drop everything you are doing to hear the ramblings of what has trickled from my brain to my heart. But as a friend, I do expect you to listen. I expect you to care. I expect, however naively it may be, that you would want to take a general interest in my well-being.

Recently I had plans with a friend. This friend knew there had been a stirring in my heart upon my return to so called "normal life." I hadn't discussed this with anyone else, as I had been processing myself for a week or so, but I found myself suddenly ready to process with a close, trusted friend. As the time drew near to meet up and chat I received a text that has stuck in my head since. It said "I`m tired. Can we do this another time?"

"Yea, we can do this another time."

The words "do this" stung a bit. It is quite possible that I am totally overreacting, but hear me out. How many times do we put others off and ask to do this another time (myself included). How many times did Jesus do this another time?

How about the time when Jesus healed the leper (Mt 8:1-3; Mk 1:40-42). What if the story went like this...
"When he (Jesus) came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him saying, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean!" And Jesus said, "Listen, I just did this sermon, and I am exhausted. Can we do this another time?"

How about raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44)? What if the story were like this...
"Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of Lazarus said to him, "Lord by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days." Then Jesus said, "Four days? Gross. He will reek. Can we do this another time? I am ill equipped to deal with that stench right now."

Fortunately for us, that is not the way the stories go. Jesus, though tired, emotional, and physically drained, reached out and touched lepers. He raised dead men from the grave. He performed miracles no matter what people thought, or what was going on around him.

I can think back many times where I have been the person that doesn't want to deal with someone else's stench. I, in a round about way say, "Can we do this another time?" in hopes that the stench will go away. That is not what Jesus did.

Be intentional friends. Don't ask people "Can we do this another time?" Be present. Be an ear. Be a shoulder to cry on. Be a hug. Be a smile. Be a friend. Be like Jesus.

Everyone has a story...

Everyone has a story.

Some people have stories filled with grief, and sorrow. Others have stories of abandonment, betrayal, and loneliness. Some stories take unlikely twists and turns that lead places one never thought possible. Some stories are unfortunately cut short, leaving the world to wonder what the end of the story would have looked like. But the cool thing about stories, is each person has their own. My story is mine, and yours is yours. Our stories may have similar chapters, or cross paths, but no one can take my story away from me.

My story isn't the prettiest. If my story were on a shelf at the public library, it wouldn't be wrapped in fine leather, or have a beautiful picture on the front. My story isn't one tied up neatly with a bow, free of clutter. In fact, it is quite the opposite. My story is messy and dirty. It is the book in the library that no one wants to pick up because it is covered in dust. It is filled with disappointment, shame, and failure. It takes me on a journey I never anticipated, through trials I never thought possible.

Though my story isn't perfect, it has gotten me to where I am today. My story, however messy, is overflowing with grace and mercy. At the root of each chapter is more love than I can comprehend, and blessings in full. I am tired of letting others tell me I should be ashamed of my story, or omit parts of it. That would be like reading a book with the middle chapters missing. My story points to a savior worthy of praise, and a God of redemption. For that--I want to share my story.

Take time to listen to others' stories. Pick up that story covered in dirt, and see what is hiding underneath. There is always more to the story than the cover.

Every Day That I Live....

The Summer has finally come to an end as I sit in my large comfy bed, air conditioning blowing, and my puppy snuggled by my side. The past couple days I have been thinking about this Summer, the memories, the difficulties, the laughs, and the faces I will not soon forget. One face in particular floods my mind every time and almost brings me to tears when I think of her. Her name is Alice, and I could spend all day sitting by her bed in the nursing home, holding her soft, worn hand listening to her stories.

Alice was very ill, unable to leave her bed or room. Every day she would wake up and lay there, receiving her breathing treatments. I learned Alice was an ordained minister, before it was cool for women to do that. : ) As I sat rubbing her hand, her eyes would meet with mine and she would tell me things like "The road is looong and fierce. But follow the Lord and you will win the race!" She would smile big and say that someday our bodies will die, but our souls will go to be with the King!

I asked Alice what her favorite hymn was and with a squeeze of my hand and a smile that lit up all of McDowell county she replied "I am Blessed." Then she began to sing. She sang from the deepest depths of her soul. The part of her soul that has experienced hurt, abandonment, and betrayal. The part of her soul that knows the grief of losing three husbands, and losing her leg in a car accident when she was in her 30's. From the deepest part of her being she belted these words:

I am blessed.  I am blessed.
Every day that I live, I am blessed.
When I wake up in the morning
Till I lay my head to rest,
I am blessed.  I am blessed.

From that same place, deep within the heart and soul of Alice, she has experienced grace and mercy. From that same soul that holds sorrow and grief, she knows what it is like to love and to be loved. Alice knows what it means to be passionately, wildly, uncontrollably in love with Jesus. From the deep parts of her soul she sings of the blessings she has encountered.

Before she was even through that chorus tears stained my cheeks, watching this incredible woman sing about being blessed every day she lives, knowing her time left here is short. I never thought I would feel the presence of the Lord that strongly in an elderly woman's room at a nursing home in McDowell county.

I have shoes for my feet,I have plenty to eat,and a home up in Heaven bye and bye.Brothers and Sisters on this earth;They are mine by my New Birth,and we'll share in that Home beyond the sky.

I can hardly wait to share in that home beyond the sky with Alice. In fact, I hope Alice is on my welcoming committee when I get to those pearly gates. I wish I wasn't 13 hours away from her, as I long to sit by her bed once more to listen to her wisdom and encouragement. But I could leave knowing that I will see Alice again someday. A day when she will no longer know pain and suffering, but will be at the home beyond the sky which she is so anxiously awaiting.

A look back...

This Summer my teammates and I have prepared...(these are rough estimates):

640 hot dogs
400 hamburger patties
120 lbs of ground beef
64 lbs of chicken
48 lbs of spaghetti
64 tomatoes (sliced)
16 onions (chopped)
24 heads of lettuce (chopped)
64 pots of coffee

With help from the teams that have come in to serve we have:

Hung sheetrock
Built decks
Repaired leaky roofs
Fixed floors
Repaired wheelchair ramps
Built retaining walls
Painted houses
Built carports
Extended storage sheds
Demolished walls...only to build new ones
Cleaned...and cleaned some more

We have:
Given and received hugs too numerous to count
Walked beside hurting people and heard their stories
Played bingo and learned the excitement of receiving a prize of a quarter at the nursing home
Tickled community kids until they were laughing so hard they couldn't breath
Played basketball and kickball with the community boys until I was so sore I could barely walk

We:
Plunged toilets
Caught the stove on fire
Saw a black bear
Almost hit several deer
Got ran off the road by coal trucks
Ran over a trash can
Laughed until our stomachs hurt
Learned to appreciate air conditioners, garbage disposals, trash men, dishwashers, and our moms

We have been stretched, frustrated, and totally exhausted.

But through it all...the name of the LORD was glorified.
The Lord gave us strength and wisdom.
The Lord provided.
The Lord protected.
The Lord calmed.
The Lord granted peace.
The Lord provided hope for the hopeless.

God loved. So dearly loved.

There is still work to be done, children to feed, houses to fix, the gospel to continue being spread. But I know this: My God....my GOD is a God of redemption and victory. He will never leave his children. I am so passionately in love with my savior and his grace.