Our words have the ability to build up, encourage and speak life into bleak situations. I just want to share a few quick thoughts about how some words have taken me (and perhaps others) to the next level in just a few days.
#1 - So, this gym thing is still a bit new to me. But pat on the back, I am about to finish up Week 7 and do my 2 month fitness assessment with my trainer soon. (Stay tuned- I suspect I'll be boasting about vanishing inches!!!) At any rate, I am doing well with my routine. I don't always want to do it, but I haven't slacked on the target of hitting up LA Fitness 4 times a week. The other day I was not feeling it at all. Not for any specific reason, just didn't want to get out the comfy confines of my warm bed. As I laid there, allowing the minutes to tick by, I knew I was going to go. It's just that I lacked the motivation to get up. I sent out an S.O.S. text to someone that said a few weeks ago they would help keep me accountable. My request for inspiration was answered very simply and matter of fact-ly in 2 parts. The part that I liked best was "just think of how many days this one gym day will add to your life".
Because I am not a medical professional or even a well-informed exerciser, I'm not completely clear on this medical fact or assumption. But honestly, I don't really care. I believe the truth and beauty of these words. We make hundreds of decisions daily, consciously and subconsciously, that impact the quality and duration of our life. No one can refute the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Both the physical and mental strength/fortitude necessary to give 110% during a single workout undoubtedly positively impacts the rest of your life to some degree. As I thought about that (and still do so, as it is lingering in my mind) I agree and find motivation. What I do today is going to determine the quality and longevity of live I'll have tomorrow. Yes, the not-so-pleasant, but definitely necessary, decision to stick with this thing is a deliberate act to live the best and longest life I can.
#2 - Just a small piece of a larger discussion about spirituality, I was told that my new found commitment to exercise is a method of growing closer to God. Now, this came from a person who I contend doesn't know me too well on a personal level. But, man. This was right on! As he put it, the very nature of working out- the expulsion of toxins, calories, shedding of fat is purifying both body and spirit. The exchange is energy. The thrill that one feels (or endorphins) when completing a workout is essentially a spiritual connection with our creator, who is pouring back into us the purity that should continually reside there. That is a simple yet powerful declaration. Something as ordinary as exercising can connect you in a new and powerful way to God, inviting you into His presence and unleashing new reflections of who He is. That is some good stuff!
#3 - The final example of the power of words is related to the written word and the impact on others.
See, I wore a shirt to the gym yesterday that apparently struck a nerve. This shirt is one I purchased years ago at a book signing for "I Fought To Be This Happy" (really good read by the way). At that time in my life I totally related to the sentiment. The peace, prosperity and joy I was experiencing (and still am) wasn't something that came easy. No, not at all. Most, if not all, can agree that to stay sane, to persevere and not give up, it requires a deliberate declaration that you will not quit! Giving up- that isn't even an option. Nope. You continue to fight because the alternative can never be your reality. Now you get my motivation for buying the shirt. So, I wear this in the gym yesterday and I'm told how much the person likes the shirt and what it says/means. He even went to the lengths of taking a picture of it. This may not mean much of anything to you but to me this is huge. I didn't say anything to him- he just saw the words scrawled across my chest that spoke to something deep within him. How awesome is it that even something as unintentional as apparel, can speak life to someone!
I'll leave you with this thought/challenge (which is just as much for me as it is for you). You never know how your words can impact someone. Something seemingly simple or innocent may be exactly what that person needs to hear. Therefore, try as much as possible to be intentional about what you say, and do, knowing it can potentially propel one forward, closer to the purpose and destiny that God has for them. Unfortunately, they are just as powerful in the inverse, being able to pull one down to a level that speaks defeat, isolation or hopelessness that they may not recover from. Therefore, "Speak Life!"
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Experiencing Love With Our Senses
Baby Kadence is the newest addition to our family, just a few day's shy of being 5 months old. I had the joy of visiting my sister and brother-in-law to-be, baby girl and other members of my family a week and a half ago. Let me tell you, little Kadence is growing up so fast- exploring her surroundings as she makes sense of the new world around her.
While visiting, I had the opportunity to practice my emerging mothering skills by babysitting her for the day. And what a day it was! For a person that has limited experience with infants, it reinforced that stay-at-home parents have a fulltime job. But one that is rewarding and worth every minute.
As living creatures we learn about the world around us through our senses. This is probably most profound and evident in our young, who are experiencing things for the first time, curiosity running wild. Kadence slept late the morning I babysat her. When she finally roused from sleep at 10am, I was positioned over her head, peering down on her. Because she is so beautiful and precious I can't help but smile when I see her. What can I say- I love my niece. And she loves her auntie!
Seeing the welcoming expression on my face, she responded with a huge smile, letting me know she was ready to enjoy some quality time together. That was my cue to pick her up. The care in which I did so and natural warmth of my body alerted her to the safety that lay in my arms.
Next, it was time for breakfast. I have never desired to taste baby formula. There's nothing about it that makes me want to sneak a sip. But, when that bottle appears, you can't tell that girl nothing! She goes in for it and enjoys it down to the last drop. The taste of nourishment satisfies her carving (at least for a little while). I imagine, even if only for the moment, in her eyes, the person that fixed the bottle and fed her is the best person in the world.
Later that afternoon, when first her daddy and then her mom returned home, all she needed to hear were their voices. She was alerted to the fact that the two most important people in her life were there. Her natural state of happiness was intensified, no doubt because she knew a new level of entertainment was just moments away. (If you know anything about her parents you know exactly what I mean. Those two are nuts! In a good way.) And being held in their arms, breathing in their familiar scents, surely provided an extra layer of security. These familiar routines, day after day, are her building blocks for understanding love at it's most fundamental and purest state.
I love it how God shares Himself with me! Often times it is in the most simple and natural ways that He speaks or reinforces. See, on January 2nd, with lights off, laying in bed, staring at the ceiling, this was my prayer: "Speak to me." For 3 nights, He did just that.
It was the 2nd day, January 3rd, that I was given this simple command- "Love with your senses". It was actually communicated through a dream. In the dream there were a couple different scenarios of love being expressed through the senses. The most vivid one was of an older Asian couple (I swear it was the husband and wife team that manage the parking lot on H Street NW in DC. You know, the one in Chinatown, in the alley near Vapianos!) They displayed how love feels. It was safe, it was warm, it was easy- not forced, and it was enduring, as it had no end. I also saw love. Not through their actions but in the color that radiated from her. The color was red. Not the color of passion. No, it was intensity, fierceness. It was unrelenting and unashamed. And yes, it was the color of redemption, salvation. A sacrificing and unwavering love.
Now, I am trying to really internalize what it means to love others through my senses. The biggest challenges are:
1. Not to take it too literal, while still not overthinking it.
2. Love in a way that is meaningful to others.
Again, the command brings me back to prayer. Because not only does prayer reveal, it also empowers and sustains. Thus, necessitating a constant posture of prayer. So, my prayer now is for God to show me how to love others through my senses in the same way He loves them. For, He always knows what we stand in need of, even before we do ourselves.
If I left it up to my perception of love and personal assessment of what others need, I may try to console a broken heart with chocolate cake (dessert cures everything! Right?) when what God knows they need is a listening ear that won't judge, won't try to fix it but will just listen. This requires being vulnerable and uncomfortable. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Jesus ever did the easy, safe or comfortable thing to show love, care and concern. Instead, He put Himself out there, susceptible to scrutiny and accusations all in an attempt to love individuals in a way that touched their core! So, why would God expect anything different from me?
This command also requires me to be attentive, because it usually is a small little voice or nudging that suddenly prompts me to act. In the few occasions I've done this, the acts have been small and I'm not at all sure of the impact, but I will take it on faith that it is doing exactly what God intended.
Honestly, I am still processing what all this means and how to discern and be obedient to His promptings. Therefore, you may see me refine my thinking here in the future. Or, maybe you have some insight on this? Please share! 'Cause just like little Kadence, I'm trying to experience as much as possible, growing in all areas of my life as I try to walk in the ways of God, loving and being loved in a way that He honors. It isn't going to be easy or always work out how I imagined. Nothing worth doing ever is or does. But rest assured, if we remain committed, it will all work for our good, according to His perfect plan.
While visiting, I had the opportunity to practice my emerging mothering skills by babysitting her for the day. And what a day it was! For a person that has limited experience with infants, it reinforced that stay-at-home parents have a fulltime job. But one that is rewarding and worth every minute.
As living creatures we learn about the world around us through our senses. This is probably most profound and evident in our young, who are experiencing things for the first time, curiosity running wild. Kadence slept late the morning I babysat her. When she finally roused from sleep at 10am, I was positioned over her head, peering down on her. Because she is so beautiful and precious I can't help but smile when I see her. What can I say- I love my niece. And she loves her auntie!
Seeing the welcoming expression on my face, she responded with a huge smile, letting me know she was ready to enjoy some quality time together. That was my cue to pick her up. The care in which I did so and natural warmth of my body alerted her to the safety that lay in my arms.
Next, it was time for breakfast. I have never desired to taste baby formula. There's nothing about it that makes me want to sneak a sip. But, when that bottle appears, you can't tell that girl nothing! She goes in for it and enjoys it down to the last drop. The taste of nourishment satisfies her carving (at least for a little while). I imagine, even if only for the moment, in her eyes, the person that fixed the bottle and fed her is the best person in the world.
Later that afternoon, when first her daddy and then her mom returned home, all she needed to hear were their voices. She was alerted to the fact that the two most important people in her life were there. Her natural state of happiness was intensified, no doubt because she knew a new level of entertainment was just moments away. (If you know anything about her parents you know exactly what I mean. Those two are nuts! In a good way.) And being held in their arms, breathing in their familiar scents, surely provided an extra layer of security. These familiar routines, day after day, are her building blocks for understanding love at it's most fundamental and purest state.
I love it how God shares Himself with me! Often times it is in the most simple and natural ways that He speaks or reinforces. See, on January 2nd, with lights off, laying in bed, staring at the ceiling, this was my prayer: "Speak to me." For 3 nights, He did just that.
It was the 2nd day, January 3rd, that I was given this simple command- "Love with your senses". It was actually communicated through a dream. In the dream there were a couple different scenarios of love being expressed through the senses. The most vivid one was of an older Asian couple (I swear it was the husband and wife team that manage the parking lot on H Street NW in DC. You know, the one in Chinatown, in the alley near Vapianos!) They displayed how love feels. It was safe, it was warm, it was easy- not forced, and it was enduring, as it had no end. I also saw love. Not through their actions but in the color that radiated from her. The color was red. Not the color of passion. No, it was intensity, fierceness. It was unrelenting and unashamed. And yes, it was the color of redemption, salvation. A sacrificing and unwavering love.
Now, I am trying to really internalize what it means to love others through my senses. The biggest challenges are:
1. Not to take it too literal, while still not overthinking it.
2. Love in a way that is meaningful to others.
Again, the command brings me back to prayer. Because not only does prayer reveal, it also empowers and sustains. Thus, necessitating a constant posture of prayer. So, my prayer now is for God to show me how to love others through my senses in the same way He loves them. For, He always knows what we stand in need of, even before we do ourselves.
If I left it up to my perception of love and personal assessment of what others need, I may try to console a broken heart with chocolate cake (dessert cures everything! Right?) when what God knows they need is a listening ear that won't judge, won't try to fix it but will just listen. This requires being vulnerable and uncomfortable. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Jesus ever did the easy, safe or comfortable thing to show love, care and concern. Instead, He put Himself out there, susceptible to scrutiny and accusations all in an attempt to love individuals in a way that touched their core! So, why would God expect anything different from me?
This command also requires me to be attentive, because it usually is a small little voice or nudging that suddenly prompts me to act. In the few occasions I've done this, the acts have been small and I'm not at all sure of the impact, but I will take it on faith that it is doing exactly what God intended.
Honestly, I am still processing what all this means and how to discern and be obedient to His promptings. Therefore, you may see me refine my thinking here in the future. Or, maybe you have some insight on this? Please share! 'Cause just like little Kadence, I'm trying to experience as much as possible, growing in all areas of my life as I try to walk in the ways of God, loving and being loved in a way that He honors. It isn't going to be easy or always work out how I imagined. Nothing worth doing ever is or does. But rest assured, if we remain committed, it will all work for our good, according to His perfect plan.
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