nephews

The McGary Gang have been in Texas for the past month or so and I'm in heaven (if not also a little worn out). A few cherished memories:

• evening walks with the boys, answering their non-stop "why" questions
• making morning mugs (this drink of choice is appropriate at any time of the day)
• watching How To Tame Your Dragon at least 12 times in the last two weeks
• playing in the sprinkler to their loud delight. I strategically man the hose, so as to not get completely soaked
• gentle nuzzles from Jev-bug
• Smelty Caleb catching my eye and drawing me in with his charm. He's a real charm bucket
• beefy laughs and squeals from Jev-bug as he does his "Cheerio walk" each evening
• horseback rides on Caspian and teaching the boys "whoa" and "walk on"
• reading from the Jesus Storybook Bible and watching their rapt attention
• crazy, loud playtimes with the Turkeydogs and watching friendships develop. I now see how some best-friend-ships do sprout at a young age
• dinner picnics at the barn in the back of the truck
• just living day to day life with these little (big) boys and savoring every moment 

Fall reset

It's the beginning of Fall and almost the turn of another year for me. To celebrate, I'm resetting:

• Bible reading / study before Facebook
• Study of Psalms throughout this Fall
• Facebook only once a day
• Lift weights for 30 min every day or 1 hour every other day (thanks, Jesse!)
• Walk Darcy 5x a week
• Read a technology related article every work day
• Read a technology and / or business related blog every day
• Ride twice a week for dressage practice (one dressage ride and one trail ride counts)
• Cook one new recipe a week

Feel free to ask me how this is going in a month or so.

Engaging people, part 2

On the back of this earlier post, here are some questions to take conversations deeper within the context of close friends and community:

• What is your greatest source of joy, right now, in this season of your life. 
• What is this season of your life - can you define it?
• What is the greatest challenge(s) for you right now? 
• Do you have any thing(s) that you know you are "supposed to be about", or would like to accomplish, or know God has placed upon you to do in the next year?
• Is there any way we (as sisters/friends/family) can help in facing your challenges and accomplishing what you have set before you? 

My sister, Eryn, gets credit for these questions. I think they are brilliant, in that they cover the here and now, but also promote looking ahead, which I don't think we do enough of. 

Where my attention and focus should be

To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us. (Psalm 123:1-2 ESV)

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8 ESV)

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. (Psalm 125:1-2 ESV)

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb! Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:1-6 ESV)

I have no idea

what it means to be a Christian.

I wake up in quiet, make a cup of tea, check email or facebook, pet my dog, make breakfast...

I don't worry about where my next meal comes from, in fact, it's already in the fridge.

I take for granted simple pleasures of saying a peace-filled goodnight to Mr. Darcy as he lounges next to my bed. In the light of morning I go out to the barn and ride my beautiful young horse. I drive a fancy new truck. I have a closet full of clothes, most of which I rarely wear.

I have no idea what it's like to fear for my life because of my faith. I have no idea what it's like to run in terror, to be a refugee, to be an outcast. I have no idea what it's like to lose absolutely everything because of who I am ethnically or religiously.

I know this is an age-old-problem for believers -- this question of why did God put me here and not there?

And I have no answers, except gratitude, which sometimes feels fake and not enough.

Lord, come quickly. And in the meantime, give me strength and laser-straight focus to pray for my brothers and sisters in persecution, while I'm surrounded and distracted by affluence and comfort.

Perspective

Lately I've been reminded of the importance of perspective. It's hard to keep it and easy to lose it.

• Friends who have lost their beloved pets. Reminds me to cherish the time I have left with mine and laugh at his silly antics and kiss him goodnight and take him for his greatly anticipated daily walks.
• The persecuted church around the world. Reminds me to be grateful I can freely read my Bible and go to church without fear of death.
• Friends with young kids. Reminds me to be grateful for uninterrupted Sunday afternoon naps and outings with friends to Starbucks whenever I want. This is particularly poignant when sometimes the desire for marriage and companionship and family rings so loudly I can't hear much else.
• A difficult season at work. And a reminder from a godly man older than I to stop putting so much attention on what hasn't gone well and instead to focus on what has gone well and areas where I have succeeded.
• A sermon on the end of life. And a reminder to live life hard and fast inside the lines. Take opportunities and don't be afraid and all the while live smartly and with courage.
• A hot Texas summer. A reminder to cherish memories of vacations in cooler countries.

Mr. Darcy about ten years ago.

Melrose Abbey, Scotland

T&K Criminal Investigators, scene 2

These two work in deft and seamless partnership, especially when they are hunting for bugs in the house. Below are exhibits from scene two.

In the event you have a bug infestation, I highly recommend their services.

Engaging people

How good are you at engaging people you don't know in a meaningful and lasting way?

I was recently at a small event (7 people or less) and I was the only person that didn't know the other people (I did know the host). Throughout the course of being in a relatively confined space with each other for several hours, I experienced a lack of engaging questions or an effort on their part to get to know me. In response to my questions about work or "where are you from" I would get short answers and no return volley. I found it very strange. And disappointing, to be honest.

It also got me thinking.

How good are we at getting to know people we just met? Do we see every encounter as an opportunity or just a blip in time to be quickly forgotten? Do we see this human in front of us as just that -- human? Fully made in God's image? Worthy of your time and attention, even if it's just two or three focused minutes.

Here are some questions that could lend to engagement on a simplistic and human level:

Basic questions:

• Where are you from originally?
• What do you do for work?
• What do you do in your free time?
• What is the best / worst vacation you've ever taken?
• What destinations are on your travel list?
• What are three things on your "bucket" list?

More in-depth questions for later: 

• What have you learned lately?
• What have you recently been challenged with?
• What have you recently found success in?
• How would you describe your faith?
• What have you learned about God recently?
• Where would you like to be in 5 years? 10 years?

Now, obviously, circumstances will determine which of the above questions are appropriate or not.  You may not want to ask the "faith question" to a complete stranger at the gas pump. (But then again, maybe that would be completely appropriate!)

Finally, none of this is hard to do -- it's actually really simple. Most people like to talk about themselves and appreciate genuine questions and focus sent their direction. So the next time you're in a setting where strangers reside, pick up one or two questions and see how they land. You just might make someone's day! 

 

Come Thou Fount

Come Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for thy courts above.

Hebrews 12: 1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.