The Bible story pictures often portray Jesus sitting on the grass, Buddha style, with some children frolicking nearby, spewing truths that people fell over trying to catch.
Which would be true.
But Jesus also got angry.
Anger fueled by the love that erupts within our souls like a volcano sometimes contains the seeds that can eventually heal culture.
Click HERE to continue reading.
Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!
You’re WAY too serious! Loosen your tie, friend, and relax a little! Oh, and laugh with us!1
I wrote this newsletter several years ago, but it’s still funny.
At the end of the newsletter, I offer two INVALUABLE2 tips so you can laugh more often, too!
In the middle is some funny stuff because we need to laugh a bit more.
Click HERE to continue reading.
Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!
In his effort to build up my fragile self-esteem, my husband reminded me lately that people from twenty-eight countries have read my online writing, which is still shocking to me!
Riding on the heels of this life success – And of course, now I can finally rest assured that my life has purpose and meaning – is that several people have been asking me lately if I’m thinking of writing a book!
Of course, I have been thinking of writing a book, but the trouble is that I can’t figure out what topic I should write about! Sure, I could write up those embarrassing stories about me that make people laugh when we have dinner together, but those stories make me look stupid! I would much rather write about something I’m an expert in so that people will respect and look up to me!
The trouble is, I can’t come up with anything that people would think I’m an expert in.
But I must be an expert in something, obviously, because I write stuff online!
Since I can’t find anything that I’m an expert in yet, or at least anything that I can convince others that I am an expert in (Which my editor says isn’t EXACTLY the same thing- Whatever!) I guess I could write up those stories about the stupid things I did that make me look like a complete idiot.
Well, these are the things that sometimes we need to do for fame and glory!
And that’s what life is all about, wouldn’t you agree?
And so, as a potentially inspiring author yourself, looking up at me with eyes of wonder, what should YOU write about, you ask me?
Great question!
Well, of course, write about the idiotic things you’ve done so that you’ll look stupider than I do, and then I’ll feel better about myself, and we can both share in the fame and glory! (I wouldn’t share any of my fame or glory, of course. I’m not “sanctified” enough for that, which is a Christian way of saying, “I don’t want to.” But I wouldn’t try to take yours if you have your own share of fame or glory. Unless I could.)
Anyway, please send me what you write!
I won’t read it because my therapist says I’m too self-important (That’s the same thing as being important, right?) to read other people’s stuff, but if I’m having a bad day, then I can think about the stupid things that you’ve done and feel better about myself!
Thank you! And it’s nice to have a friend and do these kinds of activities together – It is a wonderful bonding experience! Blessings on your writing!
And the best part about writing online is that we can tell people what they should do to live a successful life like us!
I hope this advice makes you feel “successful1,” too!
You’re welcome!
Good luck!
Write headlines that grab people’s attention and are (mostly, in a relative, limited way) true!
This is the second piece of advice!
For example, I thought of titling today’s newsletter “Blathering About Nothing,” but that headline doesn’t rank as well in the headline analyzer, for which I pay $1,000 annually.
And now, getting down to the nitty-gritty of the advice in this newsletter, I will take off my mask and set aside my neurotic whiny online persona, which, of course has no reflection at all of my actual personality.
So you wonder what to write about or whether you should be writing at all or doing something else?
We want to align our life to do whatever it is that God has set before us as our path in this season, whether it’s something that gives us no accolades or glory, or which may (even!) cost us financially, relationally or culturally.
And when we’re busy doing these things together with Jesus, who strengthens us, we find out that the things that used to be so vital to us surprisingly matter a whole lot less!
And then it’s also critical to connect with a group of people that already like you so you don’t have to pretend to be important! They like you because they have to like you, of course, but what difference does that part make? And then you’re soaring.
So you’ll go out in joy, you’ll be led into a whole and complete life.
As the song below plays, ask God, “How do you long for me to pivot my life?” Ask yourself if any of this stuff that I am pulling my hair out trying to attain matters once I’m dead?
And then, once you wake up to the fact that you’ll be dead soon enough in the big scheme of things we call “Life”, you’ll be ready to live.
And when Jesus is responsible for your success, life gets more fun.2
Photo credit: Amazed Monkey by Thomas Oxford on Unsplash, Bird Soaring by Alfonso Betancourt on Unsplash
Note: The photo of the monkey symbolizes you, of course – NOT me! Why would you think that? Refer to my opening line.
But take comfort!
The soaring bird symbolizes you, too.
1“Successful” relative to my life success, I mean, of course!
2 And funny, but that might be something unique to do with my life, so I have the advantage (over you) of being able to tell others about the stupid things I’ve done.
Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!
The amaryllis opened its two enormous blossoms this week, revealing pink and white splendor and raising the scent profile of the room to a higher level.
And I am that amaryllis.
And so are you.
Let me explain.
Click HERE to continue reading this previously published post.
Thanks for reading Restoring Life! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
Sometimes we mess up holidays.
For example, a stranger at the Dollar Store once asked me if I thought there was something not-quite-right about Hallowe’en. I asked if it was perhaps the sweet little kids combined with creepy maiming imagery that seemed off. Or is it just me?
Click HERE to continue reading this post.
Thank you for liking me! I like you too! (Proven HERE, HERE and HERE!) Let’s journey together!
We all know that God is sometimes wrong, as definitively proven HERE. That’s obvious! Many of us intellectuals know that!
But I was amazed when I was wrong!
Many of you often trip up and fall and are wrong about many things. I, of course, can’t relate to this, but my editor says I must be honest, or she won’t publish my work anymore, so okay! I WAS wrong! (At least once)
In fact, this happened as recently as . . . (Do I HAVE to be THAT honest?) TODAY.
I know. Once your shock has subsided, I’ll fill you in on the startling details and give excellent advice with four subtle attitude shifts to get you back soaring into God’s plans and purposes!
So here’s what happened:
I thought God said something, but He didn’t.
The good news is that giants of the faith are losers like us, so we can learn from them!
For example, HERE we learn of someone who heard from God and assumed that the other guy SHOULDN’T travel because if he did, he would get hurt. It turned out that the one who heard from God was wrong because the guy WAS still supposed to travel.1
The point is that toddlers fall as they learn to walk, and we, by necessity, sometimes look like losers as we grow spiritually.
Are we willing to look and feel silly and be wrong sometimes BECAUSE WE ARE LEARNING to keep our ears attached to perhaps hear a muffled whisp of the hints on the wind of what God may be saying and not to leave our ears lying around on the floor again?
Are we willing to step out in faith and try something but be wrong?
The last time I admitted that I was wrong, my friend said, “The fact that you AREN’T sure whether God is speaking or not makes me more likely to believe that God DOES speak through people.”
I don’t quite understand how my humility drew him to that conclusion. However, it got me thinking that maybe humility IS helpful for something after all.2
The point is, we don’t always FULLY understand God because we AREN’T God!
As my husband kindly reminded me yesterday, and seems to remind me often lately, “You’re not God.” This reminder is always helpful, so I remind you of that, too!
You’re welcome!
Good luck!
One last random, deep thought to profoundly help you is to remember that when you are confused, good advice is to listen to your children! This advice works surprisingly frequently for me! My children are sometimes much more spiritually mature than I am, which is exasperating!
For example, about this current wrestling that I am facing over being wrong, my (annoying) child said, “God answers everything in His own way, Mom. I wouldn’t worry about it too much.”
Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing. How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world.
So, remember that it’s okay if we’re spiritually wrong sometimes! And as promised, here are four attitude shifts to start soaring again the next time we (must regretfully admit we) are wrong. Remember:
God, help us all to soar, and when we fall, to get back up and try again, we pray. Please keep our butts and hearts soft from all the falls and help us to get up and try again. Be the wind under our wings more and more often, we pray.
As the song below plays, how do you sense God pouring love into your heart and gently correcting you about some misconception you have about Him?
Photo credit – Bird soaring by Elize Bezuidenhout on Unsplash
1 (Related to this, as a general principle, my Pastor says we shouldn’t tell others what to do by using the language, “God said you should . . .” but I find that advice tedious.)
2 (Manipulating people to believe you . . . ? That’s a JOKE people! A JOKE!)
3 Ibid – Means same as the above footnote (I.e. STILL joking)
Thank you for liking me! I like you too! (Proven HERE, HERE and HERE!) Let’s journey together!
I went from being the biggest loser at the gym, doing exercises without ANY weights (Don’t judge me), to finding lighter weights than the lightest weights that they put out for the group class and using those.
But I was using ACTUAL five-pound weights by then!
“The ones who keep coming back are the ones who will get stronger!” I was told.
And I kept coming back.
Until one day, my instructor “had chills” when I did an exercise. This was because I did it with good form. Perhaps her chills were simply chills of relief that she didn’t have to spend five minutes out of every ten minutes re-showing me how to use the equipment in a class full of thirty other students so I wouldn’t hurt myself, her, or others nearby*, but they were chills nonetheless!
“She obviously truly cares about her students,” my husband commented, so he thinks she was surprised I did something right, too.
But I’m improving!
And the thing is that my friend didn’t want to come to the gym because she felt intimidated by all the people around her doing stuff right. That’s the dumbest reason not to go to the gym because EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM was once a big loser at the gym, throwing around weights and hurting themselves and others. (Well, maybe some caught on faster than me, but you catch my point!)
Anyway, we often hear people say it’s those who go the gym a lot who have the big egos, right? Like they are the ones who will laugh at us? Wait – maybe they will laugh at us, but if you read this post, you won’t care about that either!
The point is that you are getting stronger.
And that looking like a bit of a loser is not a bad thing!
It means you’re learning.
And similarly, the next time you pray to God, and then open one eye and wonder why the Archangel Gabriel isn’t standing next to you in your bedroom giving you life instructions, maybe take off your head and replace it with a new one. (Replace it with a head with correct thoughts while you’re at it, of course!)
Maybe we’re SUPPOSED to feel like losers when we are in the process of growing spiritually or physically.
For example, every time I woke up early when I was in a season of trying to learn to pray, I felt like I was playing hide and seek with Jesus. “I can’t find you!” I would call out after 1.28 seconds of concerted prayer. But He was there, often (metaphorically) hiding behind a small rosebush in my backyard. The rosebush that hadn’t blossomed yet. He was in plain sight because my rosebush only reached his knees, but He was bent at the waist, laughing.
I was learning that He loves it when we seek Him.
And so, maybe feeling like we’re losers is even good for us sometimes.
It is God’s privilege to conceal things and the king’s privilege to discover them.
Realizing we’re losers is often part of the heart transformation we need to be able to run into His arms like a small child when He does reveal Himself to us one day, when we do experience his presence, when we do sense His love for us through the arms of His people who love us because they love Him.
And so all this jibber-jabber about people at the gym, for example, that they have huge egos?
Hogwash.
After all, I go to the gym!
I do subscribe, however, to the philosophy that it is wiser to FLAUNT one’s ego, so maybe the having-a-big-ego thing doesn’t apply to me?
My gym did recently install this mat, however.
I wonder why?
It’s probably because there’s someone at the gym, someone else, who has a big ego.
Whatever.
Anyway, I hope you follow my advice by knowing now, with absolute confidence, because I told you so, that you, like me, are, of course, VERY humble, the opposite of those with a big ego.
You’re welcome!
Good luck!
Photo credit: Fit guy by Total Shape on Unsplash
*Most days, note that it was only ONE of those three.
Thank you for liking me! I like you too! (Proven HERE, HERE and HERE!) Let’s journey together!
Previously, we discussed how a random stranger showed me that homeschooled kids provided hope for our culture.
It happened again with another random stranger a year later.
Click HERE to continue reading.
Thank you for liking me! I like you too! (Proven HERE, HERE and HERE!) Let’s journey together!
This advice could make you feel like a Superhero Mama in Clark Kent clothes (OK – Clark Kent clothes with finger paint on them. Who’s looking THAT closely?) because this article is FILLED to the brim with advice about how to make your homeschooled kids clean up!
(Or at least there SHOULD BE AT LEAST ONE piece of advice in this article! I hope you find it! While you’re looking, have you seen any pencils? We lost all of ours, so it’s becoming harder to do math.)
Click HERE to continue reading.
Thank you for liking me! I like you too! (Proven HERE, HERE and HERE!) Let’s journey together!
When do we jump from a sinking ship, and when do we bail frantically to save our lives?
When do we decide that the public school system is broken enough that it can’t be fixed and jump ship to homeschooling? When do we stay in the school system, attend PTA meetings, and volunteer as playground supervisors? When do we put our kids in the public school system and do our best to bail out the ship?
Click HERE to continue reading.
Thank you for liking me! I like you too! (Proven HERE, HERE and HERE!) Let’s journey together!
Restoring Life 