Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.                                                                                        Romans 8:26-28 (The Message)

I was speaking with a client recently who had experienced significant trauma in her childhood. She was dealing with the added burdens of not being believed by others about her trauma, and the pain of loss and rejection she felt, and indeed still feels today.

We talked about the need to redefine herself, and not accept the confining narrative that has held her for so long. She needed to see that she has the power to define her own future. She can move toward an intended future that will be redemptive of her past pain. She can express that pain through her poetry, gardening, and other creative arts to redefine herself. She can see herself as a nurturer and as an artist, who will use her gifts, and even her pain, in the expression of hope for others for their healing, as well as her own.

The principle is that of “moving toward the good rather than just trying to avoid the bad”. Moving toward the good energizes us. Running away from the bad just eventually wears us out.

We choose to run toward the good, and take others with us!

Prayer: Lord, the pain we experience can be used for the good of others and for your Kingdom. Help us to see the ways to redeem the pain, Amen

At that point they went wild, a rioting mob of catcalls and whistles and invective. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, hardly noticed—he only had eyes for God, whom he saw in all his glory with Jesus standing at his side. He said, “Oh! I see heaven wide open and the Son of Man standing at God’s side!”

 Yelling and hissing, the mob drowned him out. Now in full stampede, they dragged him out of town and pelted him with rocks. The ringleaders took off their coats and asked a young man named Saul to watch them.                                                                                                                                                                          Acts 7:57-59 (The Message)

We leave lasting legacies based upon our behaviors in life, and those legacies can last for many generations. We see here a picture of Stephen’s death as a martyr, and Saul, later to be named Paul, fully participating in that death. Yet Stephen left an indelible mark on Saul, which later was carried down through Paul’s writings, and which last even until today. That legacy is of grace, especially under fire.

We read in the passages above that Stephen was stoned for proclaiming the good news of Jesus, and even up to the point of his death, he was testifying of the grace and forgiveness of God. Saul was a willing participant in the death of Stephen, and, as we later see in Acts 9:1 he was still a cauldron of seething anger and hatred. Yet even while he was breathing out murderous threats on Christians, God was preparing him for an incredible mission for which he alone was suited. Was Saul ready for this work when he was participating in the death of Stephen? How much was Saul affected by the behavior of Stephen as he was being murdered?

I am reminded of Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  

This powerful verse is exemplified in this scenario. Stephen, while dying, gives grace and forgiveness to his persecutors. Saul, while in the midst of rage and blind hatred, is being chosen by God for a special mission, and total forgiveness of his murderous sins.

Saul’s rage may actually have been intensified by seeing Stephen’s strong faith and supernatural grace in his gruesome death. This is called “conviction”. Saul was being deeply affected by Stephen’s behavior, and he was chosen by God soon after that event to have a life transformation. We are ready for life transformation when the hard shell of our defenses gets cracked by events that refute those beliefs. The Spirit rang true to Saul at the time when Jesus chose to manifest himself to Saul on the road to Damascus.

What are the legacies that we leave to those around us? How many great things are in store for the world if we simply choose to display grace under fire? Only God knows, and that should be all we care about.

Prayer: Father, we do not know the legacies we leave by our current decisions and actions. Give us grace and strength to be the models for those we do not yet know, Amen. 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.                                               Philippians 2:3-4

“Patriotism is not just short, frenzied bursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steadied dedication of a lifetime.”                                                                                                                                                                                        Adlai Stevenson

“The willingness of America’s veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude.”                                                                                                                                                               Jeff Miller

“I have long believed that sacrifice is the pinnacle of patriotism.”                                                              Bob Riley

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends                                              John 15:13

The quotes above speak for themselves regarding the cost of patriotism. We who have never had the privilege of wearing a uniform to serve out country serve her by living sacrificially for the principles of freedom, honor, and service to others. We know that there cannot be love without sacrifice. Christians hold that Jesus was the ultimate lover of humanity as he gave his life to pay for the sins of humankind.

Our military veterans paid the price of love by sacrificing their bodies for the defense of their country. Many paid the ultimate price for that service.  All of us who love our country can serve her by the “tranquil and steadied dedication of a lifetime” as Adlai Stevenson stated.

On this Memorial Day, as we celebrate the sacrifice of our veterans, let us rededicate ourselves to serve our country by serving one another, taking the needs of others into primary account as we strive to make our country strong and healthy. As Alexis de Tocqueville was quoted as saying, “America is great because America is good”. Whether or not he actually said that, I believe that it is true. Let us make sure that we try to live into that quote.

Prayer: Lord, give us the strength to serve others as you served us through Jesus, Amen

“If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken… “                                                                     II Corinthians 4:7-11 (The Message)

Laura Hillenbrand wrote a beautiful book in 2010 titled Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. It was the story of the incredible life of Louis “Louie” Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and subsequent World War II hero. The book is moving and uplifting. Zamperini’s life was one that needed to be celebrated, and Hillenbrand accomplished that well in her book. A subsequent movie about the book was also very powerful, if somewhat less inspiring than the book.

As we begin this Memorial Day weekend, we celebrate those who gave their lives in service to their country. Zamperini did not die in World War II. He survived the horrible ordeal of capture by the Japanese army, and terrible treatment in prison camps. It was only after the war that Zamperini suffered what we would now call PTSD, and he descended into alcoholism. His recovery from a life broken by war and torture is touching and carries hope.

We can see that Zamperini had a light, a Spirit in him, from early in life, but it was not fully exposed until after he had been broken by war and disease. He was strong, but he was breakable, as we all are.

God indeed has given us the treasure of the Holy Spirit in clay pots which are easily broken. Yet, those pots need to be broken in order for the light to shine out. Jesus said that we should not hide our light under a bushel. Indeed, we have this precious treasure of eternal life inside of very breakable clay bodies. When we yield that clay to God’s purposes, His light will certainly shine through.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the sacrifices that people have made to keep us free, and thank you for the Spirit that powers our lives, Amen

“Change one thing and everything changes…”                                                                                       Nelson Mandela

I talk with my clients about the power of “little behaviors”. When we talk about some behavioral changes, I often take great pains to emphasize how small I want them to start. It can seem very daunting, and almost impossible to conceptualize it, when someone says “I need to change my attitude”. So, we have to start small to start to get a grip and produce some momentum

I mean first of all, congratulations on that insight. The recognition of the need for a change in    attitude is a very important insight and it should be affirmed. But where do you start? As you might have guessed from me, it changes by making tiny behavioral changes. For example, the simple thoughtfulness of sending someone we care about a random text that says “Thinking of you”, or “Love you”, may take ten seconds. It can give that person ten hours of good feeling.

A little behavior, such as doing a chore around the house for your partner when they are not expecting it, or offering to bring them a cup of coffee in the morning- these little behaviors communicate way more than we realize sometimes.

I tell my clients, “change one thing, change everything”. It is amazing how changing one little behavior communicates more than we can imagine sometimes.  Then we see that, having changed a few little behaviors, our whole attitude improves. Small behavior changes bring forth large effects.

Funny how that works.

Prayer: Lord, give us the prompts of your Spirit to make those little changes that mean so much, Amen

As a father has pity on his children, so the Lord has pity on his worshipers.

 For he has knowledge of our feeble frame; he sees that we are only dust.                                          Psalm 103:13-14

Psalm 103 is about my favorite part of the Bible. It has a lot to do with how we see God, and more importantly, how He sees us.  So many times in my counseling practice, I have talked with people who cannot understand why God would love them. They certainly don’t feel it, and perhaps were never taught it.

They may have grown up with the idea of a judging, angry God. Sometimes this was informed by a father who did not show warmth or kindness, or perhaps one who was even abusive. However it happens, people often miss the understanding of God as a loving father.

Such an understanding colors our view of everything. If God is not a loving father, maybe he is an angry, judgmental one whom we can never please. Or maybe God is a distant, absent father who periodically checks in when we call for help, but really cannot be counted upon.

My understanding of the nature and character of God is one of a loving father who sees our frailty. He knows how we are made, but does not blame us for our failures to always do the right thing. He forgives us as we seek him for it.

We fathers know how much we love our children. If God loves us like that, and He does, we can feel secure in that relationship. It changes how we see the world.

Prayer: Thank you Father for loving us right where we are, Amen

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

Colossians 3:12-14 (The Message)

I had a discussion with a client today about the value of warmth in relationships. I define warmth as effective non-verbal communication. We determine warmth by eye contact, smiles and facial expressions, body posture, and physical touch. Obviously, warmth can be effectively expressed verbally, but our reception of the validity of that expression is more powerfully received non-verbally. It seems that we are conditioned to accept actions more readily than words. Further, we do not always trust the words of people, but we will trust our own interpretations of actions toward us.

Consequently, we can convey so much through smiles and eye contact with others. Children instinctively pick up on smiles and eye contact, even as infants. They learn to trust those expressions long before they understand language.

Finally, physical touch anchors our words. When we speak with someone and put a hand on their shoulder, or perhaps touch their arm, for example, their memory of what we have just said is greatly enhanced.

So, warmth is important in our interactions with others. Being aware of expressing warmth is an important part of those communications.

Prayer: Let our warmth toward others be genuine and well expressed, Amen

“I believe in God- who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of the universe.”                                                               Albert Einstein

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.                                                                                                                                                                           Colossians 1:15-17

This famous formula put forth by Albert Einstein literally changed the world. Many other physicists and chemists did amazing work on nuclear physics, (among them, female physicist Lise Meitner, who I think was never given her due), but Einstein’s formula caught our collective attention.

Maybe because in one formula, he seems to have lifted the veil of the secrets of the universe. By recognizing that matter and energy are the same thing and interchangeable, he seemed to get a behind the scenes picture of God’s creation. Then he was able to convey that in this simple equation. Of course, the formula is not simple in its depth, but it conveys so much in such a little space.

I do not know much about Einstein’s personal relationship with his creator. I do think that he came to know that this masterful creation was splendid and awesome, and well beyond even his magnificent mind.

In the book of Colossians, Paul makes a profound statement about the Son being the creator of all things visible and invisible. He is also the energy holding it all together. Matter and energy are interchangeable, and Paul, not knowing the science of this, spoke the spiritual truth of it long before Einstein gave the science of it.

Prayer: We live in an amazing world that God has created, and we see that his truths are everlasting, Amen

You Can Observe a Lot by Just Watching                                                                                                                                                                                          Yogi Berra

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.                                                                                                                         Jeremiah 29:11

We had a robin who had built her nest in a wreath on our front door. This must have been a good idea for her, since she is the second bird who has built a nest in that wreath this past spring. It was not, however, a good idea for us. She had built the nest pretty quickly, and we really only took notice after she had laid her eggs. We decided that we would give her as much privacy as one can, given that the nest is on a door that does need to open periodically.

We decided to use other egress out of the house when we would leave- usually the garage, or the door to the deck. She had become as comfortable as a bird can be under the circumstances, living just on the other side of our door, and always visible through the windows on the door.

One day while working in the front yard, I upset her and her boisterous mate who jealously helps her guard “their territory”. They squawk, yell, chirp and make whatever other bird sounds that signal – I suppose – fear and anger.

I thought about this from another perspective. This is my house, and they are mad because I am present on my own property. I mean them no harm. In fact, we have gone out of our way to give them a safe place, undisturbed (generally) for them to prosper. If they only knew that we are trying to help them and protect them so that they can launch their little ones into the world.

Yet they are skittish, angry at my presence, and feel threatened when we get too close.

Then I thought about how we sometimes treat God in his creation. We sometimes fail to remember his love and protection for us, even becoming angry at him when our plans go awry. He means for us to prosper, even when we don’t understand the situation.

Prayer: Thank you for your plans, your ways, which are higher than our ways, Amen

I’ll refresh tired bodies; I’ll restore tired souls                                                                                       Jeremiah 31:25 (The Message)

Yes, what a ridiculous title for a blog. However, it seems to fit the mood of the story. Today I talk about the “little oases” that we look forward to in order to deal with stresses in our life. Everyone has stress, and everyone needs to find those “little oases” to get a drink of “cool water” to refresh the mind, body and soul.

What are those little things that you do for yourself for refreshment?

OK, I’ll start- reading a Grisham novel; managing my fantasy baseball team; yard work; writing; following the Cincinnati Reds and baseball in general; walking while listening to a podcast; reading about history. There are others to be sure, but those come readily to mind for me.

I write this because I think we all need to be open and honest about the need for refreshment in our busy lives. It is not really optional. I also think that actually stating them out in the open somewhat validates them, and helps us to see the things that we really find refreshing- things we look forward to doing. They become a real and important part of our life.

For some very busy people, that list may be short and infrequently visited. Sometimes, of course, that is unavoidable for a season. However, I encourage you to think through your “mind candy” list and see if you are paying attention to it. If we keep ourselves refreshed, it helps body, mind and spirit.

I am hoping that you can make a nice and pleasant list for yourself!   

Prayer: Lord, you have created us to be productive and healthy, and you have also built into us a Sabbath principle. Help us to follow it, Amen