Sacrifice
Backpacks or burdens: when to ask for (and give) help—and when not to?
For most people I know, asking for help is one of the most difficult things to do. Some of that challenge is particularly American: we were raised on the notion of “rugged individualism.”
Some of it’s also a lack of humility: we don’t like admitting our inability to do something (especially if we believe it is our responsibility).
And sometimes it’s because we’re sensitive to asking for too much from others—perhaps because we ourselves have been presumed upon by someone else in the past.
Conversely, it’s also difficult to know when one should not help, as in the case of enabling something unhealthy for another person or when doing so is to one’s own detriment.
The Bible is replete with verses teaching us to help others. One passage presents what at first seems to be a set of self-contradictory statements:
Read MoreWhen someone imposes on you unfairly
Her comment took my breath away.
I sat in a circle amongst a team of people who—for years—gave their time and talent to lead a local branch of an international ministry. The hours we invested every week in personal study, phone calls, leadership meetings, and the actual ministry activities were many. We all counted them a joy and privilege, a way to serve God and His people with the gifts He’d given us.
And then, one day, I surfaced a challenge to our team. I’d been, in my eyes anyway, mistreated and imposed upon unnecessarily by one of the people we served. I wanted my fellow leaders’ consolation and commiseration. I wanted them to validate my injured feelings and defend me, saying how much I didn’t deserve that treatment… how wrong that other person was.
Which is why her comment was so jarring to me—it was so different than what I wanted:
Read MoreHow Christians can respond to COVID-19
What guidance does the Bible have to offer us in the midst of a pandemic?
How should Christians respond to the challenges presented by COVID-19? When (and how) will this resolve? We’ve all got far more questions than answers. The novel coronavirus isn’t specifically addressed in Scripture. But the Bible does offer the timeless, applicable wisdom we need–even for the situation we face.
I’ve been reading (and writing!) my way through the book of Genesis this summer. Noah’s “quarantine” in the ark in chapter eight felt oddly relatable (though I am not drawing a comparison between the flood and the coronavirus). So, I determined to follow his lead and discovered some practical nuggets that will help us continue to weather our current circumstances.
Read MoreWhat we can see in the smoke (even if we can’t see through it)
August in the Boise area usually means smoke in the valley.
Whether from Idaho fires, or those from Oregon and Washington, it’s not uncommon to have poor air quality and visibility this time of year. In addition to my general distaste for southern Idaho summer heat, I am saddened every year to think of the devastation the fires bring to our forests. I know the fiery heat births new life from the pinecones to regenerate the wooded hillsides, but it still bothers me to see the char-scarred hills.
Yet I learn something beautiful from the smoke and its carnage. Read More
For when grown women have tantrums over what to wear
When my daughter was young, getting her dressed was a chore.
It shouldn’t have been so hard… she had both a closet and dresser burgeoning with darling Gymboree ensembles. Nevertheless, our morning routines were never pleasant. Many hours were lost to screaming fits over the necessity of wearing pants, shoes and shirts. (She may not have been the only one screaming.)
Tights were the worst offenders. She was certain those tights were going to end up around her ankles. Read More
What $10 can do (Lessons from Lent)
Have you ever thought your chump change couldn’t change a life?
In the comment section of last week’s post, I mentioned that I was observing seven types of fasts during the course of Lent this year. (Care to join me? Tell me in the comments below and I’ll add you to our virtual book group.)
As part of my “food fast” last week I tallied the cost of the food I ate each day. This cultivated in me new mindfulness of not just the expense, but of how readily I buy food for convenience, not nutrition or need.
It’s just $10. Or is it? Read More
Three reasons why I observe Lent
Some dismiss Lent as a Catholic tradition, irrelevant to those practicing a Protestant faith.
They deem it a meaningless ritual and wave off the idea, claiming that observing this season on the church calendar is unnecessary or even trivial.
I couldn’t disagree more. Read More
In my hand
They were so little.
I watched my daughters, mere toddlers, playing near each other in the family room on the carpet, each with a toy of her choosing.
My youngest asked my eldest for the bauble she was currently enjoying. This was an unwelcome request, so eldest daughter searched the sprawl of toys in orbit around her. She selected one and handed it ever so sweetly to her younger sister. One might expect me to have been proud at that moment, delighting in the so-called sharing that had just taken place.
But I wasn’t. Read More
Fireworks, Lemonade and Salvation: But Why?
Independence Day: The day we celebrate our liberation from England and rejoice in the freedoms we have as Americans.
I offer sincere thanks to the many who fought for those freedoms (and those who continue to defend them). As a country, we enjoy parades and fireworks, BBQ, brownies and lemonade—and a day off of work. This is truly a national party. It is worthy of celebration. Yet somehow I can’t help thinking that we’ve somewhat missed the point.
From Wallowing to Following
As I woke to yet another round of snow heaped all over the driveway, patio and sidewalk, I knew what my afternoon’s activity would be: shoveling.
This was a beautiful blanket. Probably four inches worth of sticky, thick snow. I leaned into the task and mucked my way toward the curb. I began with gusto, enthusiastic (almost) for the opportunity for exercise that didn’t involve a gym or a video. I paused occasionally to enjoy the sunshine and the sound of water dripping off the roof.
Eventually my pauses became more frequent; I grew tired. My mood sloped downhill with my driveway. Pretty soon, I was standing in the gutter, both physically and mentally. Read More