BREATHE!

Just breathe!

A sigh of relief, maybe finally!

Or another quiet before the storm.

Silently wondering why,

thanking God for these moments,

and the space in between storms,

and just one more breath,

one more sigh of relief!

Faces of Belize

These are the faces that haunt me year after year.
These are the faces I long to go back to.
Why?
Hope!

There is a new song out there by Steven Curtis Chapman called Yours, the lyrics of the song are powerful. One of the verses in the song goes like this,
“I walk the streets of London,
And I notice faces passing by
My heart grows heavy with the cry
Where is the hope for London?
You whisper and my heart begins to soar
As I’m reminded every street in London is Yours.”

That was just a little taste of the song but it is so powerful. And it was a stark reminder for me that every face in Belize belongs to God.
God is the creator.

Each face has hope
Hope that some day their life will be better
Hope that they will have a job.
Hope that someday someone would care for them
Hope that there will be food on the table
Hope that there will be a school to go to
Hope that they will meet God at church today
Hope that they will have good, trust worthy friends
Hope that there smiles would be contagious
Hope that some would love them today
Hope that all the wounds and scars of life would be healed
Hope that someday that there would be no more tears, hurts or fears
Hope!!!

As I go down the list of Hopes, these are not any different than our hopes. Are they?
The faces in Belize are really us!

Choosing Thankfulness

What spurred me on to write this was a message I heard in the summer of 2002. My pastor at the time gave an awesome missionary message. But the words that triggered something in me and convicted me were two separate phrases he said. One was, “Countries are starving but we live in abundance.” The second was, “Lots of countries have nothing and we have abundance.” Then for the entire beginning of the week I went on a tangent like I normally do and of course I felt that God was speaking to me in all the things that I so often take for granted.

I have had the opportunity to minister and serve on the Belize Missions teams year after year. Sometimes in Belize this is all I see. (see photo) As I was looking at many photos of my trips to Belize, and pondering my return this August, I immediately realize that I take an awful lot for granted. In fact before I got up this morning this is probably some of the things I take for granted. Such as:
I had a good nights sleep.
I have a house to keep us out of the elements.
I have a house with lights, heat, AC, and windows.
I sleep in comfortable beds, with blankets.
I have alarm clocks to wake me up.
I had a warm shower with all the accessories that goes with showers.
I have clean clothes and shoes.
I had breakfast with several choices or I have had money to buy breakfast.
I have cars.
I have the privilege to meet for worship and bible studies
I have bibles and the freedom to use them.

Need I go on, this is just all the abundance I take for granted. I also know in my own life I forget to thank God.
So I think a topic that most of can relate to is: Having a grateful heart, choosing thankfulness

Several passages come to mind when I think of thankfulness. These are
“Oh, That men would give thanks to the Lord…for his wonderful works to the children of men! Psalm 107:8
“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with and attitude of Thanksgiving…” Colossians 4:2
“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thes 5:16-18

Am I a thankful person? It’s a choice. The famous bible scholar Matthew Henry wrote these words in his diary after he was robbed of all the money he had in the world. “Let me be thankful first, because I was never robbed before, second, because although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, let me be thankful that although they took my all, it was not much, and forth, because it was I who was robbed and not I who robbed.” http://www.wholesomewords.org/devotion1.html
No doubt about it, thankfulness is a choice.

THANKFULLNESS IS A CHOICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Am I choosing thankfulness over complaining moment by moment? Gratitude is one moment at a time. I always have to ask myself, “Am I choosing thankfulness right now?” Oh my attitudes, I know my choosing thankfulness is not my normal
patterns of thinking that were formed over a long period. But those long periods accumulate moment by moment and choice by choice. I have some friends in life, that when ever I asked them how they are doing they return with this answer. “I am blessed” What a response, what thoughtful, well chosen words. They could have focused on what they didn’t have but they chose to be blessed. So I am choosing to be thankful because I am so blessed, moment by moment. How about you?

On Hold

It’s not too often in life that someone or something can put a hold on your life. I was thinking about being put on hold. Like on the telephone, not much you can do. You just have to wait. I can’t tell you how often I have just wanted to hang up. But you know the routine. If you hang up and call again you are back to being # 50 on that so called list.
So here I am, my life put on hold. But this time it’s not a person on the other line, it some diabolical sickness. I have no control. I just have to wait. And I can’t hang up, because even if I could do it, I would still have this diagnosis on my head.
So let’s backtrack, to the week before being put on hold. I’m busy doing my thing, started my diet, my workout tweak is in full swing, but by Tuesday, I’m feeling like crap. Thought maybe because it was from lack of stimulation so on Thursday of last week I take this 2 mile walk, but instead of feeling this energy burst like I usually get, I am beat and I need a nap.
So here I am sitting pathetically on my outside deck soaking in some rays, which by the way some how the sun went in, when I came out. At any rate my life now has been put on hold by someone, (the Doctor) and by something, (Pneumonia). The diagnosis is 14 days. So what is it like? It’s not like I chose to be on hold. So Lori, what is it like?
On hold,
Forced to be taken away from any adult socialization
On hold,
Mercifully at the hands of others for some help
On hold,
With my stack of good books that I have always wanted to read
On hold,
Watching the dishes and laundry pile up
On hold,
Watching the dust balls grow in the corners
On hold,
REM sleeping more that I can ever remember and actually finding out for the first time that I dream in color
On hold,
Missing my long morning and afternoon walks with my dog
On hold,
Almost finished now with eat, pray, love by Elizabeth Gilbert
On hold,
Just for now
On hold

Never forget who you are!!!!!

In the never forget who you are scenario, comes two questions. Who am I? And what am I doing? These questions are haunting me today. It’s not like I don’t know who I am. But really who am I. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter a friend. But really who am I? I am an ambassador for Christ. But really who am I? I am a daughter of the King, born with passions and desires and dreams. I am a new creation. I am created in the image of an eternal God who is so awesome. But really who am I?

What are you doing? Sometimes I don’t even know. But really what are you doing? Making a difference for the kingdom I hope. But really what are you doing? Encouraging everyone I come in contact with to walk in faith. But really what are you doing? Passionately worshiping my creator with everything I have. But really what are you doing? I am losing a bit of myself each day to serve Him everyday of my life. So have I forgotten who I am? Have you forgotten who you are?

Sometimes we really do forget who we are. I recently heard a story in sermon that I was listening to, of a Rabbi who was up in the Russian area. He was so discouraged with his life doubting his faith and call. On one chilly evening he walked out of his house very discontent and disheartened. There was a chill in the air but not worse than the chill that was in his own soul. He was so discouraged that he inadvertently walked into a Russian compound that was off limits to civilians. And the still of the night was broken by the brash yell of a Russian soldier yelling. Who are you and what are you doing? As the Rabbi came to his senses he said “Excuse Me”. The Russian soldier then repeated himself and said, “Who are you and what are you doing here? The Rabbi replied, “How much do they pay you to do this.” And the soldier then said, “What in the world does this have to do with anything. And the Rabbi answered “because I would be willing to pay you the same sum to ask me those two questions everyday of my life. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

I want to be that Russian soldier and ask myself every morning, “Who am I? What am I doing here, today?” I know I have to remind myself that everyday. I think it really helps to do so. I want to ask you who are reading this today, “Who are you? What are you doing here today?” Because each of has gifts, passions and dreams to fulfill that God wants us to. So if you are a bit discouraged today and there is a chill in your soul, know that God has created you for a purpose. You are not here by chance. So I ask you one more time, “Who are you and what are you doing?