Are you a clone?

Are you a clone? 

The other day I was preparing to have 18 high school and junior high students over to my house for dinner.   This is very unusual for me – cooking for large groups of people, that is; or even entertaining large groups of people.  This is definitely out of my comfort zone. 

Of course I waited until about 3 hours before they got here to start preparing the food and cleaning the house.  Isn’t 3 hours enough time to prepare 3 pans of lasagna, bread, veggie, find 18 clean dishes (wait, do I even HAVE 18 dishes?), and clean my toilets and first floor?  Evidently not.   Approximately 1.5 hours before they were to arrive I realized that I didn’t have enough time to get everything done.  I needed more ME – at least 3 more of me to get the job done well and on time.  

Do you ever feel that way?  You just wish you could clone yourself?

Two of our 3 kids were home and so I asked one to do this and that for me.  My requests were returned with heavy maons, slow movement, and eventually a disappearance act.  It was one of those times that you think you’re better off just doing it yourself because of the frustration level that comes from such resistance.

Child #2 was then called upon.  There was still resistance, but much less – probably because I shot out verbiage like:  “HEY! I don’t have time to listen to you complain.  I need help.  Just do what I ask you to do and do it quickly.  I will tell you what to do, and you will do it, get it?  I need you to be my hands and feet!”  

As soon as those last words shot out my mouth I thought about Jesus Christ calling us His hands and feet (His body).  I immediately wondered if Jesus feels the same frustration when He asks us for help.  And I wondered:  "How many of His requests to us are met with sighs, groans, slow movement and finally a disappearance act?" 

In the bible, Christ followers are called Jesus’ body!  The bible even talks about the different parts of the body and how we all play different roles that are equally needed and valued.  

That makes me ask myself: "Does Jesus need us to help Him?  Does He have so much work to do that He can’t do it all on His own?"  Does He need more "ME's"?  That is a theologically debatable topic!

Obviously we know that Jesus is God and so has all power and can do anything anytime He wants.  However, the way He has chosen to operate in the world to get His work and will done is through us - people.  We’re like His hands and feet.  That’s why He calls us His body.  

I just wonder if He has ever said to us, “Listen, I don’t have time for your complaining, there is a lot of work to be done and I need you to be my hands and feet!”

What a privilege to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ!  You have a special role you know; so do I.  What a blast to discover what it is and then do it (without moaning).

“Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.”  I Corinthians 12:27

Got Heroes?

I have a new soul mate hero!  


He's dead; but none-the-less, his words connect with my soul.  We agree!  We see a desperate need for authentic, deep, soul conversation.  This is the whole reason for this SOS blog, by the way, scary as it was to begin it!


Frank Laubach was born in 1884.  I graduated from High School in 1984 - one hundred years later.  We're generations apart, yet,  we have a lot in common.  I just wanted to share with you today one thing we have in common.  Here's a quote from one of his writings as he was considering sharing his soul talk with the public:


"In defense of my opening my soul and laying it bare to the public gaze in this fashion, I may say that it seems to me that we really seldom do anybody much good excepting as we share the deepest experiences of our souls in this way.  It is not the fashion to tell your inmost thoughts, but there are many wrong fashions, and concealment of the best in us is wrong.  I disapprove of the usual practice of talking "small talk" whenever we meet, and holding a veil over our souls.  If we are so impoverished that we have nothing to reveal but small talk, then we need to struggle for more richness of soul.  As for me, I am convinced that this spiritual pilgrimage which I am making is infinitely worthwhile, the most important thing I know of to talk about.  And talk I shall while there is anybody to listen."


I am so with you Frank!  Can't wait to meet this guy in heaven.

Last Dance, Daddy

I love my dad.  I truly did not realize how deep my love for him ran in my blood until he died one year ago - way too soon.  I miss him so much.  I miss you, Dad. 

This is a true story. 

To our shock and devastation my dad got lung cancer and it went to his bones.  It was a slow and fast 8 months watching my gentle father face this disease, and ultimately watching it take him over. 

It was a beautiful, horrible experience living and loving Dad those 8 months.  My love went into full gear to physically be with him, ride the emotional tsunamis, and spiritually plead before the throne of grace for him.  In the end God showed me that Dad’s faith in Jesus Christ alone for his salvation was sure, but that his physical body and life would not be spared.

Just prior to my dad learning that he had cancer, a friend of mine from church found out that her husband had cancer. He was the same age as my dad.  He died a few months before my dad and I remember my friend telling me that God had given her the most beautiful dreams about her and her husband; to the point that she would wake up laughing because they were having so much fun together.  She told how much these dreams encouraged her.  After my daddy died, I secretly hoped God would give me a dream like that – but I certainly didn’t hold Him to it.  After all, He’s so unique and creative that I figured he would soothe my soul the way it needed to be soothed.

Much to my delight and surprise I woke yesterday morning feeling so warmly loved.  God gave me a dream about my dad!  If I had to name it, it would be called, “Last Dance, Daddy.”  I wrote it all down as soon as I woke up.  I’d like to share it with you.

Thank you for my dream last night, Lord.  It was about Dad and me.  It made me feel so warm and loved and cherished and needed.  There was reality and pain, too.  The reality of cancer was still in Dad’s body.  The pain of the unwelcomed anticipation of his death and of time ticking away was there, so I had to enjoy the dance and absorb my daddy's warmth.

Dad and I were dancing…as if it were my wedding reception.  The room was very crowded with tables and guests.  It was inside, but it was outside.  It was my wedding reception to Dad and me, but I didn’t wear a wedding dress and he was kind of just out of the hospital; still sick, patchy hair, tired.  To the other people at the party there was another occasion being celebrated, but it wasn’t unusual that Dad and I were dancing there.  It was like we were soaking in this last dance because we knew the inevitable was coming, and we just needed each other’s love; to breathe it in and bottle it up.

So we danced close and I touched Dad’s head and hair and I got to kiss his unshaven face and tenderly cradle the back of his head, and hug cheek to cheek.  He loved me and I could just feel it.  I just knew it. 

It was natural to be with dad in this place, even though our dance was awkward. We bumped into tables with our legs.  It was tight in the room; anyone would have bumped into tables.  We didn’t care, though; we just wanted to draw in as much love for each other that we could.  People watched us with tenderness and care, but we weren’t the focus of attention by any stretch, nor did we want to be.  We knew it was a little unusual to be dancing here in this place at this time.  No one else was dancing.  I don’t even think there was any music playing.  But we had to dance; this we knew.  It was the deepest way we could revel in each other’s love in these, our last moments together.

He got tired and we had to sit down on a bench.  He leaned into me and I got to just be with my dad; to just feel the warmth of his body next to mine; life next to life, love next to love.  I got to care for him, hug, touch, talk, stroke his head.  Precious.  Beautiful.

I woke up feeling so loved, so useful, so accepted, so satisfied; but still – feeling such a longing for it to be different; that my dad would still be here on this earth with me so I could enjoy the light of his face, warmth of his smile, music in his voice, and sparkle in his eye.  I really do miss him so much. 

I’m much more settled inside; not nearly as fragile and broken.  I accept the reality of death, and cheer for God’s victory over it.  But my life is so not the same; so not the same.  Yet I thank you God, today, for one last dance with my daddy.  It sure did mean a lot to me that You would give me such a heart-felt gift.  I sure didn’t expect or demand it, Lord, but you gave it anyways because you are such a kind and thoughtful Father.  You are THE powerful warrior who is triumphant over death – both spiritual and physical, and yet you are so tender and careful to attend to our deepest needs and wounds. 

How thankful I am for the opportunity to submit my true story to the She Speaks Conference in North Carolina this year.  The She Speaks Conference is about connecting the hearts of women to the heart of our Father God.  Whether or not we have or had a tender relationship with our earthly dad, our relationship with our heavenly Father can be and is tender to be sure.  It is my heart’s desire to serve our heavenly Father by  reminding God’s precious daughters how warmly loved and cherished they are by their heavenly Father.  I do this daily, weekly, monthly and yearly as He leads me.  What a rewarding life it is.  Thank you, God.

             

http://shespeaksconference.com/blog/

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/