Ordinary: Of a Kind to be Expected in the Normal Order of Events

We encounter God in the ordinariness of life,
not in the search for spiritual highs and extraordinary,
mystical experiences, but in our simple presence in life.

Brennan Manning

God still draws near to us in the ordinary, commonplace,
everyday experiences and places…
He comes in surprising ways.

Henry Gariepy

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Acts 4:13 NIV

He [God] made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find Him…He’s not remote; He’s near.

Acts 17:26, 27 The Message

Jesus spent time with ordinary people. He probably even encountered some bored people. Yesterday, I was bemoaning my state of boredom. Today, I seem to be hounded by quotes and verses to remind me that boredom may stem from the daily experience of ordinariness. If we calculated the number of ordinary days against the extraordinary, I imagine ordinary would win. This is where we have been placed to live out the majority of our days. We wouldn’t be able to experience extraordinary without the routine rhythms of life. The usual days of walking in the valley of the shadow of death create a dramatic backdrop to the light drenched mountains that we are journeying towards. My friend says that in her artwork the shading or shadows cause the object to appear more realistic. The shadows of pain and boredom give life its realistic quality. Our enjoyment of special moments is heightened because we have lived through the mundane.

Peter and John appeared courageous, in spite of their ordinariness. And those who observed them attributed their changed countenance and approach to life to the fact that they had spent time with Jesus. Instead of fighting boredom, I will see it as an opportunity to draw me nearer to our Blessed Saviour!

Boredom: The State of Being Weary and Restless through Lack of Interest

"Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because, in the last analysis,

all moments are key moments and life itself is grace."

Frederick Buechner

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest."

Jesus

How can it be that someone who leads such a full and interesting life can say, “I’m bored”? Yet that is how I have been feeling lately. I have been through seasons of loneliness that have brought me closer to the holy and hidden heart of Christ in me. But this seems to be a new test, a territory that I have bumped up against at times, yet a spiritual landscape that I have not spent much time in before, and hope that I will be led out of soon.

What lessons are to be learned through boredom? It seems obvious that you can learn things from pain, like patience and perseverance. And in exciting and glad times I can rejoice, but boredom seems to be a breeding ground for temptation; a mood of drudgery that propels me towards indifference and apathy. It seems the cure for boredom might be increased activity or new adventures, but in reality part of it stems from little time to rest and lack of interest in my current routines.

I don’t know how long I will be here, but I will let you know what I learn. In the meantime, I will come to Jesus and confess this condition of my heart, and I know he will show me the way out or the way through it, whichever is best for me.

Acknowledge: Admit the Truth Of

Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below.
There is no other.
Deuteronomy 4:39 NIV

In these uncertain days, when so many "what ifs" are swirling in my head, I need to acknowledge, admit the certain truth that God alone is worthy of my allegiance and my total devotion. My faith is not in a new president, or government bail outs of the economy or even in my husband’s job. My faith is in the Creator of heaven and earth. I can cry out to Him, and acknowledge Him in all my ways, and He will make my paths straight. (Proverbs 3:6)

Jesus taught us to pray in the following manner: (Matthew 6:9-14)

"This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

Each line has a truth to acknowledge. And admitting these truths to God and agreeing that He alone is the One I can rely on builds my faith in Him.

So today, once again, I acknowledge, admit the truth of God’s Holy Character, His Sovereignty, and His Superior Ways and Purposes. I admit my need for His Daily Provision of just what I need for that day. I confess that His forgiveness is necessary for all my relationships, and when I withhold forgiveness, I do not experience the full impact of God’s forgiveness in my own life. And lastly I acknowledge, admit the truth of my desperate need for God’s protection from temptation and the attempts of the evil one to discourage or dissuade me from believing in, clinging to and relying on the true love of Jesus alone.

Occupation: A Way of Spending Time

"Let your light so shine before men,

that they may see your good works

and glorify your Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:16 NKJV

As someone who chose to "stay" at home these past 20 some years, I have often struggled with how to describe my occupation. Whenever I have had to fill out a medical form, and they have asked me to list my employment, I would write "homemaker". One time a clerk even chided me that I was still just a homemaker. I wish I had offered a clever comeback, but instead I just went back to the waiting room a bit miffed.

Now that I have returned to school, I can claim the status of student. So I occupy my time with going to campus, studying and passing my classes. Yet this description is not broad enough to label my "occupation".

I was pleasantly suprised that the definition of work in the Greek gives a broader picture regarding this controversial topic:

1. business, employment, that with which anyone is occupied

2. any product whatever, anything accomplished by hand, art, industry, mind

3. an act, deed, thing done

(from Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

I was relieved that anything I am occupied with is work. Even resting can be work. So whether you work both at home and outside the home, as most women do regardless of the title with which they choose to identify themselves, we can be confident that our work matters; its purpose is to honor and uphold the reputation of our Creator.

Another thing I like about the definition for work is that it includes anything we produce with our hands, including art. Art is a very broad topic and that helps me to enjoy the pursuits of writing, crafting, and creating time and space for my family and God. I leave you with the author of Ecclesiastes commentary on work:

"Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him-for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work-this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart."

Ecclesiastes 5:18-6:1 NIV

Faith: Trust or Reliance

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered." Mark 11:22 NIV

“Faith is embracing uncertainty. We’ll never have all the answers. And some people never come to terms with this truth. They feel like something is wrong with them because they can’t wrap their minds around God. But maybe faith has less to do with gaining knowledge and more to do with causing wonder. Maybe a relationship with God doesn’t simplify our lives. Maybe it complicates our lives in ways that they should be complicated.”

Mark Batterson, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

When circumstances don't seem to change or get any better, I wonder if my faith is faltering. If I just had more faith, I chide myself, then life would improve. But as I think about it I don't think my faith is diminishing, so much as it is displaced. I am placing my trust in other people to meet my expectations or I am waiting for time to go by so the pain lessens. But in reality I need to rely more on God, and trust Him in the midst of life.

The success of my life has little to do with everything going well. Because that is just unrealistic. Jesus' simple encouragement to have faith in God brings life back into perspective. God is the one I can depend on. He is always there. He can handle the uncertainty. The quote above reminded me that I don't have to figure out my life. I just need to take the next step of faith, knowing God determines the outcomes.

So here's to complications. Faith truly can cause wonder and awe. May we be more aware of God working out our lives for our best, and for His glory!

Cuckoo: A Bird who Lays its Egg in Another Bird's Nest

The LORD will fulfill [his purpose] for me;

your love, O LORD, endures forever —

do not abandon the works of your hands.

Psalm 138:8 NIV

One day I was looking up a word in my dictionary. My eye fell upon the word "cuckoo". I read the entry and giggled to myself. I happened to be sitting near some other friends and told them the meaning of the word. We were all tickled for some reason. Maybe because we sometimes associate the word, cuckoo, with crazy people.

As I thought about a bird who would lay their eggs in another bird's nest, I was convicted about my tendency to compare my accomplishments to others. Mainly others who I believe are more accomplished than me. The Spirit revealed to me how foolish it is to even try to "lay my eggs in someone else's nest."

God has a purpose for me that is unique to his plans for my life. I do not have to be someone else or attempt an other's goals or talents. It is cuckoo to try to fulfill some scheme that wasn't designed for me, nor I for it. How freeing to realize my nest is just right for me, and my "eggs" belong there.

An idea was hatching, a plot developing for my life even before I was born. It was inspired by our Creator God. And he has a plot, plan and nest for each one of us whether we are cuckoo or not.

Ethereal: Of or Relating to Regions Beyond the Earth

"Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth." Colossians 3:2 NLT

"The heavens declare the glory of God..." Psalm 19:1a

It is so easy to become consumed with life on earth. To think of heaven and regions beyond sometimes seems frivolous or at least impractical. Yet it is the sunshine and the starry night sky that inspires. They are forever telling us there is Something or Someone beyond us. I have been home bound this week, mostly by choice and the heat of summer. So I have had time to read and reflect more on heavenly thoughts.

God is so creative and uses words and images to draw us to himself. He even uses headaches. I have been fighting one all week. And today I was really lamenting my demise, when the thought popped into my mind: "If I didn't have this headache, I probably would be out and about instead of reading and praying." Even though it was hard to concentrate, I still was drawn to different books sitting around the house. I would read a bit, sometimes pray for people the readings brought to mind. I still wish the headache would go away, but I also know that God heard my prayers today.

One book I was drawn back to was "The Divine Hours". It has a format of prayers and readings from the Bible that repeat during different hours during the day. It was comforting to read through those and allow the familiar phrases flow through my mind and to penetrate my heart.

I leave you with a portion of "The Prayer Appointed for the Day":

"O Lord, You have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing: Send your Holy Spirit and pour into my heart your greatest gift which is love..."

Cram: To Pack Tight; Jam

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

“Adversity is often the seedbed of opportunity.” Mark Batterson, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

I am preparing for a house guest this week, and so I decided yesterday morning that I needed to wash one of our comforters for her bed. As I was cramming the fluffy white thing into my washer, I thought to myself, this is not a good idea; I really should take this to the Laundromat. But since I did not have time to go, I continued to cram it into the cavity of my less than optimal capacity washer. Later I came back to check on its progress. The clothing piled on the floor waiting for its turn to be washed was squishy and wet. While the washer filled with water, the too tightly crammed comforter allowed water to splash and run out all over the dirty clothes. Ever optimistic, I plunged forward and tried to wrestle the comforter out of the washer into the dryer. I assured myself that the comforter had spun out well enough, but then I noticed some grime from the washer rim on the corner of the comforter. I tried to rub it off and only made it worse. I surrendered and hauled the comforter into a basket and on to the Laundromat.

I brought a book along to read while I waited. The chapter in the book was about “reframing your problems” from God’s perspective. The title of the book is In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. That inspired the following entry title in my journal, which I also had brought along: In a Laundromat with a Comforter on a Humid Day. This little adversity with the comforter afforded me some time to reflect on not only my laundry dilemma, but also the current state of my life. To put it lightly my life has been tightly packed with way too many activities and commitments. I cringe when I open my planner. I cry out to the Master Scheduler of my days, “Help!” And he rescues me time and time again. I am so thankful for his patient love.

Even when I neglect to create time and space for Him, he optimizes my foolish ways and redirects me to his perfect ways. So I met with God in the Laundromat. He reminded me of my growing up years and my embarrassment of having to use a Laundromat. And yet it was a refuge of sorts. We would load up the station wagon, haul in the clothes and visit while we waited. We gave my younger sister rides in the roller carts, and I learned how my step-brother liked his jeans dried so they came out with less wrinkles. As an adult I have often found quiet moments on vacation while doing laundry. And I used to take the boys to Suds N’ Duds between camp and vacation to get all the clothes washed at once. We’d buy donut holes and eat them with soda for a treat while we waited. Waiting is good. It gives you time to reflect. And even though I had to pay $4.00 and spend 40 minutes out of my day, the time reading and reflecting was worth it. I even got to play the pinball machine. So the lesson for the day was do not cram the comforter into your home washing machine, go to the Laundromat, and enjoy some time with the Comforter of our Souls. Also watch how much you are jamming into your life and ask the Master Scheduler in advance what he wants on the agenda of your day or week.

New Space

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Matthew 6:6 KJV

This weekend I painted our son's old bedroom an inspiring, warm guacamole green. My husband calls it the new avocado green. The room that has been our son's for the last several years has become "my" room. I have always wanted a room to gather my creative outlets and have them at hand. So here I am at my cool, borrowed drafting table. I was thinking that would be a good kind of desk for me as a writer and creative person. I was at my friend's a couple weeks ago lending her our table saw, and we talked about Les making me a table for the room, and I also mentioned my desire for a drafting table. And there was hers- unused and stored in her garage. She gladly offered to let me use it! Amazing friend and touching provision from our Creative Father.

So here I sit blogging in this new space. Potential galore. And seeing that I really cannot keep things to myself, I will share this room with guests, as it also has our convertible futon couch in here. I can't wait to start gathering my supplies and tools in here.

Today as I was dreaming about different purposes for this room, I remembered that I have always wanted two things: a prayer closet and a walk-in closet. I envisioned myself praying in this new space which is like a walk-in prayer closet combined. I'm loving God and His creative providence in my home and in my heart. Hallelujah!

Enjoy Your Lot in Life

Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him-for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work-this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 NIV

It is so easy to become complacent or downright aggravated with everyday life. When we become discontent with our lives, we are cranky. We look at others’ lives and want what they have. The reminder that all we have (or do not have) is a gift from God really changed my perspective recently. When I strive to make my life enjoyable, I get frustrated. Or if I look to others to create a joy filled life, I get disappointed. God is the one who enables us to enjoy and accept our lives.

One reason I get bored or discouraged stems from how I occupy my mind. If I am always looking at magazines or movies that portray lives different than mine, then I want those things. If I get in a rut of regrets over the past and missed opportunities, then I get depressed. But if I think about all that I have because of God, then my heart and mind can be occupied with gladness. I can list and acknowledge the people, experiences and things that I am thankful for.

I am thankful for my family. For living in the Midwest. For my heritage. For the opportunity to go to college as an older adult. For our church community. For our home and my front porch where I can sit and meditate on all the good things God has provided. For blogs. For books. For paper and pen. For laugther and tears. I am glad that God has given me wonderful people, experiences and things to occupy my life.

Wet Cement

If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.

1 John 1:8-9 NLT

I was out this beautiful morning walking our dog, when I noticed the road was marked off by traffic cones, and a small backhoe was parked at the corner. I happened to be walking on the sidewalk, which is unusual as I tend to walk on the road. (Must be a left over habit from growing up a country girl; no sidewalks out there.) As I approached the corner I was listening to the praise music on my i-pod, while letting the dog and my feet carry me down the sidewalk. I noticed a metal bar over the sidewalk, stepped over it and began to sink- in wet cement. A man on a cell phone was trying to warn me, but I had been too engrossed in the song that was playing. I removed my ear phones and apologized. He didn't seem too upset.

After quickly jumping back out of the cement and dragging the dog along, I returned to walking down the road instead. I noticed several areas where a crew had recently smoothed cement over the other sections of the sidewalk at the end of each home’s driveway. As I walked closer to a crew at the end of the street, I debated whether or not to confess my blunder to them. As I approached them, I decided to tell them in hopes that it might not be too late for them to smooth over the evidence of our walk into the cement. They thanked me for telling them, and assured me that people usually do not tell them and it makes their work more difficult. I was glad I confessed.

This little morning adventure caused me to question how many times I had noticed the danger signs of a sinful choice, but just ignored them and walked right on into the sin anyway. Thanks be to God that he also is delighted to see our repentance (like jumping out of the wet cement), and to hear our quick confession so he can cleanse us or smooth out the mess we’ve created. Also I thought about what would have happened if I hadn’t told the men that I messed up. The evidence of my error would be set in the concrete, and the work to repair it would take longer. What an incentive to confess to God immediately when we realize we’ve stepped astray.

Foundations

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

Matthew 7:25 NIV

Although many report that the economy is slow, contractors are still building houses around our neighborhood. One house on my usual drive looked as if it was a tear down that would be replaced with a bigger, better house. Strangely enough they just tore down the house structure and kept the foundation. As I drove by it again the other day, I wondered what caused them to keep the old foundation. I would think they'd want a new one along with a new house. But I guess if there is nothing wrong with the foundation,why not keep it.

As I think about the changing structure of my life (I just recently celebrated another year of living), I am thankful for the foundation that my life has been built on since I was a child. Even if my children are growing up, and my husband and I are entering the prime of our lives, and even though at times these changes scare me to the depths of my soul- I can rest on the sure foundation of Jesus and his righteousness.