If my kids didn't know the f-bomb before this morning, they sure know it now....along with a few other choice expressions! I got a ticket for speeding on the way to school. I'm not proud about it and I feel angry even though I have no right to be.
I am teaching today plus I was dropping my kids off. So, not only did I need to be on time for myself and the students who expected me, I was under pressure to get my own kids to school on time.
There's this long mountain grade between my house and the school, and well, it's just super easy to speed, even when I'm not in a hurry.
But today I was in a hurry and frustrated because my kids didn't follow all the steps I barked out from my bathroom to keep them on track for getting out the door on time and THEY made us late.
So of course, I took all my anger out on them: which basically means I was speeding as a passive aggressive way to show that their insubordination pissed me off. They didn't even notice. They just ignored my dramatic efforts in favor of playing with their new DS-i.
So, when I saw the cop in my rear view window, my kids were done for. I blamed everything on them. It was awful. All I accomplished was to make a bad situation worse, and now all of us have a ruined day.
I feel like throwing up. I need to turn around. I need God today.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Hey, Perez Hilton...
...did you really think it was 'anti' gay, Perez?
It wasn't about gay marriage! The importance of her answer - that you TOTALLY missed - was her ability to stand up for what she believes. Even YOU should be a fan of THAT!
It wasn't about gay marriage! The importance of her answer - that you TOTALLY missed - was her ability to stand up for what she believes. Even YOU should be a fan of THAT!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Submission is an Invitation to Leadership?
Why would anyone want to be submissive? When I think of submission, it’s always associated with tyranny or oppression. I can’t think of it without thinking of its antithetical counterparts of oppression, tyranny, overpowering; all very aggressive and negative when compared to the feeble, weak, beaten, oppressed, enslaved, and the indentured nature of being submissive. That dysfunctional submission/oppression axis is just about the only one with which our culture is concerned, or of which we continue to perpetuate.
What is submission’s relationship with leadership? Think about it. Whenever you give in to someone, what does the action enable that person to do? It can be to take over, take advantage of, or take charge. But it can also be to take the lead.
Intentionally giving in paves the way for the other person to step up. If you can identify when a person is ready to take on a particular responsibility, and you step back and support their efforts, aren’t you allowing them to lead and succeed? Don’t you do it in your relationships? Wives, you know all those times when we bite our tongues, because we have learned when to keep our mouths closed? That is a signal that we are identifying moments to give our husbands an invitation to be leaders. Even though we know he may not succeed, he may be lost for hours and never ask directions…but in that moment, we give him the opportunity to lead. This applies to everybody. It is not just husbands and wives. Anybody in a committed relationship; whether it be gay, straight, Christian, non, business, or personal – you will be faced with the choice of stepping back in order to serve or preserve either the relationship or a common goal.
The best performance I ever got out of a team of retail sales people was when I took the role of serving them rather than directing them. We all had a common dollar goal. Rather than telling them what to do, or beat them up when they didn’t hit their numbers, I simply began doing everything I could to support their efforts to sell: restocking shelves, arranging breaks according to traffic flow, keeping their cash drawer full of change, bags and wrapping material stocked, keeping snacks in the office, being a good listener, and then finally giving them all the credit when the goal was achieved. I realized by stepping back and serving them, they would shine. And they did.
When Jesus washed his disciples' feet, they were totally confused and uncomfortable. Here was their teacher, their Rabbi kneeling down and doing the work of a servant. But he knew they had to step up and take the lead. He had to give them a demonstrative of role change. Cleaning the feet of all the disciples was his symbolic way of submitting to their potential leadership. He was passing the baton, as well as showing them how a good leader is actually a great servant.
So, why would anyone want to not only be submissive but look for ways to allow for someone’s leadership? It is beyond powerful. Because it’s wise. Are you tracking?
"Submission is an Invitation to Leadership" is a statement I heard from Andy Stanley. Thank God for blessing him and North Point Community Church for the inspiration and spiritual growth of others. If you ever have the opportunity, go see Andy speak, or podcast (see below right of screen). It's so worth it.
What is submission’s relationship with leadership? Think about it. Whenever you give in to someone, what does the action enable that person to do? It can be to take over, take advantage of, or take charge. But it can also be to take the lead.
Intentionally giving in paves the way for the other person to step up. If you can identify when a person is ready to take on a particular responsibility, and you step back and support their efforts, aren’t you allowing them to lead and succeed? Don’t you do it in your relationships? Wives, you know all those times when we bite our tongues, because we have learned when to keep our mouths closed? That is a signal that we are identifying moments to give our husbands an invitation to be leaders. Even though we know he may not succeed, he may be lost for hours and never ask directions…but in that moment, we give him the opportunity to lead. This applies to everybody. It is not just husbands and wives. Anybody in a committed relationship; whether it be gay, straight, Christian, non, business, or personal – you will be faced with the choice of stepping back in order to serve or preserve either the relationship or a common goal.
The best performance I ever got out of a team of retail sales people was when I took the role of serving them rather than directing them. We all had a common dollar goal. Rather than telling them what to do, or beat them up when they didn’t hit their numbers, I simply began doing everything I could to support their efforts to sell: restocking shelves, arranging breaks according to traffic flow, keeping their cash drawer full of change, bags and wrapping material stocked, keeping snacks in the office, being a good listener, and then finally giving them all the credit when the goal was achieved. I realized by stepping back and serving them, they would shine. And they did.
When Jesus washed his disciples' feet, they were totally confused and uncomfortable. Here was their teacher, their Rabbi kneeling down and doing the work of a servant. But he knew they had to step up and take the lead. He had to give them a demonstrative of role change. Cleaning the feet of all the disciples was his symbolic way of submitting to their potential leadership. He was passing the baton, as well as showing them how a good leader is actually a great servant.
So, why would anyone want to not only be submissive but look for ways to allow for someone’s leadership? It is beyond powerful. Because it’s wise. Are you tracking?
"Submission is an Invitation to Leadership" is a statement I heard from Andy Stanley. Thank God for blessing him and North Point Community Church for the inspiration and spiritual growth of others. If you ever have the opportunity, go see Andy speak, or podcast (see below right of screen). It's so worth it.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Maundy Thursday
You know what I did today? I washed my kids' shoes. First thing this morning. In the kitchen. At the table. Under the eggs, coffee, strawberries, and oatmeal. With the cat staring at me. It wasn't even their actual feet - because their feet were in the shoes. But regardless, just the symbolic nature of washing their feet, being at their feet, serving them. Wow.
Where’s God in the Financial Crisis?
Why do mean people prosper?
Why do people of no faith live in such ease?
Why are the banking CEO’s and Wall Street suits making off like bandits with all our money? Where’s God in that?
Where’s God when so many people are facing financial ruin? By the time we all realize that we have sold our kids to the government, the greed of Wall Street will be forgotten. All the money we have loaned the banking system will be a burden to our kids and grand kids…while all of our retirements will have evaporated into thin air. We have indentured our kids to pay it all back.
If I can ever find a 'real' job (as my husband puts it) that pays anything worth while, I still won’t be able to retire until at least the age of 75. We are all going to be holding a big bag of s - - t for a long time. It’s not fair for sure. But who ever said life was fair?
Thank God – thank you God – that Jeremiah asked the same questions so long ago; and thank you for your answer. Look at Jeremiah 12. These exact questions are asked flat out. And the answer is a fresh re-framing of the mind. I think of my husband a lot when I read this section – and I read it over and over. Open your Bible now and find it.
My husband is under so much pressure as the sole provider of our household…it’s crazy. And now with the financial crisis adversely affecting our only hope of a comfortable retirement, he is really worried…because he thinks he alone carries the burden.
If you have little faith, guess what? It's matched with little hope. I believe, and Jeremiah confirms, that faith will bring us through this valley…we are not here to stay…and if we trust God …he will walk us through it. Got your Bible? Here it is:
In Jeremiah, God says, “if you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country how will you manage in the thickets? Your brothers, your own family even they have betrayed you, raising a loud cry against you. Do not trust them though they speak well of you.”
I know what you're thinking: "She is so off. What on earth does that have to do with my lay off!" What has that to do with the darn financial crisis?"
What God is saying is that in your profession you will compete, but don’t measure yourself against your competition, your peers - -set your sights higher. In your own personal growth, you will make mistakes, but don’t let them (your mistakes) defeat you. Rather, prepare for tougher obstacles, greater temptations.
And in your own family, you will be betrayed and rejected, so don’t fall into a trap of kindness. Be a guard of your trust. God goes on to say, "I will send the ones I love into the hands of their enemies." If your enemy is poverty...guess what? God might love you a lot!
Hardship is a loving act to strengthen you. Again: hardship is a loving act to strengthen your relationship with God. It is not an act of punishment or a sign of God ignoring you. He creates the enemy but he doesn't authorize bad things that come from the enemy, any more than you authorize any of the bad decisions your kids make (even though you created them).
The chapter of Jeremiah is all about being broken and rebuilt. If we can focus on God, ask Him to walk us through this valley of financial devastation, we will be strengthened by it and not defeated. He will take care of us through it.
All of us in the whole country are going through this…but not everyone will come out.
Why do people of no faith live in such ease?
Why are the banking CEO’s and Wall Street suits making off like bandits with all our money? Where’s God in that?
Where’s God when so many people are facing financial ruin? By the time we all realize that we have sold our kids to the government, the greed of Wall Street will be forgotten. All the money we have loaned the banking system will be a burden to our kids and grand kids…while all of our retirements will have evaporated into thin air. We have indentured our kids to pay it all back.
If I can ever find a 'real' job (as my husband puts it) that pays anything worth while, I still won’t be able to retire until at least the age of 75. We are all going to be holding a big bag of s - - t for a long time. It’s not fair for sure. But who ever said life was fair?
Thank God – thank you God – that Jeremiah asked the same questions so long ago; and thank you for your answer. Look at Jeremiah 12. These exact questions are asked flat out. And the answer is a fresh re-framing of the mind. I think of my husband a lot when I read this section – and I read it over and over. Open your Bible now and find it.
My husband is under so much pressure as the sole provider of our household…it’s crazy. And now with the financial crisis adversely affecting our only hope of a comfortable retirement, he is really worried…because he thinks he alone carries the burden.
If you have little faith, guess what? It's matched with little hope. I believe, and Jeremiah confirms, that faith will bring us through this valley…we are not here to stay…and if we trust God …he will walk us through it. Got your Bible? Here it is:
In Jeremiah, God says, “if you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country how will you manage in the thickets? Your brothers, your own family even they have betrayed you, raising a loud cry against you. Do not trust them though they speak well of you.”
I know what you're thinking: "She is so off. What on earth does that have to do with my lay off!" What has that to do with the darn financial crisis?"
What God is saying is that in your profession you will compete, but don’t measure yourself against your competition, your peers - -set your sights higher. In your own personal growth, you will make mistakes, but don’t let them (your mistakes) defeat you. Rather, prepare for tougher obstacles, greater temptations.
And in your own family, you will be betrayed and rejected, so don’t fall into a trap of kindness. Be a guard of your trust. God goes on to say, "I will send the ones I love into the hands of their enemies." If your enemy is poverty...guess what? God might love you a lot!
Hardship is a loving act to strengthen you. Again: hardship is a loving act to strengthen your relationship with God. It is not an act of punishment or a sign of God ignoring you. He creates the enemy but he doesn't authorize bad things that come from the enemy, any more than you authorize any of the bad decisions your kids make (even though you created them).
The chapter of Jeremiah is all about being broken and rebuilt. If we can focus on God, ask Him to walk us through this valley of financial devastation, we will be strengthened by it and not defeated. He will take care of us through it.
All of us in the whole country are going through this…but not everyone will come out.
Maundy Thursday
You know what I did today? I washed my kids' shoes. First thing this morning. In the kitchen. At the table. Under the eggs, coffee, strawberries, and oatmeal. With the cat staring at me. It wasn't even their actual feet. But regardless, just the representative nature of washing their feet, being at their feet, serving them. Wow.
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