#FF: Follow If You Dare

Horseshoe Canyon, Drumheller, Alberta

In the magical "Land of Twitter" it is Follow Friday.
A day where you recommend  @soandso or #shessogr8.

It kind of reminds me of a school yard where you stand on the sidelines and try to look nonchalant as you dig your toes in the sand, twirl your pigtail and try not to look desperate.

Who wants to be the last picked?
What if they want even teams and I'm the odd girl out?
Who has the power, and have I done anything to make them choose someone else over me?

I think one of the greatest fears we have during our life span is that of feeling invisible.
We fear that our significance, accomplishments or our impact is not worth mentioning.

Have you ever felt like shouting:

Does anybody see me? Is anybody listening? Do I make a difference?

I've been asked the question a few times in my life:
Are you a leader or a follower?
Everybody knows the only answer to give is : Leader {duh}
It seemed to me that in this context, follower always meant..easily led, no initiative, lacking something.

I disagree:  I am both follower and leader.
You are both.
We all follow. We all lead.
Whether we admit it or not.
We are influenced, and we influence.

For me personally, both characteristics revolve around one person:  Jesus Christ.
 He, by far, has the most Klout in my life. His reach and influence stretches into eternity.


Back when I was a young child, I made a commitment to follow Jesus.
My mother led me straight into his loving arms and I have never been the same !
It is a decision I have never regretted.
I have never 'un-followed' and he's never left or forsaken me.
The greatest attribute in my life is His grace, which is an extension of His love, and that love never fails.

As I matured and gained confidence and skills, I became a leader.
Second only to following Jesus, the most significant role I will ever have is one that leads others to follow Him as well.

So today...my #FF recommendation is @JesusChrist :
Once you decide to follow him I know you'll never regret it!

RT #FF @JesusChrist {i heart jesus}#John316

Follow if you dare!

{P.S : There are loads of lovely bloggers out there who are encouraging and who also follow Jesus.
I know because I have clicked the follow button on your page. (grin). If you are one of those visiting here today drop me a comment. I always love hearing your heart and seeing the love of God poured out to you and through you. If you are new here leave your blog addy and I will hop over and visit!}

A Legacy: A Lasting Impression

Dawn~ Lochaber, Nova Scotia  Photo: Tracy Auton Stuit

In those last moments between sleep and awake this morning, I felt my conscious thoughts turn from pain to Jesus.

It was like there was a switch in my brain that redirected my thinking.

I woke, shifting my body into a more comfortable position, only to find that there was none.

Words tumbled through my mind and I swung my legs over the side of the bed, wincing as I stood.

My destination? My ancient laptop { an old mac~ powerBook G4}.

{I can hear you laughing from here, but let me tell you something: It has a keyboard, it connects to the internet and it fits within my budget. It owes me nothing, which is the sum total of our finances at the moment since I haven't been working for almost a year. }

Pain has been a constant companion for a while now. The ability to stand on my own is not something I take for granted. It is not a given.

Every day is a different story. The results of my attempts sometimes end up with me on my knees in strange places like the bathroom floor, the middle step or halfway to my desk chair. I sometimes find myself frozen between my place of origin and my destination unable to take another step.

This is my life.

We live in a world maniacally focused on diminishing our impact on the environment.
This impression is described as a footprint.
For all intents and purposes we are all supposed to leave a smaller one.
An admirable goal on a waste/recycling/polluting scale.

We also live in a world where making a lasting impression is something to be sought after.

Society tells us that it is important to leave a legacy. We esteem visionaries like Steve Jobs.
We extol celebrities/musicians like Michael Jackson. There are countless others we could name.

 Pain woke me up this morning, but within moments the focus shifted and a whisper blew across my soul. A name formed upon my lips:  Jesus, and there in the midst of the pain, peace ruled.

This was a classic re-direct.

My body sent instructions to go to a certain place but a switch was flipped and deep within me in a place only God himself knows, a place where He alone has access and is at work....something life altering occurred.

I am filled with wonder. I worship. I lie here and in the darkest reaches of the night and I begin to understand in some small way: that every time my soul reaches for him, he is already there.  

Pain shrouds. Disappointment blurs. Anger distorts. Bitterness erodes.

Jesus comforts. Jesus heals. Jesus restores. Jesus forgives. Jesus loves.

Jesus left a HUGE global footprint.

We were all born into iniquity, the bible says.
The bible also says that before the world was formed He knew us.

The first impression is always the strongest. I was His first.

As I write I feel compelled to disclose the legacy I want to leave:

• When someone begins to talk about me I want the conversation to turn to Jesus.

• When my name is spoken, I want the frame of reference to be His work, His character, His promises, His impact.

• When I breathe my last breath I hope and pray that the footprints He left in my life are HUGE!

I want everyone to be redirected.
Nothing to see here folks.
Let me direct your attention to: Jesus

In a society that fears invisibility.
In a society that worships fame.
In a society consumed with self promotion....

Jesus calls us to another way.

In the gospel of John we are told that God loves each of us  as much as he loves his son.
{grab a bible check it out!}
Jesus said: if you have seen me, you have seen the Father.
{those words got him killed}

That is my prayer.
That is the impression I want to leave on this planet.
That is a footprint of global proportions, with eternal ramifications.

What has left indelible footprints on your landscape lately?

What type of impression are you leaving in the lives you come in contact with?

What do you want your legacy to be?

Drop me a note in the comments...I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Unto the King

Now unto the King eternal

Unto the King immortal

Unto the King invisible

The only wise God

The only wise God

Unto the King be glory and honour

Unto the King forever

Unto the King be honour and glory forever

And forever amen, amen.

~~lyrics by : Joey Holder~~

"Of every religion I've studied, 
only Jesus-fully God, abandoned his glory,

to suffer and serve the very creation he made. 

Then to die as a sacrifice for us, 
that we may rule in Glory with him. 

Show me any other 'god' who's done this..." 

~~Hanz Jorgensen~~

 

"Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, 
of infinite importance. 

The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." 

~~C.S. Lewis~~ 

Some days I realize it's already been said...and can't be said better.

Calling out to Him today because He is everything I need.

Worshiping Him today because there is no other worthy. 

"When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
What is man that you are mindful of him...
the son of man that you care for him?"

~~ Psalm 8:3-4 ~~

All praise and honor are yours, oh Lord my God.

I am in love....with you!

Hide & Seek

 

Everybody  knows this verse.

{And I mean EVERYBODY}

Jesus said:

 Ask.

Seek.

Knock.

{ The answer is yes, yes and yes}

but... B.U.T.....

Did you ever feel like 

it's all a game of hide & seek:

and God wins?

It's like when I am hiding out, trying to get away with something...

...ignoring my conscience, pretending I am ok, 

or just living my life, my way:

He finds me.Every time.

Then when I want Him for something.

I go asking.

I go seeking.

I go knocking.

{ It's worse than that book "Where's Waldo" !! }

 

"Where are you when I need you God ?"

 

I thought you promised:

1. It will be given.

2. You shall find. 

3. It shall be opened.

Sounds good to me.

 

Let's get real for a minute:

If we are honest... when we are asking...

seeking and knocking...

we are usually wanting something from him.....

 ....not wanting God himself...

We have a crisis.

We need.

We expect.

Now.

My relationships wouldn't last long if I treated people like I treat God.

 

We treat God like he is a vending machine. 

{ we even yell and kick at him when he doesn't deliver}

 

The issue is not simply..asking, seeking and knocking...

 

My heart knows this.

I know it's really about:

Who I'm seeking

What I am asking for...

What's behind the door I am knocking on...

It's all about Jesus.

 

When do we begin to seek..

and seek with all our hearts and keep on seeking...Him ?

When do we begin to ask...

and ask with all our hearts and keep on asking for Him?

When do we begin to knock...

and keep on knocking on the door He wants to open?

To know Him is to love Him.

and

We love Him because He FIRST loved us.

 

When I want him...more than anything..

My asking changes

My seeking changes.

My knocking changes.

When we inquire after God about everything...

{ He is interested in it all !!} 

 

When I love...with all my heart, my mind and strength...

Then I seek Him .

I ask for Him.

I want Him.

then

He will answer.

He will give.

He will open.

That's just who He is!

He wants to be found.

Game over.

Nothing...but...

I got a call from a friend yesterday who is recovering from major surgery.
Somewhere in our conversation we began discussing a common experience we faced regarding fear, death and an awareness of the fragility of life....thoughts we wrestled with in the dark hours of the night.
It started me thinking...
Finding myself at middle age has come as quite a shock.
I didn't anticipate this stage...and all it's attendant issues.
The looking back.
The straining forward.
The sobering realization that some never get this far.
The hopeful realization that others...make it twice as far.

And here I am.

What I find fascinating at this point on the calendar is my relationships.
Actually...to clarify...the fascinating thing is my PERCEPTION of those relationships.
Relationship.
Relating.
Relate.
There are so many defining parameters.
So many frames of reference.
I am daughter,grand-daughter,sister, cousin, niece..
I am friend, wife, mother....
I am daughter-in-law, sister-in-law...
I am neighbor, employee, co-worker...
I am member, mentor, teacher...
I am patient, client, confidante...
I am Canadian...
I am many things.
I am created. I am redeemed. I am follower. I am beloved.

I am finding, surprisingly...more and more that the common ground I want with those I am close to is Jesus.
In a world fixated on opinion and position and talking heads looking for commonalities and majoring in differences...
A world full of polarities....
Contrasting views and discrimination...
People shouting ...their versions of right and wrong...and demanding sides be taken...
Opinion polls.
Top Chef.
American Idol.
The View.
The Voice.
I begin to question...how I see my friendships, my familial relationships...
For those who are of the Faith...Followers of Jesus...
...blood is not enough....
...compatible personalities are not enough...
Love of fashion, TV shows...movies...extracurricular activities...these are not what should define us..
Group us.
These things cannot and do not satisfy us and they are definitely not : "The tie that binds... "
These are transient.
Temporal.
Ever Shifting.
Always Changing.
They won't make it through the fire.
There is only one thing left.
Holy Ground.
The Ultimate Common Ground.
The foundation. The cornorstone.
Unshaken. Unmovable.

Jesus

Paul said it...

"For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you 

except Jesus Christ and him crucified."

~~1 Corinthians 2 :2, NIV~~

Life is short.
Our time together uncertain.
What do we do with what we are given?
What really matters?
What do we offer?
What do we lay hold of?
What remains?
What do we really know?
Do we pray?
Do we revel in the Word of God?
Do we seek him together?
Glorify Him together?
Or is that only in rows on Sunday?
Or Home Group?

Ask yourself this about your relationships:

How often do you tilt your head back in joy, laugh and talk together

in sheer wonder at the whole of creation and your part in it?

Can you discuss the words and works of Jesus for hours

like you do reviewing the latest blockbuster?

...or that pair of boots you saw in the mall?

...or your vacation ?

...your newest and coolest gadget?

I am not saying those topics are wrong..but as time flies by and my grandfather's generation are passing on, I find myself looking at what defines me...questioning my priorities...cataloging my conversations...
Am I burning from within?
A living flame?
Sure.
Defined.
Is it Christ alone that holds us together?
Is He the centerpiece?
The unqualified core....is this what is known of me?
Is my passion..His passion?
Can I say...
I seek to know ..
Nothing... but...
I want to...
And that's a start....

Fixing My Eyes...

I am taken over.
After 43 years of walking the planet:
...of simply existing....
breathing, eating, sleeping...running, walking, playing...learning...working...
I can say....I fall asleep and He is there...my last thought.
I wake up surrounded by His presence...a new day because He wills.
This is not a feeling.
Is is a knowing.
What amazes me is the awareness that : There is NOTHING else.
Everything I gaze upon is defined by Him.
Designed.Held.Purposed.Retained.Sustained.
By Him.

"Whom have I in heaven but you?

And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever."

~~Psalm 73:25-26~~

This life is His pen to paper.
His brush to canvas.
His chisel to stone.
Like the words of the song: This is the air I breathe...your very word: spoken to me.

"The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,

the world, and all who live in it;

for he founded it upon the seas

and established it upon the waters."

~~Psalm 24:1-2 ~~

I stumbled across a blog written by a Father Stephen and found this quote:

I think evil is always small, and that good is infinite. Evil closes itself to God and thus becomes even smaller; Good opens itself to God and thus becomes infinite. Evil cannot become so large as to fill even the universe. God became so small that He could fill Hell and then burst it asunder because it could not contain Him. Every good deed will have eternal remembrance, but even the largest deeds of the evil will be forgotten.

He fills all.

Truth fills all.

Love fills all.

Nothing else remains.

Nothing else is really real.

He is the story.

Good swallows evil.

Life conquers death.

Lately I have felt like a tuning fork..vibrating...resonating...

I fell on the Rock...Christ Jesus...and have been broken wide open...

But the music...the sound ..the beauty of His character..His nature...His ever-present-ness..

Has rocked my world.

It is like the word is ALIVE to me...every word filled with portentous weight.

I have been awakened....when I didn't even know I was asleep.

I am beginning to see what David meant when he penned Psalm 119

Distilled down: He loved God's word/his laws/his commands: more than life itself.

It is like he knew: there is NO life without God's word.

He was fixated.Obsessed.Consumed.

His bones groaned with the knowledge.

The truth: God's words are LIFE.

What God has to say on a minute by minute basis: matters !

MATTERS.

He is the living word.

 So when I fix my eye on Jesus....

When I allow the Holy Spirit to dominate the landscape of my mind, my thoughts, my beliefs and then my actions.... I walk in truth.

All else is a lie.

There is NOTHING...beside Him.

As I am waking up to this truth..It is like I have become a living flame:

Burning.

This is my reason for being: To know him

This knowing is such a gift...a working of His Holy Spirit.

This knowledge changes my living.

It changes everything.

The story....my story....

I am NOT the main character....HE IS.

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, 

but on what is unseen.

For what is seen is temporary, 

but what is unseen is eternal."

~~ 2 Corinthians 4:18 ~~

This FIXING of my eyes...has become such an integral truth in my life.

What does it mean ...how can I ...how does this change my days?

 My heart pounds as I write this...I know the truth of this..I have experienced this first hand...

..but I am so humbly aware that it is NOT my doing... it is the work of the Spirit ..

He reveals Jesus...He explains the mystery...HE draws us forth into the light..

But oh... the wonder...the transcendence... of surrender.

I want Him.

Desire.

All Consuming Desire.

I know it...every cell of my body knows it.

This broken body. This feeble mind. This breathing dust bag.

Knows it's maker for what He is: EVERYTHING.

He has FIXED my EYES....so I can FIX my EYES....

And so today I say with Paul:

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart 

may be enlightened 

in order that you may know the hope 

to which he has called you, 

the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."

~~ Ephesians 1:18 ~~

Jesus....author, finisher...of my faith...

He is my inheritance...

He is everything.

All I see.

What I Have or Haven't Done....

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply,

‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

“He will reply,

 ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

~ Jesus ~  Matthew 25: 35-45

I read this.

Over and over and over again.

I am struck silent.

My heart burns.

My mind ...reasons.

But there is no out.

No back door out of this one.

Truth?

God loved.

He gave.

Jesus came to serve not to be served.

And me?

I marvel. At mercy.

At the patience of a God. A Savior.

With me.

Follower.

Friend of God.

Clay.

Who tells the potter, just how it's going to be today.

My audacity frightens me.

My heart weeps and humbled I bow down.

I need my eyes washed.

I imagine Christ, stooping to dig in the dirt, spitting and applying the mud to my eyes.

I am the blind beggar.

Cause me to see.

Give me sight.

I need the miracle.

It is LOVE that drives me today.

To joyously anticipate serving.

Seeing what is in front of me.

Doing the work of my Father.

Moved with compassion.

Laying aside my comfort.

My status. 

MY  LIFE.

To move beyond looking to really seeing.

Not passive but active.

I used to think that the least of these were somewhere other than where I was and I had to go looking. 

The truth is much simpler.

The least of these are right in front of you.

Those who have need.

Emotionally.

Physically.

Spiritually.

Someone NOT me.

Someone who has nothing to give in return for the gift I have to give.

No payback.

No return on investment.

No accolades.

No glory.

Sometimes even seemingly undeserving.

Possibly an enemy.

What I have come to realize is the severity of the cost.

It costs everything.

According to Jesus:

My fate is decided by what I have or haven't done unto the least of these.

Because this is where faith in Christ is manifested.

This is where it is lived out.

The proof is in the life.

The heart....it is searched and known...

Light of the World

Salt of the Earth.

Us.

Really?
A servant is no greater than his master.

Who am I that I should elevate myself in such a way?

To distance myself from the:

Unwashed.

Uneducated.

Uncouth.

Ungodly.

Unregenerated.

Unappreciative.

Ungrateful.

???

I am to be like my Master.

LOVE.

Seeks not it's own.

Today:

I want to do what I see my Father doing.

I have to look. I have to see.

Active Faith.

Active Hope.

Active Love.

Because, I AM his.

He is the shepherd.

I am his sheep.

Where He leads, I will follow.

I will do EVERYTHING as unto the Lord.

So..help...me...God.

Obsessed

Obsess.
Obsessive.
Obsessed.

“To have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic.”

“To have the mind excessively preoccupied 

with a single emotion or topic.”

“To have the mind 

excessively preoccupied 

with a single emotion or topic.”

Not a word I am used to applying in a positive frame.

Used sporadically throughout my life to point out inappropriate amounts of time
spent by others on things unapproved by yours truly.


" You're so obsessed with that_____________"

Fill in the blank.
Mood and voice tone and facial expression choices available:

1. Sharp, biting and superior
2. Low, muttering and self-pitying
3. Loud, criticizing and stormy
4. Tearful,reproachful and abject
5. Threatening, last-chance,ultimatum

The list is endless.
I'm sure there are others.
Feel free to insert your own mood, tone and facial expression as best befits your circumstances.

Today I discovered ( yes I am that slow) that there are only two obsession options on the planet.
They relate to everyone breathing.
No exceptions.

Option # 1:

G O D

Option # 2:

me

C R A Z Y

I know what a life obsessed with myself looks like.
I.KNOW.

I am presently embarking on a journey of developing, and living...acting upon...practicing...
moment by moment...step by tortuous step...  step by gloriously, liberating step....
 a magnificent obsession with Jesus.

Which means in layman's terms...

SOMETHINGS GOTTA GIVE

that something is me.

I want to live like there's no room for anything else. 


His name.
His fame.
His glory.
His reward.

Our God...is a consuming fire...
He reigns in all the earth.
~~Hebrews 12:29~~

I step out upon the path...I need no tunic...no purse...
No safety net.
He will supply and satisfy.
This is the air I breathe.
Come on....

Just.
Start.
Walking.

FOLLOW ME.... (or not)

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
Matthew 4:19 NIV

In this crazy world of cyberspace we are obsessed with the concept of "following".

friends.....facebook.com
followers....twitter.com
more followers...blogspot...wordpress....
myspace.com.....
yourspace.org...

anyspace.
allspace.
everyspace.

It is the definitive characteristic of success.

How many followers do you have?
She has so many followers ..she must be good..really good...
How do I get that many followers...
Maybe if I follow who she follows..others will see me and follow me too cause she's so great...
I wanna be great like that...
I am great like that..
If only people knew how great I am..
I need to let them know...

Follow. Click.
Join.Click.
Friend.Click.

WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP.
 (excuse my ...ummm)

It is viral.
We are infected.

It is an epidemic of mass proportions.
You could say it has reached the pandemic stage.

A person is now measured by the amount of followers they have.
By the amount of views.hits.visits.
Tweets.
Re-tweets
#FF

popularity.
word of mouth.
referrals.
recommendations.

Is anyone else scared like I am?

It is a lie.

Deception.

I have a question,

Does your neighbor know you?
Have they been to dinner?
Have they seen how you live?
How is your face to face time with the people on your street?
Not your church.
Your street.
Your neighborhood.

Not "hi " as you go out your garage door through your open window of your SUV.
Or " hello, how are you, "..as you pass each other in the local Sobey's or Whole Foods.

How about in your own house?
Do they get your heart as much as your blog followers do?????
Or are they interfering with the beauty of your alternate reality?

Here's another question.

If you are following 150 blogs.
A couple hundred tweeters.
Writing your own blog.
Following the news.
Watching videos on youtube.
Tweeting for hours.
Meeting up for cybercafe.
Facebooking.
Moderating.

Who are you really following?

Have you ever thought that the online persona of an individual is virtually unable to be confirmed ?

We can say what we want.
Be who we want.
Portray what we want.
Sell what we want.
Market ourselves.
Package ourselves.
Insulate ourselves.
Lose ourselves.
Deceive ourselves.
..and everyone else....

"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"

Mark 8:36

Now I know this verse can be used in the area of possessions/wealth etc....but lately it seems to be burning up all the waste in my soul, with regards to this online life.
We have the world at our finger tips...or so it seems.

Thousands of followers just waiting to be had.

We crave recognition.
Approval.
Validation.
Praise.
And we are pursuing it...with all our might!

We sell it under the banner of sharing the truth...
Encouraging others...

But we own it.
It's ours.
We package it up and sell it like we came up with it.
 Don't forget to link back to me.
Give me the credit.
follow me.
Follow Me.
FOLLOW ME.

I am dying here.
Shaking in my boots.
Crying out .

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

Proverbs 9:10

How then should we live?
How then should I live ?

I am working on it.

But I know today who I follow.
And the way He walks is very narrow.
I chose Him because He first chose me.
He is getting the most of my time.
He gets my full attention.
He is the filter through which everything else flows.
He fills my mind as I do the rest of my living in my 24 hr day.
The next largest chunk goes to those within the range of my eyes and the reach of my hands.

I read everything I write to my guys.
I pour out my heart and share it first with them.
They get my best.
Most often.
Precious fertile fields of the Lord they are.
Cultivated. Watered. Weeded. Guarded.
If you read my blog...it's all good.
You can follow or not as your heart leads.
I write because I am compelled...
It's how my brain works.
Take what you need.
Leave the rest.
Live your life.....grow at your own pace...in your own space.
Illuminate.

Great is the Lord...and Holy is His name.
I will bloom in the real world.
On the ground where my foot treads.
I will shine with His light.
In front of the people who are present....
...the ones in front of me...around me on all sides.
I will give an accounting for their lives...gifts from God....
Treasured Responsibilities.

Word of God speak....wash our eyes to see....