A Reluctant Worshipper

The other day I stopped to do something I assumed I had been doing for years.  The idea came from a school assignment in which we were asked to offer up a prayer to God.  In the assignment we were encouraged to only speak of our love for God, to avoid bringing up any requests or concerns…just love and praise (Remember, this was just an experiment, Phil. 4 is clear about bringing our requests to God.)  Since this was an experiment, I thought, surely it will be an easy assignment.  

 I was surprised to find it difficult to express any love for God that didn’t feel contrived.  I tried talking to Him from several points of view, but no luck.  It was easy to come with my requests or frustrations, and of course my heart was all in it!  But that was NOT the assignment.  SO...Setting those things aside, while I could profess a contrived love for Him, my heart could not engage it.  Telling God sincerely that I loved Him was just plain hard.   But why? This is a God I KNEW to be so incredibly loving? One thing became glaringly obvious.  While we can use will power to DO something, it’s impossible to will ourselves to FEEL something, and I knew God was reading right through me; which made the whole thing seem all the more insincere.   

After giving the matter some thought, I had to admit that part of me had become unfamiliar with God’s love and I didn’t trust it.  I have been busy doing so many things, that I hadn’t made much time for God and I fell out of a routine of meditating on His love.  When we fall out of a routine of meditating on the love of God we forget that He is good.  As the old hymn says, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it!  Prone the leave the God I love.”  

So as I tried to confess love for God, another part of me was at the ready, cancelling  out the confession with a quick rebuttal.  It was a real Jekyll and Hyde experience which went something like this:

“The train of your robe, Lord, fills the temple with glory.” I professed out of one side of my mouth.

Then from the other side came, “Really? I’ve grown weary of waiting on you, Lord.  If you are really GOD, then can you not make SOMETHING go right? I’m tired of empty promises.”  

And back and forth it would go.  Clearly I needed a reminder of what His love actually looked like, so I went to scripture (Ps 36:5-9).

Living Translation : “Your steadfast love, O Lord, is as great as all the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your justice is as solid as God’s mountains. Your decisions are as full of wisdom as the oceans are with water. You are concerned for men and animals alike. How precious is your constant love, O God! All humanity takes refuge in the shadow of your wings. You feed them with blessings from your own table and let them drink from your rivers of delight.  For you are the Fountain of life; our light is from your light.”

The Message:

God’s love is meteoric,
    his loyalty astronomic,
His purpose titanic,
    his verdicts oceanic.
Yet in his largeness
    nothing gets lost;
Not a man, not a mouse,
    slips through the cracks.

^7-9 How exquisite your love, O God!
    How eager we are to run under your wings,
To eat our fill at the banquet you spread
    as you fill our tankards with Eden spring water.
You’re a fountain of cascading light,
    and you open our eyes to light.

As surprised as I was to find it difficult to express love to God in the beginning, I was equally, if not more surprised to find how the Living Word (the Bible) could reveal to this weary child the Living Word (His presence).  As I John says, We love because He first loved us. God’s Spirit used The Word to unlock my heart, which had become closed off and shut tight to His love.  Rather than cynical Jekyll and Hyde banter, I found myself in a much more life-giving conversation.  One that could genuinely express LOVE.

“’In His largeness nothing gets lost.’ – Nothing God? Are you sure?  Oh Hallelujah! Nothing is lost!  Not these years of ministry, not my son as he’s away at school, Not …(so many things!)  Nothing slips through the cracks -  Hallelujah you are attentive to it all!

Your wings God?  Are they indeed so big that we run under them like children playing freely on your beautiful playground? 

On and on it went for a while as I decompressed all that had been stored up.  He, as the fountain of cascading light, ushered me out of the dark and began to open my eyes to light.

It was a good assignment.  One I think I might just go back to once-in-a-while.

Faith-Borrowing

Yesterday I was on a walk and noticed a park with newly planted trees; each with their own set of stakes to keep them growing straight until they are rooted enough on their own to weather wind and rain...It reminded of me of a time several years ago when one of our kids encountered their own type of storm and reached a point where their circumstances collided with their faith.  Up until then, everything about God seemed to coincide with their experiences.  And really, their circumstances had not yet been out of their control; which meant, “I make a good choice and good comes of it.  I make a bad choice and bad comes of it.”  This was one of those seasons where making a seemingly good choice brought unexpected pain and disappointment and their faith needed stakes.

I remember walking with my child on the beach as they poured out their heart with little reserve or consolation.  It takes so few words for a parent to discern the meaning behind their child’s eyes, or understand the phrase that silently follows their sigh. 

 
At the end of our walk I said, “I know this is painful.  And I also know there is nothing I can do to fix it.  I know suggesting it will all work out for the good is useless right now - even though it’s true. But your dad and I have lived many more years than you and it has given us the chance to see God work.  We have more stories to look back upon and recall His faithfulness, even when God did not seem faithful at the time.  You are just beginning that journey.  Don't spend your energies conjuring up faith for stories that have yet to be told.   Rest in ours while God builds them in you.  I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to loan you my faith. Where you have none right now, borrow mine.  You can use as much as you want and claim it as your own until you have what you need.  It’s OK if you don’t or can’t believe God right now. I will believe on your behalf.  I will hold your story present before God, believing for you.  Borrow my stories until you have your own.  Borrow my faith until you find yours.”

Up until that night with my child I had not considered lending my faith to someone.  This was one of those moments when God showed up and dispensed His wisdom when I had none.  Since then, however, I've given the idea considerable thought.  Can someone actually borrow another’s faith?  Or was it just a lapse in judgment that caused me to say those words to my child? 

I recall a more personal experience when I struggled deeply over  something.  A friend came by and simply shared how she too had a similar struggle and it would pass -The days would get better.  Oh how I hung on those words. I didn't have the capacity to see beyond the immediate, but she could.

Faith Borrowing….

Here’s what Roman’s 8 has to say…”Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our [ expectant,wearied and waiting] condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."

In the way I offered my child my faith back then, and the way I borrowed my friends, God offers to His children something similar.   We can go limp and rest in His stories.  We can sigh and trust that the Holy Spirit will translate our breath into meaningful words before the Father.   We can borrow His stories in others until we have our own.   After all isn't that why we are surrounded by "such a great cloud of witnesses"?  Doesn't it help us "press on towards the goal" ?  Heb 12:1

So I am borrowing Mary’s faith as she sat at Jesus’ feet, abandoned to Him.

I am borrowing Esther’s faith as she waited for God to “right” the story and accomplish his purposes.

I am borrowing Peter’s faith while He stood at the fire with the resurrected Christ and reignited what had been snuffed out.

I am borrowing Joshua and Caleb’s faith as they saw giants in the land and believed against all odds that God would fight the battle.

I guess those trees in the park reminded me that sometimes we just need a little...

...Faith-Borrowing.

Weary

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt 6:34

I had a lot of ideas about a blog post this week, but as you can tell it is getting out a little later than usual.  Main reason?  Well, life just gets in the way sometimes.  This has been one of those weeks.  When I sit still for even just a moment my heart leaks the silent words, “I’m weary.”  Nothing more seems to come.  Just that. 

I’m weary.  As I write this, there are a thousand things that should be attended to.  You know the feeling... weary. 
So what of it?  Taking a nice long siesta is not on the books.  I suppose part of the problem is that I am carrying too much.  I was only meant to carry today’s load.  Not tomorrow’s or next weeks.  Just today’s.   After all, it has enough trouble of its own – right?

 I am borrowing a boat load of concerns from tomorrow...well actually, from the entire next month!  Of course I’m weary.  The graces needed for those days have not been afforded to me yet.  They will be given at the due time.  My concerns have weighed me down and pull me out of that sweet place of abiding with God.  This worried-gluttoned heart has spoiled like left over manna. Today’s graces are for TODAY’S events. 

What if I take up the work and grace for today like the Israelites took up manna in the wilderness - Careful to take only what is needed?  What if I leave unneeded worries on the ground, to pick up later - trusting God for a fresh supply of grace in the morning?   I suppose that is a much better way to stay close to God and move graciously through each demand as it comes.  So I am going to stretch my legs a bit and learn these unforced rhythms of grace that come from Him. 

One moment, one step, one helping of manna at a time, and this empty cup that sits longing to be filled... will be.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Alternative Cultures

The other day an article was shared on Facebook titled, “Why successful People Leave Their Loser Friends Behind.”   In it, the post recommended exploiting people for personal gain, saying that in order to be successful you must “surround yourself with people who are only going to lift you higher”.  If they cannot do that, then spend no more than 5 minutes with them. There are many points in the article that have been shared at “success” conferences for decades…we've probably heard them at Christian conferences too, after all, that’s the world in which we live, right? 

 And what’s wrong with wanting to be successful?  Most churches I know of want to experience success.  We often measure it based on attendance or relevance to what can be offered elsewhere, like concerts, charismatic speakers, etc. This particular article was about personal success and it was shared by a Christian teacher working at a Christian school.  It caused me to wonder how much our Christian culture has become like the world instead of like Christ. 

How different are we?  When the world looks in on us, does being Christian still mean living like Christ – loving unconditionally, being presenters of truth and justice, full of Grace and Mercy?  Are we a culture that goes beyond the appetite for the material and temporal to offer what is sure and unseen?  Can I do more than simply tell someone about Christ because I actually have experiential knowledge of Him? Is that knowledge changing me?...Is it changing the Christian culture in which I live? And can I lead someone else there? Or has being “Christian” come to mean something different because we aren’t much different from the world? 

I once heard someone say there was too much “Jesus talk” in the church service.  It was too spiritual and we should do something relevant to attract people. Another quipped that being Christian wasn't just about being Christ-like.  Now I might be mistaken, but I'm fairly certain the world has the corner on the market on everything BUT Jesus, and Jesus is what they need.  The problem is, Jesus is not necessarily who we have or what we’ve become.  

Dallas Willard once said, "To be conformed to a sick culture means to become sick ourselves."  Wise Solomon says, “Bad company corrupts good morals.”   While this might be used wrongly to justify the things mentioned in the above article on success, I suspect it actually means something entirely different.

As I look at the way Jesus lived, I am not convinced His plan was to be relevant to the world.  He said things like, don’t degrade yourself or others with adulterous thoughts, people are worth more than that.  Turn the other cheek when struck, let Christ even the score.  He said you have to lose your life to actually find it.  He said bear each others' burdens, consider others better than yourself.  Jesus lived differently and He offered a different life to those He encountered.  He gave the woman at the well different water and she drank deeply from the life of Christ....and she was changed.

so I wonder, have I ever really “left it all" or lost my life to His? Have I ever drank deeply from His well of life-giving water? If I did, how would it change me, and how would it change my culture?

The Apostle Paul mentions, among other things, being committed to each other in brotherly love.  At the beginning of this post, most cringed to read about dismissing a person after 5 minutes.  We cringe because intuitively we know it’s wrong.  But if we are honest, we would have to say we probably do it.  We just don’t advertise it. Maybe that's because we don't understand why it's wrong.  Maybe we need to understand better that dismissing goes against the spirit of God to love and mars the dignity of another’s soul.  It is a grievous act and ought to be acknowledged as such.  Sometimes I need to be reminded that when I commit myself to love without anything in return, I begin to catch a glimpse of God’s beautiful Kingdom life and wake up to a whole new reality. 

This reality is an alternative culture brought into a world otherwise dominated by power, money, materialism, greed, sex, you name it.  No matter the century, this beautiful, alternative life is available to you and me.   We can step into it and begin to live, and I mean really LIVE.  It is a place where we aren't driven by the need to succeed,  to shop until we drop, We don't have to search endlessly for romance, or spend precious resources keeping up our image or getting even…Instead we can seek to love others well, live life simply, and keep on the journey towards God together.  It’s not perfect and by no means a utopia.  In fact, it’s pretty messy and requires exorbitant amounts of God's strength and grace, but we will be happier people for it! Its the way every human being was meant to live.  To live any other way is to live inhuman.

^“Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom… Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor” – James 3:13-18

So I guess what I am asking is this: How can our Christian settings, albeit families, schools or churches, begin to provide an alternative culture for people looking for Jesus?  What must we do to let His Kingdom reign right where we are with those standing right next to us?  In the end, that is a life well lived….that is success.  And it does not happen on the backs of other people but it is accomplished as we seek to love God and others by taking up our cross daily to follow him.

Feasting

OK…Slight change-up NEXT week the post called “Alternative Realities” will be posted this week is simply a follow-up from last week and an invitation to come away from your ADHD world and be with Jesus…after all we can’t WWJD unless we spend time with Him.

When I was a young teenager I spent a short time dealing with Anorexia.  Over time I became quite weak.  I entered high school weighing a whopping 83 pounds.  Now one would think that food is the logical option at this point but it took me a while to be convinced of its benefits.   At the time, I like the "advantages" of starving myself.  I actually found a sense of identity in them.  But with some time and a little help I began to eat again and found  life was better when I nourished my body.

If life is found in the pause instead of the sprint ( as was said in the last post) I wonder if we might at times starve our soul like some starve their bodies.  It seems that to live the good life means going 100 mph to fit every "enriching activity" in to the day.  By the end of the day, instead of sharing a meal we simply pass out at the table.  It is at this point that "food" is the logical option.   As much as our bodies were made to be nourished by a hearty meal so was our soul.  “God prepares a table before us”  and we are invited to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” ...To "feast" on Jesus, who is the broken bread and poured out wine (Ps 23 & 34; Luke 22)

So how does one feast on God and nourish the soul instead of doing a face-plant at the table?  It begins the same way it did for me as I dealt with anorexia.  I had to first realize I was starving myself and it was doing harm.  The ear-marks for it were listless-ness, foggy thinking, and a sense of isolation.  

At the risk of seemingly adding to the to-do list I will say this: If your time with God is close to nil, you are starving your soul and doing harm.  This is not a guilt trip and by the end I think you will find it is also not another item to add to your to-do list.  This is just me trying to keep it real...you see, our soul has similar alarms as our body does.   I am sure I’m not the only one who may feel spiritually “listless” once -in-a-while.  Sometimes, the thought of investing in anything spiritual sounds exhausting so I don’t.   Have you ever wanted to “be more spiritual” but can’t seem to find any focus?  Ever feel like your head is about to explode if you don’t get some space from things?  But you cant get space because your schedule is so crowded running from one thing to the next you barely have time to breath.  It’s like there’s this wonderful land out there and occasionally you catch a glimpse of it through the fog, but something keeps it veiled and just out of reach.  you'd like to find it but these things that sound-off in our soul...this inward chaos?  We are held captive by them.... and we begin to wonder if this far-off wonderland is just an illusion which means this is as good as life gets.

Sound familiar?  STOP.  Stop the rat-race that has befriended you and pause.  Breathe in and breathe out….literally! Those things that you're doing that identify you?...They don't make you who you are, God does.  So wait quietly for Him to come near…He will…don’t you worry.  It is in the pause that we feast on God's love so find ways to encounter Him.

If you love nature then go outside.  Look for God’s whisper in the bird song or sunrise, if you love books, find one and read it.  Since it is God you are seeking I suggest finding one that speaks well of Him, like the Bible, or one written by someone who’s encountered him and can share it.  Do you love music? Then turn on the worship and let it fill the room.  If you don't think you have time, you're wrong.  I will be that bold to assure you that the One who holds time in his hands has as His deepest desire to share time with you.  So take five, take ten, or take a whole day if you can.  ...Just come, come and feast...

“If you are starving and can find nothing to satisfy your hunger, then come.  Come, and you will be filled.”  Jeanne Guyon

 “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  - Jesus

Living WWJD In an ADHD World

OK, I confess.  While I have never been officially tested, my friends would concur, I am prone to Attention Deficit Disorder.  There.  I said it.  Surprise!  But really, honestly, hasn't that prognosis become about as normal as a setting on our dishwasher?  "Normal", "quick", "delicate", "extra dry", "slightly distracted", "somewhat unpredictable"...."Squirrel!" (to steal a quote from the movie Up) Maybe the diagnosis is true.  Maybe it's not.  The real question I am asking is this:  How can I live more intentional in an increasingly distracted world?  And I don't think one needs to be A.D.D. or A.D.H.D. to wonder the same thing.  I think somewhere deep down we are all asking something like that.  How do we live...better?


It’s weird really, A.D.H.D has become quite a phenomenon - The inability to hold focus, constant activity, moving from one thing to the next, lack of impulse control, anger management issues - It sounds like A.D.H.D. has made its way into our world more than we realize.  Is this life - laden with distractions, 'pleasure' seeking, and busyness - really working?

One look at the world around us - including the world within the walls of the church - and it's clear our A.D.H.D. approach is not working.  If it was, the use of anti-depressants would not be on the rise as it is.  Crime would not be the back-drop of most evening news reports, and divorce would be less not more frequent.  Lawsuits would be the exception not the norm.  Obesity would not be an epidemic.  Credit cards would not be maxed out from trips to the mall, Disneyland, or weekly "pedis". Parents wouldn't be lost in a sea of sporting events that consume their every waking hour.   Our 4 year olds Birthday party would not have to be "pintrest"...then Facebooked...then instagramed. (I'm going to share a secret with you...4 year olds don't care if their favors were made from recycled jars decoupaged in vintage fabric and filled with homemade organic treats....they just don't.) Nope our A.D.H.D. approach has not served us well.  Distractions are rarely the answer...they only pretend to soothe a bleeding (or bored)soul...a soul that's screaming for something more...for something better.


So...WWJD (what would Jesus do)? Because I really do want to DWJWD (Do what Jesus would do)... Of all people, HE seemed to focused on the things that matter.  He was busy but not distracted.  I don't think He was very bored either because He was going about His Father's work.  Yet, when life came at Him at break-neck speed He was at the ready... present and conversational.  For instance, when the bleeding woman caught the edge of His garment He paused.  If ever there was a moment for a man to "vacate the premises" and find something else to do, that was it!  But Jesus stayed.  He talked with the woman (shameful as it was at the time) and received her story. He didn't have to, according to scripture she was healed the moment she touched His robe.  By most "A.D.H.D-world" standards, His job was done and the next "thing" was waiting...Snap to it! But by WWJD standards, maybe the job wasn't finished.  Maybe the biggest miracle was the conversation between the Divine King of kings and a forgotten woman who longed for healing ...for dignity ...for friendship.  So much would have missed had Jesus "squirreled" off to the next thing instead of pausing his steps for a moment to take a closer look.

 Maybe life is found in the pause ...instead of the sprint

When I am distracted I tend to neglect relationships and sadly that means people too.  I move from one bright shiny object to the next. I see it glisten in the distance and something in me is driven to find its pleasure; pleasure that wears off soon after, so I move on to the next distraction. On and on it goes, satisfying for a moment, maybe even a season, but in the end leaving me more empty than when I started. That's what distractions do.  They give the illusion of satisfaction while secretly denying the soul.  
What would happen if we stopped our sprint to the next "drug of choice" and paused to touch the hem of His garment - if even only for a moment?  Would we be changed? Would our soul stop its bleeding? Would we be surprised by the conversation we encounter with Christ?  Would a piece of regenerated life awaken within us?...maybe life is found in the pause instead of the sprint.


WWJD?....He would pause.  He would be indifferent to the things that seduce a glance to steal our gaze.  He, instead, would gaze deeply into the heart of God through the waking of a sunrise, or the stillness of a prayer, He would delight in the joy of a child or the playfulness of a puppy. He would  notice the tug on His robe and, like He did with that woman, be at the ready...present and conversational; capturing the divine eternal moments that simply show up without trend or demand. He would welcome them with glad submission and... join in.

I want to do the same.  I want to DWJWD and find more than what this A.D.H.D world can ever offer.


Next post: Sunday, June 13 - "Alternative Realities"

Too Much of a Good Thing...

I come from a long line of women with “green thumbs”.  When I was a child our window sill was laden with avocado seeds or potatoes soaking in jars of water growing roots to be planted later.  I was also taught that certain plants, like alyssum, can be pulled up and clipped and will take root again, making it a rather prolific fellow, I learned water is essential.  Yet, even with this plethora of knowledge and fantastic gene pool, I must regrettably confess I can’t keep a plant alive to save my life.  Recently I was given a nice patio plant and was told it was the kind you COULD. NOT. KILL.  I was tempted to say, "Challenge accepted!" but instead I decided to make this plant a personal success story. 

Every morning I set out to water the plant.  I clipped the dead leaves.  I even talked to it a bit (they say that helps.)  Sadly, within a few weeks the plant began to turn color and the leaves fell, so I watered it more thinking that would perk it up, but the opposite happened.  The more I watered it, the worse the plant seemed.  Then came the sad, but familiar, moment when I take the pot and the scraggly stems, say a few kinds words, and place it in it's final resting place - the compost bin.

I mentioned to someone how I killed the unkillable plant.  In an effort to sooth my discomfort around such inadequacy I declared, “I don’t understand how I killed it!  I talked to it – whispered ‘sweet nothings’ into its ear (what plant doesn't love that?!), I watered it daily and did everything I was supposed to do!” 

My friend gave this advice:  “With a plant like that you only need to water it once, maybe twice a week; and water slowly to let it soak into the soil”   What?!  Are you kidding me?!  I drowned my plant???  Who knew that was even possible!  Apparently with me as it's owner, my poor plant needed floaties!  OH wait,  most plants aren't supposed to float either...I know, my knowledge is impressive, it's something my grandmother taught me...just sayin'...

Getting back on track here...That’s when it hit me that as people we can be similar. We have a desire to grow spiritually so we read scripture and study it.  We "water" our soul with God's word.  When we encounter difficulty or something inside us seems "off", we often turn up the water by collecting more knowledge via reading more scripture...we "chapter and verse" until something hits us...until something makes us feel O.K.  Sometimes we can accumulate knowledge like a reservoir but our circumstances are like bricks around our ankles the two not only don't match up...they work against each other and we begin to 'drown'.  So we put on our emotional floaties by keeping conversations and thoughts just above the surface to avoid "going under" and never coming up. 

Maybe what we really need is not more knowledge.  Why put more water in the pool when we're barely staying afloat?  Maybe we need to let the knowledge we already have soak in and be cultivated into our life and our circumstances.   Have a conflict with a friend and don’t know what to do about it?  Scripture is pretty clear…love ‘em.  Extend unexpected kindness, pray for them.  Confess your offence if needed.  Let God’s compassionate heart for them grow in you.  The same might apply to a grumpy neighbor.  We don’t need more scripture to tell us what to do…we already know it.  It just requires more risk, more intention, and it's more inconvenient than "chapter and versing" it on our couch.  Consumed with worry?  Scripture is pretty clear on that too…cast all your cares onto Him…trust that He cares for you. Wait, maybe that’s the hard part…maybe in the “casting” we discover we don’t really trust God to care.  Why else would we worry? 

In any case, sometimes more knowledge is not the prescription.  Chapter and versing it,  consuming knowledge without cultivating it, causes what we learn to become a collection of ideas,  they are things we might profess.  But professing, "God is good!  God is good!" and reading more verses about it, doesn't always work....does it?

Just like most plants, humans were never meant to float along the emotional surface randomly professing one thing but experiencing another.  I guess that's why Scripture says, "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."  Knowledge is good.  Just like water, it is the most basic nutrient needed for growth.  But too much of it can drown the soul.  (Don’t shoot me here…hang on.  I promise I am not a heretic.) Good knowledge can be tested.  Sometimes more space and time is needed to let what we have professed become what we believe.   We put knowledge to the test by wrestling it through the soil and letting our spiritual “roots” collide with the living presence of Christ inside our circumstances.   And that happens when we pause from our frantic search and simply choose to be present , honest and active with God.  He becomes visible and His living-water truth soaks the soil and nourishes us in unhurried rhythms.  

So the next time someone gives me a plant I am going to check how often it actually needs water.  And as I encounter life disruptions I am going to consider if the situation calls for  more scripture or more cultivation?  And “water” both accordingly.