Ok, so I have a confession to make.
I've never built a sandcastle.
... Ever.
And I've been to the beach... several times.
Some may say that my childhood was robbed. I could potentially agree with that. However, burying my younger brother in the sand seemed like a much better use of my precious time in the sun and surf. And I'm sure he had earned it in some way. But I buried him in love... of course.
I have, however, contemplated over the years as I've seen many attempt to make such structures in the sand. Yep. I was (and still am) that kid on the beach that sat quietly, watched the sea gulls, observed other kids, and thought about the logistics of the faulty designs constructed... that would surely just lead to each castle's demise when swept up with the next tide. An overly-analytical perfectionist of a child.
That was me.
So I guess it would've taken me too long to build a proper sandcastle anyway.
Foundations are kind of important. And by "kind of," I mean that they are irreplaceable. Most children (who know what it means to be imaginative at least) do not spend time considering the laws of physics or the importance of placing an appropriate foundation before building their fairytale-esque creations in the sand.
But then again, sand never made a strong foundation to begin with.
In Luke 6, Jesus talks a little bit about foundations... and how His words are to be the bedrock of our lives. He says,
"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock..." [Luke 6: 46-48a]
Basically, Jesus is saying... His words cannot merely be an addition to our lives.
No. In fact, nothing can even be added without a foundation. A true Foundation.
"...And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built." [Luke 6:48b]
These words of Jesus are not simply a gentle request for us to make sure our lives are built on Him. He knows that the result of anything less than a foundation built on Him, the Only Rock, is pure devastation.
You see, just like at the beach, storms come in life. Sometimes without a warning. But even with fair caution and time to prepare, storms have the power to destroy much.
Jesus continues...
"But the one who hears [My words] and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great." [Luke 6:49]
If you told someone that you were going to build your house without a foundation, they would (if they had any sense at all) tell you that you were out of your mind. That it isn't possible.
And they would be right.
Because anything built will have a foundation... By default.
What that foundation consists of, is the question.
The Message paraphrases Luke 6 in an interesting way. I love the phraseology it uses... It refers to the words of Jesus as "foundation words, words to build a life on."
Just as you cannot skip the foundation when you are building a house... So it is with the Christian life!
I've heard the words of Jesus since I was... well, born actually. And what a blessing that is! But let me be honest with you. Merely hearing the words of Jesus does nothing.
Because the words of Jesus weren't meant solely for hearing. They were meant to be THE FOUNDATION of our lives!
And this Foundation must be BUILT.
Built.
That's the key word. An action verb, in fact.
It takes work. Effort. Blood. Sweat. And at times, tears.
This Foundation won't just spring up from the ground! Sometimes though, I think we, as followers of Christ, live like we think that is the case.
And it surely... is not.
We must be actively laying down the truth of Jesus' words... On a DAILY basis.
So that when the storms come... And they will come...
We stand STRONG.
Not because of our own strength.
But because, our Foundation is the Rock of Ages Himself.
And no storm can bring that Foundation to the ground.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Sunday, February 10, 2013
limp [no more].
Have you ever landed wrongly? If you have, you'll get what I'm talking about. That sharp pain that immediately shoots through your whole leg? Yep, it's definitely not on my list of Top 5 most pleasant things.
But the thing is... That pain can result from not only landing wrongly, but also from standing up under pressure.
Life has its way of knocking you down. Knocking the wind out of you. Giving you a low blow.
And the thing I've come to find, is that it's the moments we least expect in which we experience that "shooting pain." It sure can catch you off guard. Maybe that's what is most painful about the whole thing. The lack of ability to prepare for the pain. For the heart ache. For the lack of mobility... at least temporarily.
Sometimes, we just have to get up and begin walking. Take that crazy risk. Jump off that "cliff" so to speak... Whatever that may look like.
It's almost as if we need to prove to ourselves that we don't have to limp any more. That we actually remember how to walk... Without that limp of which we've become so accustomed. And sometimes, even has become comfortable.
What better way than to stand up (despite the struggle that may result) and walk? Even if that means dreadfully stumbling with those first few steps?
There's such power in that.
Trust me, I've felt it before.
But it's not just a one-time thing.
Limping can become a way of life. It's like we forget how to walk freely... Much less, live fully.
We begin to think that we were made with a limp. To stumble through each day with - what can seem - to be a lack of purpose. Lack of identity. Lack of hope. But this could be no further from the truth!
NO! We WON'T limp our entire lives... Jesus makes the lame to WALK! With boldness. With gumption. With PURPOSE. He says "Get up and walk!" [Matthew 9:6] And you know what happens? We GET UP.
But don't miss this.
We have the strength to get up only because of and through HIS power.
And you know what else?
We get up...
Completely healed.
Because we were made to stand up. To walk. And even...
To run.
And eventually, the limping will be no more.
But the thing is... That pain can result from not only landing wrongly, but also from standing up under pressure.
Life has its way of knocking you down. Knocking the wind out of you. Giving you a low blow.
And the thing I've come to find, is that it's the moments we least expect in which we experience that "shooting pain." It sure can catch you off guard. Maybe that's what is most painful about the whole thing. The lack of ability to prepare for the pain. For the heart ache. For the lack of mobility... at least temporarily.
Sometimes, we just have to get up and begin walking. Take that crazy risk. Jump off that "cliff" so to speak... Whatever that may look like.
It's almost as if we need to prove to ourselves that we don't have to limp any more. That we actually remember how to walk... Without that limp of which we've become so accustomed. And sometimes, even has become comfortable.
What better way than to stand up (despite the struggle that may result) and walk? Even if that means dreadfully stumbling with those first few steps?
There's such power in that.
Trust me, I've felt it before.
But it's not just a one-time thing.
Limping can become a way of life. It's like we forget how to walk freely... Much less, live fully.
We begin to think that we were made with a limp. To stumble through each day with - what can seem - to be a lack of purpose. Lack of identity. Lack of hope. But this could be no further from the truth!
NO! We WON'T limp our entire lives... Jesus makes the lame to WALK! With boldness. With gumption. With PURPOSE. He says "Get up and walk!" [Matthew 9:6] And you know what happens? We GET UP.
But don't miss this.
We have the strength to get up only because of and through HIS power.
And you know what else?
We get up...
Completely healed.
Because we were made to stand up. To walk. And even...
To run.
And eventually, the limping will be no more.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
c|h|a|p|t|e|r|s.
I'm not an avid reader of fiction. My brother has always told me it's because "I have no imagination." Maybe that's partially true. Ok, so maybe it's very true. I struggle to picture a world that isn't reality. Books are "black and white" for a reason right? Literally. Well, that's my 2 cents.
Nevertheless, I'll give the fiction genre this prop - each chapter builds on the one before it.
I simply love that.
Although it seems as though a character has left the story, he or she is there nevertheless. The essence. The footprints. The impact. The story, where it is presently, cannot exist without the presence of that particular character at one point in time.
But this is what I hate. One chapter cannot begin without the ending of another. That's the part that breaks my heart. Shatters it actually... If I'm being completely honest.
There are just some characters that are meant to play a small role in the story. But this is not the case for every character. That gives me hope... Not to mention, gives me the desire to keep reading.
The best type of books (and the only type of fiction books I occasionally read) are those of which the ending is not predictable.
The story may seem never-ending. All hope may appear lost. But the greatest books are those of which you read the last page and are left in awe.
Sheer amazement.
Those books of which you can look back on prior chapters and see that the ending was really clear all along...
You just had to experience every page to see it.
Life is very much the same way.
I'm only 22. That sounds old to me. Yes, yes, I know. I'm not old. Technically, I'm still considered to be in that wonderful "young adult" category. But to be real, there are parts of my life I can't really recall clearly. Sure, some of that time forgotten was before my brain was fully developed and my capacity for memory was truly existent. Most of those times, however, are just simply a blur. Like my first day of junior high or my first date. You'd think I'd remember those moments... But nope, I don't. Don't ask me why. I guess I only remember the "important" things in life.
Although... The one thing I never forget (even if I try) are those "characters" that walk in... and sometimes out, of my life. Like I said, the characters make the story what it is. After all, you could argue that without additional characters, you have no story.
Because part of living your story is colliding with others along your way. Along your journey.
The impact waits in the collision. The thing about collisions is that they stick with you. Sometimes literally. Sore muscles, broken bones. But more often, these collisions result in overflowing hearts and freed minds.
The Author of the book called Life planned the contents of each page. Every event. Every character. Every struggle. Every victory. All culminating to the words on that last page... Whenever it may be written.
We may not be able to choose every character who enters our stories. If you haven't figured it out yet, you're not in control of your life. Sorry if I just let the "cat out of the bag" on that one. Better sooner rather than later, right? However. We can decide with whom we will collide. Those whom we will allow to become a "leading role" in our stories. Slowly but surely, chapter by chapter.
That's why it is never fulfilling to skip to the ending of a book.
Because the joy is in the journey.
You cannot experience the joy of the completion without truly and fully understanding the blood, sweat, and tears... and the love, life, and determination it took to get to that last page. Last paragraph. Last sentence. Last word.
There is no ending without first, a beginning.
Nor is there an ending without the middle.
The secret lies in embracing each and every chapter along the way.
Nevertheless, I'll give the fiction genre this prop - each chapter builds on the one before it.
I simply love that.
Although it seems as though a character has left the story, he or she is there nevertheless. The essence. The footprints. The impact. The story, where it is presently, cannot exist without the presence of that particular character at one point in time.
But this is what I hate. One chapter cannot begin without the ending of another. That's the part that breaks my heart. Shatters it actually... If I'm being completely honest.
There are just some characters that are meant to play a small role in the story. But this is not the case for every character. That gives me hope... Not to mention, gives me the desire to keep reading.
The best type of books (and the only type of fiction books I occasionally read) are those of which the ending is not predictable.
The story may seem never-ending. All hope may appear lost. But the greatest books are those of which you read the last page and are left in awe.
Sheer amazement.
Those books of which you can look back on prior chapters and see that the ending was really clear all along...
You just had to experience every page to see it.
Life is very much the same way.
I'm only 22. That sounds old to me. Yes, yes, I know. I'm not old. Technically, I'm still considered to be in that wonderful "young adult" category. But to be real, there are parts of my life I can't really recall clearly. Sure, some of that time forgotten was before my brain was fully developed and my capacity for memory was truly existent. Most of those times, however, are just simply a blur. Like my first day of junior high or my first date. You'd think I'd remember those moments... But nope, I don't. Don't ask me why. I guess I only remember the "important" things in life.
Although... The one thing I never forget (even if I try) are those "characters" that walk in... and sometimes out, of my life. Like I said, the characters make the story what it is. After all, you could argue that without additional characters, you have no story.
Because part of living your story is colliding with others along your way. Along your journey.
The impact waits in the collision. The thing about collisions is that they stick with you. Sometimes literally. Sore muscles, broken bones. But more often, these collisions result in overflowing hearts and freed minds.
The Author of the book called Life planned the contents of each page. Every event. Every character. Every struggle. Every victory. All culminating to the words on that last page... Whenever it may be written.
We may not be able to choose every character who enters our stories. If you haven't figured it out yet, you're not in control of your life. Sorry if I just let the "cat out of the bag" on that one. Better sooner rather than later, right? However. We can decide with whom we will collide. Those whom we will allow to become a "leading role" in our stories. Slowly but surely, chapter by chapter.
That's why it is never fulfilling to skip to the ending of a book.
Because the joy is in the journey.
You cannot experience the joy of the completion without truly and fully understanding the blood, sweat, and tears... and the love, life, and determination it took to get to that last page. Last paragraph. Last sentence. Last word.
There is no ending without first, a beginning.
Nor is there an ending without the middle.
The secret lies in embracing each and every chapter along the way.
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