Praying in Four-Four Time

A sagging snowman curtsies in the sun as I pass, and a clanging flagpole rope whips in four-four time in the wind. Spring sidles up beside me, slipping in and out of the clouds this week.

Mismatched mitten-hands shoved into red jacket pockets several times this week, as I crunched in Minnesota snow and whispered prayer.

Monday morning, I joined MOPS women from a metro suburb at round tables decorated in Tahitian sand and shells. We nibbled scrumptious white chocolate and berry scones, and murmured in surprise over bacon-topped mini French toast muffins. In laughter and in shared moments of quiet understanding, we spoke of our marriages, and urged each other on in loving our men and being their outspoken fans. Hours later, I shoved mismatched mittened-hands into pockets deep, and walked towards the car. "Thank you, Abba, for great times of getting to know these new women, and for chances to speak of you and the adventures of marriage." Prayer looked like praise and joy puddling out.

Tuesday night, five families unfold from minivans wide, and climb our icy cement steps. Inside, we line up curries, chicken stir fry, and pad Thai in a buffet line, and stomp up the kids from downstairs. Clamoring loud and crowding round, toddlers and teens mingle with moms and dads from small group as we fall quiet and thank God for food. Prayer looked like toddler hands, grinning moms, rice on the floor already, and hungry smacking lips. Then dishes clatter, and we're on the hunt for spoons and cups.

Hands shoved into pockets deep this week, I walked through wet streets again, whispering prayer and lifting up friends of mine. Prayer looked like silent reflection, somber possibilities, and a waiting game.

A sagging snowman curtsies in the sun, and a clanging flagpole rope whips in four-four time. Spring sidles up beside me, slipping in and out of clouds this week, and prayer follows on the wind.


I appreciate you being here with me today, friend, and would be honored to shove hands in pockets deep and pray with you too this week. What's on your mind? (Those in email are welcome to join the discussion by clicking here.) 

Linking with Emily at Imperfect Prose. 

Photo credit to Microsoft.

Hoar Frost and Learning Guy-Speak

Tall hoar frost climbs high off every branch and twig. The crystallized world took us all by surprise this morning.  Dazzling white bristles everything. 

Inside, our water pipes gurgled air or gushed black water. Puddled water downstairs yesterday alerted us to a leak. With the stores all closed at ten last night, husband simply cranked the water main to off. Since six this morning, he and the toddler have been plumbers. After letting me sleep in for part of the morning, they let me join them for the next trip to the store. 

We drove through white wonderlands. Why is it that extreme beauty makes us wonder if it’s fake? On white trees after white trees, inch-long spiked frost pointed towards the sky. 

Inside the store, we traipsed through unfamiliar aisles, talked copper piping and connectors with the salesclerk, and worried that the job would suddenly become much larger. After weeks of studying material for my upcoming “Seven Needs of a Husband” message at MOPS next week, I tried out some of it. 

Husband snorted and laughed. Okay, that one didn’t work. I was sincerely proud of him though, and wanted to learn better guy-speak. Tweaking my words some, and telling him what I was trying to do, I tried again. He grinned at me wryly.  

I have been learning that respect is one of males’ greatest needs, and that they love to tackle hard jobs for the sake of seeing if they can conquer it. According to the experts though, we females very often show disrespect to our men by our words, actions or attitudes – often without even meaning to. So I am working on this and learning.  Husband listened to my notes and information, highlighting parts of it, explaining parts of it to me, and lined them up in order of his experiences too. 

In the car-ride home, and in the laundry room as we cut copper, wiped up water, and twisted on connector rods, we laughed, talked, and savored married life. In the pipes, blackened water gurgled and then gushed out clean. 

What about you? What has your weekend been like? If you are a women, what would you say are some of the needs of a husband? If you are a male, what are some of the needs of a husband -- in your opinion?

Neighborhood Memo and MOPS Sessions

 

I woke up this morning to discover that all neighborhood trees had gotten the same memo. Leaves fell overnight obediently, carpeting the grass in citrus yellow. Last night's intimate MOPS session had gone wonderfully, and I was eager for this morning's MOPS session too. What a gracious group of women they have there at Messiah Lutheran Church's MOPS. I was honored to join their leaders and mentors in prayer beforehand, and to meet new friends, enjoying the unity and kinship we can have. I savored the sweet tiny faces of newborns and toddlers, wanting to kiss their little faces; and I rejoiced to hear the gentle laughter and voices of women sharing lives together. What a beautiful thing. 

God graciously spoke through me -- thank you, God! And we women got to study God's word together on the topic of Nurturing a Generous Heart in Today's Materialistic Society. Wow, God's word is convicting and beautiful. The Father describes himself using strong terms like "lavished in grace" and "lavishing his love on us" and "rich in mercy." He models how to live generously, sacrificially, giving in ways that costs something to himself, with risk, and the possibility of not even being recognized or appreciated.

Then he invites us to test him in this, to try him! Whew, any of us who were raised in church are familiar with the stern admonition to "not to put the Lord your God to the test," but here God says something different, inviting us to test him in this.

Malachi 3:10 (NIV)

¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. 

One verse that really grabbed my attention later too was


Proverbs 11:24-25 (NIV)
 ²⁴ One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
   another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
 ²⁵ A generous person will prosper;
   whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. 

Wow! Need to be refreshed? In God's radical, counter-intuitive strategy, "she who refreshes others will herself be refreshed." 


Hi, thanks for praying with me for these two talks at MOPS this week. What a delight it was to be with them. How are YOU? What has your week been like? How can I pray for you today?

Cow Tongue Football, Polar Bear Plunge, and Digging Deep into God's Word

Hello, my friends! Sorry for a week of silence. Last weekend's youth group retreat, and preparing for two MOPS sessions for this week have grabbed my time and attention.

The youth retreat went wonderfully. Nerf guns through the conference center; cow tongue football, a frigid, electrifying polar bear plunge down a luge slide deep out into the dark lake; four great chapel sessions; and youth-led worships. The joy of seeing senior high teens interact with junior high; students focused in worship; Bibles opened on laps; hearts choosing to lay bare; masks thrown aside; and commitments made.

On the last chapel session on Sunday morning, all fifty of us spread out through the camp, finding tree trunks to lean up against, quiet nooks by the glassy lake, crunchy leaf spots, and in warm corners indoors. Alone with God, our Bibles and some writing materials, the next half hour was a date with Him. Silence reigned. Smothered coughs and sniffs were the only noises.

Thirty minutes later, all the teens gathered in the chapel for more worship and a chance to share what God had whispered to them. His word is so active! Students shared verses that were meaningful to them, observations, praises about the Artist's creation, quiet convictions, and a few poems.

I love that our God whispers to all his people, and that his word is active, alive, vibrantly going viral! The same God that whispers to Billy Graham was whispering to my junior and senior high teens this weekend, and will today too, if they listen.

What's he whispering to YOU today? Where have you been enjoying reading in God's word this week? Whew, I have been enjoying digging deep into word studies on generosity and selfishness in preparation for my MOPS messages this week. The verses convict and encourage me! Pray for me this Thursday and Friday, will you? I am looking forward to meeting and studying God's word together with these sisters.

Leadership Teams and Seeking God's Leading

At work today as the church Body Life Coordinator, I have been brainstorming the small group line ups for this fall. My desire is to not simply create events for events' sake in today's overly-busy world, but to prayerfully choose what will best benefit my church body. My desire is for them to be connected with each other as a church family, to grow, learn, serve, be transparent, and to support each other as we all strive to love and serve Christ more. So I seek out feedback from the congregation and seek out my Abba Daddy's heart, wanting to hear His voice.

As summer winds down to a close, I imagine that your women's Leadership team meetings are kicking into last minute high gear too. If you have one or two last spots to fill for your speakers 2011-2012 lineup, let me offer you first pick of a brand new workshop for this year. Or feel free to use any of my other messages.

Preschoolers: Intentional Parenting

By request, a workshop on parenting our preschoolers and toddlers with a larger purpose in mind. With the high energy of constant “Why’s?” and “No, Don’t Touch that!,” it’s too easy to simply parent reactively, or in pure survival mode.  We have all done that. Take this chance to sit back, peak into God’s word, and get the larger purposes involved in parenting preschoolers and toddlers. Walk away with handy tips to diffuse tantrums, enable choices, retrain rude mouths, and build peaceful sibling relationships. Plus be inspired anew to create a sense of awe and wonder for our kids’ Creator! 

Contact me and my speaker board at (763) 780-9812 if you are interested. In the meantime, may you and I both enjoy sitting at the feet of our Abba/Daddy.