Love is Kind

My daughter and I were standing on the corner waiting for the light to change, when a homeless man came up to us and started talking about the Tesla.  (We happened to be standing right in front of the Tesla dealership.)  He knew all the models, how the doors opened, which model was coming out next and how much each model costs.  It was actually a wonderful conversation while waiting for the light to change.  I was quite impressed with his knowledge of the car and something about his smile was contagious.  When the light changed and we said our goodbyes, he said “Hey, do you have a dollar I could have?”  I said, “I’m sorry, but I don’t have any cash.”  (This was the truth.)  He said, “I know.  Nobody carries cash anymore.”  I quickly shot back, “You need to get a square!” and all three of us busted out laughing before we crossed the street.

It was such a pleasant exchange with a total stranger and as I looked into his eyes, all I could think was “this is somebody’s son and could very well be my brother, friend, or even neighbor” and as a follower of Christ, I was called to share love and kindness with him.

In Luke 10:25-37 Jesus tells the following story that sends a very powerful message about love and kindness, while making it clear who our neighbor is. 

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

²⁷ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”; and, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

²⁸ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Jesus gives a clear illustration of love, kindness and mercy and tells us to “go and do likewise.” Jeremiah 31:3 says “The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness’”.  So the next time you see someone in need, whether it be a tangible need, an emotional need, a smile, a conversation or some sort of helping hand, be their neighbor.  Please don’t pass them by.  Be like Jesus and draw them with unfailing kindness.

Love Always!

Shy

You're Invited Too!

Each morning I wake up feeling like God and I have a secret.  It's like He's inviting me to a secret party!  I wake up and tiptoe down the stairs (no idea why I'm tiptoeing), make coffee or tea, open my iPad to read a devotion followed by my bible, then I just sit and listen.  I hear the birds singing, I see the trees swaying, I see the moon packing up to head to the other side of the globe as the sun is tiptoeing onto the scene.  (No idea why the sun is tiptoeing either.  It's just how we roll!)  It feels much like an invitation from God to share something beautiful with me while having a special conversation that speaks to my heart.  To be invited into His presence is amazing!

The other day I was reading Luke 14 which tells the story of Jesus eating in the house of a prominent Pharisee on the Sabbath.  He tells the host “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid.  But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.  Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

He then goes on to tell the parable of a man who threw a great banquet and all of his guests declined, so he told his servants to go out into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, the lame.  Even after they had done this, they came back and reported there was still room for more. 

As it is in the presence of God, there's always room for more!  The "more" is you and I, your neighbor who may be hurting, the homeless person on the street who you're afraid to make eye contact with, the kid at your child's school who may not have any friends, the co-worker who seems a little distant, that friend with no family to spend the holidays with, or maybe even the check-out clerk at Target.  God invites us into His presence to feel His peace, to enjoy the beautiful nature he orchestrates daily, to talk with Him, to walk with Him, yet there's still room for more.  So as we enter this holiday season and you RSVP to His daily invitation, think about those who you could add as your "plus 1".  Those who may not have realized they too are invited.  Invite them into His presence.  Does it have to be complicated and awkward?  Certainly not!  Invite them into His presence by how you treat them.  Let the presence of God be felt as they interact with you.  Share a smile.  Share a meal.  Share love.  Let your love and kindness be a reflection of how He not only invited you, but a statement to them that says "You're invited too!"  There's still room for more.

Love Always!

Shy

Love is Patient

I cringed in the passenger seat in the intersection of what felt like the center of a danger zone.  My 15-year-old son had recently gotten his permit to drive, so of course, I started allowing him to drive short distances.  Eventually, we worked our way up to more complicated routes that included left turns and high peek traffic hours.  In those moments, I wanted to yell “Go!”, “Stop!”, “Slow down!”, “Speed up!”,  but I knew that would only add to the already tense situation, so I sat in the passenger seat with my heart pounding and my foot mashed on the imaginary break on my side of the car while praying “Dear Lord, please get us home safely.”

I knew this situation would require me to be patient and also require me to endure some difficult circumstances without getting angry or annoyed, but I didn’t know if all the other cars around us would be patient.  As the cars around us sped by and honked their horns, I had to remind my son to wait until he felt safe to make the left turn.

Ephesians 4:2 says, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."  Patience means to accept, tolerate or endure situations without getting angry or annoyed.  Patience is essentially telling the other person, “I’ll go at your pace” and as Ephesians 4:2 says “I’ll bear with you in love.”

Like me with my son, I can imagine our Heavenly Father cringing during those moments when I was in some of life’s intersections.  Would I safely make the turn?  Was I even ready to make the turn?  Was I going in the right direction?  Was I ready to handle the things He’d taught me?  Regardless of where I was spiritually, mentally, emotionally or even physically, He was patient with me.  Even during those times when I was not making the turn, the commitment, the right decision, not the necessary change that would put me in line with God’s will, He was still patient with me.  No matter how hopeless it looked for me, in love, He waited for me to heed His voice.  He never changed towards me, He simply allowed me to go at my pace and “bearing with me in love”, He waited until I was ready.

He knew that I would make some mistakes and make some wrong turns.  Yet He was patient, because He loves me.  Just as I patiently waited for my son to make the turn, so does God patiently wait for us to make the turn.  He loves us so much that He is patient as we grow, learn, and yes, eventually merge onto the path of His plan for our lives.

Love Always!

Shy

Love Rejoices in the Truth

There I was, sitting in my car in the parking lot of Sprout’s.  I knew I had to make the call and I just couldn’t move on with my day until I made it.  I hadn’t lied, but I wasn’t completely honest either.  A phone call from a friend led to a conversation that took me by surprise.  Being caught off guard, I wasn’t prepared to share the entire truth, so I “omitted” information.  After hanging up the phone, I drove down the street in an attempt to move on with my day, but it wasn’t that easy.  My heart was not at rest and the "omitted" truth was following me around like a shadow.  I knew I had not shared on the open, honest level I should have.  So here I was, in my car for the past 30 minutes, trying to rationalize my position of “omitting” information.  Love wouldn’t allow me to carry on with my day without the truth.  So, I made the difficult call…

1 John 3:18-20 says, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.  This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”  When we love in truth, there is freedom in our hearts that puts us at rest.  Even if the truth is not necessarily the words we wish we could speak, it is still an expression of love.  This very expression of love disarms the enemy’s lies and frees us from the torment of dishonesty.

Speaking the truth to someone sends a message that says “you matter to me’, “you deserve the truth even if it hurts”, and simply “I love you.”  If we’re lucky, we have that one friend who we know we can always count on to tell us the truth, even if it hurts.  That friend chooses the right words, the right tone, and the right way to tell us the truth.  In exchange, that friend’s love is never in question.

The truth is not always the easy road and will sometimes require follow-up action.

Does your truth require asking for forgiveness?

Does your truth require letting something go?

Does your truth require making a change?

What is required for your heart to be at rest?

In John 8:31-32, Jesus speaks to the Jews who had believed him saying, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  No matter what is required, walk in freedom, let love rejoice in the truth and let the truth set you free.

Love Always,

Shy

Share the Comforter

I can remember as a little girl sharing a bed with my sister.  On those chilly nights, it was quite a task to have enough of the comforter to cover us both and be warn.  She'd pull it to her side, then I'd pull it to my side.  You see, I loved to have it pulled just over my shoulders and sort of tucked under my body like a sleeping bag.  It seemed just when I'd settle into my cocoon-like snuggle, she'd pull the comforter to her side.  It was an all-night task to balance having enough of the comforter to snuggle myself in, yet have enough to cover her and keep her from pulling the majority in her direction.  Sharing the comforter was no easy task.  

Now, as an adult, I have the opportunity to share a different comforter.  In 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Paul writes to Corinth, 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

When I read this, verse 4 really stood out to me - "who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."  I think of some of life's trials that have nearly brought me to my knees.  Those dark days that felt like 24-hour nights.  Those times when I didn't think I'd have enough to cover me, comfort me, and get me through the darkness.  Those moments when I felt cold and alone with no sign of daybreak.  I look back and know that it was only by the Comforter's grace that I made it though.  It was during those very times that His comfort gently wrapped around me like a warm blanket until the cold, dark night had passed.

So next time you meet someone who is struggling, particularly in an area where you have struggled and overcome, please remember to share the Comforter.  Let them know that the "God of all comfort" (v.3) will comfort them as He comforted you.  Remind them that the Comforter abides with them forever.  (John 14:16)  

Just like we shared the comforter as kids, we must share the Comforter as adults.  Only this time, He's more than enough to share.

Love Always,

Shy

The Power of a Parent's Words

My son absolutely loves, loves, loves music!  He would keep his earbuds in his ears 24/7, if I’d let him.  Even as a little guy, he loved to sing.  Well, it so happens that I love, love, love, poetry, and in my eyes, songs are poetry.  So consequently, I look at both my and my son's passions as one in the same.  So one day I had a bright idea.  Actually, it was a God idea.  I brought home a brand new leather journal and gave it to my son with the following instructions:

"Write down words that describe you.  Random words from 'curly hair' to 'sneakers' to 'athletic' to 'roast'.  (Yes, roast! This kid loves a good roast!)  Let these words trigger ideas of what to write about that are authentic to who you are."

A few days later, my son come to me with journal in hand and said, "Look at all these words I've written." as he turns several pages.  "And I've written a song based on these words."

I had to really contain my excitement as not to appear too excited and freak him out, but I was SUPER excited at how this simple journal and my "suggestion" pulled out a talent that I could see inside of him all along.  It was such a "WOW" moment for me.

I am reminded of John 2:1-12 which tells the story of Jesus and his mother, Mary, attending a wedding. When the wedding ran out of wine, Mary said to Jesus, "They have no more wine."  Jesus then says to his mom "Woman why do you involve me?  My hour has not yet come."  I'm sure Jesus was thinking, "Why is she putting me on the spot?  It's not miracle time yet.  I just want to enjoy the wedding like everyone else."  But his mother knew he was not like everyone else.  She knew her son was fully equipped and capable of changing the course of this event and turning water into wine, so her next words were to the servants saying "Do whatever he tells you."  She saw what was in him and with her very words, she drew it out of him.

Based on his mother's words, Jesus steps into his first miracle.  He tells the servants to fill the pots with water, draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.  The master of the banquet tasted and declared it the best wine served at the wedding!

What gift or talent do you see in your child that needs to be unlocked by your words?  Perhaps they've never before done what you see, but you know it's in them.  Don't let the past or current circumstances keep you from speaking words of encouragement into your child's potential.  Speak love.  Speak blessings.  Speak encouragement.  Speak purpose.  Let Mary's parental ESP (Extraordinarily Special Parenting) be your example of letting your words be the key to unlocking your child's potential.  Ask God to give you wisdom in speaking words that will encourage the fulfillment of your child's purpose on earth, as it is in heaven.

Love Always,

Shy

Professional Stain Remover

It was no coincidence that I was up at 3:00 a.m. scrubbing a stain out of the carpet.  I couldn't sleep and had lay there tossing and turning long enough, and since this stain had been bothering me every time I walked past it, why not get up and scrub it.  I tried 2 different carpet cleaners I had, yet the stain only spread into a larger stain.  I was beginning to think I would need to call a professional carpet cleaner, but it just didn't seem like a big enough problem to make the call.  After all, it was only one stain.  The rest of the carpet in the house was clean.  Yet every time I walked down this particular hallway, this very stain caused a cringe inside of me.  All the clean places I gave no attention, yet this one stain consumed me.

After scrubbing for a few minutes only to create a more annoying, larger, wet stain, I went and sat in my favorite chair in my den.  Alone in the dark, I began to ask God about a particular stain in my life.  Why couldn't I lift it no matter how hard I tried?  Why did this one stain bother me so much in spite of all the clean places in my life?  This very stain in the hallway of my home was symbolic of the stain in the hallway of my life.  It became clear to me that no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn't be able to do it alone.  This was a stubborn stain and I knew it would require a "professional stain remover." 

So instead of focusing on the stain, I decided to focus on the One who could cleanse it.  The One who could make it white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).  The One who if I keep my mind on Him, He promised to keep me in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3).  So I took my eyes off the stain and put them on the "professional stain remover" - Jesus Christ!  Only then would I be able to move past the stain in the hallway of my life and enter a new place.  As long as I stayed stuck in the hallway focused on the stain, the enemy would prevent me from experiencing the beauty of what was ahead.  I refused to be paralyzed by the stain, and decided to walk in faith trusting that my Savior would either clean the stain or move me past it.

Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."  With that in mind, and in the spirit of shifting my focus, I decided I will indeed call in a professional and go back to bed.

What stain do you need Him to clean for you today?

Love Always,

Shy

I Love Miracles!

I love miracles!  I love to hear stories where the outcome is a miracle.  Stories where there's no humanly way possible that things could have turned out the way they did, except a miracle.  This is why I absolutely love planting seeds.  Planting a tiny black seed and seeing a yellow flower, a green leaf or a piece of fruit pop out of the soil a few weeks later just "WOWS" me.  A miracle!  And how in the world does a little black seed produce big, striped, green watermelons that are bright red on the inside anyway?  A miracle!  Were there baby watermelons inside that seed all along?  And speaking of babies…  A miracle!  You get my point.

So when I think of certain visions and dreams God has given me for my life and I see no humanly way possible, I know it will take a miracle.  But what do I do in the meantime?  I take the situation as far as I can humanly take it by planting the seed.  I've heard it said that we can't make a plant grow.  We can only set the conditions around it to be conducive to growth and leave the miracle in the hands of God.

How do we set the conditions in and around our lives to be conducive to a miracle?  I'm glad you asked!  We get still and quiet and listen for direction from God.  We read His word.  We make the call.  We write the book.  We sign up for the class.  We buy the supplies for the craft.  We ask for the meeting.  We build the website.  We open the Etsy store.  We surround ourselves with like-minded people.  We let our actions be a statement of faith that God will produce the miracle.  We stay in the race and take it as far as we can humanly take it, then pass the baton to God.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."

Keep your eyes on Jesus and let Him perfect the things that you are having faith for.  Throw off everything that hinders you - the excuses we tell ourselves, the lies the enemy tells us, the sin that so easily entangles us.  Let Him produce the miracle in your planted seed.  "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance in what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1.  What seed will you plant in faith today?

Love Always!

Shy