Stay with it....

In the morning, I've been listening to the Message Bible on my Ipod. It's a great way to multi-task.

This morning I listened to Matthew 24. In light of all that's going on in the world, I found this scripture as one to hold on to. The Best part??

"STAY WITH IT TO THE END. YOU WON'T BE SORRY AND YOU'LL BE SAVED." - Again, you earn your ending! (See my last entry!)

"...His disciples approached and asked him, "Tell us...What will be the sign of your coming, that the time's up?" Jesus said, "Watch out for doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities, claiming, 'I am Christ, the Messiah.' They will deceive a lot of people. When reports come in of wars and rumored wars, keep your head and don't panic. This is routine history; this is no sign of the end. Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Famines and earthquakes will occur in various places. This is nothing compared to what is coming....In the confusion, lying preachers will come forward and deceive a lot of people. For many others, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in—nothing left of their love but a mound of ashes. Staying with it—that's what God requires. Stay with it to the end. You won't be sorry, and you'll be saved. All during this time, the good news—the Message of the kingdom—will be preached all over the world, a witness staked out in every country. And then the end will come.....(v 32) Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer's just around the corner. So it is with you: When you see all these things, you'll know he's at the door. Don't take this lightly. I'm not just saying this for some future generation, but for all of you. This age continues until all these things take place. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won't wear out. But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven's angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.

Earn your ending....??

"You have to earn an ending. You don't just fall into one." John Irving








On Sunday James and I watched Anthony Robles wrestle for the NCAA championship. One of the commercials that played just before the match had John Irving comparing the art of wresting and writing - and it captured my thoughts.

How many times have I heard that saying, "It's not how well you start something. It's how you finish." As many times as I've heard it (often from individuals I loved and respected), is as many times I can count men and women who didn't finish as I would have expected.

This time the words brought a new spin, a fresh perspective on how we live life and how, at this juncture in my life, it's good to consider living life from the ending backwards.

What do I want my life to look like when I die?

Living a life of no regrets requires courage to face where you're at now and where you want to be and make the necessary changes in your heart, mind, and soul to get there.

I guess the point is you don't just emerge. A life well lived requires discipline, forethought, determination, and the ability to shed off and let go of things that entangle and keep you from a well-earned ending.

I think of bitterness. How many people do you know who have been destroyed by this cancer? Holding onto bitterness only rots and corrodes the insides. It doesn't benefit anyone, let alone yourself.

I think of unfaithfulness. How many lives have been cut into by the pain of this blind cancer? With no forethought for how things might be in a well-lived life, it's as if all the potential is cut short in a few foolish glances and acts.

I think of less obvious but just as debilitating ways to go. What about laziness? Without wrestling this flesh to the ground and beating my natural human emotions into the submission of my savior, it's easy to sink into the every day lazy fare life.

And that's where I consider God's grace. Sure, by God's rich and lavishing love, I've found a new way to live and have been given the ability to be free, to withstand temptations, to overcome my flesh and see internal challenges become victories.

But there's something to be said about choosing to look to Christ to do and be that every day to see that kind of ending take place in my soul. In some ways, yes, I've fallen into a grace that I absolutely don't understand. In other ways, I must be purposeful about how I'm living my life and what I'm doing to guard and protect this precious gift I've been given.

In the end I want to live a life that honors Christ, where His love shines through. So many times this doesn't happen. On a daily basis I'm reminded of just how janked up I am inside. And yet, I know there's more to the story if I'll continue to look to Him, to be swayed only by His working in me and not give into the flesh.

Just some early morning thoughts and reflections...

What's happening in Japan is hard to miss and has caused me to think about the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives have been forever changed. The events that happened in Egypt a few months ago and what's going on in Lybia are another reminder that this world is filled with unrest and it doesn't seem to want to go away. Even with all of man's progression and knowledge, you'd think we'd get a few things figured out. And then of course there's March Madness, which no one can quite figure out, but people will bet on it like crazy! Such an insignificant thing to keep track of in light of world events, really.

In my own soul I find myself longing for a time when all will be right in the world. From the inconsistencies in my own life to world events seen on the news these days, my heart and soul groan for relief! And then I have to wonder. Do natural things speak of the invisible? Natural events like earthquakes, tsunamis. Is this the earth groaning too in wait for a redeemer?

This morning I woke at 4 am thinking about way too much. And as I pulled out Max Lucado's Devotional Bible, I read this devotion on Heaven. I'll be chewing on this today.

"The only ultimate disaster that can befall us, I have come to realize, is to feel ourselves to be home on earth. As long as we are aliens, we cannot forget our true homeland. Unhappiness on earth cultivates a hunger for heaven. By gracing us with a deep dissatisfaction, God holds our attention. The only tragedy then, is to be satisfied prematurely. To settle for earth. To be content in a strange land....
We are not happy here because we are not at home here. We are not happy here because we are not supposed to be happy here. We are "foreigners and strangers in this world. (1 Peter 2:11) Take a fish and place him on the beach. Watch his gills gasp and scales dry. Is he happy? No! How do you make him happy? Do you cover him with a mountain of cash? Do you get a beach chair and sunglasses? Do you bring him a Playfish magazine and martini? Do you wardrobe him in double-breasted fins and people skinned shoes? Of course not. Then how do you make him happy? You put him back in his element. You put him back in the water. He will never be happy on the beach simply because he was not made for the beach. And you will never be completely happy on earth simply because you were not made for this earth. Oh, you will have moments of joy. You will catch glimpses of light. You will know moments or even days of peace, but they simply do not compare with the happiness that lies ahead."

Fit2Wed

Right now our office could be called Fit2Wed instead of Fit2Race. Sayuri, Jesse and I lament about what still needs to get done all before the big day. With wedding on the brain, we each have our own distractions with this part of life. It does make for a fun/understanding work environment as we make calls to vendors on our lunch breaks or have to work on wedding details in our spare moments. But for Sayuri, the big day is here this weekend! Ready or not, the day has come. Congratulations to Dustin and Sayuri and little Bink, our office mascot. I pray for years and years of good things for the two of you.

We took on a challenge mid-February to get in better shape before our weddings and signed up for KAIA FIT (Functional Intense Training for Women) which is conveniently located just next door to work. We've had a lot of fun (and suffered a lot of good pain) with the ladies at KAIA FIT. I'm loving the set up - in Tumbleweeds Gymnastic Center. Nikki's philosophy on fitness is inspiring! After watching kids jump around and do gymnastics, she asked herself, what happens to us as adults to think we can't get in there and do that? Many women's lives have been changed by it. I love the energy and the fun of the class and the ladies who lead it. I love seeing average women get in there. You don't know what to expect each time you walk through the door except that you're going to sweat, move your body, and work it out with a bunch of other like-minded ladies of all shapes and sizes!
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On another note, interviews for my position have started, as I won't be making the commute once James and I are married. So, if you live in the Carson/Minden area and are looking for a fantastic, fast-paced, tough job, I'd say apply now. It is kind of interesting to see who comes through the doors and curiosity gets the best of me. I wonder who will carry on here at Fit2Race.

For now, I'm workin' hard to be Fit2Wed. Even though I hate all the details and the planning of a wedding, I'm enjoying the process as James and I get to know each other in different ways through this too. The hardest part is living in the moment. I have to constantly remind myself that I only have today. I'm not given tomorrow so I need to just enjoy the moments I have now with co-workers, family, friends and my handsome fiance. Tomorrow will come soon enough and I'm sure there will be plenty think about then too.

Strength

It might be the number of times I biffed it snowboarding this weekend at Northstar. It might be the fact that wedding planning has now been added to the details of every day life. It might have been the number of thoughts I've had about the exciting (but unknown) changes that are coming in the next few months. For whatever reason, this morning I was tired and felt weak.

Strength of body - Shred the mountain?! ha! My body felt like shredded meat for atleast a day.
Strength of mind - Take your thoughts captive. Remind yourself you only have today. Don't get overwhelmed. My constant struggle.
Strength of heart - Taking on the details of wedding planning requires this, even if you are a bride-zilla and/or love this kind of stuff. (not me!)

My plain and obvious need this morning was to be strengthened from above. Your own resources run out....

And guess what I opened up to this morning in la Biblia? A few passages on this very topic, something I so desperately needed to hear.

Isaiah 45
"I will go before you and will level the mountains;
I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.
I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you,"

To be strengthened with a strength that never runs out. Now that's real strength.
Just today I felt that strength running through my thoughts, my heart, my physical body even! Intangible but so real. His essence strengthening my human frame so I can do His will and be His girl. I'm so far from it, but I want it.

I started thinking about life a little and how I'm venturing into a new season, one that includes marriage and family, all very new stuff. And I asked God for the strength for that.

You want to know what He said?
"Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." Isaiah 46

Later today I heard a song by Sidewalk Prophets
"The Words I Would Say" and I was encouraged and strengthened once again.


"Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say..."

So my hope for you is this kind of strength and this kind of relationship with the living God, where He speaks and you are changed.

"I have learned......." Contentment

There will always be opportunity to be discontent. It's just what you do with those moments that count. A lot like junk food, discontentment is always being dished out on a plate nearby and most likely looks good. Can you train yourself not to grab it and find a healthy replacement instead?

A discontented person is easy to spot. I know I'm a dead giveaway when I'm discontent. I'm unhappy, fretting, worried, negative, unthankful, ungrateful. No matter how many good things are going on, it's the one thing that isn't that becomes the focal point to fret about. In a state of pride, expectations of what is owed and what your life should be like becomes the central driving thought. Maybe it's the nature of being human. Most of us want something we don't have. Somehow we never seem to be satisfied. I think of all the jokes about women. Blonds want to be Brunettes. Curly haired girls want it straight. We're never satisfied.

The more a mind is allowed to find reasons to be discontent, the more spiritually unhealthy the soul becomes. Living in the moment is the most fruitful thing you can do and yet it doesn't come naturally. It must be learned.

When contentment rules the heart, there is confidence, joy and peace no matter what happens in your circumstances. But this kind of ruling takes focused effort. This is not to say that we should stop praying for better circumstances. Yet, contentment allows you to have a continual feast no matter what your circumstances.

When you're discontent, you're never happy. You never have enough. You'll always find something to fret about. It's a state of mind. It's an act of the will. To be content is a character trait we should add to our faith. When we live in contentment we live contrary to culture. It's a tough one, but it reflects the heart of our creator. When we live with contentment, we train our soul to desire nothing more or different from what we currently have by limiting our will and perspective to live in the moment and be thankful for what is in our lap at the time. Contentment is a choice and it is learned behavior as Paul showed us by Christ’s strength.

The opposite of contentment is wanting more than you have at the moment, wanting something that isn't yours, even if your desires are for good things. When we are discontent, we give ourselves over to grumbling, complaining, and being bitter.

Sometimes I wonder if discontentment comes because we have complicated our lives. The simpler the lifestyle, the less opportunity for disappointment. Obligations consume spirituality, time, and energy. If we spent half that time setting our affections and our time on things that count, things that are eternal, I wonder if we'd be so discontent.

I'm writing this today not because I'm discontent. Instead, there are many things in my life right now that are in a state of uncertainty. I want to remind myself to live with a thankful heart and not focus on the uncertain elements in life. I want to constantly remember to cultivate a thankful heart.

Some good friends of mine who are now planting a church in Marsaille, France, have trained their kids to go in another room and not come out until they have a "happy heart". It sounds funny to hear a parent say "Go and get a happy heart" but really this is the crux of life. You can be happy and content even when your expectations don't measure up knowing that contentment is a choice you can make right now, because right now is all you have.

Learning To Sing!

If you've ever been awake when songbirds are singing in the morning, you may appreciate this scientific finding.

On Friday morning, I picked up a copy of Science News from April 2010 while cycling at the gym. Inside was an article about the first songbird genome. Besides the chicken, the only other bird that has a completely determined genome is the Zebra finch. And scientists have found within the bird's DNA some clues on how songbirds learn vocally.

Apparently, the male zebra finch learns to sing by memorizing his father's song and practicing the song for a month or two. Once he learns his father's song, it becomes his signature song and he sings the same tune for life. Zebra Finches are loud and boisterous singers. Although it starts as a few small beeps it leads to a rhythmic song of varying complexity. Their song begins as a few disjointed sounds, but as they experiment and match what they sing to the memory of the father's song, it rapidly matures into a full-fledged song. During these formative times, they will incorporate sounds from their surroundings into their song. Each finch has a unique sound but they will overlay their own uniqueness onto a common rhythmic framework. Sons generally learn the song of their father with little variation. Although the male finch's song may change during puberty, he later sings his father's song his entire life.

Ok, hmmmm. First, he learns His father's song.
Second, he sings the same tune for life.

I got to thinking about how this songbird provides a parallel to my life as a believer.

When my Heavenly Father made me His daughter, I began to learn a new song. I'm still learning to sing it, probably still at the peeping stage, definitely still disjointed. What may take the finch only one or two months will probably take me a lifetime but as I experiment in living out this song, hopefully I will mature! Fortunately, I'm following the one who sang the Father's song perfectly - Christ Jesus. Christ's life was perfection. Mine is not. He sings a perfect melody each morning to our Heavenly Father and although I'm still learning the tune, still learning when to hit the low notes or reach some higher places in song, Christ has already perfected it.

And oh how much do I have to learn! The Father's character is trustworthy, patient, kind, full of love, gentleness, authority, justice, peace, grace. I could go on and on as I consider the character of God. My character is shifty, impatient, unkind, full of selfish ambition, brash, weak, prone to worry and often ungracious with others. Almost daily I'm confronted with my own humanity, which sounds a lot like a song that is sung off key. How deeply I need a Savior.

Although my own variation can sometimes be heard in my life and it's probably a little off key, my Heavenly Father's song is definitely my signature song. I don't want to sing any other. I do hear the Father's melody breaking into my song on more occasions than my own selfish song plays out and for that I'm thankful! And so there you go! Some moments of reflection from an Australian song bird!