You're Beautiful

I haven’t written in a while...  It’s been an amazing time of being so present to my kids, Matt and to God, but I haven’t felt a need to document it.  I’m just enjoying my time with them.  The one revelation worth mentioning was born out of Sabbath.

It seems tears fall in heavy repetition down my cheeks a lot lately. I am deeply moved every time my thoughts turn to Jesus and to how thankful I am.  Even as I write the word ‘thankful’ I can feel the familiar lump begin to rise in my throat...

Overwhelmed at His goodness to us as a family...  I’m not sure when I’ve felt His love quite like this... I want so much to love Him back because of it.

I think the reason for this profound clarity of His love is simple – I’ve never really stopped before.  Sounds crazy, but stillness has never been a part of my life’s vocabulary.  No exaggeration.  Ever since I can remember, I’ve strived, pursued, sought, thought, multi-tasked and busied myself silly. 

Matt can attest to this.  Practically every night throughout our marriage, he teases me by ‘clicking my nose’ to shut off my brain, just so I can fall asleep!

There really is something to this thing called “Sabbath.”  Chalk me up as a slow learner, but I think I’m finally getting it.  Sabbath is a time where stillness reigns. A time where we are able to revel in His love and grace, and not because of anything we can do for Him.  We can do this because He is Love and we are His, and He is Good... And I am overwhelmed at the extravagance of it all. 

We all have so much to be grateful for...

Are there clothes in your closet?  Is there food in your refrigerator?  Do you have a bed, a place to stay, and people who love you and know your name?  Me too.  And we are free from oppression.  We have clean water to drink.  And most of us have supply of “daily bread” stashed away... Isn’t that beautiful?

There is a song that I’ve discovered since we’ve been on the road (it really seems to help those tears along).  Take a moment to listen to it and join me in telling Jesus how Beautiful He is.  Then take the time to REST, and listen to the song again... This time allow Him to sing the chorus -- back to you.

Song: “You’re Beautiful” by Phil Wickham

Jesus you are so good to us and so great.  We give all we have and everything we are to Thee, our precious Savior.  May we live our lives passionately for You and Your Kingdom --  for You Are Beautiful!

Glitter

What do you do when you’re in Los Angeles, and you’ve got two little kids longing to go trick-or-treating, and everything you’ve read on-line says that Halloween is the most dangerous night to be out in L.A?  Well, it seems they’ve thought of everything here in the City of Angels -- you head to the local mall for a Halloween party! 

And so we did...

Indiana dressed up as Woody from Toy Story, and Picabo as a fairy, with glitter wings to boot.  As always, the girls insisted that Matt and I dress up (honestly, never a hard sell for us).  So, Matt joined Indi as a cowboy and I joined Pica as a mommy fairy!

In our haste to make it on time for the mall festivities, we left Dusty in a bit of a mess. Two hours later we returned with loot bags filled, kids more than happy, and two extremely over-tired parents, grateful Halloween was conquered in L.A!

The harsh realization upon returning home to Dusty, was that there was glitter everywhere!  Cheap dollar store fairy wings be damned!  Close your eyes and imagine the inside of a Disco ball, and, well, you see what we see.

After a good sweep and a vacuum (and another sweep, and another vacuum), it still looks like the set of a dancing show in Las Vegas.  We have all since concluded that a little permanent sparkle isn’t the worst thing that could happen to Dusty; isn’t the worst thing that could happen to any of us, really.

...I’ve been reading about the lives of some really inspiring people lately; people that I’d like to be like.*  People who really have sparkled in this world, and really made a difference with their lives. 

Lately this verse keeps coming up...

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. 

[Matthew 5:14-16]

It’s more than the song we learned in Sunday school (“This Little Light of Mine”), and it’s far more than ‘asking Jesus into our hearts.”  Are we living our lives in such a way that the light and the hope of Christ shine through?  Are we representing Jesus in every decision we make?  And is God glorified by what we do?

That last part of the verse is the kicker for me.  “That they may see your good deeds and PRAISE YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.”  That means that people won’t see me and go “wow, Blaise is so Christ-like,” rather they would only see Christ - - and give Him praise.

Jesus, may there be something in my life that glitters and shines like a city on a hill, so that YOU and YOU ALONE may be praised.  And, where I’ve settled for cheap dollar store wings so THAT I MIGHT BE NOTICED and FIND PRAISE... I ask your forgiveness.

Post Script: One person in our life that continues to glitter is a man named John Deacon.  Some of his best friends are the homeless on the streets of Toronto.  He doesn’t throw them charity and walk on, but offers dignity through friendship and time spent together. Please take time to check out his blog and get inspired...  A Visitor's Guide to the Homeless

* Chapter Nine in Francis Chan’s “Crazy Love” has a great list of people who sought to live their lives fully surrendered to God.  If you haven’t read this book, I encourage you to do so...