A Birdhouse View

While cleaning around the house a few months ago, I happened to notice a peculiar sight. Right in the middle of an old birdhouse, sat a frog. Now, I've seen a frog in a lot of different places but never in a birdhouse! Of all the places you might imagine frogs would enjoy...a pond, a Lilly pad, along a creek bank somewhere...but a birdhouse?

Perhaps the frog only wanted to gain a little different perspective from its birdhouse perch. Don't we all get a little settled in our routines and weekly agendas. School work, taking the kids to school, off to church on Sunday, picking up Friday night's pizza, etc.... Only when our world gets shaken do we sometimes step back and try to take in a fuller picture of what it all means...and often we're just left with questions. Life can be like that. Lots of questions and no answers, with discouragement right around the corner. But perspective can be a powerful ally in our fight to overcome the questions and frustrations.

Sometimes when my perspective falters and I find myself with more questions than answers, I can always find solace (and a few answers) when I take time to pray. Sometimes just spending time reading the Scriptures (Bible), singing a favorite hymn, playing the piano, or being quiet and alone in an attitude of prayer, which does more listening than speaking with God, can powerfully impact our perspective. Peace is something God wants each of us to have as Jesus said in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." No matter where we are or what we're going through God will help us gain a proper perspective - even if we need a birdhouse view.

Overcoming Evil...with Attitude.

In reading some Scripture this morning I came across this passage in Romans chapter 12 verse 21 that says: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” As I pondered that verse I couldn’t help but think about how difficult that might be. That isn’t the natural tendency or progression. Usually, when something evil or bad happens, we begin focusing all our energies and attention on what has hurt us or the evil that has been pushed upon us. Oftentimes this leads to discouragement, depression, or frustration and anger!

Sometimes our path in life takes unexpected turns here and there, dragging us through the forest of fear or the Grand Canyon of confusion. We run into people and circumstances that represent the “dark side” of life and leave us with more questions than answers for God as we travel along this journey called life. Most of us have heard the phrase, “life happens and then you die.” Not a Pulitzer Prize winning appraisal by any means, but there is some truth to it. “Life is what you make it,” I’ve heard plenty of folks say. But sometimes we feel as though we are caught in the mud hole of life and getting out is going to be one messy adventure!

That’s why attitude is such a powerful force in our lives and allows us to rise above so many things. However, I must admit, there are many days when my attitude is less than stellar – and at times it down right stinks! So welcome to life. The good. The bad. And yes, the ugly. Bad breath and bad hair days come and go, yet the sun will still come up and the alarm clock will still sound as a reminder that work awaits and another day begs us to make a difference….somehow.

What difference are you making in your world? At home, work, or around town running errands at your favorites stores. When people recognize you what do they think? Are you uplifting and quick to make a positive impact in the lives of those you run into, or have you allowed evil to ruin yet another day? It’s often easier said than done, but with God’s grace, we can forget “what is behind” and reach “forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13).  Today is a new day…a day to make a difference…a day to rise above the clouds of life with a positive attitude…and soar!

Downtime!

If your summer is like most folks’ summer you were busy! It seems like we all try to cram in the most fun in the least amount of time – especially when you have family. School is out for only so much time and with our eldest heading off to college (yes, he’s already there), we wanted to spend some quality time all together before school forced us all to go our separate ways.

So we headed to southern Colorado. We enjoyed a tranquil setting to say the least; with a plethora of picturesque photo opportunities at almost every turn of the road. No television, no Internet, and not much cell phone activity either – just a lot of time practicing our social skills. Taking hikes and drives through the mountains and trying to catch our breath at 8000 plus feet of elevation. Barely staving off altitude sickness (since we went from around 700 feet above sea level to over 8000 in one day instead of the 3 or 4 days recommendedJ), but having a blast.

It is interesting how much our fast-paced world impacts our lives; it normally takes 2-3 days for me to just “relax,” but after I do the feeling is immensely pleasurable. We usually don’t even realize the need for solitude and relaxation in our lives, but when we finally get a taste of it, we can’t imagine how we’ve done without it for so long.

So too our spiritual lives. We often get busy with living life and trying to do the best we can for our families, the organizations we enjoy, and sometimes even the spiritual side of life. Then, when we finally have that divine encounter, or “God moment” as a few folks call it, we suddenly realize that we have been missing something important. Whether you have been raised in church your whole life or feel like God isn’t a big part of your life, those moments when God seems so near cause us to realize there’s more to life than just “keeping up with the Jones.”

The Scriptures do tell us that God really cares about us; so much so that he allowed his only son, Jesus Christ, to pay a high price for our debts (John 3:16). Even though we did not ask him to do it, God allowed his son to die on a cross for us so that you and I might have an opportunity to know God as he longs for us to know him. The neat thing about God though, is that he never forces anyone to follow him—it’s always our decision. And if we do make that decision to connect with God on a deeper level—the free gift of that relationship provided for by the death of his son—is ours.

You may not be able to sneak away to southern Colorado for some downtime, but I pray today that you’ll be able to break away for a few moments and seriously consider the value of what a deeper relationship with God could do for you. I know he can’t wait to hear from you!