The Spirituality of Sharing Meals

Posted on by Wendy
What if sharing meals together actually touches the spiritual?
What if sharing meals together actually touches the spiritual?

Last night my small community group had a pot luck meal together. Up until then, we watched a video and discussed ideas and personal triumphs and struggles. Last night was simply about breaking bread together. It was a wonderful evening with different stories being shared. We are all different ages with very different backgrounds, but our love for Jesus and a desire for strong community has brought us together.

After we all said goodnight, I found myself pondering the bonds that get stronger by simply sitting with people and sharing a meal. I don’t know what it is about eating together that brings people together, but it’s a timeless ritual that almost always produces results.

Jesus often ate with friends. The Last Supper was shared with his closest friends, the disciples. Even after the resurrection he shared a meal with his disciples. The breaking bread together seemed to be a part of the deep relationship they shared.

There’s a story in the Gospel of Luke, where two of his followers were walking along the road to a place called Emmaus. They were sadly discussing all that had happened with the crucifixion and the women reporting that Jesus had risen. As they were talking, Jesus came up and walked and talked with them. The two men didn’t know it was him.

Even as he explained all that had happened was foretold in the scriptures and how it all came together, they still didn’t know it was Jesus. When the men stopped for the evening and Jesus attempted to keep walking, they “urged him strongly,” to stay with them. He agreed.

“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.” Luke 24:30-31

Who knows how long they walked together, most of the day, maybe? What was it about sitting together, giving thanks to God and eating together, that opened their eyes?

Perhaps it has to do with the fact that we all have to eat. Our bodies need food to survive. When we eat together; maybe we are acknowledging a need together. When we bow our heads and give thanks together, we are acknowledging that God meets our needs.

Maybe when we take time to sit together and eat together, we share thoughts and feelings. We share our stories and therefore, some of ourselves. Maybe in the sharing, others are able to have their eyes opened and see Jesus in us and we can see Jesus in others.

I don’t have the answers. But, even researchers agree that families who eat meals together are stronger. The kids are less likely to get into trouble and do better in school. What if the answer is actually spiritual? What if the reason that family meals are so important, is that breaking bread together and giving thanks, goes beyond the physical realm and touches the spiritual?

Whatever the reason, maybe we should all make a point to sit with others when we eat and give thanks, instead of eating drive through food in our cars or mindlessly eating in front of the television. We might find that we are pleasantly surprised with the results.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Doubting the Miraculous

Posted on by Wendy
Miracles still happen, whether we believe in them or not.
Miracles still happen, whether we believe in them or not.

I’m still basking in the glory of the Easter story. I spent the forty days of Lent attempting to draw closer to Christ and to remove things that hinder my faith walk. That is after all, the purpose of Lent. But, I also feel like Easter should be celebrated and reflected upon for more than just one day.

It’s only been a week since Easter and the The Easter baskets have all been plundered and the candy has long been eaten at this point. But, the miracle of the empty tomb, well it’s still glorious. I find myself once again, drawn to those three women who visited the tomb that first Easter. This time, the Gospel of Luke has grabbed my attention.

Luke’s version tells us that after that the women arrived at the tomb and found it empty, that two angels told them that Jesus had risen just as he had said. The women went at once and reported what they had seen to the apostles.

“But they did not believe the women because the words seemed to them like nonsense.” Luke 24:11

The entire idea of Jesus rising from the dead seemed like nonsense to the ones who had seen Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead. They had seen him heal countless people and cast out demons, but the testimony of three women who they knew well, seemed like nonsense.

But, isn’t that always the case with a miracle? Miracles themselves stand on the edge of impossible. More often than not, they defy explanation. Very often, modern humanity refuses to believe, just like those apostles did.

Even so, miracles happen everyday. People survive car crashes that are deemed unsurvivable. Sometimes a medical diagnosis leaves a family little hope, yet the patient is cured. No one knows why these things occur; although many desperately need to explain them.

Back in March in Spanish Fork, Utah, four police officers were attempting to rescue the passengers in a car that was upside down in a river. The rescuers all heard a woman’s voice calling “Help!” She called out more than once and one of the rescuers even yelled into the car that they were trying the best they could to get in there.

When the flipped the car over, the mother, who was driving, was dead, and had been for hours. Her 18-month-old child, Lily was alive, but unconscious. She survived, although they don’t know how. She was upside down, strapped in her seat for nearly fourteen hours, while the temperatures dipped well below freezing.

Did all four of those police officers make the story up? No doubt, some will say they did. They believe they heard the voice of an angel. I agree with them.

Perhaps, when we experience the miraculous, we should take a cue from those women on that first Easter. Even though they were scared and shaken, they unashamedly told others what they saw. Those police officers did the same.

We don’t have to have all of the answers and we don’t have to figure it all out. Faith isn’t about understanding all of the tiny details. Faith is about believing that a God who is so much bigger than we could ever imagine, is in control and nothing is too big for Him. Miracles still happen. Just ask the family of little Lily.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

You’re Not Done Yet

Posted on by Wendy

My son and I spent a few days at my parents’ house for spring break. My mom has always loved to take pictures and she had taken a bunch in her yard that she thought I could use in my blog posts. She did a great job and she had lots of good ones, but there were two in particular, that she wanted to show me. She said she thought maybe I could write something about them.

This red bed tree was cut down and left for dead.
This red bud tree was cut down and left for dead.

When she and my dad had some trees cut around their house, this red bud tree was cut down. They assumed it was dead. There was nothing but a trunk left. It remained in the same spot for a few seasons and moss began to grow on it. They gave up on the little tree.

They gave up on the tree, but the tree wasn't done.
They gave up on the tree, but the tree wasn’t done.

But, the tree wasn’t done. It was dormant for a little while, but then it burst forth into bloom. It wasn’t the same as before, but thriving and blooming, just the same.

I was thrilled with her pictures and she was right. I knew immediately I would write about the little tree. I was thrilled that she was watching for God in the world around her. Did she learn that from me or did I learn that from her? Maybe it was both.

Either way, I am reminded that we often give up way before we should. We find ourselves believing that the best of our years have gone by. We believe that we have little left to contribute. Maybe we’re too damaged, or too inadequate, or too old. Sometimes we sit for a period, believing those lies and let moss grow on us wondering who could ever benefit from our talents or our time.

We could spend the rest of our days as a stump of some kind, just sitting out and missing, out or we could choose another way. We could lean into the truth that comes from God.

We are each special, and loved, and unique, and as long as we are drawing breath here on planet earth, God is not done with us, nor should we be done. We each are called to fill our world with our unique gifts. Those gifts and talents don’t have an expiration date.

There is a time for rest. But, there is never a time to just give up on serving. Maybe you have been sitting out for a while. Maybe you have allowed a little moss to grow, but it’s never too late to burst forth in bloom. It’s never too late to answer God’s call.

Let’s make every moment count. Who’s with me?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

When the Path has Stones

Posted on by Wendy
If we walk by faith instead of worrying about the details, we might be pleasantly surprised.
If we walk by faith instead of worrying about the details, we might be pleasantly surprised.

Last week was spring break for my kids. I decided to take a break myself. When the kids are super stressed, mama is too and school always makes my kids stressed. This year, spring break was kicked off by Easter. We attended a church service and heard the familiar Easter story.

But, this year something different stayed with me, and that was the faith journey of three women. In the Gospel of Mark, on that first Easter Sunday, three women rose just after sunrise to visit Jesus’ tomb and anoint his body with oils and spices. These were three women on a mission. They had stayed and watched the crucifixion and now they sought the body of their beloved Jesus.

Mark’s Gospel is famously short on the details that I crave, but it does say that the women asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” Mark 16:3

Three women, walking alone, were planning on honoring Jesus by preparing his body. They felt called to serve him. They knew what they wanted to do, but they didn’t have a plan to make it happen. There was a huge stone covering the entrance to the tomb. Who would move it?

Were they planning on sweet talking the Roman soldiers who were guarding it? Did they hope that there would be some strong men hanging out in the area of the tomb who would lend them a little muscle?

The text doesn’t say, but perhaps that’s the point. They were following God’s will for their lives. They were answering the call to serve Jesus. The details didn’t matter. They believed that God would provide and He did. All four Gospels have the stone rolled away. But, the three women couldn’t have known that.

Yet, they went anyway.

My take away from this story is that if we want to serve Jesus with our lives, we have to have faith that God will make things happen. There will be stones in our path. Sometimes the stones are closer to the size of boulders. When we know that we are approaching one of those seemingly insurmountable boulders, we have two choices.

We can give up and turn around or we can stay on the path and have faith that God will roll it out of our way. We have the privilege of worshiping the same God who moved that stone.

If the three women would have stayed home that morning because they believed that logistically it was impossible to fulfill their mission, just think what they would have missed out on. They got to play a part in the greatest miracle known to mankind.

Maybe we should ask ourselves what we may lose if we pay too much attention to the logistics and not enough attention to the voice of God.

Even when passage on the road seems impossible, perhaps we should go anyway. Who knows what God may have in store for us or what part we may have to play in the continuing story of Jesus? Let’s not miss it.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Complete Picture of Grace

Posted on by Wendy
He is risen!
He is risen!

Today is Good Friday. It’s the cornerstone of Christianity. Easter gets all of the press. It’s beautiful and glorious. All Christian churches acknowledge and celebrate Easter. Not nearly as many acknowledge and have a service for Good Friday. It’s a somber day and a somber service.

Talking about and picturing the crucifixion of Jesus is hard and brutal. It also requires that we take a hard look at our own sin, not a fun thing to do. However, just like a woman has to endure labor to get a baby, we have to go to the cross to get to Easter. We have to repent of our sins to get forgiveness. There’s no way around it.

I am reminded that there were two other men who were crucified with Jesus. The Gospel of Luke tells us that as they were all three hanging up there in shame, enduring a slow agonizing death, that a short conversation occurred. One of the men was surly and angry til the end. Luke tells us he hurled insults at Jesus and basically said if he were the Christ, he could save himself and the other two hanging there.

Jesus said nothing in reply to the angry, hateful words hurled at him. As far as we know, that man died with his hate and anger.

The other man chose a different path. He “rebuked” the first man. He told him they were getting what they deserved, but that Jesus was innocent. Notice what he did. He owned his sin. He admitted he was wrong. Then he addressed Jesus. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Luke 23:42 He repented.

And the innocent, Son of God, who was hanging on a cross said, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43

Those few words and a changed heart, guaranteed that repentant sinner a place in paradise with Jesus. That’s all it took. That’s all it takes for us.

I pray that all Christians will take some time today to think about the cross and what Jesus endured and what was accomplished. Let’s think about those two criminals and their choices and the ramifications. Let’s think about the importance of repentance and ask for forgiveness.

Let’s bask in the knowledge that grace was born on Good Friday as Jesus willingly breathed his last breath. Let’s really take it all in.

And then, let’s wake up Sunday morning with nothing but joy in our hearts because we know the rest of the story. Let’s remember the utter joy and amazement of Mary Magdalene when she got to see Jesus and talk to him that very first Easter morning. Let’s remember the shock and excitement of the disciples when Jesus appeared to them in a locked room.

Let’s remember the relief that Peter felt when Jesus forgave him for is denial. Peter’s guilt was replaced by a courage that made him stand up for Jesus even when it cost him his own life and countless people were saved because of Peter’s newfound courage and faith.

Let’s celebrate God’s love for us on Sunday. Let’s be at complete peace because in the end God’s love and Jesus’ willing sacrifice is all that really matters. Period. Hallelujah. Amen. He is risen!!

Have an awesome day!!

Wendy 🙂

P.S. I am taking next week off to spend time with my family over spring break, so I won’t be posting. Have a great week.

God is with Us

Posted on by Wendy
When you look at a dogwood bloom, what do you see?
When you look at a dogwood bloom, what do you see?

As I was taking a walk and praying, I kept watch for a hawk. A hawk often flies across my path when I’m deep into a conversation with God. It’s simply happened way too many times for me to discount it as a coincidence. I have a dear friend that said when she was going through a time of struggle when raising her kids, God sent her Carolina Wrens to sing to her. She told me that her family thought she was crazy, but I knew that it was truth.

But, today God didn’t send a hawk. Today, as I was walking and praying and asking God to show Himself, I looked down and there, among the weeds on the side of the road, were the purple blooms of a viola. I first saw one and then as I walked, there they were interspersed in the overgrowth. There’s no way a person planted them. But, nature had some how put them there.

I smiled as I continued to pray and thanked Him for the beauty among the overgrown chaos. I was reminded that there’s always beauty within chaos. In our darkest times, there’s always grace. There’s a friend who stands by us or an unexpected call from someone we haven’t heard from in a while. There’s a meal that shows up on our doorstep or an unexpected card or check in the mail. Sometimes a new friendship begins in those dark times.

To the Christian who actively seeks the face of God, He is everywhere. To the non-believer, He is nowhere. There are so many things in our lives that can be chalked up to mere coincidences, but faith teaches us a different way. Faith teaches us that God created all of the animals, so He could certainly send a hawk across my path or wrens to my friend’s window. He can make things grow where they really shouldn’t be growing.

God’s way of showing His love for us is infinite. We are the ones who seek to limit its scope with our own preconceived notions and misconceptions.

As my walk came to an end, I came across a dogwood tree. Legend has it that Jesus was crucified on a dogwood tree. They used to grow huge like oaks. Because the trees were distressed at being used for such a cruel purpose, Jesus promised they would never again be large and strong enough to construct a cross.The blooms are in the shape of a cross, with two long petals and two short ones, and the ends are tinged red for Christ’s blood.

While it’s not likely that the legend is true; every spring around Easter, they serve as a beautiful reminder of God’s love for us and Jesus’ sacrifice. God could have made those trees look anyway He pleased. The believer sees a cross.

As we draw ever closer to Easter and the glory of the resurrection, I would love to encourage you to get outside and bask in Creation. Look for God in our world and remember that not only did He create the beauty around us, He is still with us. Just take a look.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Things Are Not Always What They Seem

Posted on by Wendy
Everyone has some wind in their lives. The key is to remember that it is usually just passing through and there are warmer days ahead.
Everyone has some wind in their lives. The key is to remember that it is usually just passing through and there are warmer days ahead.

The forecast yesterday was seventy-seven degrees and sunny. Finally, I thought that spring had sprung and I could move comfortably to shorts. We had a cold snap last weekend. It was in the thirties for a couple of nights. My granddaddy always said there would be one last cold snap before Easter and then it would be warm. I have no idea where he got that from, but he was usually right.

So when I saw the forecast today and planned on going to one of my daughter’s last tennis matches of the season, (thank goodness!), I was thinking I would wear shorts and soak up a little warm sun. What I didn’t plan on was a cool, persistent, wind.

Seventy-seven in March and seventy-seven in July are two very different scenarios. That cool wind changed everything. Sure, it was still very nice outside, but not shorts weather, at least not for me. I was kind of disappointed, but at least it wasn’t freezing.

That wind made me think about similar situations in life where things look perfectly sunny, happy and warm, on paper, but the cool wind made them not as rosy as they looked.

You know the situations I’m talking about; that friend or neighbor who seems to have the perfect job or the perfect marriage, that we always wish we could have, or people we know who have the perfect kids with the perfect grades, or even people we know who seem to always have it together, people who never mess up.

We all at some time or another, have looked at other people and wanted what they had because something about their lives seemed perfect or at least better than our own. But, the truth is, every perfectly sunny looking life has some wind that’s invisible to those on the outside. However, those on the inside are perfectly aware of it.

Whether or not, people are brave enough to share the truth about their imperfections with friends doesn’t make them any less imperfect.

We all have our burdens to bear. We all have our own brand of wind. That is a fact for all of humanity, no matter what people say. Perfection does not exist on this side of eternity.

But, beauty does exist as well as sunny days along with the rainy ones and the wind. God rains down blessings on everyone. The trick is to watch for our many blessings and bask in those and be thankful for those and not to focus on what others have. Their burdens and blessings are unique to them, just like ours are unique to us.

And when we are truly honest with ourselves, we usually have to admit that the blessings far outnumber the burdens and the wind is usually just passing through.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Knowing When to Yield

Posted on by Wendy
Making the decision to yield can lead to physical and spiritual peace.
Making the decision to yield can lead to physical and spiritual peace.

I was driving along the other day when I came to some railroad tracks with a yield sign. I chuckled to myself as I thought about the sign. Do drivers really need a yield sign in front of railroad tracks to remind them to yield to an oncoming train? Surely, that kind of thing is common sense. Right?

However, as I thought about it, I was reminded of the uncertainty that a yield sign causes my fifteen-year-old. I’ve been teaching her how to drive for around nine months now. Red lights and green lights are no problems. Stop signs are no problem. But, when we get a yellow light or a yield sign, she always asks what she should do.

“Can I go or should I stop?” she often asks at a yield sign. My answer is always the same, “Is anyone coming?” In other words, “Is the road clear for you to proceed?”

Failure to yield in a car can have disastrous consequences, so figuring it out is of utmost importance. But, as I thought about it a little longer, it occurred to me that yielding is really against human nature.

One of the definitions for yield is to give up or surrender. Surrender is also listed as a synonym.We don’t like the word surrender and we certainly don’t like to give up. We are taught those are bad things. Never give up! Never surrender! Aren’t those mantras to live by?

Maybe. But, sometimes if we refuse to yield, we could get run down by a train.

While not yielding physically can have immediate consequences that are tangible, failure to yield spiritually can be just as dangerous. Perhaps one of the most difficult concepts that many Christians wrestle with is obedience. The Bible tells us under no uncertain terms that we are to yield to God’s will. That’s obedience.

It gives us many examples of people who don’t yield, like Jonah and Saul and many who do like, Ruth, Elijah, and Joshua. The people who yielded to God’s will were always blessed in some amazing way.

This week is Holy Week and possibly the best time ever to ask ourselves what we need to yield to God. Do we need to surrender anger, or hurt, or finances, or doubt? Do we need to completely begin a new path altogether? Do we need to let go of some kind of guilt we have been carrying around? Do we need to simply pray about whatever is troubling us and say and mean, “Not my will but, yours be done”?

Some two thousand years ago this week, Jesus prayed those same words and his obedience to God’s will, saved us all.

If we are ready for more peace, joy and happiness, perhaps we need to seriously consider yielding to God’s will and His plan. It’s way better than one we could come up with anyway.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Hosanna!

Posted on by Wendy
As we journey towards Easter, let's take some time to remember the true cost of grace.
As we journey towards Easter, let’s take some time to remember the true cost of grace.

Yesterday, the Christian Church, (the church universal), celebrated or acknowledged, the Triumphal Entry, which was when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowd went wild and children cut palm branches and put them across his path. That’s where we get the term Palm Sunday.

It’s the official beginning of Holy Week. I picture a beautiful, sunny day. Jesus comes riding into town on a donkey. How he got he acquired the donkey is one of those, watching for God at work, hair standing up on the back of your neck stories. Three of the Gospels record the account.

Jesus sent two of his disciples to get him a donkey. He told them where it would be and what to say if anyone questioned them. I wonder if the two were nervous. I suppose they could have been accused of stealing. Was their faith strong enough at this point to simply obey without asking questions? They had seen demons cast out and miracles. Were they expecting something huge to happen?

We don’t get many details. They were asked what they were doing in two of the Gospel accounts. They gave the simple message Jesus told them to, “The Lord needs it.” They were allowed to go, with no further questions.

I wonder what our world would look like if we proceeded in life with that mantra. “The Lord needs it.” What if we used it with our money? What if we used it with our time and resources?

They delivered the donkey and Jesus rode in on it. The city was likely very busy. I don’t know whether Jesus just rode in on the donkey alone or if the disciples walked beside him. But, people began to notice and a few voices became many. They began shouting “Hosanna!” which translates to “save please.”

Of course, the crowd would get their wish, although not in the way they expected. They wanted to be saved by being delivered from Rome in a blaze of glory. This same crowd turned on Jesus just five days later and called for his death, a death that did ultimately save not only them, but all of humanity.

The Jews were thinking of the small picture with their desires when the orchestrated Jesus’ death. But, God had something much bigger in mind. He wasn’t interested in saving only Israel from Rome at that moment in time. No, He was interested in saving people from that moment to thousands of years later.

Only God could have known the events coming over the next week. Only God could have known that the real triumph was not to be found on that day, but on Easter morning, six days later, when death lost its power for good.

Let’s take some time this week to think about Jesus and his journey to Easter. Let’s remember his miraculous birth and maybe take some time to read about some of his awesome miracles. Let’s think about the Last Supper and its deeper meaning. Let’s think about his friends. Let’s think about Peter and Judas. Let’s think about his mother Mary.

Let’s think about the cross.

And on Easter morning, let’s really embrace love and grace and the freedom that comes with it.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Face of Jesus

Posted on by Wendy
Who knows how far a simple act of kindness will go?
Who knows how far a simple act of kindness will go?

I was subbing at a local elementary school yesterday in fifth grade. I was giving a math test. All of the kids were deep in concentration, when a little girl walked up to my desk. She said, “Can I ask you a weird question?”

I hesitantly answered, “yes.” You never know what you’re going to get with children; so there was absolutely no way of knowing what the question would be. I braced myself as she asked, “Will you braid my hair?”

A deep sigh of relief came from the substitute teacher; she went on to say that there had been something in her hair and when she tried to pull it out, it messed up her braid. Her hair was hanging in her face as she was trying to do her test and it was distracting her.

Truthfully, I was honored that she would even ask, delighted that she felt that comfortable. I sub because I enjoy the kids. It took all of two minutes to braid her hair and put her at ease again. I told her that her hair was beautiful just like she was and her smile bloomed like the spring time. I was instantly reminded of my prayer earlier that morning.

I always pray before I work in the school that God will allow me to see the face of Jesus in someone and that I will be the face of Jesus for someone. I knew instantly, that my prayer had been answered. That seemingly insignificant act of kindness produced a brilliant smile that made me know I was in the presence of God.

I can’t say that I was really surprised, because I often see Jesus in children. I have always told my own kids that children are Jesus’ favorite people, which always makes them smile and stand a little taller.

The math test will soon be forgotten, but I pray that the little girl will remember the substitute teacher who braided her hair and that maybe someday she will be able to feel like she saw the face of Jesus in me.

It’s impossible to know how far-reaching our little acts of kindness can be or if they even go anywhere. But, what if they do make a huge difference for just one person? As Christians, shouldn’t we try to be the hands and feet and face of Christ at every opportunity? What if God sent that child at that moment?

What if He sends someone across my path tomorrow? What if He sends someone across yours? Will I be watching and looking? Will you?

As we journey closer to Easter, perhaps we should make an effort to look for Jesus more intentionally. Perhaps we should be more intentional about representing him to the world around us. We don’t have to do anything huge, but simply reach out a helping hand when the opportunity presents itself. Who knows what kind of difference we can make?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂