Storytime

If you know me at all, you know of my deep, abiding love for books and for reading.  We Foxes are a clan of readers (sorry Dad, if it's genetic, it came down on the maternal side).  No doubt my love affair with books all started with someone reading to me.

Some of the very best hours of my childhood were spent in the basement of the Old Hickory Library, sprawled out on the cool, tiled floor, eyes half-closed, entranced, listening to well-written tale told by a sweet library lady in a perfect storytime voice.

I had the most interesting lunch today in Cubeville.

Today, as I sat and ate soup and cookies with a new friend (food prepared and shared by said new friend), another employee in the building (and friend of hers) read a story to us.  Yes, read to us.  Out loud.

She read a sweet story that she had written about a family cat.  I'm a good southern redneck; I don't even much care for cats. We rednecks are dog people.  Until the Nashville flood swept them away, I had every "I Hate Cat" book ever published.

I sat at the lunch table, leaned back in my chair, faint smile on my face, eyes half-closed, mesmerized not only by the fascinating tale about their feline friend, but also by the reader's perfect "storytime" voice.  It was a well-written and well-spoken story.  About a cat.  Unbelievable.  I absolutely loved it.

Are You Flying IFR or VFR?

Unless you are a pilot or a jack-of-all-trades freak like me, the terms IFR and VFR likely mean nothing to you.  Or you may have heard them tossed around by the media when JFK Jr. crashed his plane into the ocean.  He was only certified for VFR flying and may have found himself in IFR conditions.

I don't have a comprehensive understanding of these terms.  There's whole books written about them, and that's way more than I care about.  I just know the basics from hanging out with pilots and mechanics.  VFR is visual flight rules, where you fly essentially trusting only what you can see looking out your cockpit windows.  IFR stands for instrument flight rules, which means you have been certified to fly relying completely on your instruments.

These terms have a strong application in your walk with God.  For many years, despite what I said with my mouth, I think in reality I was flying VFR.  If I couldn't see it, I didn't necessarily believe it.

The mark of a mature Christian walk is trusting God completely, having the faith to believe He is who He says He is and that He can do what He says He can do, despite the evidence of what we see and feel.

Have you spent enough time with the Lord that you are able to fly IFR?  Are you walking by faith or are you walking by sight?  When nothing around you makes sense, when you can't see the evidence of what God is doing, do you trust Him anyway?

2 Corinthians 5:7
We live by faith, not by sight.

Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the Ends of the Earth

The Long Hollow Brazil team returned home last night, safe and sound.  All were exhausted but fired up about what God did in and through us in the state of Piaui, the hottest region of Brazil, two hours outside of the city of Teresina.  Our team joined God in the work He was doing in the outskirts of Agua Branca, which ironically means "white water," but as one of the driest areas of Brazil, there was certainly no water, and the only white was the white-hot heat.  In a week's time, together with an amazing group of Brazilians, we built and launched a church.  Before we left, we lifted our voices together and worshiped the God who made it all possible.  It was crazy good stuff.

Our team met many precious people, each one of us connecting in different ways with other Christ-followers, working together to push back the darkness.  Each one of us was used and blessed in different ways; each one will never be the same again.  I've no doubt that each team member is doing just as I am today, reflecting back on the crazy wonderful week we just experienced, rejoicing in what we saw and heard, thankful that the Creator of the universe would even be mindful of us, much less use us.

As I sit here in my living room, thinking about all God did this week, my eye is drawn to the scripture painted on the wall directly in front of me.  It's Acts 1:8.  I'll bet it's familiar to you.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

I have a confession.  It's about a bezillion times easier for me to go thousands of miles to share the Good News of Jesus Christ than it is for me to cross my own street.  When our street was under water this spring and I got to know my neighbors a bit better, I vowed to be different.  Well kids, I haven't been different.  I'm still letting the busy-ness of my life crowd out the prompts of the Holy Spirit to reach out to folks right here in the burbs of Nashville.  I rarely cross my street, walk to the next cubicle, or turn around in the WalMart line, to share the love of Christ. 

I will never stop going to the ends of the earth.  I love GO-ing far and wide, and as Christ-followers, I believe that's what we are called to do, if we are able.  I am able, and I want to travel to many faraway places, showing and sharing the love of Christ.  Thank You Lord, for providing the resources for me to GO to Brazil.

But.  But.  God calls us to both NEAR and FAR.  And all points in between.  I don't want to miss out on a single call God has on my life.  While I'll keep GO-ing to every faraway place I can go, at the same time, it's time I started looking more often to join God in what He is doing right here in my Jerusalem.

How's Your Fruit?

Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-control

That's an all-star list, huh.

On my best day, I don't have enough patience.  Unless the patience of a two-year old is acceptable.  Gentleness?  Well, sometimes.  For about thirty seconds.  Self-control?  Flies right out the window the minute stress hits.  Love?  Are you kidding me?  I can think of a dozen people in my life I can barely tolerate on my own, much less love.  Peace?  Without God, you can rock my world in New York minute.  Joy?  Ha.  I start focusing on my circumstances and go straight in the tank.  I know you know this.  You can't gut this list out either. But if you know what I know, you can.

God shows us the way, right there in His Word.  And I'm not talking about gutting it out.  I'm talking about wow, I CAN choose to love that person and mean it.  My mouth didn't fly open and chew that person up and spit them out...gentleness just flowed. I didn't dog-cuss that guy who just cut me off on I-65.  I really DO have peace that defies good sense in this perfectly horrendous storm. 

Don't miss the intro to this stellar list.  The key.  "But the fruit of the Spirit is..."
God KNOWS we can't do it alone.  Through the work of the Holy Spirit, He produces these outstanding, admirable, supercalifragilisticexpealidocious qualities right slap in us.  Isn't that great news?  Our part?  Positioning ourselves for producing that fruit.  Knowing Him, spending time in His word, spending time in conversation with Him, spending time with His people.

You know what I'm talking about.  You gotta hang with God.  Stop talking about how you know you need to do it and do it.  You know who you are.

Stop letting your schedule crowd Him out.  Put God in first.  Here's one my people are not going to like:  You really really do need time with Him first thing in the morning.  Don't say "I'm not a morning person."  So what!?  Do it anyway! Pretty small sacrifice, considering what He has done for you.  Ouch.  Did that convict you as sharply as it did me the first time someone said it to me?  And I feel your pain.  You are one of my people.  I'm totally NOT a morning person.  Then stay in touch with Him through the day, and in the evening.  Conversation all day long.  All. Day. Long.

If you see anything in me that's good, trust me.  It ain't me.  Let me point you to the God who saved me and keeps saving me every single day.  He's longing to spend time with you.  How cool is that.

Go go go.  Then get ready to produce some fruit. 

Galatians 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control.

Southern Stuff

Wednesday night we had a rousing discussion in a group I'm in about returning something to a store.  I had no idea there was any way to say it other than "take it back."  Right?  Au contraire! I was told our northern friends say they are going to "bring it back."  How does that even make sense??  Bring it back?

Don't you love mashed up southern words?  Think Jeff Foxworthy.
This week's favorite:  Awahlago.  Used in a sentence:  I fed the deer awahlago.

I had a sweet potato cupcake today at The Cupcake Collection in Germantown that was so tasty I almost cried.  You think they sell something that amazing outside the south?   Not a chance.

Going really far south Saturday.  Teresina, Brazil. 

Peace out.

I'm Neither a Rock, Nor an Island

Music has been the anthem of my heart all of my life.  Over the years I've shouted out lyrics of songs from every genre, as if they were my very own words. 

From belting out how all my rowdy friends have settled down...to how I'd give you everything I've got for a little peace of mind...to wondering if I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me...to confessing that at night I'm a junk food junkie...  And oh so many more.

So that's the reason for my blog title.  It's adapted from a Billy Joel song.  This isn't a blog about music.  It just occurred to me in one of my more introspective moments that there is much more music in my life left to write.  Nonetheless, don't be surprised when lyrics of all types find their way into my posts. I love music!

I digress.  We're supposed to be talking about rocks and islands.

My early years were full of rebellion, but also desperately full of isolation and despair.  How sad is, "I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain.  It's laughter and it's loving I disdain.  I am a rock, I am an island."  Belted out those words of Simon and Garfunkel at the top of my lungs.  Meant. Every. Word.  How about you?  Have any anthems full of isolation and despair in your past?  Or maybe you're living there now?

One thing's for sure.  Over the years, the music that soothes my soul has changed.  The cry of my heart is daily being honed into something different, something more beautiful, something more like Jesus, as every day passes. I want my lifesong to sing for Him.

As the band has played on, I've realized I'm neither a rock, nor an island.  Life is meant to be shared; hearts are meant to be risked.  People are worth laying it all out there on the line for.  We need each other.  I'm in. You?