What if...

On Monday I posted about John Lynch, the guest speaker at our church last weekend. If you want to hear a powerful message, click here to download or listen. John ended his message with a list of "what if they knew..." Things about himself that people didn't know. He wondered, would they think me less godly if they knew...?

I was so challenged by his transparency and authenticity, that I posed the same question to myself. Here is what I wonder...

• What if they knew I read my Bible less than I want to?
• What if they knew I get really impatient with my children?
• What if they knew I hardly ever dust my house?
• What if they knew I have overwhelming fears in my life?
• What if they knew I struggle to trust God sometimes?
• What if they knew I found a bottle of soy sauce in my fridge that expired in 2005?
• What if they knew I'm overwhelmed much of the time?
• What if they knew I'm deeply saddened by things out of my control?
• What if they knew I want to be in control?

What if...

If you knew all these things about me, would you think me any less godly? Before you answer, I leave you with this quote from John Lynch: "The godly are those who believe God. Period!"

What if we took off the masks and trusted God with who we really are? What if we let other people see us as we really are? Wouldn't we see the truly Godly ~ those who are living out grace despite their deep flaws? Isn't that the message of grace ~ we are all flawed but robed in His righteousness?

What if you became transparent today?

Is the New Testament a Gamble?

We had the pleasure of having John Lynch as a guest speaker at church this weekend. What an amazing message! (I will post a link to the message as soon as it is available.)

John wrote "The New Testament Gamble" which, as he says, is not a gamble to God but we think it is. I hope you will take time to read and contemplate these words. They are so powerful!

The New Testament Gamble

• What if I tell them who they are? What if I take away any element of fear of condemnation, judgment or rejection?
• What if I tell them I love them, will always love them? That I love them right now, no matter what they've done, as much as I love my only Son? That there's nothing they can do to make my love go away?
• What if I tell them there are no lists? What if I tell them I don't keep a log of past offenses, of how little they pray, how often they've let me down, made promises that they don‛t keep?
• What if I tell them they are righteous, with my righteousness, right now?
• What if I tell them they can stop beating themselves up? That they can stop being so formal, stiff and jumpy around me?
• What if I tell them I'm crazy about them?
• What if I tell them, even if they run to the ends of the earth and do the most horrible, unthinkable things, that when they come back, I'd receive them with tears and a party?
• What if I tell them that if I am their Savior, they're going to heaven no matter what—it's a done deal?
• What if I tell them they have a new nature—saints, not saved sinners who should now buck up and be better if they were any kind of Christians, after all He‛s done for you!
• What if I tell them that I actually live in them now? That I've put my love, power, and nature inside of them, at their disposal?
• What if I tell them that they don't have to put on a mask? That it is OK to be who they are at this moment, with all their junk. That they don't need to pretend about how close we are, how much they pray or don't, how much Bible they read or don't?
• What if they knew they don't have to look over their shoulder for fear if things get too good, the other shoe's gonna drop?
• What if they knew I will never, ever use the word punish in relation to them?
• What if they knew that when they mess up, I will never get back at them?
• What if they were convinced that bad circumstances aren't my way of evening the score for taking advantage of me?
• What if they knew the basis of our friendship isn't how little they sin, but how much they let me love them?
• What if I tell them they can hurt my heart, but that I never hurt theirs?
• What if I tell them I like Eric Clapton's music too?
• What if I tell them I never really liked the Christmas handbell deal with the white gloves?
• What if I tell them they can open their eyes when they pray and still go to heaven?
• What if I tell them there is no secret agenda, no trapdoor?
• What if I tell them it isn't about their self-effort, but about allowing me to live my life through them?
  
  John's message is about being authentic and not wearing masks. He wrote a book called TrueFaced, which is about trusting God and others with who we really are. It's not about performance...it's about grace. To hear a short message on this title, click here.
  
  

Another Rite of Passage

It finally happened. Emma lost her first tooth! She had a tooth that was a little loose, but I thought it would take several more weeks for her to lose it. I guess I should have taken apples into account. She was eating one this afternoon and came to me and said, "Mom, my tooth just fell out."



I was excited to give her this cute little (hand-painted) tooth box that I found at a craft fair ~ when Emma was less than a year old! I've been saving it for about 5 years.



I can't believe we are to this stage of life with my baby girl.

Nutmeg Blueberry Muffins

We love blueberry muffins around here, so I was excited to find this variation of an old favorite.


1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 tsp nutmeg

In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in milk and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in blueberries.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Combine nutmeg with 1 tbsp sugar and sprinkle over the top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Yield: 1 dozen

My Notes: I didn't think the nutmeg/sugar sprinkle added much to the recipe, so next time I would add about 1 tsp of nutmeg to the batter and skip the sprinkle on top. I also found that this recipe made 4-6 more muffins than the original dozen. My trick: I add muffins to another pan and fill the empty slots with a little water. Bake both pans at the same time.

Resurrection Sunday

It is not uncommon to wake up to this on Easter morning in Colorado.


But we still had a wonderful day celebrating Christ's resurrection. It was extra special because it was Nate's first Easter.


These are the Easter baskets I ordered from Pottery Barn with their names on them.




Nate and Tim opening their gifts from Emma.



We went to my sister Cynthia's house for dinner, and she and I prepared the meal. This was the "girls" table.


We had an Easter egg hunt in the basement since it snowed all day.


Uncle Scotty, Aunt Linda and Papa all took turns spoiling Nate by holding him all day. (Nanny is still in Texas with Grandma Bennie in ICU.)




All worn out from the busy day.


When we got home that night, Nate got to try food for the first time. He had sweet potatoes (and loved them in case you couldn't tell). And Tim juiced some apples and pears so we gave him a few sips (loved that, too)!




It was a wonderful day with family, but we deeply missed Mom and Tomy who couldn't be with us. Emma used her "Resurrection Eggs" to tell the Easter story, which was special to see how God has reached her heart with the message of His Word.

Landsharks

Emma started spring track this week! Her club is called Landsharks.

Here they are doing time trials.


I had to show you this one so you could see Pikes Peak in the background. We live in a beautiful place!


Emma isn't shy around the bigger kids. She gets right in there. The club is for K-5th grade.

Doing "karaoke" warm-ups.


Emma running her fastest!


She loves to run and cant wait to start their races in three weeks. All the kids get medals for participating but last season Emma told everyone, "I won!" because she got a medal.

Prayer Request

Update: Surgery is today at 5 pm central time. It should last about 2 hours.

Please pray for my Grandma Bennie Hall. She fell yesterday and split her head open and broke her pelvis. They took her to the hospital and found out she is in heart failure. The doctors have been monitoring her to see whether she will be strong enough to go through surgery to fix her hip. She's never had heart problems before, so we are hoping it is just in response to the trauma of her fall.



She will be 90 years old in May!

Thought for the day

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Every spiritual battle is won or lost at the threshold of the mind - not in the mind.

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Jealous Kind

When was the last time you held your life up to the light of someone else's and felt you were found wanting? They seem so healthy...so pretty...so joyful...so in control. They speak more eloquently. Their kids are better behaved. They have a better job...drive a better car...live in a better house.. They seem more spiritual.

Indeed, you think to yourself, that's what I need to have a better life. And if you dwell on it long enough, you start wishing you were that other person?

I've been there. Recently. But God has graciously shed light on this fallicy through the people in my life and reminded me of how truly blessed I am.

See that tall blonde with the full lips over there? She's a song writer. Has an amazing voice and a big heart. Loves Jesus! She's a mom to a darling little boy. Her life seems perfect. What you don't see is that she is camped out night and day in the hospital next to her husband's bed. He was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. Could be a year before he walks again.

And over there...the dad playing with his kids. He's a well-known musician. Girls swoon every time he takes the stage. Guys envy his success. He married his high school sweetheart. Had a beautiful little girl and adopted a little boy. His life seemed perfect. Then one day his bride suddenly died of a heart attack. She was in her 20's.

Look at this family. He's a regular guy. Plays his guitar at church. Has three little ones under the age of five. They're all the apple of his eye. And his wife...she's beautiful and has a heart to serve and love others. Their lives seem perfect. But then again, she had brain surgery a couple weeks ago. It will take months to recover.

There's the husband and father who has been out of work for two years...too ashamed to let his friends know he needs help. The doctor who was diagnosed with an incurable disease and hides it from most everyone...and his wife who fears she will become a widow way too young. The young professional who walks into the office every day not knowing if he will still have a job. The young woman who finds out a little too late that the cancer is too far gone. She's given a few months to live.

These are all real people...normal people...people I know...people just trying to make it through life...people I would be tempted to envy.

But God...who is rich in mercy...has been gracious to me (Ephesians 2:3-5). God has shown me just how blessed I am this week. I am blessed with a godly husband who is my very best friend. I am blessed with two precious, healthy children. I am blessed with dear friends and close family. My life is full of love. Laughter. Joy. Hope. I am blessed.

So the next time the trials in my own life overwhelm me, which just might be tomorrow, I will remember God's faithfulness to me. I will remember that no one is without suffering. I will remember that God is not surprised by my troubles, nor is he far from me. He holds me in the palm of His hand. He gives me rest. He gives me peace. He gives me grace and mercy. He gives me blessings. I am blessed.

Thought for the Day

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Let me big enough to be smaller than my neighbor.

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