Considering

I remember the days of long ago;

I meditate on all your works

and consider what your hands have done.

Psalm 143:5

Years ago when I was prego with Anson, I joined a small group at my church to do Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby. 

One of the most significant things that I've retained from that study is the idea of spiritual markers.  They're the events of your life that you look back and now see as God-orchestrated.  I still have the list that I made during that study tucked into the Bible I used during that time.  For years and years I continued to add to my list.

The verse at the top of the post today jumped out at me during my quiet time this morning, and I started considering my list of spiritual markers again.  It was a blessing to me, and I feel soul-fed.

Today, I'm guest blogging for the launch of "Mosaic Miracles" , my friend Bridgit's new blog, talking about one of the spiritual markers in my life that is a redeemed heart break.  Would you pop over there today to read my post and take a few minutes to leave a comment telling one of your spiritual markers?  I'd love to hear what you've been considering today, and I know it would be a huge encouragement to Bridgit!  Click here to go to the post.

Can Broken-Hearted Be a Good Thing?

Broken-hearted.

That's a word that brings back some negative memories for me--a broken engagement, grief over my sin, disappointing a friend, finding out about a loved one's secret....  I link "broken-hearted" to tears, grief and regret.

But what about "broken-hearted" as a positive word?  Can that even be true?

After reading this prayer this morning, I think it can be.  "Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God."  ~Bob Pierce (Founder of World Vision)

On Mondays, I want to start sharing about some ways that God is breaking my heart.  Most specifically it will be about what I'm learning about needs around the world.  At the end, I'll give an action point of something we can do to put our faith into action about that particular heart break.

Here's something that I read today that broke my heart:

"I want you to imagine for a moment that you woke up this morning to the following headline:  'One Hundred Jetliners Crash, Killing 26,500.'  Think of the pandemonium this would create across the world as heads of state, parliaments, and congresses convened to grapple with the nature and causes of this tragedy.  Think about the avalanche of media coverage that it would ignite around the globe as reporters shared the shocking news and tried to communicate its implications for the world....

Now imagine that the very next day, one hundred more planes crashed--and one hundred more the next, and the next, and the next.  It is unimaginable that something this terrible could ever happen.

But it did--and it does....

...more than 26, 500 children died yesterday of preventable causes related to their poverty, and it will happen again today and tomorrow and the day  after that.  Almost 10 million children will be dead in the course of a year." 
~  Richard Streans from The Whole in our Gospel

These kind of statistics don't just break our hearts, they break God's too.

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.  Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.  Psalm 82:3-4

Do you hear God's heart breaking as He also gives us an assignment? 

As Beth Moore has said about our reaction to any of God's Word, He isn't just calling us to be touched.  He's calling us to be transformed.

So here's an action step for today.  A way to add works to our faith.

Action Step for the Broken-Hearted:
Sponsor a child.  I personally sponsor a child through Compassion International, and it's as easy for you to do as clicking on the link to the right in the bar.  There's a child.  Today is his or her birthday.  It's not just a random one of the 26,500 possible children at risk in the world today.  It's a real child with a real name, a beautiful face and a birthday. 

You may already be sponsoring a child either through Compassion or one of the other excellent child-sponsorship programs.  If you are, I challenge you to pray and write a letter to that child today.  I needed the challenge myself to catch up with my writing!

Celebrate and Rest

You can't do a read through the Old Testament without seeing some of the delights that God created for His children.  The Sabbath and festivals were two of the major gifts that He gave to His people.

I'm ready for a week of both.  There's a serious family party planned for tonight followed by Anson's graduation tomorrow.  On Sunday, our family is making tracks for time together with our toes in the sand.

I'm unplugging for a week to fully engage and celebrate, but I hope you'll come back to join me the next week.  I'd be lonely here without you!

At the End of the Day

I say, if your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life. ~Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes

This quote made me giggle and think of what I always used to say to my little boys at the end of the day, "We're dirty!  It must have been a good day!"

As I continue to process all the changes that are coming--Anson's commencement into the world of being (more) adult, the changes in our family life, etc, I know one thing for sure.  I want a zestful life both for myself and the rest of my family.

Are your knees green today?  If they are, what made your day zestful?

Precious Days

It was a whirlwind of a weekend filled with poignant "lasts" with Anson--band banquet, Senior Stravaganza, Senior Sunday and Baccalaureate.

One of our youth group's traditions is to have each senior give a short speech with advice to the under-classmen (or as our youth pastor calls them, young mushy heads).

I sat and listened proudly as Anson urged his younger brothers and sisters to live every moment for God's glory, using each of their gifts for Him.  He said, "God gives us every breath.  We should give everything to Him."

That advice became much more serious later in the day as Anson and his friend were nearly involved in a disastrous car accident that happened right in front of them.  Our phone rang late last night as Anson described in a panic helping the injured and waiting for the police.

Life is fragile, friends.

We're inexpressibly thankful to God that He protected our son last night.  The number of his days weren't yet over. 

But we never know.

So I'm making notes and reminding myself...

Make today precious.  Make every breath count.  Use your gifts.  Live for Jesus' glory.  Kiss your loved ones.  Be thankful.

These are precious days.

What Needs to Be Remembered

I was reading some of my old posts today and laughing because of the way my own words often haunt me.  These are some words that I need to remember about now.  Hope they help you too.  I'm implementing after graduation!!

Several years ago, a speaker said something that has continually rattled around in my head and heart--especially each time I approach the family calendar.

She said, "What if we could take a peek at God's day-timer? What if we snuck in His office, crept around His desk and looked at His calendar for us? What would be on His calendar for my day?"

She definitely had my interest, but then she added something that really took my breath away...

"What wouldn't be on His calendar for me today? Of all the things that I have on my calendar, what are the things that God doesn't have on His?"

For a "doer", that's a very challenging question. I'm challenged to leave space in my life--space to meditate, rest, think, laugh and play. I have trouble with that. I tend toward overscheduling and driveness which can drive both myself and my family CRAZY. In addition to making time for worship, our family has decided we need to make some time for family fun.