In the chess game of life, there's often an unseen hand [#teensythot]

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Tiny Thots: Letting Go | 11.23.10

It’s hard to let go. But I’m learning.

I’m learning that letting go doesn’t mean dropping, abandoning, or failing. It doesn’t mean you have to rip out a piece of your heart, or nurse a lingering vacuum where whatever you let go used to reside.

If I can picture letting go of something or someone into the hands of God, it becomes a transfer into the hands of someone more trustworthy than I.

If I can release my grip with gratitude, if I can open wide my palm and freely give rather than begrudgingly hand over, I no longer feel robbed and deprived —and, instead, I allow myself to feel blessed.

But why should we let go of objects and people and situations we cherish?
I need to let go because holding anything that close constricts me and seizes the heart.
Letting go frees me up to possibilities that exceed my imagination, ability, and resources.

Letting go lets me be a child who trusts my Father who loves her far more than I ever realized

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Tiny Thots: Keeping friends by knowing when not to speak (Proverbs) | 11.20.10

Proverbs 11:12-13

12 Those who have no sense deride their neighbors,
   but those who have understanding hold their tongues.

 13 Gossips betray a confidence,
   but the trustworthy keep a secret.

Musings
I was particularly struck by the clear definition of gossip and the use of the strong and emotionally-charged verb “betray.”
Both verses speak about how we react, and specifically about a measured sensitivity to those close to us – neighbors and confidantes – that instructs us to use wise restraint. This kind of wisdom builds relationships through patient, empathic understanding, rather than tears them down.

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Control is the ultimate illusion [#teensythot]

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Tiny Thots: Specks, sawdust, planks, shortcuts and passwords (a not too tiny thot) | 11.18.10

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Listen on posterous

The world around us is full of judgment:
You did this. I saw you do that. You lied, you half-lied, you knew better, you cheated. That was wrong. You were less than honest.

If we’re not getting that from others, we’re throwing that at others. Or maybe we do hear it and throw it back in a vicious, mud-slinging, name smearing, last-one-standing-must be- right fight.

We disguise our judgment in expertise, research, intelligence and the words, “I’m doing this for your own good.” But what good does it do? It creates guilt, a sense of failure, recrimination, a critical spirit that breeds on itself.

Two things came to mind this morning:

The words of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7 where he talks about the specks of sawdust we see in others’ eyes and the planks of wood in our eyes.

And a Hillsong song, “From the Inside Out.”

I’m not sure what one has to do with the other, but I’ll try to articulate it. Somehow, I can give up judging and start loving, really caring for others as they should be cared for and thought of, as I should care for them in order for me to do the greatest good for them and for myself— when I become BOTH fully aware of my shortcomings (my specks and planks) AND God’s grace.

Pastor Tim Keller of Redeemer Church in New York City talks about knowing God’s grace this way: Never do we find God’s grace unless something has gotten to us to see our weakness, our insufficiency, our flawedness, our sin, our neediness.

In this way of thinking, my flaws become my crack in the door to grace. My door slammed shut to protect myself from the onslaught of others, hidiing behind my nailed-together planks so that I can launch a thousand arrows in return — I can’t, I won’t, let grace in. In The Message version of Matthew 7, Eugene Peterson talks about passwords. My life should not be password-protected…except, except, except by one word:

Grace.

“A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace.

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

My heart and my soul, I give You control
Consume me from the inside out, Lord
Let justice and praise, become my embrace
To love You from the inside out
From the Inside Out ~ Hillsong

---

Matthew 7 paraphrased by Eugene Peterson in “The Message” version of the New Testament

A Simple Guide for Behavior
 1-5 "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

 6"Don't be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don't reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you're only being cute and inviting sacrilege.

 7-11"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn't a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing. You're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?

 12"Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get.

Being and Doing
 13-14"Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.

 15-20"Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don't be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned.

 21-23"Knowing the correct password—saying 'Master, Master,' for instance— isn't going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don't impress me one bit. You're out of here.'

 24-25"These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.

 26-27"But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards."

 28-29When Jesus concluded his address, the crowd burst into applause. They had never heard teaching like this. It was apparent that he was living everything he was saying—quite a contrast to their religion teachers! This was the best teaching they had ever heard.

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Tiny Thots: Spoken and heard | 11.15.10

What I'm hearing today:

 ¹¹ One thing God has spoken,
   two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,
 ¹² and that you, O Lord, are loving.  Psalm 62:11-12

One decision can change the way you look at the whole day and every day after.

"Life is not about easy but about trust." - my friend Margie

Musing about Psalm 62 - when God speaks his word, we can hear both his strength and his love. How often in human voices do we only hear one or the other, or see one overcome by the other? Exhibited, combined and simultaneous strength and love is an attribute of God that becomes incorporated into our marrow and muscle as we draw closer and closer to him.

Given that, whenever a decision within the scope of our lives is made in good faith that earnestly looks for God's guidance, we can trust God's strength and love — despite the way that decision may dramatically alter how I see future before me. Again, as Margie so wisely said, "Life is not about easy but about trust." If I know God's strength and love, then I have every reason to trust.

Jeremiah 29:11 — For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Psalm 62  

     For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

 ¹ My soul finds rest in God alone;
   my salvation comes from him.
² He alone is my rock and my salvation;
   he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

 ³ How long will you assault a man?
   Would all of you throw him down—
   this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
⁴ They fully intend to topple him
   from his lofty place;
   they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
   but in their hearts they curse. Selah

 ⁵ Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
   my hope comes from him.
⁶ He alone is my rock and my salvation;
   he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
⁷ My salvation and my honor depend on God;
   he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
⁸ Trust in him at all times, O people;
   pour out your hearts to him,
   for God is our refuge.  Selah

 ⁹ Lowborn men are but a breath,
   the highborn are but a lie;
if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
   together they are only a breath.
¹⁰ Do not trust in extortion
   or take pride in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
   do not set your heart on them.

 ¹¹ One thing God has spoken,
   two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,
 ¹² and that you, O Lord, are loving.
Surely you will reward each person
   according to what he has done.

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Tiny Thots: Family | 11.13.10

Reminded to pray for my family by this photo of my youngest son with my uncle, taken April 2009. My uncle is the second brother and sole survivor from my dad’s family of four brothers. Uncle Hong was 85 when the photo was taken. There’s a lot of kindness and love in my dad’s family – quiet ways of relating to one another through acts of giving passed down from generation to generation. I see that in my uncle’s eyes. I am reminded of where I came from and how much we have to pass on.

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Tiny Thots: Beautiful Exchange | 11.12.10

via youtube.com

You were near,
Though I was distant
Disillusioned
I was lost and insecure

Still mercy fought
For my attention
You were waiting at the door,
Then I let You in

Trading Your life
For my offenses
For my redemption
You carried all the blame

Breaking the curse
Of our condition
Perfection took our place

When only love
Could make a way
You gave Your life
In a beautiful exchange

My burden erase,
My life forgiven
There is nothing
That could take this love away

My only desire
And sole ambition
Is to love You just the same

Holy are You God
Holy is Your name
With everything I’ve got
My heart will sing how I love You

- Hillsong 2010

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Tiny Thots: An undivided heart | 11.10.10

Psalm 86:11-13

 11 Teach me your way, LORD,
   that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
   that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
   I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
   you have delivered me from the depths,
   from the realm of the dead.

New International Version]

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Tiny Thots: Yoke's on me | 11.08.10

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus was right. It was much easier and better wearing his yoke today than plowing through life fiercely determined on my own.

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Tiny Thots: Surrender | 11.06.10

Starting my day by trying to empty everything out so that You can fill it, Lord.

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