Why You Should Listen to Christmas Music this Summer

Context is usually dangerously important; without it we make wrong conclusions and decisions. Seasons offer an important context to music, but what if they also, indirectly, swallow the meaning?

Rubbing Off

Every couple of weeks I assessed the reading abilities of my Kindergarteners. I called individuals to my desk and had each one read a set of five words with various special sounds we have been learning. Towards the end of the year, I called a student to my desk and as he came near he shook his head and half-whispered, “I just really don’t want to do this.”

I looked at him, frowning to hide my amusement, and asked, “Hmm, is that a good attitude?”

His eyes widened and he responded right away, “No—that was the Old Me. The New Me doesn’t complain.” And he went on to read all five words.

I was astonished at his response. Sure, our memory verse for the week had been 2 Corinthians 5:17. And sure, I had been teaching them about the Old Self and the New Self, and about how Christians can only live the New Self through Jesus. But I had not believed they were actually picking up on it. It’s amazing what happens, what the kids pick up on, when they listen. And, sometimes more amazing, they listen a lot more often than I realize. And things were catching on.

The question is, what else is rubbing off on them?

I Had Set Myself Up.

I had been recognizing some snippy responses and selfish attitudes in myself, and I was ready to be done with them, so I prescribed myself more verses to meditate on, more time alone with God, more passages to study.

I couldn't have set myself up better for the next day's devotional reading if I had tried.
Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest says:

"Can a sinner be turned into a saint? Can a twisted life be made right? There is only one appropriate answer-- "O Lord God, You know" (Ezekiel 37:3). Never forge ahead with your religious common sense and say, "Oh, yes, with just a little more Bible reading, devotional time, and prayer, I see how it can be done. 

It is much easier to do something than to trust in God...We would much rather work for God than believe in Him. Do I really believe that God will do in me what I cannot do?"

I have gotten caught up with my actions rather than staying focused on my relationship with God. The next day's reading said:

"Are you obsessed by something? You will probably say, "No, by nothing," but all of us are obsessed by something-- usually by ourselves, or, if we are Christians, by our own experience of the Christian life. But the psalmist says that we are to be obsessed by God. The abiding awareness of the Christian life is to be God Himself, not just thoughts about Him. The total being of our life inside and out is to be absolutely obsessed by the presence of God."

Being obsessed by thoughts about God doesn't seem to be that different than being obsessed by God himself, but that is why it is more dangerous. Either way, we are doing a lot of the same things, but the intentions-- the heart-- are different. And God looks at the heart.

Shipwrecked and Cared For

Do you remember the story of Paul, traveling to Rome as a prisoner? They are well on their way when a storm blew in and wreaked havoc. The sailors had no control over the direction they were heading since the winds and waves were so strong. They tried to tie the boat together, and to lighten it by throwing cargo overboard. Days went by. And then, they "finally gave up all hope of being saved."

After a long day on my feet, with my plantar fasciitis acting up, I, too, give up all hope of being saved.

Selfish Bird Feeding

Earlier this Spring, I bought birdseed and filled the little bird feeder by the window. I sat there, watching the many finches and cardinals come by for a meal. They hopped and chirruped, shaking their little winds and defending their portion of the seed. I sat there a long time, taking it all in.

The feeder started to look empty, and I decided I would fill it -- in the morning.

The Old and New Covenants: Kindergarten Style

We have three rules in Kindergarten, and the day would run so marvelously smoothly if they were simply obeyed at all times. I imagine God feels the same way. He urges us to follow his laws for our lives, knowing it is better for us if we do. 

But the Kinders, like the rest of us humans, have a hard time obeying. It's not that we are ignorant, or even openly defiant, yet we struggle so deeply with obeying to the fullest extent, obeying from the heart.

Side Effects

When I came-to, I was on the floor in the atrium at church surrounded by people. As my hearing slowly faded in, I heard a kid ask, "Did you die?" No, kid; I fainted.

Worship

The sun. The quiet whispers of the sun, the sky that lightens in anticipation, before it is quite ready to rise. Harsh and searing, penetrating sun glasses and not high enough in the sky, yet, for the visor. Distant, but intentional; yellow and cool and preparing for spring. Glorious and valiant as it sets, trying to get the last word in over the night by scattering rays into the clouds.

Air, oddly warm, begging for deep breaths, filling one's lungs
to the point of satisfaction. Snow, melted by the sun, that smells something like rain.

Talk Talk Talk

I used to think adults were joking around when they couldn't remember, on demand, how old they were. That is, until my church's women's retreat this weekend.

Plans A and B

My phone dropped from 11% to 6% just pulling up the map, and I knew I wouldn't make it home without that guidance. So I had to return to my friend's house for a plan B. Someone lent me a charger, they pulled up a map online, and they wrote down directions for me.
*
You only have to go to Plan B if Plan A didn't work.

Fruit Growers

I tried to grow a strawberry plant over the summer. It took a long time, and lots of weeding and watering and pruning, but eventually it sprouted a few exciting berries! The squirrels may or may not have gotten to them before me, but that's beside the point.

In the Car of my my life, God is not my Driver

If God were the driver of the car of my life I don't think I'd keep driving the wrong way. I wouldn't be able to make wrong turns, I wouldn't be racing along to get the the next destination as fast as I could, and I certainly wouldn't need so many u-turns. I wouldn't have choice, free will, if God were chauffeuring me through life.

My Short-Lived Career as a Fortune Teller

Back in High School, I was adamant that I would not be a teacher- not if it was the last job on earth.

When I was younger, somewhere in middle school, I didn't want to go to the doctor because I was sure the pain in my feet was normal, and other people were just better at dealing with it.

All through High School and college I was sure sure I'd never beat my dad at Boggle.

Just today, I was confident that school wouldn't be called off.

Pennies on a Tombstone

We visited his grave when we were all together for the holidays. We gathered together, huddled together.

It was the cold that drew out tears and made eyes red. It was. Wasn't it? The blowing, biting wind? The chill of remembered loss?

A nearby tombstone boasted an array of pennies, spread out so you could see them all. So many visitors.

Maybe next time we could pass out tokens before we visit. Not just pennies, though. Not just to say we'd visited, but that we remembered.

Maybe next time we leave Hershey Kisses and sticks of Big Red gum.

Hide and Seek

We used to play hide-and-seek-in-the-dark with the whole family, nowhere in the house taken off limits. We found some fantastic hiding places-- like when my dad stashed my youngest sister into the space between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling. Or hiding the trash  can somewhere else, and tucking oneself into that cabinet it belonged in. Or just standing so flat and so still between a wall and a door. Or behind a dresser that had just enough space behind it. Or under a bunk bed, pulling everything back into place under the bed behind oneself, careful to breathe quietly.

It sometimes took quite a long time to find each other. On occasion, we've even given up looking, and the hider came out when we all had our eyes closed, and they got to keep that hiding place.

Sometimes, like Adam, we hide from God. (Gen 3:8-10). Perhaps, like Adam and Eve, we hide out of shame, or perhaps there are other reasons. But God loves us and comes lovingly looking for us. And there's no where we can hide that He won't be right there with us. It's like God doesn't understand how hide-and-seek works... how you're supposed to let the little kids think they've got a fantastic spot and wait for them to pop out and scare you.

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." (Psalm 139:7-12). 

But, do you know what I consider more wonderful than God always finding us? When we seek God, we'll always find Him. God, who created the whole universe, probably knows some pretty epic hiding places. But he doesn't use them. His goal isn't to be undiscovered, as in our little game, but to be found.

"You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD." Jeremiah 29:13-14a.

And God decided that just being found by us wasn't enough. He ruined his best hiding places. He came right to us, right into this world, right into our hearts.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

When Business Gets in the Way

A couple weeks ago I had a meeting with one of the parents of a student, but they had to cancel last-minute due to a family emergency. I didn't get any details, just 'family emergency'.

And the next day, when they picked up their child, I asked when they thought we'd be able to reschedule.

About five seconds later I realized that wasn't the right question to ask. I should have asked how they were doing. I should have asked how I could pray for them. Instead, I was so focused on business, on getting things done that I thought were important.

***

Fast forward to this Wednesday when I left school before lunch feeling terrible and sick and altogether bleh. And Thursday morning, feeling better again, calling students to my desk to recite the week's memory verse.

"Do you know this week's memory verse?" I asked one boy.

"Yes," he said quietly without hesitation, "But I'm just glad you're back."

***

Sometimes, business can wait. Usually, actually.

People themselves are more important than whatever needs doing.

I still don't have a teacher's immune system, and other kindergarten observations

The five-year-old and I both have cold-induced headaches. She gets to go home: I get to keep teaching.

There's a lot more to putting a classroom together than bulletin boards, desks arrangements, lesson plans, and welcome notes.

I taught a math-science connection cutting open a peach, an apple, green grapes, and a red pepper. We talked about the seeds being inside, or outside (after I removed them, of course). The grapes happened to be seedless. Oops.

But the next day, a student was cleaning up his lunch and showed me what was in his fist. I let him share with the class. He explained that he was excited when he saw that his mom packed him red grapes and he carefully ate one open and searched for seeds. Which he found. The whole class was enthralled. (Win!)

Teacher's Aides are miracle-workers. They are blessings from God. My aide is the only reason I get half the things done each day. She's also the result of prayer (thanks, everyone who prayed for that last student!)

I hate taking :)s away from students, even though their behavior warrants it. But it makes the day that they keep their smiley ten times better!

I dance a little inside every time the kinders remember how to do a procedure, or return to the classroom quietly, or correctly execute a routine. Yay! They listen!

As I teach kindergartners to print, I'm getting extra practice, too. I write notes on their printing practice extra slow and neat, because it just wouldn't be right to use my 'normal' chicken scratch...

I really need to finish this Sub- Binder, in case this cold escalates...

Vain Repetitions

Back in high school I had to get this blood test where, over a few hours, the nurses drew samples of blood. In between the pokes-and-sticks I had to sit in the waiting room, with not much to do besides think about it. My mom was there and we played some card games while we waited, but all the while I was distracted by the upcoming punctures.

To try to get my mind off the inevitable, I recited to myself a verse I had picked out that morning. Over and over I recited it, trying to calm myself. My mom wasn't too eager about the verse I'd picked-- she thought it would have been better for me to pick something more... positive. But to this day I can still recite it: "He is not afraid of bad news, his heart is firm trusting in the Lord. His heart is steady, he will not be afraid," Psalm 112:7-8a. (Perhaps she was right.)

I'm not sure how much it helped. Yes, it gave me something to focus on besides the repeated tests, but, if I remember rightly, I was still pretty nervous and, well, 'afraid of bad news'. I tried reciting the verse to help me pretend this scary thing wasn't really happening at all.

So, when I had to get two cavities filled yesterday-- novacaine included-- and I started getting nervous, I picked another verse to memorize and recite to myself. This time it was Romans 1:16. I know think it starts, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the ___ of God..." but I never quite got around to finishing it.

See, before they gave me that dreaded shot, the nurse said something. It probably wouldn't have meant anything to you, just as she probably had no idea it would mean so much to me, so I'll keep that part a secret. Suffice it to say, she said 'something' that reminded me that God loves me, cares for me, and is right there with me.

And suddenly my desire to memorize and recite Romans 1:16 to help me through the moment dissolved. *poof*: gone. Suddenly, I just wanted to talk to God. The doctor and nurse left for a moment to let the numbing medicine settle, and I was left in the room with a big smile on my half- numbed face, looking out the window and praising God. And suddenly I wasn't as concerned about the whole process. I admit it, I was still a little nervous, especially when they had to give me another shot for the second filling, but immediately I ran to Yahweh and found rest.

I'd been trying to get away with turning to God's word rather than God himself. It reminds me a bit of Jeremiah 2:12-13, "Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold not water."

We don't need to use supplements when we can go straight to God.

When the Marvelous Becomes Commonplace

That first bald eagle we spotted after landing in Alaska sent us rapidly rummaging for our cameras. We clicked away, capturing every angle and not wanting to miss a shot. We'd stopped walking, the whole family standing on the sidewalk gaping and capturing the moment. Eventually it swooped away, and we recommenced our journey.

Then, we saw another bald eagle! We hurried for those cameras, marveling at our luck-- two bald eagles, in one day.

It did not take long for us to realize that bald eagles are not as rare in Alaska as they are in Illinois. After just a few days we could pick out the newly-arrived tourists, gawking at those overhead eagles. But, more experienced, we didn't do that anymore. After just a couple days we had stopped pointing them out. We expected to see them, and hardly reacted when we did.

Those first times God answers our prayers, we marvel. We excitedly write about it, and tell people about it. But as we get more accustomed to meeting with God and seeing Him intervene in our lives we begin to take Him for granted. Sometimes we even fail to see Him working at all because we're so used to it.

There is a balance in praying in faith, without doubt, expecting God to answer, and worshiping him in reverent wonder when he does. But it is an important balance, one that we ought to pray that God cultivate in us as we take intentional steps (like keeping a prayer journal, and sharing answers to prayer with friends and family) to make sure this marvelous intervention on God's part never seems commonplace.

On Poisonous Lotion

Back in December, one of the gifts I received from a student was a wonderful orange-ginger lotion.

I would use it every once in a while, and I would notice a red, itchy patch on my hands. But it wasn't too irritating, and I wasn't certain they were connected, so I ignored it. After applying it, I would absently scratch the red spot, too busy to take any real notice.

Finally I read the ingredients. And what do you know? Buried in the list of sweet smells, nourishing aloe juices and other goodies was some sort of hydrated milk protein.

And I'm allergic to milk. No wonder I had red, itchy spots.

I did not apply it again once I realized what it really was: poison to me.

Thankfully, there was an easy solution: I got rid of the poisonous lotion (it has a happy new home with my mom - who is NOT allergic to milk)

***

Sins tend to sneak up on me the same way.

Maybe it was a gift- a good intentioned gift. Maybe it was just packaged nicely.
Maybe I'm too busy to notice what happening.

Maybe I decide it can't be that bad-- after all, there's only a little; it's not all poisonous.

But sooner or later the poisonous qualities show through. The side-effects.

Once you recognize the toxicity it has towards your relationship with God and others, don't foolishly keep living that way.

Get rid of the poison, whatever form it takes.

Even if you're the only one tossing it. 

Even if it's okay for others to keep it. 

Are YOU going to get rid of the 'poisonous lotion', or keep applying it?