A Taste of My Own Medicine

This is one of those posts that has absolutely no good place to begin. I think I MIGHT be coming down with the first bout of whatever goes around every year at the beginning of winter, so I'm sitting at home with ^ that mug of "sick tea" ^ and four straight hours of alone time ahead of me.

I've been telling everyone about this tea of mine over the last few months. My cousin Theo had a sore throat (which I'm pretty sure I caught) and I told him about it back in September. The other day I was texting with my friend Amber only to find out that she's got one now too. Here's what I do: one cup PIPING hot Lipton black tea, one teaspoon honey, one teaspoon lemon juice (I use ReaLemon's bottled version). It's basically a hot Arnold Palmer, but it takes some getting used to. I save them for when I'm sick or feeling like I'm on my way to sick.

Needless to say, I'm there. Yesterday I took not one but TWO naps (I almost NEVER nap). I've been beyond tired and there is absolutely no reason for it. I've been worrying and trudging along and working REALLY hard to finally finish the very last thing I need in order to be able to say that I have graduated from college.

I'm overwhelmed by God's grace and the gift He gives us in each other.

Ever since we came to The Queen's Cottage back in August, we've been attending a church. It has come to feel like HOME. For some reason, I find myself holding my breath. I'm so confused about how long this town will be "home" and a little mad at myself for not wanting it to be.

Everywhere I turn, I've been seeing reminders of God's grace. Kevin and Joan made sure we knew that we are welcome and have been true friends to us in this season. They don't ask questions, they just embrace us. Esther stepped up to the plate to help me with this speech and has devoted countless hours to meet with me. The handful of 20 somethings that I've met have caused me to go out of my way to make new friends.

And then there are the words...Hearing the Bible read out loud week after week, receiving prayers that have been carefully constructed, and preaching that lays out who God is and what He is up to have been SUCH a treat. When I scroll through facebook or click on an interesting article or open my own Bible, I keep finding declarations of my need for and God's abundant gift of GRACE.

My body might be under the weather, but my soul is flourishing. My flesh might be worried and afraid and forgetful, but my spirit is being ministered to by the Helper that Christ promised to me.

Maybe that's where you are this season...Maybe life is confusing. Maybe you're longing for a Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years filled with ALL of your loved ones gathered around you. Maybe you've been blessed with MUCH, but find yourself longing for something else.

Won't you join me in tasting the medicine?

"For the LORD your God is a merciful God." Deuteronomy 4:33 

Listen

May 10, 2015

It's the last Monday in July and our life got turned upside down over the last few weeks. My dad is no longer a business owner (he sold it and we don't really know what's next). The camp that meant a week of vacation got cancelled at the last minute. Friends had car trouble and ended up spending a long weekend with us while they got it figured out (only they didn't and ended up borrowing another friend's car until this Friday - the story is long and full of God working everything out). So...God is doing all kinds of things and none of us really know what is going on!

In the midst of all of this, I'm making my way through Packer's "Keep In Step With The Spirit" and Paul's letter to the Galatians. It's what I call God's perfect timing. These books have been showing me what the Gospel is (and what it isn't) and teaching me more about the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of God's people. Packer puts it simply by saying that the Spirit exists to mediate the presence of Christ.

Christ told us to abide with Him and then He promised that when He left He would send the Spirit. Packer's words make total sense, but somehow, I've been walking around with allll the wrong ideas about this Spirit. It's strange how you can be walking with God for so long and yet miss something so major. Understanding the Spirit is going to change things...It's already changing things. Being AWARE of the presence of Christ and the very real ministry of the Spirit happening all around me is something I can't quite describe and I haven't even experienced to the full yet.

At that conference that changed it all back in 2006, Adam said, "Ignorance is miss, not bliss." And he was so right. My ignorance in this area has had me totally missing out on being aware of this piece of God's work in my life. BUT, no more!!!

My Mom has been listening to a sermon at the kitchen table this morning. The pastor opened with this question, "What voice would you like to tune into?"

And that is my question to myself and to you this morning...What voice would you like to tune into?

This summer I've learned that the Holy Spirit is the most important communicator in my life. He has been there comforting and leading and pleading on my behalf and mediating the presence of Christ. Up until now, I've been totally unaware of it all! Christian, do your soul a favor and think about the voices that you are tuned into. Join me in really tuning into the voice of the One that Christ has sent to His people to open their ears to His voice.

And then. Listen.