XOXO

I'm not a New Year's resolution maker. At least not publicly. I think it is the fear of failure that stops me from blurting out any resolutions. Besides, I take more of a hopes and goals angle at the beginning of the year than the popular resolution route.

I mean seriously...everyone wants to lose the terrible ten that tends to stick to our hips and thighs when the happy holidays are said and done. We want to read the Bible more, cut our caffeine intake (well not me..just sayin'), eliminate sugar, exercise more, devote more and digress less.

We want the new year to mean something. To matter more. To hold hope that somehow it will be better than the year we just said good-bye to.

My son, Jacob (now 28 yrs old)
sporting a Seahawks shirt in the 80's.
Yup..I'm a REAL fan.

Anybody that knows me even a little bit, knows that I'm a big Seahawks fan. I have been for years. If you watch ANY football at all, Russell Wilson is no stranger to you. One of the things about the man behind the #3 jersey is his positive attitude. He always focuses on a perky catch phrase to motivate himself. Last year his mantra was No Time to Sleep and this year's has been What's Next? He drills these into his head and heart and all across social media the hashtag phenomenon picks them up.

There's power in drilling a simple positive thought into our heart and mind. Because of Russell Wilson's catchy sayings, for my diet/fitness goal I've begun to tell myself: Work harder. Eat smarter.

As a pastor's wife, women in our church look to me for leadership. If I am floundering along in life without goals or purpose, it will have a ripple affect on the people I minister to. That's a lot of pressure! So to sum up my 2016 goals and thoughts, I've decided to go with a hugs and kisses method.

To start, I need to HUG by remaining Humble Unto God. (See what I did there? Yeah...I'm awesome like that. :P) Basically, if I can keep from being stuck on trying to do things in my own strength, and humbly let God direct me, that's a great way to operate in 2016.

Second, is the familiar KISS acronym: Keep It Simple Sister. I'm a woman. (duh) And women have a tendency to make things complicated. So my take on this KISS, is to follow my gut instinct and not overthink everything.

My next HUG is to live each and every day with Heartfelt Uber Gratitude. It can be too easy to put on that fake smile, phony concern or give the expected reaction while someone is talking to me. But if I intentionally live my life with Heartfelt Uber Gratitude, genuine care and concern will bubble out of me like a wellspring of pure joy.

My final KISS comes directly from watching the movie War Room: Kneeling Intentionally Saves Souls. We live in a tiny rental home and our closet space is less than desirable...way less. There is no way I can clean out a closet to make a War Room, but I can still post sticky notes on a wall-space and kneel intentionally to do some battle for the souls God places on my uberly grateful heart.

Recently I told someone that I only had one goal for 2016...to be more structured. Being more structured will fix all my other issues (at least I hope so). I truly am ADD so being organized is rough stuff for me. Anyone else feel my pain? So how can I be more structured? Well... Ima gonna give it a humongous hugs and kisses effort.

Humble             Keep         Heartfelt          Kneeling
Unto                  It               Uber                  Intentionally
God                   Simple      Gratitude          Saves
                           Sister                                   Souls

Here's to a New Year!
XOXO 
Mari 

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B-man...Superhero Sidekick

Every superhero needs a sidekick and that's exactly how I see Joseph, the Levite from Cyprus, A.K.A. (every sidekick should have an A.K.A. right?) Barnabas.  I mean seriously... the B-man had some major sidekickish skillz: Compassionate, encourager, mediator, mentor, companion, just to name a few.

I've completed a detailed study from the book of Acts* and  noticed how the main characters shine like a lighthouse on a stormy night in the age of the early church. Peter and Paul may be the famous Superheroes, but my man Barnabas, stands out in so many ways that I can't help but think... when I grow up, I want to be just like him.

Let me explain...

On the infamous day of the mighty wind and tongues of fire experience in the 2nd Chapter of Acts (now referred to as The Day of Pentecost), Superhero Peter led 3,000 people to Christ. Ka-Boom! We have an instant mega church! Now when
there is explosive growth like that it can create its own breed of problems. And just like any ministry in today's day and age, money is always a functioning need. Granted, they didn't have Public Utility bills, publicity or printing expenses. Nor did they have janitors, secretaries, youth pastors and worship leader salaries to pay, but they still needed to feed and shelter themselves.

Acts 2:44-47 tells us that all the believers were together, selling their "stuff" and providing for everyone's needs. They ate meals together, visited from house to house, and praised God for His favor among the people. The church grew and our sidekick B-man, among others, sold his land and brought the money to the disciples and gave it freely for the use of the church.

As with every good Superhero story, there is gonna be a villain or two. In chapter 8 of the book of Acts, in walks the early church's villain, Saul. (boooo!)

Acts 8:3 "As for Saul (booo) he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men AND women, committing them to prison." 

But God had a plan to turn our villain into a Superhero for Him. You can read that in the 9th chapter where Saul has the famous blinded by the Light experience which sets him on a different path and eventually his name is changed to Paul. The point I want to bring out in chapter 9 is where our sidekick steps up and convinces the other Superheroes that Saul is a legit Christ follower: he was baptized in water, began preaching, teaching and everything!

Acts 9:10 "But Barnabas (Yay!) took him (Saul) and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he (Saul) had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus."

Later in Acts 11 we find the Apostles trust the character of their sidekick enough to send him to investigate some strange thing happening...uncircumcised Gentiles were becoming Christ-followers. *GASP* B-man discovers it was an awesome thing happening in Antioch and he encourages them to continue on with the Lord. He reports back to the Apostles before he goes in search of Saul to co-pastor with him in Antioch for a year.

So, now we have Saul and Barnabas teaming up. Saul, the stronger personality, tends to step up as the superhero and B-man willingly serves as the sidekick. They take a missionary journey and include a relative of Barnabas named John Mark. Somewhere along the way John Mark goes back to Jerusalem. (Acts 13:13) But later, when the duo is sent out on another missionary venture, Barnabas wants to include John Mark again. Saul...(also called Paul for the first time in chapter 13) wants nothing to do with that plan.

This is where we see a great transition for our faithful sidekick. He now becomes a mighty mentor, elevating him, (in my view) to the status of a superhero. He chooses young John Mark as his new sidekick and Paul selects Silas and off they go, each pair their own way.

There may have been conflict between Barnabas and Paul over the worthiness or faithfulness of the younger man due to his previous actions, but the outcome is God ordained. The work of the Lord is multiplied as the two pairs head off in different directions, preaching the same message: The good news of Christ the Messiah.

Every superhero needs a sidekick. Everyone needs a Barnabas in his/her life. Someone who will see the best in us. Encourage us. Be a companion. A mentor. Be a co-laborer for Christ. Do you have a Barnabas that speaks into your life? Or maybe you have the B-man skillz I long so much to exemplify.

Whether you are the superhero or the sidekick, I encourage you to be active in the work of the Lord in your local congregation and community. Perhaps, like Barnabas with John Mark, there is someone you can invest into their lives by encouraging them towards success and help them to grow beyond their past failures.

Be a Superhero for Jesus!

* This was written to fulfill a requirement for a study I am doing on the book of Acts.

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Take a Knee

I am a frequent visitor of the one mile path around Carlisle Lake. Often I am competing with the voice in my pocket... my runkeeper app on my phone. That voice tells me how long I've walked, how far I've gone and how fast I am moving. I find that I can be very competitive with myself...and the voice in my pocket.

Today I knew my heart wasn't into being competitive or fast or striving to break a personal record. I ignored the voice that reminded me I was nowhere near where I should be along the familiar trek. I needed to go slow and enjoy the peace and quiet. I didn't even "pray". (a.k.a. carry on a one sided conversation with God in my head.) I chose to be a sponge and absorb.

My heart sang with the birds.

My spirit danced with the dragonflies.

My soul fluttered free with the butterflies.

My entire being absorbed the presence of God.

I paused at the end of the lake to sit in the sunshine on the stone bench and listened to the sounds of nature. That's when a voice in my spirit spoke.

"Kneel."

"What??"

"Kneel."

So I stared at the rough log bench that is literally spitting distance from the manufactured stone one (that my bum seemed to be firmly planted on) and contemplated what I heard. Of course I argued. 

"I'm in a public place."'

"No one is here but Me." 

I got up and knelt and let the Holy Spirit's presence wash over me. I whispered an old hymn: 

Search Me, O God.

And know my heart I today.

Try me, O Savior.

Know my thoughts I pray.

See if there be;

Some wicked way in me.

Cleanse me from every sin,

And set me free.

As I prayed and released unforgiveness, doubts and fears, God's words began to slip into my heart and confirm many things.

Who I once was. Who I am. Who I want to be. 

How He sees me. How He called me. How He made me.

What I am doing. What I am going to be doing. What I need to be doing.

I'm so thankful I didn't listen to the voice in my pocket urging the competitive nature in me to step it up. Instead, I listened to the Voice in my spirit, encouraging me to take a knee...and be set free.

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My Alter Ego

I have the bug today. The procrastinator bug. As a matter of fact, today I declare... I AM THE PROCRASTINATOR WOMAN! *roar* *cough-cough*

I am quickly discovering this could be my super hero in the making. Perhaps I will develop a costume and don a cape. I will make a huge PW emblem so all will know when I wear it that on THAT day.... I am Procrastinator Woman.

I could see it now:

BREAKING NEWS: Procrastinator Woman strikes again!!!

Mild mannered, middle-aged Pastor's Wife trades her  blouse and slacks/skirts and honkin' huge NKJV Bible in for a dirty t-shirt, yoga pants and smart phone while contemplating all the things she could (or could not) do that will distract her from any important tasks.

Her sink is full of dirty dishes (there's a pic on her smart phone to prove it), her toilets need scrubbing (no pic necessary here, you get the visual), and her list of church-related responsibilities is somewhere among the ever growing pile on the end of the kitchen table. There is a stack of books she should read. Shoot...there's two stacks. Appropriately sorted. Fiction and non-fiction. (Both of course reflect her Christian faith openly.)

Her hair is in a greasy pony-tail, yesterday's mascara smudges remain under her eyes,and she is patiently waiting for her espresso machine to warm up so she can sip her iced latte and...well... procrastinate some more.

But alas...every super hero must hang up their cape and go about their daily business at hand. The phone has rang, a request has been made, and she rises from her comfortable spot in her reclining couch and completes the task in time for the friendly knock on the door. All the while trying not appear as frumpy and slobby as she feels.


Sigh...

I do believe the bug was a short lived illness. To which my husband will be thankful. This PW will attack the dishes (after her espresso machine does it's magic) and then see what happens from there.

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