August 2nd, 2013

Hey, everyone!

Hope you're having an awesome day! I really hope your day is filled with thanks! And if it got started just a little quicker than you were ready for, and it's gotten a little away from you, and you realized just a little bit ago that you're a little grumpier and/or flustered than you had planned to be by this time in your Friday, you can fix it!

Why not just declare a three minute vacation? 

"What do I do with my three-minute vacation?"

Thanks for asking! First off, you know how when you go on vacation, it always takes a little bit to get in "vacation mode"? Well, during the first minute of your vaca, write down four reasons you have right now to be thankful.

During the second minute, just thank God for those four things. It should take about fifteen seconds per thing.

During the last minute, just relax in the joy of a thanks-filled heart! For one whole  minute. 

Wow! As far as vacations go, that was convenient, quick, and cheap! 

Since I'm giving out free advice, here's some more you may one day thank me for…

The biggest mistake folks make when mowing the grass is setting the mower too low! You really only need to take off one third of the blade of grass! It leaves your individual blades healthier! You should probably set your mower to the highest setting possible.

Did you know your mower blade is circling at about 200 mph? Going that fast, it's chopping up the clippings into tiny, little pieces…If you don't bag 'em and let 'em just fall back down on your yard, you give nitrogen back to your soil. Over the summer, it's about the same as fertilizing a whole other time!

I guess I'm telling y'all this because I just love mowing! I'd come mow your yard if you needed me to! There's not many jobs that, once you've done it, it's just…done! And it looks done!

If you're a teacher, at the end of the day, you may ask yourself, "Does he REALLY understand compound fractions? Does she REALLY understand why Beowulf changed all of literature?"

I know doctors must go home wondering, "Well, I told him he needs four to five times of exercise per week…Do I really think that's gonna happen?"

To be perfectly honest about it…Even with my job…If I go up and pray for someone who's really sick in the hospital, if they get better by God's goodness, it's not usually that second. They usually don't beat me to the exit on my way out…

But when you mow the yard, BAM! Done! And looking awesome!

I have three separate patterns I use on my yard. I pick the pattern I want when I start, depending on how I feel at the time. (I actually didn't realize that about myself until this very moment!) Once I start, I don't have to think about where I am 'til I'm done.

I have a new blessing I've added to the overall mowing experience recently. I just realized a few months ago that I can listen to audiobooks on my iPhone with earbuds during the mow! Now, I can learn stuff as well as enjoy the time I spend pacing up and down the yard! Who knew there was a way to make mowing even more enjoyable?! 

The other day, I was mowing and listening to a book by one of my heroes, British Anglican, John R. W.  Stott. The book is called, "Why I Am a Christian". In it, Pastor Stott explains why it is philosophically and historically logical and reasonable to believe that Jesus is the One He claimed to be. The pastor's thinking and reasoning  is wonderfully simple and beautifully arranged. But, frankly, these were arguments that I've thought through many, many times. I knew in my heart where he was going to go next and what he would present after that. 

Listening to this book was kind of like mowing the grass. I was going down rows and patterns I've walked over tons of times.

At one point, he was explaining that one of the reasons it is sensible to believe that Jesus is the One He claimed to be, is that Jesus said amazing things about Himself…things that no ordinary person would ever say unless he or she was unbelievably conceited or nuts…yet He still had astounding humility. "In the upper room before He died, He said He was their Lord, their master and judge of all, but He took a towel and washed their feet like a common slave. Is this not unique in the history of the world?…Why am I a Christian? It is because of the paradox of Jesus Christ…He who claimed to be His disciples' Lord humbled Himself to be their servant."

This is such a wonderful reasoning!

I've heard and read this millions of times before. But somehow, it was exactly what I needed to hear and think about in that moment! I could feel myself kinda "puddle up" as I heard Simon Vance read those words with his impeccable British English.

For the reason I just heard…and for many, many more…it totally makes sense to believe that Jesus is Lord of all and King over everything! And I really needed to remember that!

As you know, my youngest is in Africa with one of her best friends, Janet (she made it!), trying to get all the documents they need to bring Emily and Graham's new adopted babies home. It is a long, frustrating, risky, intense quest. There have been dangers and joys, disappointments and set-backs and miracles. But the temptation is always to become discouraged. It's a new, unexplored and uncharted journey for everyone. And on that day, while mowing the grass, as my heart was being tugged down toward discouragement about everything, an old, simple, familiar, well-worn and well-learned thought rescued me. 

"It just makes sense that Jesus is the One He said! He IS Lord of everything! He's is Lord of all this world and everything in it!" 

And it just makes sense to trust Him! For Emily and Graham...and for Janet's trip… and for Des and Quince…and for documents… and for African courts…and for news of possible malaria…and to  trust Him Who claims and proved to be Lord of all, for all the other problems and situations none of us have ever faced before! 

When you're in the scary and the unknown, the confusing and the unexplored, the best thing you can possible do is to remember things about Jesus that are simple, familiar and true.

You think, "With everything I don't know right now, at least I know THIS is true!"

It's like when you you're having a frustrating day of things you can't solve, fix, or finish…

Go home and mow your yard. And think, "Well, at least THAT'S done!"