Weekly Devotions - 04/30/2012

Blank Signs and Starry Nights

The blank sign came in to view. Spontaneously, each one of us wondered the same thing. “WHY does God abstain from giving definitive answers to many of our everyday questions?” Does he answer basic questions such as: Where should I live?, Where will I get the money to…?, Who should I marry?, Would I continue in my present (fill in the blank), or What should I study in college?


Originally posted on Christian Outdoor Leadership


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Rhythmic Floating

I begin each new telemark turn either sliding my new leading foot forward or stepping the trailing leg back. A downward force applies pressure to the metal edges as I bend my knees. I roll my ankle slightly until I feel weight shift on to my big toe. The arc of the ski turns from down the hill to across the hill. I rise up, disengage the metal edges, and the ski once again points down the hill. 

Over and over again I bend down and lift up in a rhythmic floating motion. Making disciples looks similar.

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Fairy Tale Ending

“When will my life begin?” Rapunzel sings. The fairy tale character didn’t realize she was caught in the grips of a deceptive tale. I too was caught for 32 years. Like young Snow White, I bit the poison apple the devil fed me and fell asleep for 20 years. In my slumber, God worked out the details of my escape. He writes a glorious tale for each one of us.

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Grapefruit Clusters

I'm amazed how abundant and fruitful the citrus trees are. In one 2 inch area the potential for 7 grapefruit unfolds. Each tiny nodule has a viable chance of becoming a rich juicy pink delight. There isn't however enough room.

I'm an observer. God is the gardener. Over the growing season, one piece of fruit will come to full maturity.

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Many Types of Glue

Glue -- the secret weapon in the toolbox of a peacemaker. My husband is a master carpentar. The photo above doesn't even come close to representing the many different types of glue he has in his shop. Each serves to bind two objects together. The task is accomplished in slightly different ways.

Our offering of humility is the glue that binds people together. It may look different at times but accomplishes the same outcome.

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Into the WHY'ld - Sedona 2012

Weekly Devotions - 04/20/2012 - Celebrating the Resurrection

Spiritual First Responder

 All wilderness leaders need to have some training in first aid. Knowing how to assess and treat minor injuries and keep serious casualties stable can make a difference. Each emergency situation will be unique. The basic guidelines for practicing first aid help determine the priorities of treatment in each case.

Similarly, because wilderness ministry leaders are concerned with spiritual formation of people, we must make an initial examination of the spiritual wellness of our participants. Innumerable emotional injuries and ailments possibly affect the potential for transformative growth in each person.

 Originally posted on Christian Outdoor Leaders

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Let it Rain !!

I craved the purchase. I couldn’t justify the cost. I thought, “My two darling girls would look adorable in the raincoats.” But, cleansing rain escapes the desert landscape we live in. I called my husband pleading with him to talk me out of the purchase. Instead, he said, “Buy the coats.” He assured me our girls would wear them in Seattle at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.

Two weeks later, to my great pleasure, the skies opened up and rain came down. I suited up the girls and sent them out to play. They danced and sang twirling their princess umbrellas but never used them for protection.



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Resurrected Eggplant

I thought for sure it was dead. I woke up after a cold night to go out and check on the tomatoes. I covered the cage and put a heat lamp inside. They were fine. But, as I suspected, the eggplant did not survive the frozen temperatures. At the bottom of the plant there were a few tiny green leaves. I decided to to nurse the plant back to life.

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Food Dehydrator

Another kitchen utensil that does not belong in the peacemaker toolbox is the food dehydrator. When a person preserves the mistakes of men for consumption later, He makes a mockery of Jesus' redemptive work on the cross.

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Eyes to See

I don't know about you, but with my eyesight I see people as opponent's who fight me, parasites who bug me, or maybe even an annoyance who irritate me.

Tension occurs in my life and probably yours too when I fail to see through the lens of the resurrection. Jesus overcame death.

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Weekly Devotions - 04/10/2012

Neutral Bouyancy!

Dangerous adventure sports like scuba diving make for great illustrations to expose the concerns many of us have to GO into the harvest field and make disciples. Think about it: scuba diving takes me to the bowels of the earth into vast open spaces void of life. Sounds like the task of evangelism doesn’t it? Yet I especially like to descend over spectacular ecosystems of coral reefs that are teeming with animal life from all parts of the food chain. Sometimes I dive to see a sunken ship where marine life is less abundant. These critters are often skittish because aggressive predators lurk about.

Originally posted by Christian Outdoor Leadership

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Wildflowers

Seriously, weeds are annoying. One year I planted the loveliest looking daisy plant I got from the local nursery. It flourished in my planter next to the pool and provided continual blossoms for many months. I had no idea the seeds were spreading all over the yard. By the following spring, my yard was inundated with oxeye daisies. I had a very difficult time removing them.

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Free the Heel, Free the Mind - Proper Preparation

Going off-piste in to the backcountry comes after proper preparation: squats and more squats and more squats. In the gym, my heart begins pounding quickly demonstrating the large muscle groups activating. So, with each knee bending squat, I strengthen both my leg muscles and my heart, artery, and vein muscles too.




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Apple Slicer



A classic utensil I keep in my kitchen is the apple slicer. It's a quick and easy way to accomplish the work of slicing the apple.

The same can be said of blame. It's the quick and easy way to pass off our sin and not do the work of peacemaking. "So and so made me do it." Like Eve, I'm learning it becomes all too easy to pass off our sin by saying the devil made me do it.

You see the devil tempts and deceives. He even afflicts. But, we sin.

 

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