A Suffering Servant

Posted by Mark

I became aware of Matt Chandler’s (a pastor in Texas) suffering shortly after he learned of a mass in his brain discovered due to a seizure he experienced on Thanksgiving Day. Since that time I have followed him on Twitter learning of updates on his condition as he shares them. What it boils down to is this: he has a Category 3 (4 is the most aggressive) tumor caused by brain cancer. He had surgery around the beginning of December and is undergoing an intensive radiation and chemotherapy regimen in an attempt to kill any remaining traces of the cancer.

Under what appears to be dire circumstances, I have been impressed with his demeanor towards the entire situation. I cannot recall any tweets (from Twitter) that proclaimed a “woe is me” attitude which would be easy to have during such a trying time. I cannot help but think of myself when reading his story. Matt is a young man (35) with a wife and 3 children. I will be 35 shortly and also have a wife and children. If a similar scenario occurred in my own life, how would I respond? Would I remain steadfast in my faith and trust that God is in control? I pray that my heart has been prepared to weather such a storm as gracefully as Mr. Chandler.

Today I read an excellent AP article that will be disseminated across the globe that gives additional insight into the suffering that the Chandlers are experiencing. One paragraph in particular jumped off the page for me as it evidenced Matt’s Christ-likeness.

“He would never ask for such a trial, but in some ways he welcomes this cancer. He says he feels grateful that God has counted him worthy to endure it. He has always preached that God will bring both joy and suffering but is only recently learning to experience the latter.”

What a testimony! Christ learned obedience through suffering yet many times, we, as American Christians, somehow think that we should be immune to it. We celebrate the joys that God brings our way but reject the suffering as un-Godly. It is for the glory of God that we participate in the sufferings for Christ! I am reminded by Matt Chandler’s testimony that I, as a follower of Christ, have the privilege of experiencing a small taste of what Christ suffered.

This morning Matt tweeted about the AP article and asked that people pray for those all over the world who would be reading his story. I pray that lives would be impacted for the Kingdom and glory of God by the story of His servant, Matt Chandler. Also, from one young man to another, I thank you, Mr. Chandler, for encouraging me with your Christ-like attitude while living as a suffering servant.

Learning to Laugh

Posted by Michelle

In the last few years since becoming a mother, I have had the opportunity to experience many events that were frustrating at the time and hilarious later. I could tell you stories that would make you cry from laughing so hard. As I have lived through each of these trying moments, I have faced a choice to either lose my temper or just laugh. I must admit that I have not always chosen the latter. Here is a story I thought you might find mildly amusing that happened recently in our home.

In order to truly appreciate the story, a little background information is needed. A few weeks ago on Christmas morning, my toddler received a really fun toy. This really fun toy has a big button on the side just perfect for his chubby little hand to push and make play the inordinately loud jingle. He loves this toy and pushes that button several times at random throughout the day. And no, there is no off button. That jingle is never far from my thoughts. Are you beginning to get the picture?

Now, fast-forward to last Friday. As we arrived home from our errands late Friday morning, I happened to glance in my rear-view mirror and noticed that my toddler had fallen asleep in his car seat. My heart sank as I recognized that this little ten minute catnap almost certainly spelled doom for the afternoon nap that I and so many other moms of small children cherish as a priceless treasure. As I opened the van door, his little eyes popped open. There was nothing to be done now, so we continued on with our routine. We put the groceries away, ate lunch, prepared for naps, and read aloud from the children's book we are reading.

I knew I was in trouble as I finished reading the second chapter of the book and looked down into the big eyes of my wide-awake toddler staring back up at me with a grin on his face. Normally, he does not even make it through the first chapter before falling fast asleep. I admitted defeat, tucked the other children in for their naps, and took my toddler out to rock in the living room. I rocked softly. I rocked feverishly. I cuddled him closely. I released him to sit up. Back and forth we danced. He tried to do everything in his power to stay awake, and I tried to do everything in my power to get him to fall asleep. We both knew he was sleepy. I knew how cranky he would be later if the only nap he got that day was the ten-minute nap earlier in the van.

After an hour or so of hard labor, my little cherub finally fell asleep. I rocked him contentedly for another half an hour to ensure a good, deep sleep. As I carried him to bed, I was greeted with the wide-awake faces of his siblings. Of course, by this time it was time for them to get up. You moms out there will recognize that I had missed my window for a break. Oh, well, at least my toddler would not be cranky that evening. I gave each of the older children the go-ahead to get up but shot them warning looks to make a quiet departure and not wake the toddler. The children solemnly shook their heads and began to quietly climb out of their beds. I gave them one last look to ensure they realized certain annihilation awaited the maker of any noise that would wake baby brother before returning my attention to the task at hand.

Some of you are aware of the delicate procedure of trying to place a sleeping toddler in bed without awaking him, and here is where the information that I presented earlier about my toddler's new Christmas toy comes into play. I turned to gently rest my little boy's sleeping form in his bed when I accidentally kicked something hard hidden under his bed. That loud, annoying jingle erupted and shattered the quiet as my foot hit the big button on the side. My toddler's eyes burst open, and he immediately began to scream in terror at being jerked so rudely from a sound sleep. To their credit my older children never made a sound.

I looked down at my wailing toddler and then up at the pale faces of my other children as they froze waiting for my response. Now, I must admit that I was frustrated and that I may have reacted differently a few years and a couple of children ago, but the irony was not lost to me on this day. All I could do was throw my head back and laugh hysterically as I scooped up my toddler to comfort him. My other children gathered around me with relieved faces to join my laughter and offer additional comfort to their baby brother.

I cannot tell you how thankful I am that I chose to laugh instead of lose my temper. I am not saying that the rest of the evening was a piece of cake. My toddler was whiny and clingy, which I'm sure is everyone's favorite combination for a child to be. He only wanted to be held until it was finally bedtime. He went off to sleep without a fuss. As I gazed down at his peaceful form snuggly asleep in his bed, I smiled contentedly. I am so thankful that I am learning to laugh.

What are some frustrating events that you have learned to laugh at in your life?

Most Likely to Succeed

Posted by Michelle

When I was a senior in high school, my fellow classmates voted to bestow upon me the title of "Most Likely to Succeed." While I knew that this was simply a gesture, it was nice to be recognized by my peers. I spent the next few years working hard and chasing after my definition of success. I was driven as I completed my college degree in three years and used my fourth year to earn a masters degree. Who could say that I was not successful?

My husband and I finished college, and I began my first career. I worked very hard in my first job. I was appreciated by my employers and well-liked by my co-workers. I spent long hours at the office when required. I did what was needed to get the job done. Within my first six months with the company, my employers were discussing the possibility of management with me. I beamed with pride. After all, wasn't I successful?

Through the course of events in my life, God shook things up and I landed with another employer in a smaller company in a little town. I was very happy in this position. I still worked hard when the need arose, but I enjoyed a more relaxed atmosphere. My employer treated me fairly, and we got along well. After several years, I began to entertain the possibility of a partnership somewhere down the road. The opportunity excited me. Could this be the definition of success?

By this time, my "biological clock", as it were, was beginning to kick in. Mark and I were happily married and settled into our own home. We were comfortable in our church and our community. But as Mark and I contemplated the possibility of having a baby, I worried about my job. I began to throw little trial balloons out to my employer to get his impression and was delighted with his positive response. My employer had two small children at the time and maintained a family-friendly atmosphere at work. Another co-worker had just had her second baby and was working part-time. I entertained the option of doing the same, but could I be a success at both?

I will never forget the day that I held my first precious little baby in my arms. He stole my heart as every other responsibility seemed to pale in comparison with taking care of him. I relished my six weeks of maternity leave and even spent the first four months of his life working part-time, some from home. However, the busy season came, and I returned full-time to work. I found myself, again, working hard to get the job done. But this time was different. My heart wasn't in it. I struggled to focus, and I worried that I was not giving my best to either my employer or my baby. Could I succeed in juggling a baby and a career?

This tension dominated my life for the next two months. Finally, I can remember one late night at work sitting in front of my computer as I began to cry. Every ounce of me screamed out to be with my baby. I was struck with the fact that someone else could do my job at the office just as well as I could, but no one else could ever love my little baby as much as his daddy and me. Somewhere in the struggle, I finally came to peace with the fact that I could not achieve my definition of success with both my career and my baby. I completed my obligation to my employer to finish out the busy season and left my job when my baby was eight months old. I will never forget my first day at home after quitting my job. I can remember sitting in my rocker wondering what I should do next. What was required to be successful in my new career?

I found staying at home with my baby to be rewarding but different. It was not long before Mark and I welcomed another little boy into our family. A few years later, we had a little girl. And a few years after that, God blessed us with a third little boy. There are no offers of management or possibilities of partnership in my new career. I must confess that I have struggled with issues of worth and value as I have wiped noses and bottoms. I have wondered at the unexpected turn my life has taken. Could I still possibly be considered successful?

There have been times when I have questioned God as to why I could not be at peace in my heart with both motherhood and a career. The simple fact is that I could not. So, with a change in career has come a change in my definition of success. I still hold big dreams in my heart for the future, but I am totally committed to my career of motherhood for this priceless season of my life. And thanks to my peers in high school for voting me "Most Likely to Succeed." You were absolutely right!

What is your definition of success?

A Reminder of My Selfishness

Recently Michelle and I have been contemplating a change in lifestyle. Specifically, we are investigating a change in our diet to eat more healthily. In the interest of full disclosure, she has been looking at these options for quite some time now, but I have only recently begun to do so.
My contemplation of this lifestyle change is not because I am particular unhealthy, but mainly because I feel compelled to be a better steward of the body that God has given me. However, just considering this change is killing me. I want to be healthier, but I sure don’t want to have to change to do so. I want to keep eating exactly the way I have been but get a different result – isn’t that the definition of insanity?

The process I have described above has driven me to the realization of how pathetically selfish I am. Every time I turn around, I am confronted with my desire to have my own way and satisfy the lust of my flesh. This is not good! I want to be more self-less, NOT selfish! One of the passages of Scripture that is near to my heart is Philippians 2:3.

Philippians 2:3 (NASB)
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
Copyright by The Lockman Foundation. Used with permission. http://www.Lockman.org

I cannot fully explain how it has happened, but over the past 10 years of my walk with the Lord my heart has been radically changed with a desire to serve others. This requires that I act unselfishly. The realization that I described above is merely another layer of living flesh that I must allow to die in order to more closely walk with Christ.

Each time that I am brought to the place of dealing with my own selfishness, I am challenged to consider the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. His sacrifice was His life. Whatever sacrifice I must endure pales in comparison. One of the truths by which I live is that NO SACRIFICE IS TOO GREAT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD. I look forward to expounding on this as I continue my journey of writing. For now please know that I am selfish, but Christ has given me a new heart. I intend to be more like Him each day going forward.

How about you? In what areas of life has God challenged you?

The Importance of Support

I am very thankful for the support system that God has put into place in my life. There are several key people that play this role for me, but none is closer to me than my husband. He and I are on the "front lines", if you will, with one another. When I am down, he generally hears about it before anyone else. And on the rare occasion that he is having a bad day, I am usually the first to hear about it.

I must confess that I have not always been very good about supporting Mark when he is down without joining him. I tend to be the more pessimistic (I prefer to call it realistic) of the two of us. This is part of the reason that it is good that our support system includes more than just each other. God has provided several people in our lives who know us and love us unconditionally. When we are blinded to the truth, it is comforting to know that we have others who love us enough to set us straight.

In case you haven't noticed, life is not always easy. It doesn't always go as we plan. Sometimes things happen that do not feel good. We may embrace the adventure that is this life one day and want to run screaming away from it the next. Our walk is not always as confident as our talk. This seeming contradiction is not hypocritical. It is simply part of being human, and it is a primary reason that it is not good for any of us to isolate ourselves.

Even King Solomon, arguably one of the wisest people to ever live, recognized the foolishness of trying to go it alone. He wrote in Ecclesiastes chapter four:

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NIV)

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:

10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?

12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan.
All rights reserved. The "NIV" and "New International Version" trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Biblica.

Have you ever picked up a stick and snapped it in two? It breaks pretty easily. Pick up two sticks, and they are more difficult to break. Three sticks are not easily broken when held together. A fistful of sticks together can be impenetrable.

Each of us falls down, and each of us needs those who love us enough to help us back up. Do you have a support system in place in your life? Who can you turn to when the adventure of life seems to overpower you?

I Want to Live the Adventure

Last night I set up to record a basketball game on our DVR. About 45 minutes after the game started, I prepared to start watching the game from the beginning. The game went back and forth resulting in a close game with only a few minutes remaining. Many times in situations like these, Michelle likes to go find out who has already won the game. You may have experienced this before: you record the BIG game and then you have to try to avoid all sources of media in order to shield yourself from seeing the result before you watch it.

I am reminded of a very early episode of Seinfeld in which Jerry recorded a Mets baseball game. As he was sitting down to watch the game his phone rings. He prepares himself and then answers the phone. Rapidly, he says, “If you know what happened in the Mets-game, don't say anything, I taped it, hello.” Then Kramer enters and they start a conversation. Kramer sees that the Mets are on TV and he says “Boy, the Mets blew it tonight, huh?” Jerry is devastated. “Ooohhhh, what are you doing? Kramer, it's a tape! I taped the game, it's one o'clock in the morning! I avoided human contact all night to watch this.” I am Jerry! For me, it destroys the experience of watching the game if I already know the end result. For Michelle, it is completely the opposite. She can’t stand the suspense and, therefore, likes to know the result before beginning to watch.

As I pondered over this difference, I wondered why each of us have different dispositions regarding wanting to know what’s going to happen. I thought about other areas of my life. One example I came up with is reading books. I am not one to read the end of a book first. I would rather enjoy the adventure as it unfolds. As I mulled this over in my mind, I thought of future events in my own life. Do I really want to know what is going to happen to me? I am not sure I know the answer to that question.

Last fall ABC television introduced a series called FlashForward. The show revolves around a global blackout in which everyone (or seemingly everyone) blacked out for two minutes and seventeen seconds. During this time they either had a vision of what they were doing at a precise moment on April 29, 2010, or they saw nothing. The people who saw nothing come to the conclusion that this means they will be dead on April 29th. The other people who saw something are affected in various ways by what they saw. Some are energized by what they saw, and it gives them hope. Some are grief stricken by what they saw, and it troubles them greatly. Either way it starts to affect their behavior.

If we knew the future, I think we would react much the same way. We would constantly be plotting to either try to avoid it or try to make it happen. This would remove the adventure from our lives! Over the past year and a half, we have lived an adventure. I found a new job, we moved across country, we found a new church … I could go on and on. In my wife’s last post, she referenced Romans 8:28.

Romans 8:28 (NASB) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Copyright by The Lockman Foundation. Used with permission. http://www.Lockman.org

I find comfort in the fact that God is working all things for our good. I agree with her sentiments.

“What can I possibly find about which to worry or fear when God has promised that He is working all things for my ultimate good? I am not saying it is easy, especially when things happen that do not feel good”.

I am regularly challenged to embrace the adventure that is this life. However, I think knowing the future would only serve to compound the way of thinking about events that occur in my life. I choose daily to place myself into the hands of the God of this universe who, I trust, can lead, guide, and direct me along the right path for my life. The path will not always be easy but it will be an adventure.

Do you want to live the adventure?

The Beginning...

About a week ago my wife, Michelle, and I were attempting to have a conversation with each other in our drafty old house after I had come home from work. Sometimes, our 4 children do not have the same plans. Our daughter was walking around the house singing Christmas carols, one son was following us around constantly asking us how to spell Christmas words, our youngest son was not feeling well, and our oldest son was just thrown into the Christmas chaos. Suddenly both Michelle and I realized that we were living a scene from “It’s A Wonderful Life.” I have to admit – it was hilarious!!! We had a good laugh!

“It’s A Wonderful Life” is such a good movie. It is becoming a Christmas tradition in our home to have the whole family sit down and watch it. My favorite moment in “It’s A Wonderful Life” is at the very end when all the people come to help George and then the telegraph comes in from Sam Wainwright and Harry shows up. The closing scene always brings tears to my eyes. I think it must be because George fully realizes how much of an impact he has had on others. I have to admit that my heart yearns to make this type of impact on people. I have come to understand that I can do this by following my heart to serve others. In fact, I am beginning to see this become a reality in my life. There are just too many ways to explain right now, but I hope to expand on this in the future.

I believe that the reason for the Christmas season, Jesus Christ, is the One who has instilled in me the heart to serve others. By serving others, I am able to share just a small portion of what He has done for me. Amidst all the craziness of this time of year I am stopping to remind myself that this really is a wonderful life!

I am new to blogging and this is just the beginning of me learning how to write well. Please come along on my journey.