Behavior Self-Modification (Getting all geeky on you)

I wanted the title to sound impressive. It does. Doesn’t it? Being educated in the science of teaching I can pull out all kinds of edu-lingo. I can talk about assessment construction, mastery of benchmarks, integrated interactive learner-centered disciplines, and other blah blah stuff. But it just means,” Can you help students make a change in what they understand and do?”

Well, when I make a change in what I understand and do it is usually triggered by two motivations:

I want to or I have to.

 I’m reading a great book now; “Change Before You Have To” (copyright 2012) by Rob Kettelring. God seems to bring me regularly back to the concept of being ready to make changes in my life. It all started with “Who Moved My Cheese” (copyright 1998) by Kenneth Blanchard. Both authors have the same bottom line:

You can make it an easy change in your life or you can make it a hard change in your life.

You can slide happily into a change or you can go kicking and screaming.

But make no mistake,

You will face the necessity to change.

Most of the time I have to admit I’m a kicking and screaming kind of changer. So I am not overjoyed with either of these books that God has seemingly put in my path. But I’ve also learned that to be more and more like Christ, as His follower, I will have to make continual changes in my life. Not exactly a warm fuzzy thought to me.

Rob Ketterling, the author, urges me, the reader, to evaluate my life’s direction and ask myself what is limiting my life with and in Christ.

1.       Something at home?

2.       Something at work?

3.       Something in my character?

4.       Something sinful I don’t want to give up?

5.       Something that is a non-productive habit?

6.       Something I stubbornly hang on to that I know I don’t need?

7.       Something that can’t make me more like Christ?

8.       Something I’m too lazy to deal with?

He says something I know but don’t want to hear:

God loves me so much that he won’t let me stay in the unchanged mess. He wants me to experience an unlimiting abundant life. He will gently convict me in these areas and bring these areas around again and again until I deal with them.

And I can choose to let Him change and adjust me.

Or I can dig my heels in with my pride and ego; refuse to make the changes,

 and prepare to be forced to change. 

Do not regard lightly the training and education of the Lord or give up when He convicts and wants to change you. Because God loves you He will punish and discipline you His accepted child if you will not be teachable.  Hebrews 12: 5-6

Lord, please help me choose to change so I can continue to be more like You.

Make me Your teachable student.

Help me make behavior self-modifications so that I am changed into your image.

The Comfort Zone is Called Comfortable for a Reason AKA the View is Always the Same

My Sunday School Teacher Eddie seems to be able to get me involved in all sorts of My Church the Road’s ministries. I’d like to think it’s because he is also a salesman. But I can’t blame it on that. He doesn't do the “hard sale,” and he doesn't guilt me into it. Both of those things would work. Shh, don’t tell him. No, he just asks and leaves it up to the Holy Spirit for the nudge. And the Holy Spirit is not dependent solely on My Sunday School Teacher Eddie either. He feels free to push me into areas I wouldn't normally frequent frequently.

These nudges from the Holy Spirit always get me out of my comfort zone.

Why can’t God just put me in a place that is easy and I can coast through?

Short answer: 

Because the Christian life is not comfortable.

Long answer:

1.    You Christian pursue righteousness, Godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold to eternal life to which you are called and about which you are to make a good testimony. 1 Tim. 6:12 (Pursue. Fight. Take hold. Does that sound like we can coast through life?)

2.       Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us…We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up. (You must endure. You must run. You must never give up. Do these sound like easy activities?)

3.       I press to reach the end of the race…I run straight toward the goal…Philippians 3:14 (Press forward and run. Does that sound comfortable?)

4.       Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and hoist up and carry his cross daily like I will do for you and follow Me.” From Luke 9:23 (My words but look it up. This is what He was telling His disciples. The disciples knew that the Roman cross meant unspeakable pain, humiliation, and suffering. They didn’t understand yet the meaning of what He was telling them but they would understand fully later. Does this sound like something the lazy girl would sign up for?)

Now this is still part of the long answer:

Why would anyone choose this lifestyle?

1.       Hold firmly to the Word of Life; then on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. Philippians 2:16

2.       I press to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

3.       But I run to win the race which Jesus Christ has already won for me. Philippians 3:12

Sounds like the effort will be worth the prize.

So I will step out of my comfort zone and:

pursue, fight, hold tightly to, run, press forward, hoist up, 

and carry the uncomfortable things in following Christ.

 I will live on the edge.

 I will step out into the unknown for Christ’s sake.

It will be scary but the view will be great!

(Remind me that I said this the next time My Sunday School Teacher Eddie asks me to do something.)

The War of the Roses

I must love roses because I have managed to have accumulated 27 rose bushes in my yard. And I bought 3 more yesterday. Somebody stop me!

It is the time of year to prune them. I really didn't know I had 27 bushes until I counted as I pruned.  I cut away dead branches and off shoots. I took away height so the bushes will spread out and be full of blooms in the spring and not be sparse and leggy. I took away more than I left but I know from past experience that it will produce the kind of plant I want. Of course dealing with all those thorny branches is no fun. I felt like I was at war with each bush when I had to deal with avoiding getting stuck. But this is all part of maintaining the bushes.

Because I was cutting away the top part of the plant I could see what was underneath. There were dead branches, weeds, and general debris that are not helpful to the plant so that had to be cleared away too.

All this time with the roses gave me time to think. It dawned on me that God had a little something to say about pruning me. So when I was finished outdoors I looked in the Bible for the story. I found it in John 15:1-11:

 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.  Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."

  

Verse 2 was the thorny part for me. Yes, I know Jesus is like the vine with us as the branches. Yes, I know God is the One who separates the ones of us attached to Christ from those who are not. I understood all that. But the part that God prunes every Christian so we will be productive stuck and struck me for the first time.

I imagined God taking away the top part of my life (the part that looks good and the part I show to everyone) and revealing to me the junk underneath. That’s the part, the sin, which I need to clear away to bear more fruit. Those are the areas of my life where sin creeps in like weeds, where forgiven dead stuff is not cleared away, and where unresolved problems in relationships gather like debris.

When God prunes it’s not pretty. My rose bushes are not pretty now. But as with my bushes my life will be beautiful because of the pruning. Pruning is not pleasant. I was stuck and scratched many times with thorns. But Jesus endured the thorny unpleasant part for me to be beautiful like the roses will be in the spring. Pruning gets rid of a lot of waste. And a big thank you to my trash guys for hauling it away. I need to get rid of the waste accumulating in my life too. My trash guys can’t deal with that but my Lord Jesus can.

My yard looks like it’s ready for spring to bear many beautiful roses. I won that war with the roses.

King David said in Psalm 51:10, after his big sin boo boo  “Create (cut away, produce, clear out, prune) in me a clean (pure) heart (tender undivided understanding conscience) and renew (repair, restore) a steadfast (determined, confirmed, established) spirit (Holy Spirit control) in me.”

Now I need to win the war of my sin will.

It won’t be pleasant, pretty, or comfortable.

But if I let God do the pruning the results will be beautiful.

For My Heart/ With All My Heart

I just happened to have my hiking boots on the other day. And if you know me, you know that the boots are only a fashion statement and not for real use. But since I had them on and it is heart health month I decided to put them to their intended purpose. I cranked up the incline on my treadmill to the highest setting and went for a mountain hike. Wow, I was breathing hard in no time and getting a cardio like I haven’t had in a while. Good for my heart and good for me.

I’m supposed to be mindful of my heart. My father died from a heart attack when he was younger than I am now. My doctor is always doing EKG’s (or ECG’s I think they are called now) and other KG’s/ CG’s on me to make sure that my heart stays OK. But even my doctor can’t monitor one aspect of my heart. That is its capacity to love.

Deuteronomy was one of the first places God told His people to monitor their volume and ability to love. Chapter 6 verse 5 and 6 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart (all your inner self, thoughts, and purposes) and with all your soul (desire, passions and emotions) and with all your strength (serious immense diligence). These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts (inner self, mind, and emotion).”

Love God with all your heart and keep it in your heart. Double hearts.

Then Jesus Himself said in Mark 12:30 and 31 that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all of your heart and soul and strength and that the next command in order is to love everyone around you like you love yourself.

Love God and love others with all your heart. Double hearts again.

The Greek word that Jesus used for heart is ”kardias” This is where we get the medical word “cardio” meaning heart. This is the muscle that keeps us alive. This is one of the most important parts of our body. It’s very important to keep this in working order. It’s very important to prioritize loving God and loving others. Love with all your cardia – max capacity. And keep this cardia for love in correct working order.

1.     I’m supposed to make sure I keep my heart healthy so I can live.

2.      I’m supposed to make sure I keep my heart spiritually healthy so I can love.

The second kind of love doesn't even require hiking boots!

P.S. Happy Heart Day 

Will I Cry Too?

Sunday at My Church The Road was great.

 My Music Pastor Josh led us in some great music. We sang: about our life victory in knowing Jesus,  that when Jesus comes back it will be a glorious day, that we will shout and sing praises to King Jesus, and that there is no other god on earth like our Jehovah God.

My Pastor Wade preached from Revelation 1:4-7.

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.7 BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

The music and message was thrilling to my little Christian soul until My Pastor Wade began explaining verse seven. Then everything came to a screeching halt in my celebration. My Pastor Wade took us to a scene in our imagination. It was something like this:

There is a man standing on a mountain. He is looking over the beautiful creation that was formed by God for him. As he stands there enjoying the beauty, he reflects on his life. He has been a good man by his peer’s standard. He hasn't killed anyone or stolen anything or caused trouble in the world around him. He is a loving committed husband. He is a wonderful dad. He works hard and provides for his family. He is involved in a religion to which he is dedicated. He has never heard about Jesus or been given the opportunity to trust in Him. When Jesus comes with the clouds (verse 7) and he sees that he is one who is responsible for His death, no matter where he is in this world will he cry and mourn because he missed the opportunity to believe in Him? Will our Holy Righteous Jesus still judge him? Yes and Yes!

Oh no and Oh no, I said in my heart.  As I stand there with victory, shouting and singing, celebrating the return of My Jehovah King Jesus, will I start crying when I see the ones I could have told stand in judgment? Will I see my missed opportunity?  Will I mourn too? Is this verse for Christians too? I have this conviction from the Holy Spirit in my heart that the answer is, yes.

Well then, I’m responsible for “the man standing on the mountain.” I've got to change something in my life to make room to get the message to him. That may cause a rearrangement of my schedule. That may re-prioritize my spending. That may readjust my vision when I look at people.  

Will I mourn on that glorious day?

Will I cry too?

Clean hands

I had just received a letter from the little girl I support in the Philippines. She was so excited to tell me that her school and others in her country were celebrating Global Hand Washing Day. And she asked if the children in my country celebrate it too.  I was astounded. I didn't even know there was such a thing; much less that it was global!

So I Googled and sure enough there is a Global Hand Washing Day celebrated by 70 countries. It is an initiative to decrease children deaths due to the spread of diseases caused by improper or not washing hands. In a lot of these countries water is not readily available or soap for that matter.

I had just subbed for a daycare where we sang (to the tune of Happy Birthday):

We wash our hands.

 We wash our hands.

We make lots of bubbles,

When we was our hands.

Those toddlers never questioned that each time they turned the spigot (and we washed hands a lot) there would be water or that they would not be able to make bubbles because there was no soap. I realized how blessed we are as a nation. I realized how blessed I am.

Then I found out that through several different agencies (World Help, Compassion International, and Samaritan’s Purse, just to name a few)I can help provide water for families and/or whole communities for a lifetime for what I consider an easy, not even a sacrifice, use of my money. So why haven’t I?

I think I have taken my blessings from God for granted. I didn't even know this need existed until a little 8 year old girl celebrated water and soap. It’s time I celebrated too.

Jesus, Himself said in Luke 12:15, “Beware, and be on your guard against any form of greed, for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”  

OK, this got my attention. I was not on my guard. Instead I was guarding my possessions with both hands full. These dirty hands filled with everything I could hold.

Then Jesus told the parable of the man who had been blessed by God so much that he even built more storage for it. And Jesus said that he was foolish and really had nothing to show for it in heaven.Option 1:  Me holding onto everything on earth and building my own pile of possessions means nothing to God. Option two: Me using these blessings from God to build His kingdom means everything to God. I choose option two.

I'm going to celebrate Global I Can Help Give Clean Water and Soap to People Day. I'm going to let go of some stuff and show God some empty hands.

Some clean empty hands

To Infinity and Beyond

One of my IPhone apps is a little miffed at me right now. I thought I was being so Susie Spiritual by getting this Bible app and doing a daily devotional with it. But now I’m stuck on one of the daily lessons and have been for three days. I feel that I should explore what God is telling me but my phone keeps reminding me that I’m behind. Today it even offered me some “catch up” options.

Now those who know me know that I can’t be involved with organized Bible studies because I’m a slow learner. It took me about a year to get through one 16 week study. One of my dear godly sister-friends said after a week that I could move on past verse 1. It took me over two months to do the 30 days of praise study with the choir. My music pastor Josh patiently waited.  So now even my phone wants me to get it and go on.

I guess I’m not so Susie Spiritual as I thought. I’m stuck with a wonderment and comprehension issue I encountered in Ephesians 3:17-19.

“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith: and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to the fullness of God.”

After reading this I felt that all the saints had left me in the dust. I felt like saying, Hey, wait for me!” as they went on comprehending how wide, long, high, and deep is Christ’s love.

I read several commentaries by learned theologians about this passage.

One commentary said that the love of Christ did not begin at the cross, or at His birth, or even when the original man sinned. But that the love of Jesus was there for man before the earth was even created, or before the beginning, He loved.

One theologian said that when we first believe in Christ we have no clue of how much Christ loves us. We just believe He does. But as we grow in spiritual knowledge we get closer to really understanding the breadth, length, height, and depth of God’s love for mankind.

One learned man said that it is one of the mysteries of the faith – to comprehend the love of Christ that surpasses comprehension.

But it was actually my sister that put it into a picture I can understand. She said imagine the cross as it stretches vertically to infinity in both directions and horizontally to infinity in both directions. That is how much Jesus loves us.

Now with this picture I can run with the saints. I can move on to the next lesson on my IPhone. (I wonder if it will thank me.) I can comprehend a little better how wide and long (eternal infinity) and how high and deep (eternal infinity) is the love that Jesus Christ has for us. Jesus LOVES little ole me and little ole you.

I can add this to the cartoon astronaut action figure’s saying:

Yes, Jesus loves me.

Yes, Jesus loves me.

Yes, Jesus loves me,

(to infinity and beyond!)