“Feels like there’s a million things coming at you today, but really there is always only one thing: Just. Stay. Calm.
“The Lord Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm” Ex14:14
Let the Spirit in dwell, before stepping into the day. This is the way calm comes.
For God will do the battle for you. 
You just do the breathing in Him” (Ann Voskamp).

#PreachingGospeltoMyself#StayCalmInHim

I had grandiose ideas about what I was going to write about tonight, but sleepiness won out.

These may not be my own words, but they are good words to live by when life can seem overwhelming (and it does seem that way for all of us at some point).

Just stay calm.

I made my weekly pilgrimage to my local Goodwill today. As usual, I went in with nothing specific in mind and not knowing what I would find — if anything.

Sometimes, I come away with jack squat. I don’t find anything. Usually, 50% off Saturdays are a bust for me with everything good already taken.

Sometimes, I find a few decent bargains.

But today I hit the proverbial $2 jackpot. I found a Doctor Who t-shirt for $1.99. Granted, it’s a medium which means I will have to hold my breath the entire time I wear it. But did I mention $2?

My inner nerd child is supremely happy and content right now.

I discovered a classic BBC mystery series that I’ve grown quite fond of. It definitely has the feel of a Lord Peter Wimsey or Agatha Christie, which I believe are both also set in the 1920’s.

It’s based on a series of short stories by G. K. Chesterton. I can’t personally vouch for how faithful it is to the books, but knowing old-school BBC adaptations, it’s probably very close.

The main character, Father John Brown, is a Catholic priest who (surprise, surprise) also is an amateur sleuth. His faith plays a prominent role in his detective work.

I believe there’s a new series based on the same short stories. I can’t imagine it could be as good as these, but I’m withholding all judgment until I’ve seen both.

“Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.” Then he showed them his hands and side.

The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were exuberant. Jesus repeated his greeting: “Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you” (John 20:19-21, The Message).

The phrase Shalom aleichem is a common Jewish phrase. It’s used both as a hello and a goodbye. I’m sure that when a typical Jewish person had grown up in Jesus’ day, he or she had probably heard and used the term so often that it became almost rote.

Not so with Jesus. He never said or did anything that wasn’t drenched with meaning and purpose. Especially here with the disciples who had barricaded themselves in the upper room out of fear and confusion.

“Peace to you,” or “God’s peace,” was Jesus telling the disciples, “You have many fears and doubts. I am giving you My peace, not as the world gives, a peace that transcends human understanding that brings healing and wholeness. This is the peace that will empower you to live sent as God’s ambassadors in the world and announce the forgiveness of sin found in God’s salvation.”

Only God’s peace can alleviate anxiety. Only God’s perfect love can cast out fear. Only in the shalom and hesed of God can you truly live out your calling and be a disciple maker.

May God’s peace be yours tonight, tomorrow, and every day after.

I’m thankful that my carpal tunnel seems to be clearing up. At least it hurts a lot less than it did on Friday. I’m also thankful to have a better diagnosis for my wrist pain other than “getting old.”

I’m thankful for my vintage Jeep Cherokee that still runs great. I found out recently that in 3 years, that Jeep will officially be an antique.

I’m thankful for the Spicy Thai Chicken Salad at Panera. It’s still one of my favorites.

I’m thankful for the day coming soon when it won’t be in the 30s in the morning and in the 70s in the afternoon. I’m sure the sinuses of most people in Tennessee will also be grateful.

Right now, I’m thankful for a soft and warm bed that will lead me (hopefully) to a good night’s sleep.

I’m thankful for my job and even that long, long commute that gives me time to listen to good music.

I’m thankful for those aged cheddar and dijon mustard chips I got at Target recently. Whooo good!

I’m thankful for my little black panther, aka my tortie cat Peanut who keeps me smiling (and sometimes laughing) at her silly antics.

I’m thankful for Jesus who loves me as I am but won’t leave me in my mess. He loves me well and whole and complete.

“Through the resurrection of Jesus God has redeemeed us and made us his children.  May God bless us with joy.  Amen. Our Redeemer has given us lasting freedom. May we inherit everlasting life.  Amen. By faith, we rose with Jesus in baptism. May our lives be holy, so that we will be united with Jesus for ever. Amen. May almighty God bless us,  the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen” (from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/e-blessing.html).

Sometimes when you google something, you get 15,000 hits, none of which are remotely related to your topic. Other times, you hit the proverbial jackpot.

I googled “Easter toast” and found this Easter blessing from the Creighton University webpage. I think it’s a fitting blessing to give and receive on Easter (or Resurrection Sunday, if you prefer).

Easter is all about a Love that wouldn’t give up. It’s about God’s relentless love for His people as displayed and evidence in Jesus.

There’s no greater love than laying down one’s live for a friend, but the ultimate sacrifice of love was Jesus laying down His life for us when we were His enemies.

But none of that means anything without the resurrection. If Jesus is still in that tomb, then the cross is an empty gesture, a meaningless act, and a tragic waste.

Thankfully, the tomb was only borrowed for three days, as the song says, and Jesus is alive. That means that Easter can be not just one day a year but every day of every year for those who have been made alive by God’s saving grace.

Thank You, God, for grace and mercy. Thank You for an empty tomb and nail-scarred hands. Thank You for death defeated and the grave overcome. Thank You for Easter Sunday.

For all those out there who feel “less than” or “not enough,” this one’s for you.

For those who feel not up to the day’s tasks and challenges that lay before them, this is for you.

These words are a reminder that God is enough, and if God is in you, with you, and for you, then you are enough.

“. . . so when the weary who never feel like they are enough, Lord,
the exhausted women, the tired mothers, the burnt-out men,
when they look in the mirrors at the end of the day & are about at the end of their ropes, let them just get to the beginning of You and hear it like sweet relief:
“You have enough of Him & courage to do this hard thing.
You have enough of Him & strength to not give up.
You have enough of Him & love to keep on giving.
You have enough of Him & peace to know that you are carried.
You have enough of Him *to rest.*
You have enough of Him — and He is enough.
You are enough — because the great I AM is in you & with you & *for you.*”
*He is enough* — and that is enough (Ann Voskamp).”

#HonestPrayersForRealPeople

Well, today had an interesting twist.

I noticed all day how much my right wrist was hurting. I couldn’t for the life of me remember doing anything like falling down or running into any door frames that would cause a wrist injury.

I survived the day and decided to go to the Walk-in Clinic to rule out anything being broken. I figured maybe it might be sprained.

Turns out I have carpal tunnel. Who knew?

At this moment, my wrist is in a brace and I have prescription-strength Ibuprofen to help me heal, plus doctor’s orders to rest my right wrist. So I’m guessing I’ll be left-handed for a few days.

If that’s the worst thing that happens to me, it’s still a good day.

I saw a church sign a few years back that read “Pobody is nerfect.” That appealed to my wacky sense of fun, but it also stuck with me as a reminder.

Truly, nobody is perfect.

It seems like a Captain Obvious statement that everyone should get but few of us really seem to apply it.

A lot of us have really high standards for ourselves in regard to jobs and relationships and life in general. That’s all well and good.

But what’s not all well and good is that quite a few of us don’t allow ourselves to be human and make mistakes and fail from time to time.

Or in my case, it’s easy after one screwup to throw in the proverbial towel and give up the day as a lost cause.

One mistake or failure doesn’t mean the end of the world. As Winston Churchill once famously said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”

That means that failing doesn’t make you a failure. You can fail forward as you learn and grow from your mistakes and bad decisions.

What constitutes failure is quitting and not trying anymore. Or worse yet, not to try at all in the first place.

I’ve learned that the best thing you can do is to give yourself grace as well as give it to others. Give yourself room to fall and fail and learn and grow. Learn to love yourself as you are and not an idealized version of you that doesn’t exist except in filtered photographs and carefully edited social media posts.

Remember, God loves you as you are and not as you should be. He loves you with a love that won’t settle for anything less than perfection — His perfection, not yours. And He’s making you just like Him in His own way and in His own time.

After all, pobody is nerfect.

I love the Ryman Auditorium. I love its history, starting off as a church and morphing into a music venue where so many legends and great artists have played.

I saw Patty Griffin at the Ryman back in 2013 for her American Kid tour. Tonight, I got the chance to see her again (with Lori McKenna as her opening act).

It was magical. Two of my favorite singer-songwriters on one stage.

I heard a lot of my old favorites as well as new songs that I will probably grow to love equally with time. Both artists define what it means to turn songwriting into a craft.

Besides, anything at the Ryman is automatically better. There’s an aura to that auditorium that is unique to that place.

I hope to get the chance to see many more shows there (including hopefully Patty Griffin again at some point).

In the mean time, I think some sleep might be in order. Good night to all of you out there in webland.