gifts
Things I Love 13: Not Written on a Friday Nor on the 13th
I normally make some witty and socially relevant comment right about now, but we’re skipping that to get to the list. I do want to get to 1,000 before I’m 80. So we’re starting this one at #293.
293) The moment when gratitude wins out over self-pity, hurt, and anger.
294) Knowing I can never go back to the way things used to be but that the future will be so much better.
295) Iced Tazo Tea Lemonade and sympathetic baristas.
296) Condemning words and harsh unforgiving texts no longer will define who I am or wreck my life.
297) The idea that one day one girl out there will not only want to go out with me on a date, but will actually want to spend the rest of her life with me as my wife.
298) Christmasy candles that fill the air with apple and pumpkin spice aromas.
299) I’ve gotten so used to typing instead of writing that I automatically expect to see that red little line under a word when I’ve misspelled it.
300) The word phonetics isn’t spelled phonetically (otherwise it would be spelled starting with an f).
301) Alanis Morissette’s song Ironic contains no actual ironies– now, isn’t that ironic? Don’t you think?
302) Lost hopes restored and broken dreams reborn.
303) Candy Crush Saga– and yes, I can quit at any time.
304) Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.
305) My sister, who is much prettier than Joan Jett.
306) Fruit Ninja.
307) Hearing Emmylou Harris sing just about ANYTHING.
308) Someone will read these lists and be inspired to start one of their own.
309) The beauty of seeing a classic film in the high definition format of blu ray and noticing details and textures that even the original movie audiences would have missed.
310) I’m a guy who has Breakfast at Tiffany’s in his top five movie list and am comfortable with that.
311) Still knowing all the words to the Don McLean song American Pie.
312) Knowing just about all the lines from the movie It’s a Wonderful Life.
313) Any movie starring both Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra.
314) A perfect God using imperfect people to accomplish his purposes in the world.
315) God using nobodies to shame the who’s who and turn the world right-side up again.
316) Even the worst commercials are only 30 seconds long (or on rare occasion, 1 minute).
317) Chillin’ like a villain.
318) Being like Phoebe Buffay from the TV show friends (in personality, not looks, in case you were confused).
319) Cereal at midnight.
320) One day God will wipe every tear from every eye and everything wrong will be made right again.
321) Being me.
Things I Love 12: Tested And Approved by Lucy The Wonder Kitty
Lucy is in my lap, approving whatever I type. Of course, she can’t read, but if she could, she would add her own comments (most of which would not be fit to print in a family-style blog such as this one). So I’ll take her silence as either approval or extreme sleepiness.
The list commences with #264 (I think).
264) Ice-cold water to quench my thirst on a humid summer day.
265) A long walk alone under a full moon at night (as opposed to all those moonlit walks during the day).
266) That I’m finally at a place where I’m comfortable alone or in a crowd.
267) Planned spontaneity.
268) That I’ve come to the place where if I never see a certain person ever again (and at the moment it appears very likely to be the case), that I will be glad for the friendship; I will miss her, but my life will go on.
269) Those quiet moments of peace where God speaks into my silence.
270) That with God, every day is a day to look forward to.
271) Reading collects out of The Book of Common Prayer and seeing my own prayers expressed better than I could ever put them.
272) That this blog site has spell-check so that I can appear smarter than I really am, i.e. that I can actually spell.
273) That I really don’t have to be friends with everyone or have everyone like me to be content.
274) That everything will be fine in the end, and if it’s not fine, it’s not the end.
275) Good lines from good movies (like the one I just referenced earlier).
276) Chocolate bars with bacon in them (it sounds gross, but tastes divine).
277) All of my quirks
278) That I have to show my driver’s license to prove that I really am the age I say I am.
279) That even though Jon Acuff might have more readers for one blog than I’ve had for all my 1,000+ blogs combined, that I have touched and impacted lives that wouldn’t have been touched and impacted had I chosen not to write a blog.
280) That I can use bad grammar, and bad punctuation, in my blogs, if I so, choose.
281) Those rare times when the Church is known for what it’s for rather than what it’s against.
282) That I can learn something from anybody, no matter what their philosophical, theological, political or social beliefs and regardless of whether or not they have the same worldview as mine.
283) That hamburger from The Pharmacy with bacon, ham, and a fried egg (10,000 calories of deliciousness!)
284) That the last spoken words from Jesus in the Bible aren’t a condemnation but an invitation.
285) When I talk into a box fan and make my voice sound like a robot.
286) That being grown-up doesn’t always mean having to be mature all the time.
287) That the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
288) The way my cat Lucy hovers when she goes to the bathroom.
289) Not knowing all the answers (or even all of the questions).
290) A perfectly made and perfectly thrown paper airplane.
291) That I saw the actual Batmobile from the campy 60’s TV show tonight in downtown Franklin
292) That this list will continue– maybe tomorrow, maybe not. You’ll just have to tune in tomorrow to find out. Same bat time, same bat channel.
Things I Love 11: Top That, Freddy Krueger and Jason Vorhees
I now have passed into legendary status in this series. Not even movie slashers Freddy Krueger or Jason Vorhees had more than nine sequels (even counting the one they were in together, which I consider cheating). That goes to show that there are really way more good things than bad things out there if you only look hard enough and with the right set of eyes.
That being said, we’ll kick off this list at #239:
239) Driving home after a good night of community group with music playing loud and absolutely no idea of where you are (and not caring).
240) Vegetables off the grill.
241) Giving myself permission to vent, to go a little crazy, and to be in the moment, no matter how painful it may be.
242) That whenever Lucy my cat hears my car coming up the driveway, she goes to the front door and waits for me.
243) On nights like this, gratitude for not having a night shift job.
244) That I’m not (nor will I ever be) married to any of the Kardashians.
245) Authentic conversations with friends at 10 pm.
246) That God only needs the tiniest place to start in my life to do something amazing.
247) That unexpected two-hour nap on a Sunday afternoon when I only meant to lie down and rest my eyes for a second.
248) Knowing that God’s “no”s always mean a much bigger “yes” down the road.
249) Singing to the very top of my lungs with the song playing on my car radio and not caring if I sound scary.
250) Finding the freedom to forgive myself for being myself.
251) In those moments when I can truly love being me.
252) Those spontaneous Saturday nights in downtown Franklin (like the one I’m planning for tomorrow).
253) People who refuse to give up on me even when they should.
254) Finding the perfect card for someone’s birthday.
255) Knowing that my Abba rejoices over me, sings over me, and dances with joy over me.
256) The almost-euphoric feeling after I realize that a bad headache is gone.
257) Jennifer Anniston.
258) The clean smell of the air after a thunderstorm.
259) Not having to wake up at 5 am in the morning.
260) That I’m already 1/4 of the way through my list of 1,000 things I love/am grateful for/receive as gifts from God.
261) Chocolate Cheerios.
262) Eating dessert first.
263) Eating dessert as a meal.
Look for the next installment, cleverly entitled Things I Love 12, sometime tomorrow.
Things I Love 10: I’m Not Even Close to Being Done With This
Everybody sing with me,”This is the list that never ends, and it goes on and on my friends.”
As we come to part X of my list of things I love, it does seem like it will never end. But trust me, it will. We may both be in our 80’s by then, but I will finish this list one day.
So continuing with #214:
214) People who actually respond back to my texts and posts.
215) Fridays.
216) When my cat wakes me up in the middle of the night by jumping on my bed and purring loudly in deep contentment.
217) Old Warner Brothers cartoons.
218) When I remember someone’s name after only meeting them once.
219) The corned beef and cabbage at McCreary’s Irish Pub.
220) That with God all my past sins are forgiven and forgotten.
221) Reconciliation of relationships.
222) My grandmother’s banana pudding.
223) Answered prayer.
224) Seeing the amazing transformative power of God at work in my life and in the lives around me.
225) Cheesy 80’s movies.
226) The good feeling from being in shape physically.
227) Remembering a good dream.
228) Finding money I didn’t know I had in the pockets of clothes I haven’t worn in a while.
229) Being in the know.
230) Singing along with a good song on the radio.
231) Trying new foods at new restaurants.
232) That Jesus knows my name and always knows where I am.
233) A good, thick biography. The thicker the better.
234) Alan Thicke. Why not?
235) Hearing an old song I had forgotten about and having long-buried memories that go with it come back to mind.
236) Coma-inducing Southern sweet tea.
237) When I know for sure God is speaking to me and I am still enough to listen.
238) Randomly bursting into song in public for no good reason.
I’d love to hear some of the little things that bring you joy. I might even stealborrow them for future Things I Love blogs.
For Those With Broken Hearts Tonight
Those Crazy Spider Monkeys!
I heard something very interesting about monkeys and coconuts. And no, there’s not a Monty Python joke coming. Or a reference to any Animal Planet show currently airing.
I heard that a way to trap a spider monkey is to drill a hole in a coconut just big enough for its hand to fit in and put food in there. The little monkeys will reach in and grab the food, but with their hands in a fist clutching their prize, they can’t pull it out again.
The end result is either death or capture.
My first reaction is: aren’t those just greedy little monkeys?
My second is: what is so great about what they’re holding onto that they can’t let go?
Then I wonder how many times I’ve been trapped like that by holding onto something I don’t need to. Like a wound from my past. Or maybe a failure I can’t forgive myself for. Or maybe a selfish desire of mine.
Maybe you’re holding onto your idea of how your life should play out. Maybe it’s a relationship that’s toxic and hazardous to your health and your heart. Maybe it’s unforgiveness that keeps you up nights. It could be anything that takes the place of Jesus in your heart. Even good things.
Whatever it is, you can’t move forward until you let it go. You can’t be free unless you release your grasp of whatever it is that you’re white-knuckling.
I’m reminded of a story of a little girl whose father gave her some imitation pearls. She loved those pearls and wore them everywhere. She even slept in them. But one day her dad asked the unthinkable.
“Give me your pearls,” he said.
“No, Daddy. You can have anything else. My dollies, my stuffed animals, but not my pearls.”
So he let it go that night. But he asked again the next night. And the night after that.
Finally, with tears in her eyes, she said, “Yes, Daddy. You can have my pearls.”
With one hand he took the imitation pearls, and with the other he gave her a box containing very real and very expensive pearls. He had been waiting for her to let go of the imitation so she could have the real thing.
What are you holding onto that keeps you from receiving what God has for you? It may be a good thing, but if it keeps you from God’s best, let it go. If it keeps you from full devotion and obedience to Jesus, let it go.
Trust me, what you give up won’t even compare to what you get in compare. Or as a guy named Jim Elliot once said, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Spring’s Here
I gotta tell ya. I’m lovin’ this weather we’re having in Middle Tennessee. I don’t know what’s going on in the rest of the country, but right here, the weather’s just fine.
I think the temperature is supposed to be in the 70’s for the entire week. After going up and down from warm to cold like a demented yo-yo, this is a nice change of pace. I don’t know if there’s any chance of rain, but I’m fairly certain there’ll be no snow at least until next December.
My favorite of the seasons is fall, but spring’s a close second. Especially when it’s right around 75 and the sun is shining and a cool breeze is blowing. I can literally feel my cares blowing away with the wind.
I know better than to trust Tennessee weather or Tennessee weather forecasters. So nix what I said earlier about no more snow. Stranger things have happened in April and even in May.
I’m just thankful that I woke up this morning and was able to enjoy the fine Sunday spring day. I don’t take for granted that I’ll get the same privilege tomorrow. It’ll be another gift tomorrow.
Spontaneous, Joyful Uncertainty and Expectancy
“If our certainty is only in our beliefs, we develop a sense of self-righteousness, become overly critical, and are limited by the view that our beliefs are complete and settled. But when we have the right relationship with God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy. Jesus said, “. . . believe also in Me” (John 14:1), not, “Believe certain things about Me”. Leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and graciously uncertain how He will come in—but you can be certain that He will come. Remain faithful to Him” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest).
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from life, is that almost nothing ever turns out according to my expectations. No conversation ever goes like I planned it in my head, no holiday plays out quite like I planned, and no day ever seems to be what I thought it would be.
I think my only expectations from 2013 are of God. Specifically, I expect him to show up in 2013. How? I have no idea. I only know that when I need him most, he’ll be there.
I’ve had unexpected relationships that I never saw coming. I’ve had friendships with people I never thought would even talk to me. I’ve also had friends move on and seemingly drop off the planet (or at least off my radar). For those of you who have moved on to the next phase of life, the friendship is still on and always will be. Count on it.
That doesn’t mean I sit back and do nothing. I think this year I have to prepared and ready for whatever God brings. As one of my favorite lines from a movie goes, I have to have my fields ready to receive the rain when it comes.
I know that whenever God has shown up in my life, it has never been exactly in the way that I expected, but it has always been better. It has never been when I expected, but it has always been at the perfect moment when I needed him most. God’s gifts to me haven’t been what I asked for; many times, they’ve what I needed and longed for but didn’t know it.
I know that whatever I go through in 2013, God is good. I know whatever the day turns out to be, God is faithful. And I expect that to be the same in 2014 and beyond.
A Christmas Prayer
Lord, the time approaches yet again when we celebrate your arrival in human skin to make your home among us as one of us. We celebrate that you became Immanuel, “God with us,” and took your place among us, sharing our joys and sorrows, weaknesses and pains.
We confess that we have so often lost sight of why we celebrate this day. We have made it into the giving and receiving of gifts and of excessive shopping and spending. We have forgotten that at the heart of Christmas, it is your birthday.
Help us also to remember those for whom Christmas isn’t such a happy time. So many mourn the loss of loved ones and live in the midst of family strife and turmoil. So many are facing tough days ahead as many are without jobs, some without homes and even the basic necessities.
Help us to walk along side those who are hurting in this Christmas season. May they find you, O God, to be their burden bearer, their refuge, their safe dwelling, and their peace in the midst of storms. Comfort them, bring healing to their strife, and be in the midst of them as the Prince of Peace.
Help us to remember those less fortunate than we and to be generous to those around us who have needs, both physical and spiritual. May we serve you by serving one of the least of these.
May we remember Christmas every day by being living incarnations of your presence everywhere we go, for you are not only God with us, but you are God in us, too. May we never forget that what started out in a manger ended on a cross, and that we are alive and free because of that terrible price you paid.
So as we get into the days of celebration and merriment, help us to remember that you are the reason for it all. May the best gift we give anyone be to show them your love and point them to you this holiday season.
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