Flashlights vs. Hockey Masks

Funny isn’t it, how life hands you stories, memories, trials, and lessons that you never fully understand the impact of until years later on in life? It’s kind of like getting handed a puzzle piece, and not having any surrounding pieces that match it, so you toss it aside and deem it as “insignificant” or “unnecessary” until – one day, it all makes sense.

One such life story came to me when I was in the 8^th grade.

It was the summer of 1998, and my church’s youth group decided to take a mission trip to Oklahoma to help with disaster relief from a recent tornado that had taken the entire city literally by storm. Everywhere you looked, there was darkness, destruction, devastation, and teenage kids from all over the nation. You see, this trip was huge, actually. Much larger than just my youth group, it extended its reach out to kids from all around the U.S. of A. 

Even though we were from various parts of the country and had next to nothing in common, many youth groups bonded that week. Why? Well, for one, we were all on a similar mission. There’s something about coming together to help others who can never repay you that creates a bond in people. And for two, we were all staying in the same place.

When the tornados hit Homestead, OK in 1998, they hit the city straight-on, demolished everything in sight, and then decided to take a turn right before hitting into a large church building. So, that’s where all of the youth groups decided to stay when we got there to help the relief efforts. The building was still standing, yes. But several parts of it would be deemed sub-par – especially for occupants. Ceiling tiles were missing all throughout, the rafters were exposed, not to mention a rumor circulated that the choir room was doubling as a morgue. (I realize now that one may or may not have been true... but, for the record, it did scare the sleep out of me on several nights while we were there.)

With all things considered, things were going well. We were working long, hot hours during the day; “bonding” with other youth groups at night; and all-the-while getting a kick out of the fact that people really do grow up saying “yous guys” – even as I type that, my autocorrect has a problem with it. hah.

Anyway, one night, towards the middle of the night, a girl got up to go use the bathroom. A light flickered on. Ceiling tiles fell. A hockey-masked man scurried away through the rafters above the women’s restroom. A fire alarm went off. And a shriek literally awoke a hodge-podge of teenagers from all around the nation.

In the dead middle of the night, everyone evacuated the building. The masked man escaped with his buddy in a rickety-old pick-up truck. And my youth pastor went RUNNING after the car, in attempts to track the license plate number, but only returned with the endearing nickname “Flash.”

I don’t remember much else from that night.

I remember that I was cold.

I was tired.

I was scared-to-death.

Perhaps what I remember most of all was not understanding why it all happened.

Several questions circulated in my mind:

"How did that man get into the ceiling? Why was he there? What did he want? What was he going to do? What would have happened if he didn’t get caught the way he did?"

I’m assuming I’ll never have the answers to those questions, and that’s okay. It was a super long time ago when it all happened. I’m just thankful God protected everyone from what could-have-been.

FAST FORWARD: To this day, I think that event in my life had some significance. Doesn’t everything in our lives have significance? God is a God of detail, order, and purpose. Is He not? He is.

So, follow me here for a moment… many people in the world are living in and surrounded by darkness. Some are pleasantly sleeping in their darkness-sleeping-bags, unaware. Others have grown cold and are just plain tired of where they’re living. Some still are scared-to-death of where their lives have carried them at this point in history.

>CONTRAST<

Christians are called to be the lights in a dark world.  The flashlights in the bathroom in a storm-beaten church in Homestead, OK in 1998, if you will. Sadly, a lot of “Christians” get caught up in pretending, rafter climbing, and hockey-mask-wearing.

People living in darkness get scared by people who show up wearing masks – just as you would if you were that girl in the bathroom on that summer night in 1998 in Homestead, OK. They don’t want to see someone who pretentiously “has it all together;” they’re longing to experience something real with the One Who holds it all together.

Tonight, take off your hockey mask. Get out of the rafters. Stop scaring people who live in darkness. 

Turn on your flashlight instead. 

People want to see who you really are. 

More importantly, people need to see what a love relationship with Him is really like.

White Out, Construction Paper, and Other Things That Don't Jive

Today, whilst my kiddos were busy learning math lessons about adding, subtracting, and planning out a Thanksgiving meal (on a budget!) from weekly Publix ads / Winn Dixie ads, I was busy learning a little life lesson myself.

It all started earlier in the morning when the students were given an assignment to make an acrostic poem about another person in the classroom. Included with the acrostic poem was an illustration of the chosen person's talents, hobbies, likes, dislikes, etc. Oh, and did I mention? It was all to be done on colored construction paper. Why? More professional. Less room for error. Right?

Wrong.

Shortly after the students started on their acrostic-buddy poems, a student came to my desk and asked to borrow my white out. It happens all the time in fourth-grade classes worldwide. (Ok, maybe not. Maybe it's just my students that have a growing fascination with white out. My current class, and all the girls who shared the same 6th grade classroom with me at TCA in 1996. For some reason, we all used white out as nail polish. (?) ) Nevertheless, I handed the white out over to my student. With no questions asked.

Then, around math time (much later in the day), it hit me. I finally figured out why my student needed the white out. Girlfriend used the white out to "fix" something on her acrostic poem, which was written on COLORED construction paper.

Do you see where I'm going with this? The white out that (by its very invention and purpose) was designed to cover up a mistake actually ended up making no sense at all. Why? Because construction paper and white out simply don't "jive." They simply don't make sense together. I don't think the makers of white out and the inventors of construction paper ever gathered together in a board room to discuss how to combat their "irreconcilable differences." (Perhaps, they should?) It just is what it is. No questions asked.

With the white out scenario in my classroom, questions should have been asked.
A new sheet of construction paper could have been given.
A fresh start would have been welcomed (and cherished?).
But questions weren't asked. New opportunities weren't given. It just is what it is.

"So, what life lesson did you learn exactly in all this?"
I'm glad you asked.

First of all, I learned that a child's perspective on "art" and my perfectionistic tendencies produce very different outcomes for presentations.

Second of all, I was reminded today about those things in our lives that just don't make sense.


And the fact that when things don't exactly "jive," questions should be raised.
Perhaps, a new approach should be tried, and/or second chances should be given out.

When things don't make sense on the surface, there's always an underlying reason.

Every question doesn't always come with a pre-packaged answer.
Pray anyway.

New approaches don't always yield successful results.
Be hopeful anyway.

Second chances aren't magic erasers to the past or guarantees for a different future.
Be gracious anyway.

When things simply don't make sense in your life, remember that white out isn't packaged and sold with construction paper.

There's a reason for both.

A Note to Myself

So, you want to change the world?

What are you waiting for?

I know you used to believe you could.

So, what are you waiting for?

I know life always turns out differently than you planned,

but remind me, what are you waiting for?

Waiting on…. enough time to save “enough” money?

Time is more valuable than money.

Once money is spent, you can always get more.

Such is not so with time.

Spend your time wisely.

Rather, don’t spend.

Invest it. (in others).

Waiting on… enough “friends” to have a platform to speak?

Platforms come and go, so do friends.

Don’t cultivate your audience. Cultivate your character.

Quality is better than quantity any day.

Waiting on… more schooling?

You’re already over-educated and over-qualified for a majority of jobs you would enjoy and feel successful at doing.

Schooling isn’t a bad thing, but it could very well be a deterrent from the “best” thing for you for now.

Waiting on… finding “the one” and running off into a “happily ever after”?

If there is such a thing as “the one,” he’ll be far more proud to call you his if you’re developing who you are in Christ, using your God-given talents, and sharing them to brighten up your corner of the world than sitting around all damsel-in-distress-like and waiting for him to “complete” you.

By the way, you need a man who specializes in leading, not rescuing. Leading, on its own, is a big enough responsibility. Don’t put more on him than necessary. Purpose to do him good for all the days of his life, which includes you doing your part to change the world.

So, you want to change the world?

Remind me, what are you waiting for?

Find a need. Fill it.

And by doing so, you are changing the world.

It may not look like what you ever imagined.

But that’s okay.

Nothing ever does.

Though one drop in the ocean doesn’t seem like it makes much difference at all,

remember, all it takes is one current to change the tides.

Go. Change the World. Today.

One need.

One person.

One day at a time.

What are you waiting for?

The "Armstrong Brothers"

Today, in class, I gave my students the following picture prompt for part of their free writing/creative writing time.

 When I walked around the room and started reading some of my kiddos writing masterpieces, I stopped on one that read something to the effect of "If I were very small for one whole day, I would climb inside Louis Armstrong's space suit and walk with him on the moon."

The thoughts that filled my mind were exactly as follows: "Uhhhh..... where do I even begin to start explaining this one without sounding incredibly old?!"

What I said aloud was this: "I love the idea of getting inside his spacesuit. Very creative! Now, are you sure it was Louis Armstrong? I think that sounds like the name of a jazz singer or someone...."

My student's reply? "Ohh, you're right. It was L.... LANCE! LANCE ARMSTRONG! Thanks Miss Hill."

By this point I was just humored. :) I said, "Ehhnk. Try again."

Student: "Well, it was one of those Armstrong brothers."

Student #2 (highly distracted from her own work by this point, no doubt): "Neil. His name was Neil Armstrong."

And so it was. With one swift move of an eraser.... Louis, who is (often?) confused with Lance, became Neil. And all was well (and historically accurate) in the imaginary world tucked inside my student's writing.

As much as my kiddos make me laugh, they also teach me invaluable life lessons.

The way they see life is care-free and confusing all at the same time. And honestly, I don't know how they do it. They love. They trust. They laugh. And they forgive more freely than any adults I've ever met. On some days, I think God placed me in the classroom to learn more from my students about life than He called me to teach them lessons. Funny how that works out sometimes, huh?

With all said, I think this classroom story translates over into the "classroom of life" quite nicely...

I wonder...is there someone who didn't do something you accused them of doing (like Louis Armstrong walking on the moon), or someone who simply needs your forgiveness, grace, and a second chance today?

On the flip side, is there anyone in your life who hasn't been given recognition for something they went out of their way to do (like Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon)?

I'm sure you have someone in your life currently that falls into one of the two aforementioned categories. 

Maybe, if you're like me, you have some in both. 

A quick thank you, a kind word,

or a simple acknowledgement will do. 

Today's not too late to make things right with the Louises, Lances, and Neils in your life and acknowledge them for who they are to you and what they mean to you.

Just make sure you get their names in the right place.

Oh, and be careful whose suit you jump inside of when/if you decide to walk in space. :) 

This is your life...are you who you want to be?

10/05/12
Roadtrips change me. The music. The quiet. The length of the trip. The brevity of life. The phone conversations. The prayers to God. All of it combined. It changes me.


As I was driving home to Jacksonville from Lynchburg this past weekend, I heard Switchfoot's "This is Your Life" come across the radio. Though I'd heard this song too many times to count, the words actually "sunk" into my heart and mind this time.

"This is your life.
 Are you who you want to be?"

If I were real honest, I'd readily answer "no."
I'm a planner. That's just what I do. I. plan. things. And when things don't go according to (how I) planned, then discontentment and a bad attitude
And no, I never imagined I'd be living in Lynchburg, teaching fourth grade, and coming to the end of -yet another- college degree, yet seemingly experiencing no "progress" in other areas of my life.

I heard my students say, "When I grow up..." "I can't wait until..." If only they knew to relish this time they have....and that this whole "grown-up" deal isn't quite as grand as it was cracked up to be. If. only. they savoured TODAY.

Today, savor all that today has to offer you. This, in this very day, is your life.

Are you who you want to be?

Nobody likes a Tattle-Tale.

10/ 05/12

I teach little kids, so it's only natural for the phrase, "no one likes a tattle-tale" to roll off my tongue at some given point throughout the school year.

Quickly following that phrase will be something to the effect of… "If you're minding your own business, then you won't have time to mind everyone else's."

As I've thought about how these scenarios usually play out, I've come to realize that I am slowly but surely becoming my mother. haha.

Seriously though, I have also come to realize that adults are often guilty of tattle-telling as well - only we somehow think we're more crafty with it.

Adult tattle-telling comes out most in prayer circles, is mentioned only for the sake of "informative purposes," and is usually shared right before an echo-chorus of "bless his/her heart."

The sad thing is this: it doesn't matter how old we get or how fancy dancy we try to dress up our tattle-telling…

The fact remains. No one likes a tattle tale.

As Christians, it is our sole job to simply lift up God's truth.

It is not our place to judge others, nor is it our place to tattle-tale other's business to people who cannot fix or help the situation - even in prayer circles.

Stick with me on this… 

(because here's where the good part kicks in).

As we do our job in lifting up God's truth, by our words, actions, and reactions,

God's Spirit goes to work convicting people of their sin.

It is His work to convict and judge. Not ours.

God not only sent His only Son to die for our sins, but He also sends His Spirit to perform what we oftentimes mistake as our "job" in the lives of those around us.

Today, let Him judge.

Let Him convict.

Let others naturally respond to HIS goodness and mercy and grace and truth, not superficially out of their desire to please us.

I just wonder...

Who simply needs to see the Truth lifted up in your life today?

Let's get busy minding our own business, so that our thoughts, words, actions, and reactions align with the work of His Spirit and lift up the Truth to those around us that need to experience it most.

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. - Matthew 5:13

Acres of Hope

Quite a few years ago, I read a fictional book based on the book of Hosea in the Bible. It's written by Francine Rivers, and it's entitled "Redeeming Love." I read it at a time in my life where God was really using hard times to stretch my faith in His plans and strengthen my understanding of His love for me - especially when His plans and my plans didn't exactly jive. Thankfully, He loves me and knows me better than I know myself. :)

Well, with all said, a friend from Bible study asked to borrow my copy of "Redeeming Love" the other day, so I went to searching for it amidst my collection of books. When I  found the book, I found a typed copy of a blog entry I had written years ago.

Here it is in all its glory:

The book "Redeeming Love" and the song "Acres of Hope" by Shane and Shane share the story of Hosea 2. In Hosea 2, the story of God's forgiveness to Israel when Israel played the harlot is explained through a married couple named Hosea and Gomer. Gomer plays the harlot, but Hosea is commanded of God to forgive her and love her unconditionally.

Application 1: God takes us to the valleys to bring us to the acres of hope.

Application 2: Conflict, hurts - one of two reactions: act out of in anger, or close up in bitterness. It has been said, "Relationships are like glass. Sometimes you want to leave them broken instead of getting hurt trying to put all the pieces back together."

But God calls us Christians to something far, far different.
He commands us, "Seek peace and pursue it."
And encourages us, "As much as lies within you, live peaceably with all men."
And look again at how God handled Israel when they wronged Him. Over and over and over and over. And over again. He was angry with their sin, yes. He was saddened by their lifestyles. He was grieved by their hearts...
But what did he do?

He loved them. Over and over and over and over. And over again. In fact, His love never stopped.
He forgave them. Over and over and over and over. And over again.
He pursued them. Over and over and over and over. And over again.
Did they respond?
Many times, no. But did he give up?
Never.

God is so good that He continued to pursue them because He loved them, and He forgave them - even when they were most unworthy of it.

They deserved punishment.
He offered peace.

They deserved death.
He offered life.

The result?
Peace.
Not just any kind of temporary peace.
But the Peace of God.
Peace that surpasses all understanding.
Peace that cannot come about by any other means.


I'm afraid that far too many people  live broken lives full of broken relationships and forgo peace in their interpersonal lives - all due to unforgiveness.

Without the birth of forgiveness in our lives and in our everyday relationships, the death of bitterness will never be seen.

So, today, if you think about it.... really think about it.
In fact, don't just take my words and opinion on it.
Read Hosea.
See what God did with Israel.
Over and over and over and over again.
And continues to do so even today.
Forgiveness changed lives.

People will wrong you. That's a given. They may even do it like Israel did - over and over and over and over again.

Who deserves punishment in your life?
How can you offer them peace instead?

Make forgiveness a conscious habit in your life.
And may you change lives by doing so.

Things I'm learning...

Found this old writing of mine on my computer today, and it made me smile.... so, I'm sharing it here (again).... 

Quite a few years ago, I wrote a list of "things I'm learning…" It contained advice, quotes, and sheer observations about the life I was living and the life that was carrying on all around me. Well, today, I thought about that list for the first time (in a very, very long time) and thought perhaps I should re-create it, in a sense, based on where I find myself in life right now. at this very moment. Nothing came from quote websites or the like… it's all fresh from my little Rosemary brain. Hope you enjoy it, and it brings some encouragement and comfort and COURAGE your way - no matter where you find yourself along life's journey today. :)

Things I'm learning...

1. Assume that everything has nothing to do with you, until directly told otherwise. Even then, know that you can't possibly know the full story. There's always something going on behind the scenes.

2. Don't try to please people. Please God. He'll deal with the people.

3. Sometimes kindness squelches out rudeness. Sometimes, it increases it exponentially. Be kind anyway.

4. The world needs more smiles, thank you cards, and heartfelt expressions of love in circulation today. Use the USPS to do so. Frequently.

5. Don't be afraid to chase your dreams. Once you've caught them, live them out with PASSION. 

6. Dispassionate and discontented people are everywhere. Passionate people are rare. All attitudes are contagious. Be careful who your friends are.

7. If you've already mastered all the dreams you once set out to do, your dreams were too small and attainable, or too much time has passed so that you've conquered them all. Be thankful for what you've accomplished, yes. But get back to the drawing board ASAP. Set bigger goals. Goals that force you to go outside of yourself to complete them. Set a timeline. Buy some new running shoes. Begin to chase after them at full speed.

8. Don't let people hold you back or push you forward. The people who are supposed to contribute vitally to your life always will. The ones that aren't are just distractions to the greater cause at hand.

9. Faith and fear are in constant battles with one another. If you follow hard after one, the other will get tail-kicked to the curb.

10. If you wear your heart on your sleeve, don't be surprised if you get snot on it. People don't always look before they sneeze.

11. Hurt is a part of life. It can help you, hinder you, or hospitalize you. Only you can decide that one.

12. God is faithful and trustworthy. He does not forget us. He longs for the best for us. Don't ever think or convince yourself otherwise. 

13. Encourage others along your life's path. We're all in this together.

14. Saying "no" can be difficult, but it also can be freeing. Try it out sometime this week. But don't be rude. We've got enough of that business floating around. :)

15. Find someone who asks tough questions and requires answers to them. Be friends with that person forever. They're bound to go places. They're destined for big things.

16. Surround yourself with people who challenge you and sharpen you to become a better man/woman.

17. If it's not broken, don't fix it. Even if it is broken, it may not be your job to fix it. Realize your boundaries.

18. If you're uncertain about something, confess it. Don't act like you readily agree with the majority. Challenge the system.

19. Advise less, pray more.

20. Honesty is respectable. Integrity, irreplaceable.

21. There are always more people watching your life than you could possibility realize. Live in such a way that would cause your unintended audiences to be inspired. (Your intended audiences already are.)

22. Be careful what you eat or watch right before bedtime. Strange dreams are contingent upon it.

23. Never lose your child-like vigor and excitement for life. Live everyday like you're waiting for Christmas morning.

24. Buy stuff when it's on sale. Your checkbook (and teacher salary) will thank you.

25. Sing in the shower more often.

26. Love people the way you want to be loved. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Forgive people the way you want to be forgiven.

Early Morning Thoughts

The verse that God brought to mind this morning on my way to work was this: "Love not the world neither the things that are in the world." He's actually brought this verse to my mind several times over the past couple of days.

As I was thinking about this verse this morning, I noticed that God never said, "Do not love the people of the world."

We are all people of the world. Some are redeemed, and some have yet to be redeemed.

God makes it very clear that if we love the world and we love the things of the world, then the love of the Father is not in us.

Yet, if we love the people of the world (not the things they do, or their worldview, or their selfishness and "me first" mentality), we are being Christ-like.

When we love the people of the world, we are, in essence, acting on Christ's behalf as His hands and feet in this present-day world.

Christ said we would know who his disciples were by the love they had.

Mohammed said, " I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are nothing like your Christ."

So, where have we failed?

In our love for others. In our love for the world around us. (Notice: not love "of" the world, but love "for" the world)

I must admit I am not a fan of the Message translation of the Bible. I tend to think it is more a commentary than a translation; however, I heard a song on the radio the other day that used the Message "translation" of I Corinthians 13 in the middle of the song. The words have really stuck with me, so I've recorded them here.

I Corinthians 13:1-10

 1 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. 2If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. 3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. 

   Love never gives up. 
   Love cares more for others than for self. 
   Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. 
   Love doesn't strut, 
   Doesn't have a swelled head, 
   Doesn't force itself on others, 
   Isn't always "me first," 
   Doesn't fly off the handle, 
   Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, 
   Doesn't revel when others grovel, 
   Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, 
   Puts up with anything, 
   Trusts God always, 
   Always looks for the best, 
   Never looks back, 
   But keeps going to the end.

 8-10Love never dies.

After thinking through all of that, my mind raced back over the whole recent Chik-fill-a incident. At first, I resolved that the whole thing started out innocent. People simply wanted to support a man for standing up for his Christian, Biblical beliefs. I get that. I respect that. I am actually one of the ones that waited in a long line and ate a chicken sandwich to that.

But the more I thought about it, I thought maybe the whole thing didn't start out innocent at all - especially for some people (and I'm still referring to Christians here).

I think one of the biggest problems with humanity is that our actions are not good. (correction: Our hearts are not good.)

Our actions are not good at keeping our heart's secrets.

Our words and actions will give us away every time.
Some people spoke and acted and reacted out of less than desirable intentions and means that day.

The Bible even speaks to this end: "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."

So, while the Chik-fill-a incident may have started out innocent for some, it very quickly became a "hate fest" for others. Others, from both sides of the "fence."

That did not show anyone the love of God. It showed the righteousness of God. It showed that God hates sin, which was misinterpreted as God hates sinners. (Aren't you glad Jesus is a friend of sinners like you and me?) 

It also showed the standard of God, but I'm afraid it was coupled with self-righteousness for some and outright hate from others.

Christ said love not the world, neither the things in the world - the worldview, the world's system, the world's me first mentality, the world's selfishness, the world's sin, fallen nature, etc.

He never said anything about "love not the people of the world." He actually commanded us to do quite the opposite.

After all, that's why I'm still here. living on this Earth. And that's why you're still here. living on this Earth. That's why God doesn't rapture us up into Heaven the moment we're saved.

When we become Christians, God knows that we love Him.

The point is to carry that out by loving others. And telling others about Him.


Who needs to benefit from your Christ-like love today?
I'm reminded of the quote, "You are most influential on everyone else when you are most unlike everyone else."
With Chik-fill-a in hand or not, go be Christ-like in a world who lacks the knowledge, love, and fear of Him.

The Candid Cameras of our Lives

Candid Camera.

Please tell me you've seen that show. (You know, the one where "unsuspecting people are placed in confusing, impossible, embarrassing, ridiculous, and hilarious circumstances, while their reactions are recorded on a hidden camera.") It's right up there with "America's Funniest Home Videos." Just the right amount of silly/goofy humor to occupy your mind when you're bored and have absolutely nothing productive to do. 

Don't give me that look. You know you're just as guilty as I am of watching episodes of one or both of these shows. And - just maybe - laughed a bit at them. 

In the show Candid Camera, after an allotted time has passed, someone calls out, "Smile! You're on Candid Camera!"

And naturally, the crowd laughs. That's to be expected. They were in on something the "suspect" wasn't. They had information the "suspect" didn't. They had no surprises. They knew exactly what was happening and what was coming next.

The unsuspecting individual, however, may or may not laugh. I've seen episodes where they do, in good nature, laugh at themselves. But I've also seen episodes where they…

feel confused. 

get embarrassed by their reactions. 

react in a downright ridiculous fashion. 

or punch the hidden camera man in the face.

(Ok, that last response was made up.)

But still.

You get the idea.

The crowd has full access to information. The suspects are caught off guard because they don't think anyone is watching their actions.

….Walk with me and carry this same idea into reality for just a second…

I've often heard it said of life that the mark of your integrity is what you do when no one is looking.

But what if that's a backwards way of looking at it?

What if integrity is actually what we do naturally when everyone is looking in on our lives - unexpectedly - and we're just blissfully unaware of the copious notes they're taking behind-the-scenes?

People are always watching your life. Your words. Your actions. Your reactions. Your character. 

People are always watching my life. my words. my actions. my reactions. my character.

How do I know this to be true? Because ever since I was a kid, I remember my mom teaching this principle to me.

It's a fact: People watch other people's lives.

But why do they do it? (I'm glad you asked.)

They do it to see if everything lines up. To see if you're real, sincere, genuine, authentic. To see if you're truly different than what the world offers. To see if they really want what you profess to have in Christ.

I wonder… what reaction would you have to the "secret video footage" the people surrounding your life may have of you?

Would you laugh?

Would you be confused?

Would you get embarrassed?

Would you react in a ridiculous fashion?

Remember that people (whether they ever voice it or not) are always watching your life, especially if you're a Christian. 

You are a light in the darkness. 

A city on a hill. 

"The only Bible some people will ever read."

And, at the end of the day, you should be able to smile - especially when reviewing the Candid Camera video footage of your life.

Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven."

Change

Change 

Have you ever gotten to a point in your life where you reckoned your plans with reality and said to yourself (maybe even audibly), "No, no, no! It wasn't supposed to happen this way"?

I know I have. 

Often. 

Recently, even.

I've heard it said, "The only thing constant in life is change."

And boy-oh-boy is that true in my life these days.

Change is all around me.

Change is in my family.

My dad now "works from home," sometimes.

My mom is in the midst of "remodeling" our home.

My oldest brother is now engaged.

Another brother has twin baby boys!

Another brother is pretty much traveling the nation this summer with his job.

My sister seemingly gets promoted in the corporate world on a quarterly basis.

And I just moved from Lynchburg, VA to Jacksonville, FL on a faith decision that God was going to work out the details of my life for His glory (job, housing, etc.) with no sight of what was and is to come. 

Talk about change!

Change.

My friends aren't even immune to it.

While one friend is slipping on a wedding dress and walking down the aisle to say "I do," another friend is posting Facebook photos of sonograms with captions that read, "We're due (fill-in-the-in-blank with a due date)!"

My ice box is getting buried behind save-the-dates. (Could it double as wallpaper, maybe?)

The normal clothes in my closet are losing its battle against my ever-growing personal stock in David's Bridal gowns. (Does anyone really "just shorten them and wear them again"?)

And my brain is getting to the point where I simply can't keep up with all the cutesy names and modern/made-up spellings of names people are concocting and using for their little ones these days.

What's. a. girl. to. do?

With all said, I readily note that maybe change isn't such a bad thing after all.

In fact, change can be a good thing. a very good thing.

I suppose if we're honest with ourselves, we'd note that change can even be considered to be a GREAT thing.

Even though change can be a good thing, if you're anything like me, you don't thrive on change.

Quite plainly, I don't like change at all.

I'm a creature of habit.

I like routine. 

order.

a semblance of "control" over what happens to me.

At church, I often sit in the same place.

At any given restaurant, I have no need of a menu. I always order the same thing(s).

Even grocery shopping got boring for me after a while because - you guessed it - I always bought the same things.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not a boring person.There's just something about routine, order, sameness, that gives me a sense of comfort, happiness, security.And what's so wrong with that, right?

Everyone needs to feel a certain sense of comfort, happiness, and security to thrive in life.

You see, the problem isn't in those things - comfort, happiness, security, etc.

1. The problem lies, for starters, in the object in which those things rest:

Is it in a house? 

A car?

A name brand fill-in-the-blank?

A job?

A salary?

A relationship?

Another person?

A name/reputation you've built up for yourself?

[All of those things will, at one point or another, fail to bring you the comfort, happiness, and security you require them to. Hence, a problem.]

2. And the problem with relying on things that bring us a false sense of security, happiness, and comfort continues to weigh upon us until it extends to alter our perspective on what God is up to in the midst of all of the change going on in our lives. We fail to recognize that God's plans for our lives are far superior to our own.

When you get right down to it, I don't like change because I'm a perfectionist planner. I like to plan, and I (even more so) like to ensure things will go perfectly according to the plan. But the longer I live, the more I see the Biblical truth, 

"Man plans his ways, but God directs His steps" come to light. 

I've also heard it said that man plans and God laughs. Perhaps, He does laugh at our limited knowledge of His ultimate plan? Or perhaps, He doesn't. Perhaps, He refrains from laughter and just smiles at the thought that His ways, thoughts, and future plans are so far beyond what we could even imagine, and He's delighted in the fact that He knows more than we do. 

He loves us, of that I'm sure. 

But I've come to this new thought recently: "God not only loves us; He loves to surprise us." 

With all said, during times of transition in life (a.k.a. the "this isn't what I planned on" moments of life), leave yourself room to be surprised by God. And while, yes, He's into the detail work of our lives, remember that He's also the Master Planner. The surprises He has in store for your life may not be covered in birthday party confetti and decorated in decadent buttercream icing. The surprises He has in store for your life may just sneak up on you one day and start to matter a whole lot to you the next. The kind of surprises He has in store don't just change things for the moment. They have a far greater purpose than that. They alter our futures and who we become on the way to getting to our futures. They shake us from our here-and-now comforts and beg us to move beyond ourselves, our misplaced sense of security, comfort, and happiness, and look on to the One Who changes not. As Hebrews states, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He Himself does not change, but you can rest assured that He's the One Who's precisely orchestrating  all of the change(s) in your life. 

Bottom line is this:

Life doesn't always go "according to planned."

Change, big and small, surrounds us daily.

Every change, despite our ability or will to accept it, brings opportunity.

Opportunity to hang on to your best-laid plans, despite what you're sacrificing in the long run to do so.

Or opportunity to set your plans aside and be surprised by a God Who knows your plans - yet loves you too much to let you simply settle for them.

And, when you look at it that way, there's no further debate in my mind.

I'll walk through the doors God opens in my life, accept the changes in my life as personalized tokens of His love for me, and gladly watch as my best-laid plans fly out the window.

Attempting Poetry

I never venture into writing poetry (simply because I'm bad at it); however, I just felt a little expressive tonight. This week has brought with it a lot of work, emotions, and plain-out exhaustion. I'm just so very thankful that I serve a God who sustains me through it all!

So, without further adieu, I give you…. Rosemary's first (and final) attempt at poetry:

To whom it may concern:

Most things are better left unbroken,

Most words better left unsaid.

Most wishes left unspoken;

off-course dreams, slain and dead.

Some days come without sunshine,

giving way to pouring rain.

There is no success without trying;

no love without the pain.

What happens when you're intersected

with pain that helps you grow?

Blind-sighted by the change it's bringing;

the hurting is all you know.

Half-hearted commitments,

relationships gone a-wry.

Does the outcome really matter,

or is the significance in the "try"?

Remember the way you were going,

the direction you believed to be right?

What happened to your footing, soldier?

What happened to your sight??

Perhaps, it wasn't the going 

that ended up to be wrong...

Maybe it was the path you chose to travel,

your companions,

your lack of foresight all along?

We each live with our choices,

and struggle with give and take.

We try to sleep - yet only nap -

on beds we poorly make.

Some times require an "I'm sorry,"

Everyday, you must forgive.

Some people sacrifice all for love,

Others choose to live.

Broken Pencils, Boys, and Dating

Broken Pencils, Boys, and Dating

So it all started a day this past week when I was cleaning out my classroom to pack up and move all my teacher junk to Florida….

and I found a broken pencil on the floor. 

then, another. 

and yet, another. 

Soon, I had a collection of broken pencils in my left hand and some building frustrations in my right mind. "Why so frustrated?" you may ask. 

Because the pencils in my hands weren't just any regular broken pencils, broken by natural causes (i.e. the lead had broken off the tops). 

No, it looked like they all had been karate-chopped directly down the middle of them for apparently no reason at all.

Plus, someone had to pay a ridiculous price for all those brand-new pencils. (I did.)

And someone had to clean up those pencils' pieces when they were broken and scattered all over the live-long day. (I did.)

And, besides, shouldn't someone be teaching these kids the value of a dollar?? (Ohhhh, believe me, after all that, I surely did.)

But, why were the pencils so broken? What's the point in that? (pun intended)

I had my theories, but I wanted to know the truth of the matter…. so I went searching. My women's intuition first led (lead?) me into a conversation with some of my boys.

When I asked the dear sweet BOYS in my class about the pencils, all of my suspicions checked out to be right. (Do I know my kiddos or what?! )

The pencils were, in fact, karate-chopped down the middle. 

Why?

For apparently.

No.

Reason.

At.

All.

Simply, "just because they could be."

The kids were "bored."

"Other people were doing it."

Aaand (my personal favorite), "IT WAS FUN!"

Ohhh, Boys. (sigh)

They unnecessarily karate-chop pencils when they're young and continue on into adulthood to break hearts unnecessarily when they're older. 

Granted, karate-chopping pencils in elementary school doesn't directly correlate with heart-breakers in high school and thereafter. (Or does it??? hmm…)

[And no, neither of these activities are by any means limited to the male population amongst us.]

However, (as absurd as it sounds) it is my belief that everything we do in life has the potential to turn into behavioral patterns, for our ultimate good or for our ultimate bad.

Pencil-breaking and heart-breaking, alike.

People, no matter how old they become, simply don't protect that which they don't value.

For some boys in elementary school, it's pencils.

And for some men, it's dating. Or women, in general.

Just like karate-chopping pencils in elementary school, some people date simply because they can.

They get bored with being "Single for Jesus."

Because "other people are doing it."

Simply because it's fun.

Or because they're still single and much older than they thought they'd be on this side of marriage.

So, is it wrong to date just because you can?

Because you're bored?

Because others do it?

Because it's fun?
Because you ran out of patience?

No, not necessarily.

If you couldn't date, you wouldn't…(simple. as. that.)

And if dating weren't fun, you wouldn't want to date anyway...

And if other people weren't dating, it'd be a little weird to date yourself...

So, perhaps, some of those reasons alone aren't "bad."

But far beyond every simplistic reason lies a multi-faceted intention. 

And that's where the heart of the dating issue steps up to take a swing at home plate.

Is your intention in dating to serve the person you're with?

To add grace and value to who they are?

To encourage them in their walk with Christ?

To sacrifice who you are for the sake of giving life to them?

It's a tall order, for sure.

But isn't that exactly what Christ did for the church?

And isn't that what dating should be - a setting-of-the-stage for marriage and a representation of Christ's love relationship with the church?

With all said, to all the single guys (and girls!)  out there, remember:

Someone had to pay a ridiculous price for the person you're dating, have dated, going to date, etc.. (God did.)

And someone has to clean up the pieces when the "fun" of dating ends. 

Today, whether you are young and single or old and married (or any variation of the two), ask yourself what it is you value in life, dating, a marriage partner, etc.

Then, ask yourself if you're doing all you can to protect the people, God-given standards, and things that you value the most.

Don't settle for something (or someone) subpar just because it's here-and-now.

Wait for what requires sacrifice, patience, and prayer.

And, if you find yourself bored or confused or frustrated with your season of singleness, come to my classroom.

I'm sure I'll have plenty more karate-chopped pencils to clean up by Friday.