Come as You Are

Posted on May 20, 2015 by rstaples2013

Today my friend is celebrating 80 years of life.

I called to ask what she was doing.

She said “Nothing”.

I said I was trying to decide if I should take a shower, dress up and drive over or just come as I am and walk over.

She said all “All I know is that you should come as you are”.

I decided to walk.

It was almost 7 miles. As I approached, it seemed like I should be bringing a gift. So, I pulled a twig off a tree and stuck it in my water bottle.

She was delighted to see me and placed my “gift” in a place of honor.

Today I considered how I should approach God for a time of intentional worship.

He said He didn’t care other than “Come as you are”.

He took delight in my gifts. The kind of delight a parent shows when a child brings a bouquet of wildflowers or that an 80 year old friend shows when you pull a twig off a tree, stick it in a water bottle and present it as a gift.

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God’s Interesting Intimacy

Posted on May 19, 2015 by rstaples2013

I have long been aware that God speaks to me in a myriad of ways. I love them all, but am especially intrigued by the times when He answers my heart cry with a melody.

Usually, it is a song I have heard before but I can’t remember the words. Because I know it is a personal message to me from Papa God I am driven to find the words.

I start by rehearsing the melody. Gradually, phrases come to mind. Often, a hymnbook has helped me find the song and discern what Papa is saying. Now I have learned that when I Google the phrases I find my treasure.

This very thing happened this morning.

I was in a very tense place. My heart was broken and the way forward looked foreboding.

I decided to go for a walk to clear my thoughts and talk to God. As we discussed this dilemma a tune came into my head. It was vaguely familiar but I couldn’t think of one word. Knowing the words come gradually, I kept reviewing the melody grasping for some phrases.

Tonight, to my delight, I found the song. It speaks with penetrating intimacy into my story.

Check it out on you tube. It is “Be Not Afraid” by John Michael Talbot. Harsh Realm produced the version I stumbled upon. This video was meaningful to me because I love to walk. I’d encourage you to watch/listen to different versions and embrace the one that speaks to you.

Imagine hearing the tune first, then being blessed as your heart encounters the words and finally, ending the day with overflowing gratitude for the interesting intimacy of God.

He rejoices over us with singing.

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This Time Between

Posted on May 18, 2015 by rstaples2013

I don’t have a job. I don’t have an income. I don’t have a position.

When someone asks me what I do, all I can say is what I used to do.

I don’t have anyplace I need to go where someone is expecting me.

These words sound sadder than they feel to me. Maybe the reality   has not hit me yet, or maybe being known for what I do has never really been important to me.

Actually, all this happened because I have told the church where I have been employed for 30 years that I will not be working there anymore. That’s because I have done what I was called to do.

Some people have congratulated me on my retirement. I don’t understand why they say that because I don’t see not working as an accomplishment that deserves recognition. I guess I really don’t like being described as “retired”. That’s not Kingdom language.

It feels more like being on a journey where the Creator of my itinerary did not arrange a direct flight.

So now, I am at a layover point.

I know I will transfer but I have not yet seen when the next flight is scheduled or its destination.

Until I hear, I am going to enjoy being.

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Paid for, but Not Activated

Posted on February 21, 2015 by rstaples2013

On a recent visit to my Apple store, I remembered how much fun it was to take advantage of the One to One package of computer lessons offered with the purchase of a new computer.

I am often surprised, these days, by how expensive things are. In this case, I am surprised that unlimited lessons are available for a year at a modest price.

It has been more than a year since I have taken advantage of this. I had low expectations when I asked the technician at the Genius bar if it would be possible for me to sign up for this One to One package again.

He said that I might be beyond the renewal time limit but he would check.

As I waited, I watched people with aging eyes engaging with their One to One classes. The younger technicians were making technology fun for those in my age group. I began to hope that there would be a way for me to enroll.

I watched the face of my attendant carefully as he came back with his findings. Smiling at my eagerness he said, “I have some good news for you. Over a year ago, you paid for the renewal of your One to One sessions but you never activated it. So now we can activate your account and you will have a full year of classes at no cost”.

I pondered this “Paid for but not activated.”

I wondered if this applied to any other areas of my life. Specifically, what has Jesus paid for that I have not activated.

When I pray, do I pray with the authority of one who has been granted citizenship in the Kingdom? Do I know that I am a child of the King? Do I understand my Identity?

How would someone listening to my prayers describe my relationship with my Father?

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I Decided to do it Today

Posted on February 17, 2015 by rstaples2013

I know how to keep my body at a healthy weight.

I really can’t explain why, but for the last several weeks, even maybe few months, I have just eaten anything I wanted to eat. I have a friend who is faithful on a “see food diet”. He explains that when he sees food and is hungry he eats it. Maybe I have joined him on this path.

But for me, my clothes are fitting tighter and yesterday when I finally got up the courage to step on the scale I had no way of denying that I had gained ten pounds.

In an effort to shock myself I calculated that if I gain two pounds a month for ten years and add that to my current weight I will weigh three hundred and eighty five pounds. I’ll let you do the math if you are interested in what I weigh today.

So, it is easier to lose ten pounds than two hundred and forty. Therefore, today, I paid attention not only to what I was eating but also how much. I have renewed my friendship with water. I resurrected an old habit of walking on the treadmill.

I have a history of being successful with this agenda when I set my mind to it.

I remember, when I was studying nursing, spending some time on a Unit titled TOPS. This acronym stood for Take Off Pounds Sensibly.

As I witnessed the challenge of this program I reckoned that a choice has to be made between being hungry or fat. It’s just that simple.

Now I know there are many nutritional marketers that say you don’t have to be hungry to be healthy. I also know there are many people who struggle with obesity for reasons other than personal choice.

Let me just say for me, today, I am choosing to be hungry.

I hope no one asks me why I wrote this blog because I have no reason to write it and no reason to think anyone will be interested in reading it.

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Weakened by Joy

Posted on February 15, 2015 by rstaples2013

I found myself so overcome with joy this week that I was too weak to pray.

My thoughts went to the teaching in Romans where we learn that the Holy Spirit helps us. It says that the Spirit intercedes for us in our weakness with groans that words cannot express.  I looked at that scripture in Romans 8:26 to see if there would be a way to relate the weakness referenced there to joy. I didn’t find anything that would give me freedom to make this application. The context is weakness due to unrealized hope.

Yet, I found myself weakened by joy. I was watching God break through bondages that have been resistant for decades. I was hearing answers to prayers that had been prayed for so long that they were at risk of being repeated without faith.

I would have expected myself to break into unfettered worship. But all I could do was lay my head on Jesus lap. And, there, I found the Holy Spirit praying for me in groans that words cannot express.

I recognized that I had a front row seat watching God be God.

The rambling of this blog evidences that I am still in awe. I am going to post this as it is. I stand in awe of God and I never want to grow out of it.

My faith through aging eyes has been strengthened as I have been weakened by joy.

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The Altar is too Crowded

Posted on February 14, 2015 by rstaples2013

I confided to a friend that I am harboring a feeling of resentment toward someone. This friend responded with firm kindness, “You need to lay that on the altar”.

I thought about this, struggling with the tension of knowing she was right, on the one hand, and knowing I didn’t want to, on the other.

After a long silence, I said, “The altar is too crowded”.

I didn’t need anybody to problem solve that dilemma for me. The only reason for the altar to be crowded is that I must be laying things on it but not burning them. Is it possible that I don’t want to burn them in case I want to take them back?

Knowing I was in over my head, I asked God directly why the person I resent with such passion is in my life. I prayed, “I want this answer to be from You, God. I don’t want to make something up”. As I waited I realized I was asking the wrong question.

So, I changed the question to “How do I respond (to this person who I resent) in a way that would bring glory to You, God. Again I asked that He speak to me clearly so that I didn’t craft my own answer.

I sensed Him say to me, “Whose life is it? “

This brought to mind a quote from a wise Indian Pastor, “We tend to be living sacrifices that keep crawling off the altar!”

I want to lay my resentment on the altar. I want to set it ablaze. I want to remember that I have presented myself as a living sacrifice. I don’t want to crawl off the altar…

Does God ask the impossible of us because He loves us so intensely that He doesn’t give us assignments we can complete without Him?

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Answering the Door

Posted on January 23, 2015 by rstaples2013

Aging eyes shape our responses to many activities of daily living. Years of experience have taught that it is wise to know who is at the door before you throw it open and welcome them in.

This caution is also important in screening thoughts that knock on the door of our mind and ask if they can spend the day.

Some visitors need to be acknowledged but not entertained.

Walk with me through an imaginary scene:

The doorbell rings. Aging eyes shuffles down the hall and with trembling hand turns the dead bolt. “Good Morning’. The visitor responds, “Good Morning, My name is Anxiety and I have come to hang out with you today. Before Aging Eyes can answer Anxiety continues, “You know your bank account is running low, your son’s marriage is not very stable and then there is that dark spot on your face. It could be cancer. There are a lot of things we could chew on today”.

Aging Eye’s throat begins to tighten. She doesn’t want to be rude but she isn’t up to this company today.

To her relief, another figure is approaching this same door. His name is Presence. He also says, “Good Morning”, “I am so looking forward to being with you today. Together we can review the promises of Papa’s provision for you. He knows your needs before you ask. And I can’t wait to tell you that your prayers for your son are banging around heaven like fire crackers. Angels are being dispatched. Brace yourself for celebration. And, I know I am rambling on here, but Papa knows about that spot on your face. I haven’t heard yet if He is going to have the doctor spray something on it or if He will just breathe on it Himself. All I know for sure is that He intends for you to be at peace and for Him to have glory.”

Aging eyes throat began to relax and a smile crossed her face.

She knew which guest she would dismiss and which one she would welcome.

It would be great to be together with Presence. She would speak out loud the hope that she did not yet see but it was as good as done because the One Who promised cannot lie.

Who is knocking on the door of your heart today? Who will you acknowledge and Whom will you entertain?

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Why is Grief so Lonely?

Posted on January 22, 2015 by rstaples2013

It is often true that people rally around a grieving person.

There are probably rare times when a person is so the center of attention as at the memorial service of a loved one.

Yet, neither the well-meaning crowd nor the intimate friend can soften the blows of grief that threaten to rob the grieving one of breath itself.

For me, the pain of grief is all wrapped up in the inability of anyone to resonate with the core of my loss. I have no way of articulating what I am missing. No one has ever had the relationship that I am grieving. I don’t have any words to describe it.

Yes, of course, others, probably all others, have suffered grief. And there are commonalities. In fact, so much so, that stages of grief have been identified and books have been written.

But only the one who has suffered to the point of welcoming death will have the courage to acknowledge the loneliness of grief.

“I am hurting. I don’t have anyway of taking you in to the depths of my pain. Therefore, I am alone in it”.

But don’t leave me. Even though you are not the comfort I cry for, I want you to stay.

Because you are standing I see a glimmer of hope. Your life was trampled and yet…

“Stand in the gap for me…I want to trust that I don’t grieve as those who have no hope… I want to hope for the hope that I cannot grasp.

Worship in my presence and let me see you encounter His Presence. Raise one hand high and with the other hold mine.

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When the Journey Looks Impossible

Posted on January 17, 2015 by rstaples2013

I have been fascinated today by a story I found on BBC News of bar headed geese that take a “short cut” on their migratory journey from Tibet to India and actually fly over the top of Mt Everest. This route places the birds in temperatures so cold that they would be frozen solid if they didn’t keep moving. The altitude, with dangerously low oxygen levels, adds to the challenge. Thankfully, the anatomy of this bird includes multiple air sacs that enable them to efficiently use the limited oxygen. Their course is one of a roller coaster trajectory that hugs the top of the mountain, At first appearance this seems to waste energy that has been used to attain the highest heights but monitoring reveals that this up and down course is actually beneficial in that the drop into the lower altitude slows the heart thus giving energy to scale the heights again.

By choosing this path, these birds have avoided the storms they would have encountered if they had taken the longer way around the mountain. This route of a 1000km is covered in 24 hours These humble birds engage their God given resources and scale Mt Everest twice every year.

There’s something about this story that has caused me to ask questions about my own life. Am I willing to fly high with Jesus even though there isn’t much air there and the temperatures are cold? Am I willing to risk my life for a migratory assignment that I know I have been given? Am I postured to expect, even embrace the roller coaster ride, knowing that I need the lows in order to gain strength to soar again to the heights?

Do I need to change my perspective on the lows? Do I need to learn to use these “down” time as restorative rest stops that will enable me to climb back into the life threatening cold where it is hard to breathe?

Jesus modeled this for us, called us to it and gave us some bar headed geese to be out teachers.

Praise God, I’m signed up for this migratory adventure.

Come fly with me!

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