Fine-Tuning Our Focus

From mid-June until now, I've been focused on VBS kiddos, then I hopped right into focus on 4-legged kiddos at my children’s place then to my 2-legged grand-kiddos at my home, back to focus on my children in Austin, and now back home to the two 4-legged furry kiddos of my Frisco family while they’re away. Whew! FOCUS – can sometimes be draining. Being responsible for the care and well-being of others and focusing on their needs keeps us from focusing on our own needs. I get it. We love focusing on our loved ones…..because, well…..we love them. We are wholly devoted to them. But, giving our full attention to something, somethings, and “someones” means taking the FOCUS off of ourselves.

Why is ME-focus important? I refer again to Jesus’ words in establishing “FOCUS” priorities: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39. Focus priorities look like this: Love God. Love yourself. Love others. The fact is – unless we care about WHO is most important, we can never love others to the capacity that God intended for us. We become better parents, employers, employees, friends, neighbors and leaders when our FOCUS starts with God and ourselves. So, I’ll admit I’m ready for some God and me-focus.

I have some friends who have asked me for some one-on-one time. I have had to put them off while I was focused on the care of others. And, now, before I can give them the quality and Spirit-led counsel they need – I MUST focus on “loving the Lord with all my heart, soul and mind” which means spending time with Him to get me loving me enough to love them enough to give them Godly wisdom for their lives.

I loved having those special times caring for others. It feels my “love tank” so full. I’ve heard of week-long get-away places where people will go to a health and fitness boot camp to FOCUS on a road to lifestyle and body transformation. Then there are couple boot camps where they go to FOCUS on each other to revitalize and renew their love and marriage. It’s important to stop the struggles and wandering and wondering to FOCUS on what’s most important in our lives.

So, now, I’m back to my little world of God and me – I get to FOCUS on what and WHO keeps me stable, unshakable, and centered. My relationship with God. With all the distractions that we are consumed by, can we possibly imagine how much God wants one-on-one “you and me” time with us – where He is the center of our attention? And when He’s the center of our attention, our FOCUS is fine-tuned on what’s good and lovely and the question about whether we do what He wants or not is easy because we will focus on what He focuses on.

This is fine-tuned FOCUS: “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3). By fine-tuning our focus, we’ll always “focus on God first” Who is near to us, strengthens us, and gives us wisdom and Godly perspective to persevere through life. That FOCUS will help us focus on everything and everyone else with His perspective, His love, and His wisdom.

Hebrews 12:2 -- “We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith….”

Living -- Laughing -- Loving

Isn't that what it's all about? Living....really living this life we've been given -- with all its many adventures. Laughing out loud in the midst of the good living and the tough-living-times. AND, most of all LOVING God, others AND ourselves. Sure, there's plenty to complain and worry about but, seriously, why waste time, energy and breath on complaining, when there is so much to celebrate and be grateful for?

Here's what I know: Gratitude begets even more reasons to be grateful; living, really living, begets more out loud living; laughing begets laughter and a life intent on loving and serving God will produce the desire to love and serve Him even more.

So, I MUST give gratitude for the last few days in Austin so that I'll continue to have even more reasons to be grateful. I like that. It's God's laws of reciprocity. "Give and it shall be given." Since I’m with my Frisco family most because that’s where I live, this Mother’s Day was celebrated with my Austin Family. What a sweet time of laughter, reminiscing, Shawntel and I getting the “special plates” at the breakfast table, getting sweet gifts (mine included the lovely 70-reasons I love Nana from the notes at my 70th BD), going to church together to express our praise and thanksgiving for life and being able to give life to our children and those God has called us to – to “mother” and encourage. Going out for Sunday dinner with dear friends – having sweet and almost holy communion as we had a “gratitude” feast when we thanked God for His tender mercies. Life really is about giving life – the abundant life of Christ to others in word and deed. And, what a life it is!

I believe gratitude is taught from those around us. We can teach our children to be grateful for what they have. This family of mine -- we talk daily about gratitude and our blessings. My children understand they are beyond blessed. As we stood in a little circle of eight on Saturday night, waiting nearly an hour for our table at a restaurant, I saw us. I REALLY saw us -- we were a village like no other. At least it seemed that way when we looked at most around us waiting, who were deep diving into their cell phones, unconscious of those around them. We were living, laughing and loving as we talked – sometimes silly talk. We were embracing and holding each other close to our hearts – so much so, that I didn’t even take my phone out to take a photo of this little village of love. The attention to each other mattered.

I felt my husband’s love – living, breathing and laughing with us. After all, if it weren’t for him – this little village wouldn’t be here. We have family, we have a roof over our heads, laughter in our hearts, and lots of love surrounding our every moment. We have memories before his death and memories beyond. Each memory serves as a blessing, for that means we had one more precious day together. We are valuing moments, not material things, and to look for the love and light in each situation.

We can all find fault in this life. We can all wish and want for more, but the real blessings are the smallest moments and memories we cherish. I’m grateful I taught my children to be grateful and, now, they are teaching their children to be grateful for the little things. We are teaching them to be happy at the deepest level in life – love – laughter.

That is a gift every child deserves and every mother cherishes!

Love God and Do Whatever You Want

Love God and Do Whatever You Want
I heard that St. Augustine quote on Sunday and I thought “Did I hear that right? Do whatever I want?” How can that be? The answer is shocking at first. It sounds like a license to sin and a way to avoid responsibility. Anything I please? The key to understanding St. Augustine, as well as my pastor’s message, is found in the order of the words. It can even be brought out with the addition of a comma: Love God, and do what you want. As long as the first command is truly followed, the second will follow after God’s heart and will. LOVE is the answer. If we use the filter of LOVE, it will sift everything else out, that isn’t right.

That message reminded me of a personal story. A couple of years after my sweetheart went to heaven, I met a beautiful, sweet and kind gentleman. We had many things in common, but some opposite opinions when it came to matters of the heart – those “Love the Lord your God with ALL YOUR HEART” matters. I rationalized “This friendship is good and I enjoy his company and kindness, so I’ll continue to be an example of God’s love and, hopefully, he’ll come around to my way of thinking on those areas that we don't agree on. Not long after that, he asked if I would go away with him. I knew what he meant. Immediately, I recognized our main difference was my profound love for God. I explained that I was in a “love” relationship with God and I wouldn’t dare do anything that would damage that relationship. My true “North”, then, and thereafter, has continued to be “Love God. Period.” That “True North” of loving God – is my fixed point that keeps me on track in making daily life decisions, finding compatible friends, reacting to challenges, guiding my walk and talk and staying in touch with my most deeply held beliefs, values, and principles.

Last night, my daughter told me that they had gone to a new movie that they had looked forward to as a family. Just a few minutes into the movie and seeing so much witchcraft in it, each of them agreed, "This movie isn't for us." Their "True North" guided their hearts. “Love God, and Do Whatever You Want” is just that. When we take those words TO HEART, what we want, is to love God with all our hearts, and that becomes our filter for everything. Love God and WWJD are guides for ALL matters.

St. Augustine thought that if we love God, we aren't going to offend Him and so we don't need any "Do's and Don'ts rules". St. Augustine agreed with Jesus in this scripture in Matthew 22:36-40 “‘You MUST love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is exactly like it: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.”

John 14:15 reconfirms those words: “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” Here's the point: The person who loves God and seeks Him, the things that please the person, are the very things that please God. That’s my desire. Do I always get it right? Heavens NO! But do I strive to get it right? Heavens YES. I’m so thankful for this “love” relationship that keeps me grounded and looking upward. Even when I mess up – it keeps me coming back to my Lover of all Lovers, asking for His forgiveness and in His case, He ALWAYS forgives. When He forgives me so freely, it causes me to love Him and want to please Him even more. Do you have a "True North"?

Falling in Love with God

Day 6 of the Month of Love -- Falling in Love with God
A service technician was at my home a few days ago and in conversation, I invited him to my church. His response was "Oh, no thank you, Mam. Don't get me wrong -- I believe in God -- I just don't go to church." Our conversation moved to his telling me about his 7-year old son and how much he loves him, and how much his son loves him. He showed me a tattoo on his arm that had his son's name engraved on it. He said he explained to his son "I love you so much that I put your name on my arm. You are always on my mind." You know where I'm going with this. I was able to talk a little more about God's love for him and how God even has his name written in the palm of His hand. I'm believing that I planted some little seeds in his life -- and God will woo him to Himself.

The greatest commandment is this: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind" (Matthew 22:37). So simple, so important, so transforming. This is the one thing God most desires. I’m so grateful that God loves us and that He keeps working on us. Maybe it was part of God's plan for that technician to come to my house so that this little lady could be "a laborer in his pathway". (Matthew 9:37,38)

How DO we go from "believing in God" to REALLY falling in love with Him?

Here's how my love for God grows......
1) I think about Him. For me, loving God is one of the easiest things to do because, after all, everywhere we look -- He is there. The more I think about Him, acknowledge His presence in my life, recognize Him in EVERYTHING -- people, nature, circumstances, etc., the more deeply I fall in love with Him. I think about how amazing He is as Creator, how selfless He is as a Savior. I think about how good He is to me. I think about specific blessings He has given me and all He has saved me from. I contemplate how incredible it is that the God of the universe cares about me.

2) I tell Him I love Him. When I tell God I love Him, I find the words are very true. It's even more powerful when I tell him why I love Him.

3) I spend time in His presence. No relationship can grow without time spent together. The same is true with our relationship with God. When I determined to set aside specific time for prayer, my love for Him started increasing. I also listen to music that helps to focus my attention on Him and helps me worship and love Him more. (I wrote about this in my posts over the last couple of days.)

4) I endeavor to do everything out of love for Him. From my church ministry, Life Group, volunteering, to my everyday tasks and chores, my motives make all the difference. When I choose to do a task out of love for God, my love for Him grows. It’s a mental task of consciously giving the activity to God as an offering. Maybe this is part of what He means by when He says, “Love God with all your mind.”

We can all work at loving God more. I know I’m still living out my faith journey, but I'm on assignment to urge others (like my service technician) to fall in love with God, too. It’s one of the most important trademarks of a Christian -- to help others learn to love Him with all their hearts. And the best way to teach others is to model OUR love for God.

To fall in love with God is the greatest of all romances.
To seek Him is the greatest of all adventures.
To find Him is the greatest of all achievements.

What Are YOU Pointing At?

What Are YOU Pointing At?

Yesterday my daughter, Staci, shared a story with me about a friend who was "delighting" in sharing about his young granddaughter. She's not talking much yet, but she sure can point to what she wants. She knows that whatever she points to -- she's going to get. In fact, her granddaddy is at her beckoned call to give that little angel girl anything she wants.

Staci went on to share how her friend asked her "What are YOU pointing to?" He went on to explain...."God, your Heavenly Father, is just waiting for you to POINT to that dream, vision, prayer, or desire and He, more than any earthly father wants to bless His kids, who calls you His own, His masterpiece, His prized possession, the apple of His eye.....wants to bless you and give you the desires of your heart. Just POINT to them!"

Psalm 37:4 says "Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart." That's the crux of the matter.....when we, as God's kids, delight in Him, He can't help Himself -- His desire is to pour out blessings on us. I love the idea of God giving me the desires of my heart, but that promise has a condition—delight myself in the Lord. That’s the part of the verse where I have to ask myself whether I am truly delighting myself in Him or not. I wondered how the Bible defined “delighting myself in the Lord". I knew it wasn’t an abstract concept. Two verses that I found helped me to know if I was really delighting myself in the Lord or not:

“I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart”. Psalm 40:8

"For in my inner being, I delight in God’s law." Romans 7:22

I think this verse explains it best....Luke 10:27 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind." When we delight in Him and give Him that much love, He delights to give us the desires of our hearts.

What are WE pointing at? More importantly....WHO are we pointing our lives TO?