Snow vs. Blood

While driving home from work the other day, I noticed that the woods that lined our road glistened in the sun so much so that it was blinding.  The beauty of that moment combined with the spiritual application of it was stunning!

Typically, those woods are "woodsy"--brown, dirty, leafy, messy, in disarray, and not very beautiful at all. Yet the other day, it was all sparkly and eye-catching.

The mess of the woods was completely covered up by a pure white blanket of snow. The beauty found in the freshness of the snow gave new life to the ugly below.  There wasn't a single hint of "woodsy" to be found. What I saw reminded me of the promise in Isaiah 1:18: "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool." 

As people and as sinners, we are like those woods at the start of winter...dirty, messy, homely. But something happens when Christ's blood enters our lives and covers us like snow covers the ground.  His blood absorbs all of our dirty. It tidies the messy places. It envelops the sharpness of the ground. It serves as a buffer as well as a feeding source for growth. It transforms the barren and lifeless into pure beauty, into an unmarred landscape that literally glistens as the Son (Christ) shines upon it and reflects His light. Like the snow, Christ's blood fills in every crevice and every uneven place until it overflows and creates something beautiful. We are completely covered by Christ's blood as much as the ground is covered by snow. And unlike snow that eventually melts away, Christ's blood always remains for us. 

As I look at the snow-covered woods, I can't help but long for more of God and to completely live under the blanket of His blood so that I may glisten Him in all that I do and say. 

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:7

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."  Ephesians 1:7

So Why Can't I?

A few weeks ago, I began wondering why this person can take a vacation and not have to check in but I feel like I have to all the time.  Then I was wondering how that person could leave everything behind to have a spur-the-moment family day and not think twice about skipping out on a meeting.  Then I got to wondering why could another person have all that time with their children but then I keep getting asked to squeeze more into my packed schedule.  And I wondered, "When does it stop?  Why can't I go on vacation and leave everything behind?  Why can't I take family days and turn off my phone/email?  Why can't I say I no to activities when my calendar is bursting at the seams?" And then it hit me, I can!!!! 

When I honestly answer the "Why can't I?" question, I see what is at the root of it.  From there, I can make the necessary changes to live out the answer to that question. My "Why can't I?" answers lie in self-imposed busyness, the inability to say no, and the fear of failure, fear of disapproval, and the fear of missing out on opportunities. And when you line that up with God and His Word, it becomes so obvious where I'm missing the mark once again.  And I see where I desperately need God to infuse every single step, every single word, every single thought!  (See Phil. 4:5, Ecc. 3:1, Heb. 3:13, Gal. 1:10, Matt. 6:24, I John 4:18.)

One thing that I've been understanding lately is that we teach others how to treat us.  And in that, I've been discovering that no one is going to outright give me permission to take a break. No one is going to stand there and make me take time for myself and for my family. And generally the same people that are quick to tell me that I need to slow down and put my family first are the ones that have no shame in throwing more on me.  And, they are the ones that know how and when to call in a break for themselves without guilt and without the need to check in. Hmmmmmm...it really makes one stop and analyze what's going on and why.  In retrospect, people keep asking me to do things because I always say yes. They keep giving because I keep taking. And they keep offering because I keep doing regardless of cost. Frankly, I'm a quick, definite yes!

However, there is nothing wrong at all with people asking me to do things.  There are definitely things I want to do and love doing and would never even know about if I wasn't asked!  But there comes a point when it's time to grow up and realize that I am the only one responsible for my yeses and nos. I am the one responsible for setting my limits and boundaries. These things just don't happen without my intentional intervention. And I have to understand that life is a marathon, not a sprint.  It's a journey, not a destination, and just insert what other cliche fits here.

There truly is merit to pacing ourselves. I'm always eager to jump into everything with both feet and give 100%, but I'm discovering that it's okay to enter into things slowly. We have to pace ourselves because when we run at full speed ahead, we easily run over God without meaning to. When we constantly say yes without thinking about it, we are saying no to the God-ordained pace for our lives. And when we say no to God's pace for our lives, it's where we find that we are living out of ourselves instead in Christ. It's where we find ourselves striving so hard to fulfill everyone's expectations (including our own) that we project those expectations as coming from God when in reality, He never once asked for our striving. It's where we follow our plans and hopes for each day rather than take time to seek God for what He wants us to accomplish each day. That's where we're getting it wrong. 

Great freedom comes from living out of the "I can!" answer to the "Why can't I?" question when the "I can" is rooted in our view of God and His plan and pace for our lives. 

Trees & Seasons

“His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.  He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither and whatever He does shall prosper.”  Psalm 1:2-3

Have you ever stopped to consider the untold lessons that are in a tree?  Most days, trees are just trees, and I fail to notice them until one really stands out.  What makes that tree catch my eye?  Is it the towering height, enormous girth, twisted shape, or some unique feature that distinguishes it from all others?  Or, is it the vibrant color of the leaves, the sheer volume of leaves, or the total lack of leaves that make me take a second glance?  Or do I notice trees more in the newness of spring as little buds begin to form on branches?  Or do I notice them more in the summer when I need a cool place to rest?  What about the fall when trees seem like they are on fire with bright hues of orange, yellow, and red; or the winter, when they stand there lonely and bare? 

As trees greet each new season, one fact remains:  a tree is still every bit of a tree—strong, solid, even beautiful—in the bareness of winter as it is in all of its glory in the heat of summer.  No matter the season, the tree stands tall and firm.  It thrives.  It grows.  It weathers all types of conditions that beat against it, from the strong storm gusts to the pelting sleet and rain to the parchment that comes from the hot summer’s sun.  The very core (trunk) of the tree remains sure regardless of the season.

Though the tree stands solid and sure, there is a lot going on within its branches and leaves.  The leaves are ever-changing, ever-cycling, and ever telling a story of God’s purpose and design.  In the spring, we see new life as tiny little buds begin to appear on the branches.  This new life signifies a rebirth, restoration, growth, change, and hope.  In the summer, the leaves reach maturity and provide much needed shade all the while photosynthesis is going on in the background to help the tree grow, reach its peak, store food for the winter, and thrive.  It signifies work, energy, reward, and even rest.  In the fall, the leaves change color and they let go of the tree because weather conditions are just so that they cannot keep feeding the tree. They served their purpose and are now leaving to make way for the next set of leaves.  In the winter, trees revert into dormancy where everything slows down inside of it.  It focuses its energies on surviving the winter and does what it can to protect itself from the harsh winter elements. 

All of this reminds me so much of the seasons of our lives. Merriam-Webster defines ‘season’ as "a time characterized by a particular circumstance or feature; a suitable or natural time or occasion; an indefinite period or time; a period of the year characterized or associated with a particular activity or phenomenon." 

We all experience seasons where we jump into something new and experience the joys and challenges of new ideas, opportunities, and relationships.  We begin to live out of our capacity until what we expend goes way beyond our capacity but strive so hard to hang on.  At that point, we begin to lose those things that we didn’t want to lose.  Sometimes it’s little things but sometimes, we lose the big, irreplaceable leaves of life like our family, friends, and even God.  Our life empties itself, leaf by leaf, of the things we once loved.  We are left still standing, but we are standing empty and bare.  We retreat and wonder where we got it wrong.  We try to recover from running at 100 mph for so long.  We try to restore relationships that were let go when we were too busy to notice, yet we realize the problem was with us all along.  We find ourselves in a dormant period where we have done everything but the very thing God wants of us...and that is to be still and to know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). 

Slowly, as we lay dormant before God, we see the promise and hope of new buds.  But it's still not the time for them to sprout just yet.  We must learn to stay still and let Him work, let Him bring the growth, let Him restore us to our capacity.

While nature works in quarterly, predictable seasons, our lives ebb and flow in a myriad of seasons.  A season of education, a season of new love, a season of parenthood, a season of the empty nest, a season of retirement, a season of health, a season of sickness, a season of sadness, and a season of joy.  As much as we want it to, we can’t make these seasons conform to a calendar or time frame, nor can we make them conform to each other's seasons.  Each season is as unique as each individual, as unique as every tree, as unique as every leaf.

Maybe instead of fighting our seasons so much and wishing our seasons looked like the others around us, we should simply stand solid and sure as the trees do in our yard, letting God work in and out of us the purposes that He desires.  In this way, our outward “leaves” have a chance to tell the story of Him and in the most beautiful way that commands others to see Him.


“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time of war, and a time of peace.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8