Breaking the Mold
Some people are born to break the mold and yet others are born to die doing so. The average life expectancy today is said to be 79. Perhaps you’ve heard the term, 80 Summers, indicative of the amount of summers we are projected to experience in our life time. When you think of it in terms of summers, it doesn’t really sound like a lot, does it? Especially if you have already crossed the midway point.
The truth is no one really knows the amount of time each one of us has been sent on assignment. Assignments vary and so does the time for completion. Yet, I don’t think that sitting around counting how many summers we have left is the most productive thing we can do. A better way to live is to focus on breaking the mold.
You don’t have to be a supernaturally gifted person in order to break the mold. Let’s consider star athletes for example. Even star athletes were not star athletes all of their lives. They broke the mold by working hard. Average people like you and I are also called to break the mold. Many times we hide behind thoughts like, “I’m not talented enough”, “I don’t have enough money”, or “If I was only born with a certain gift”. These are all false conceptions of reality and not an excuse for not becoming all we were created to be.
I’d like to share my favorite quote with you. It was written by Tim Notke and captures the essence of what Breaking the Mold is.
Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard. – Tim Notke
You see, very few people are born with specific gifts for specific roles… the rest are all developed.
I’d like to introduce you to someone I know who broke the mold. Remember I said some people are born to die breaking the mold? Above is a picture of my grandmother who was just 2 months shy of 108 years old when she passed away this past Friday. She knew how to break the mold. A woman, who faced many of the same challenges you and I face in life. She was a wife, a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who lived what many would consider to be an average life; but there was nothing average about her.
She knew what her assignment on earth was and she graciously carried it out for 107 years. Because breaking the mold is not about being famous, on TV, or recognized by millions, but about breaking pre-determined expectations.
…She definitely broke those!
Romans 12:2 says it this way:
Do not conform to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…
This I learned from my grandmother…Break the Mold or die trying.
Best Dressed
The pre-ceremony parade that takes place prior to any awards show, also known as the red carpet, is the place to be seen for all celebrities. Here they get the opportunity to strut down the extra-long welcome mat all while receiving the admiration of those gazing on. For the spectators, the excitement comes not only from watching all the prominent guests arrive, but from learning who they are wearing (a phrase coined by the late Joan Rivers to inquire about the designer of a stars outfit for the night).
The red carpet has become an event all on its own in the recent years. Being named Best Dressed on the red carpet is just as lucrative an award as the ones received on the stage during the main ceremony. As a result of such a nomination, the appointee will grace the cover of magazines and television screens everywhere and be recognized for their strength in choice of clothes that evening.
Although us regular women may never walk a red carpet, it is equally important for us to wear our best, especially for those very significant moments in our lives.
Most recently I found myself thinking about 2 of the best dressers I know. When a significant moment comes along, they both know exactly what to wear and don’t get lost behind the clutter of the closet. Both of these ladies only have one outfit in their closet for these occasions. It’s not sparkly, pink, or full of sequins. It’s not expensive, not bought at a high end store, and not made out of silk or cashmere.
It’s a hand woven garment made out of strength. Perhaps you own one, and if you don’t, perhaps you’d like to.
I have seen both these ladies dress themselves with strength when they have had nothing else to wear. Over sick children, hospital rooms, tough financial situations, separation from family, and other heartache they have never considered wearing anything else.
My admiration has been for both of these women and their resilience but I have been even more consumed by the one who dressed them. After all, as Joan Rivers taught us, it is as much about the designer as it is about the design.
This garment is available to us all. It’s tailored made to fit each and every one of us; never too big and never too small. And always the exact size we are going to need for the occasion.
She dresses herself with strength Proverbs 31:17
Strength and dignity are her clothing Proverbs 31:25
Who are you wearing today?
Blow My Cover
Entertainment television is saturated with cop and detective series. Many whose plots are based on undercover characters infiltrated in a particular group convincing all those around them of their supposed authenticity. The undercover agent learns the behavior and character so well, that while in the presence of the group he disassociates from his true self and becomes what others are expecting him to be. So long as his cover isn’t blown, he remains part of the group and all is well.
Whether in a detective series or not, being a part of the group and having everything be well is always what we seek. We become professionals at assuming the role we are expected to have and separating from who we truly are. It is all done in response to fear of allowing others to see our scars, blemishes, failures, faults, shortcomings, hurts, and insecurities.
We hurt from Monday through Saturday and then play undercover agents on Sundays. All because shame and guilt convinces us to hide and act like someone we are not; the other “perfect” people at church. Here me when I say I am not pointing out sin, but rather the misconception that we don’t sin. It is faulty thinking such as this that causes us to feel alone in our lapses.
This reminds me of a friend of The Jensing – my husband for those of you who don’t know- . This guy is a very fit 40 something year old man who works out on a fairly consistent basis. Yet, whenever he gains a couple of extra pounds, he tells my husband that he cannot go to the gym fat, as he fears what others might say. As silly as this sounds, us thinking we cannot go to church as what we truly are, sinners, is the same thing. Just like this guy tries to lose weight before he goes to the gym, we try to fix ourselves before we go to the place that can fix us. If you’re anything like me, I bet that statement brought a smirk to your face.
The voice of experience speaks the loudest and I can tell you that I have had my fair share of undercover days. Walking into church, putting my best face on, and hiding any hurt.
The one thing I have learned through the years is there is healing in exposure. Coming in just as we are, with the broken places of our life and all the stuff we are carrying on display for the Lord to deal with. For He can only deal with our mess when we hand it over to Him willingly and come in with a blown cover!
Are you on undercover agent mode in some area of your life? If so, I pray that your eyes would be open to the fact that you are not alone. Come as you are…
My Family Portrait
If zebra pattern counted as a favorite color then I would say that it is mine. I enjoy all things zebra…rugs, purses, shoes, cloths, and the list goes on. The painting you see below was no exception. I stumbled upon it on a Saturday morning about a year and half back. Being new to the Tampa area, the garage sale signs on every corner sparked my curiosity, and as I got off the car to check out what all the garage sale fuss was about, it caught my eye.
The garage sale host was an art dealer and had several pieces out for sale. As beautiful as it was I left empty handed when he filled me in on the $2000 price tag. Needless to say, a painting of this amount was not on my budget that morning, especially not from a garage sale. I did however fall in love with the piece and didn’t leave without first passing along my contact information.
Did you know that although the stripes of a zebra all look the same, they really are not? Just like no two human fingerprints are the same, neither are any zebra’s stripes the same. Each perfectly drawn stripe speaks of the zebra’s individuality. Although at first glance when you see a group of zebras or what is called a Zeal of zebra’s, you may confuse one for another but they aren’t in the least bit confused about their uniqueness.
Many a time have I seen my differences as a burden but in comparing myself to this creature I can appreciate my differences as blessings instead. I guess my fondness of these beautifully painted animals lies in just that. Each one brings something different to the Zeal but together they are one in passion and in pursuit of protection for the whole.
This reminds me of our church today. So many gifts and talents all with an individual purpose and yet each contributing to the body as a whole. Seeking protection, viability, and strength all in devotion to God.
Today, this 5 by 7 foot painting graces my living room wall. About a year after my visit to the garage sale, I was contacted by the owner who was going through a hard financial time. He sold me the same painting for a significant amount less than what he first asked. There’s a Spanish idiom that translates into, “If it’s meant for us, it’ll be ours” – and this certainly was the case for me.
We introduce every guest in our home to this painting as our “family portrait”; Sky, Rain, Me, and The Jensing. No other rendering could have captured us better!
How do your stripes contribute to the Zeal? I would love to hear about it.
The God Particle
For over 50 years scientist researched the Higgs Boson particle or what is more commonly referred to as The God Particle, in their study of physics. It is said that this particle is found in all matter everywhere, is what gives everything its mass, and is what holds the universe and all its other particles together. In July of 2012 after years of investigation and with the help of very advanced equipment the elusive God Particle was found and proven to exist.
It took lots of fancy machinery as well as several billion dollars to help these scientists discover what could be verified in an instance; that God’s Hand holds everything together. Though they don’t exactly refer to it in those terms, one thing’s for sure, the God Particle is necessary for all existence.
Just like the countless particles that make up the universe, there are also particles that make up our life. We have relationship particles, work particles, emotional particles, financial particles, character particles, and life purpose particles just to name a few. Each of these contributes into the bigger picture of making us the unique individuals that we are.
However, if the different areas of our lives are not in order, just like the actual particles in the universe, they can collide with each other and cause great dysfunction. One area will affect the other.
So what keeps it all together? The God particle.
His Hand keeps everything in unison and provides a perfect balance to all the components of our lives.
We don’t need special equipment to figure this out nor do we need years of research. All we need is a relationship.
I wonder if you have one today?
Image by: flickr.com/photos/alan_bloom (Celestial Fantasies)
Finding Your Current
Have you ever felt like the slowest man in the race? You know, the one who things never seem to work out for, or the one who never makes it as far as everyone else does in life. If you have, you are in good company as I have felt like this plenty of times before, but have come to discover that speed depends on location.
When I look back and examine those moments where my momentum was basically non-existent, I notice they all have one thing in common; those moments are all linked to a place, event, or situation where I wasn’t supposed to be in, in the first place.
I only gained traction when I was riding the current I was created to be on.
Take for example the sea turtle. Sea turtles are found in almost every ocean basin in the world. They begin life in the sandy beaches as hatchlings and make their way to the ocean where they virtually spend their whole lives. It is said they can migrate for distances even as far as 1400 miles which means many times they are crossing entire oceans.
I’m sure you remember the most famous sea turtle of all, Crush. That’s the Eastern Pacific Green Sea Turtle in the movie, Finding Nemo. This 150 year old sea turtle brought Marlin and Dory one step closer to finding Nemo by giving them a ride on his shell down the Eastern Australian current to Sydney Harbor.
But wait, aren’t turtles supposed to be slow? Well, yes and no. A sea turtle is quite slow on land but in the water they are very fast and can reach speeds of up to 20 miles an hour.
So what is the difference you ask? The location.
The sea turtle was created to be a swimmer and journey most of his or her life. Taken out of this environment and placed where he isn’t meant to be, slows him down.
The slowest man in the race is just like the sea turtle. He is slow not because he is less capable than everyone else, but because he is out of place.
Today, I pray you will find your place and your current!
Image by: Matthias Hiltner (www.traveling-shapy.de/)
Ship Time
“Run Forest, Run”, is all I could hear in the back of my mind as we ran down the seemingly endless dock! 4:30pm ship time was the time we were supposed to have boarded the ship to leave Cozumel by 5:00pm; and it was now 5:30pm. One hour late! Not a soul was on the dock but from a distance we could hear the chants of everyone on board shouting things like “You can make it”, “Run faster”, “Hurry up”. These were just some of the shouts and roars that we could make out as they were being carried over in the wind.
Ship time was different than local time. That is where the confusion began. As we disembarked that morning for a full day of fun we neglected to synchronize our watches with the ship’s time. Instead, we walked around and quickly became enveloped with the water sports, food, shopping, and everything else local that we came across. It was easy to forget that we were subject to a different standard of time.
When we noticed that the streets that were flooded with people early that morning had now become quiet, we began to get a little nervous. We hastily began our drive back as we were about 5 miles away from the port and in a bright lemon green rented jeep that needed to be returned. The closer we got, the more evident it became that we were about to be left behind.
And then suddenly we heard it, the blasting sound of the ship’s horn indicating they were ready to leave.
We jumped out of the jeep and dashed towards the now closed gates. The security guard standing at the gate observing as we ran across the street and in between cars began to wave us down and contacted the ship’s crew to notify them that the missing family had arrived!
And that’s where the 5K began. “Run Forest, Run”, is all I could hear in the back of my mind as we ran down the seemingly endless dock! Sky and Rain made it to the ship’s entrance first followed by Frankie and myself. The ship’s crew were not as kind and supportive as the passengers yelling overhead. They greeted us with a “Where have you been? Ship time was 4:30″ and had already managed to confiscate our passports from our room in order to leave them behind with the agents so we could find our own way back home.
Geez! What a scare!
We were lucky to have made it that day. It could have all been avoided had we stuck to ship time.
God’s time is the same. Many times we get distracted with everything we’re not supposed to; unhealthy relationships, unfulfilling careers, and faulty belief systems amongst other things. We ignore the subtle voice tugging at our hearts reminding us to evaluate our current place in life and calling us back to His timing.
You see, God’s timing is there to help us avoid unnecessary heartache. Fortunately, it is never too late to get back in alignment. We were more than grateful that day that we made it before the ship’s departure as we were one taco away from swimming back home! Lucky for us, everything worked out.
Can you think of an instance when you were not in God’s time? I’d love to hear your story.
Oh by the way, if you’re wondering what happened to the rented jeep…Frankie left it in the middle of the street. Yes, I am absolutely serious! This is Mexico people!
Muster Station E
It wasn’t until we boarded our cruise a couple of weeks ago that I first heard the term Muster Station. Like many other people, when I’m not sure what something is, I do what I think is going to provide me with the quickest information on any given subject; I google it.
Muster Station (n.): an assembly of troops, as for battle, display, inspection, orders, or discharge.
About 30 minutes prior to setting sail, we were summoned to Muster Station E where we would take part in an emergency procedures drill. As a former flight attendant, I don’t take these drills lightly as I know how important it is to be prepared in the event of an emergency.
Before the drill began the crew members waited for everyone who was supposed to be in that particular station to arrive and upon arrival we were all instructed to remain silent. This of course was so that once the drill began everyone could hear the instructions that were being given out by the cruise director via the loudspeaker system.
Honestly, the silence in the room was a little eerie. The seriousness of the crew members actually gave the impression that a real emergency was taking place and I had to keep reminding myself it was just a drill by looking out the window and seeing that we were still docked.
Once the drill began, we became familiar with escape routes, safety evacuation measures, the proper use and location of life vests, as well as where our lifeboat embarkation station was. We were also instructed that in the event of an emergency this would be our meeting place.
I finally understood Muster Station E was a preparation area.
There’s a quote by an unknown author that states “The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle”. I can’t help but see the correlation between this quote and the Muster Station. If a real emergency would have taken place while aboard the ship, we would have been completely aware of what the procedures were and what our plan of survival was. Of course, there is always room for panic, but because we were rehearsed on the course of action to take it would have made the situation a little easier to deal with. The 30 minutes of awkward silence and semi-realistic role play were not only useful, but necessary.
The same preparation strategy applies to our daily lives as well. The more we sweat in practice, the less we bleed in battle.
If during the rough times we don’t have God to refer to, or His Word and promises to fall back on, the panic will overtake us and we will not know what to do. You see God’s Word is like a life vest; hope if we put it on and hopelessness if we don’t.
So how exactly do we prepare at our spiritual Muster Stations? Let’s take a look:
P – Preventive Prayer – Preventive Prayer is like preventive medicine. Do it before hand and it guards against the enemy and offers us protection.
R– Relationship – Establish a relationship with God where you worship, praise, and communicate with Him daily. Remember that it’s a dialogue not a monologue. Set aside time to hear from Him.
E – Endurance – Seeking God is not a Sprint but a marathon. You’re in it for the long run. Commit to setting apart quality time with Him daily.
P – Position – Remember who you are at all times. Forgiven and redeemed and in a position to receive all His promises because of Christ’s finished work on the cross.
A – Affirmations – Remind yourself of who you are, who He is, and what His promises are and confess those daily.
R – Reading His Word – Reading the bible is a discipline. Commit to reading a portion daily.
E – Expect – Call those things that aren’t as if they are. Remember your words have power. Expect His favor everyday in every situation.
Take time today to prepare and remember that practice makes perfect!
I Woke Up Like This…
I hadn’t even opened my eyes when I heard the buzzing sound from my phone indicating I had a new text message. Who could it be so early in the morning? 6:39 am to be exact. If this day was going to be like the day before, I might as well have just stayed in bed, buried my face in the pillow, and have gone into a sleeping marathon to carry me over another 24 hours.
Perhaps you’re familiar with days like those. The type where the distance between you and God is so great that Left Behind feels more like your reality rather than a movie. The last thing I wanted was an encore presentation of that day’s occurrences.
I’m not exactly sure what caused me to falter. The only thing I’m sure of is that I forgot who I was. Science and medicine call it amnesia; God calls it deceit.
Have you ever had your identity stolen? The thief grabs a hold of your personal information and claims to be you. He runs around committing illegal acts all while using your name and face. Although not accurate, to the outside person, it appears that you have committed the transgressions.
Deceit works in the same way. It begins with a light fog of confusion that slowly invades your mind, robs you of all truth, and eventually clouds your judgment. Before you know it, you are walking around in complete dysfunction and compromising that which you normally wouldn’t. To the outside person, it is you who has committed the transgressions. Your reputation is destroyed!
How easy it is to fall prey to deception!
-And that’s when I heard my name. What was I doing? Where was I at? How did I get here? Faith, Courage, and Boldness had been replaced by fear, timidity, and uncertainty. I went to sleep that night in a shattered state. Convinced that I had digressed so much that I might not know how to get back on track.
“Thank you Jesus for another day“, read the text message. Then all of a sudden it hit me; His mercies are new every morning. Yesterday was gone and this day was another opportunity to get things right. This is how I got back on track, with the start of a new day and the realization that I woke up like this; Flawless!
Have you ever forgotten who you were?
Table for Two
White sandy beaches, shovels, buckets, boogie boards, sunscreen, and coolers are typically what summers in Florida are made of. Temperatures that reach all-time record highs invite everyone to spend long days at the beach sunbathing and taking cool dips in the ocean water. I for one, immediately seek shade from the beaming sun and if at all possible, I make sure not one grain of sand comes home with me. I’m not sure what it is about the sand sticking to my feet and getting in every possible crevice that irritates me so much.
Fourth of July at the beach this year was exactly this. It included all of the above with a bonus of fireworks at the end. After about 7 hours of fun in the sun we packed up our belongings, shook off the sand as best we could, and started back home. The day’s activities had managed to build up an appetite in us, so we began considering where we could grab a bite to eat. Our options were few considering we were not dressed for the occasion, were sticky, and carried traces of sand all over us. As hungry as we were, we opted for picking up some quick snacks from the gas station and continued home.
Have you ever found yourself trying to shake off life? I have; many times in fact. Just when I think I have managed to wipe off all the particles of past failures, I find them sticking to me again. Oh, how discouraging it is when the “sand” of life shows up just in time to remind me of where I have been, and even worse, to convince me of where I’m not going.
Snacks from the gas station satisfied the craving that evening but what do you do when you have a craving for something bigger? Do you let fears, failures, and heartbreaks hold you back from sitting down at the table that has been reserved for you? I have since learned a valuable nugget of truth: Dirty Feet don’t scare Jesus! As a matter of fact, when we sit at His table all our weaknesses, failures, frailties, and sin are hidden. No one can see them there because they are covered by His grace.
Understand this today; it’s all about position. When we accept the position as His son or daughter that He has reserved for us, we are guaranteed that this newfound status will:
- cover
- heal
- restore
- redeem
- release
- make new
He is expecting you today. Take your place!