Tag Archives: faith journey

You are “Here”

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Welcome back to another week of the weird way I think. Can I start by saying I appreciate you reading my quirky little posts? It helps to know that someone, somewhere, thought about the same things I think about and took time to comment. It gets noted in my heart. Today is a rainy, chilly day in the depths of October. The weekend, though, was beautiful — and we reveled in the warmth of a delightful fall Saturday and Sunday! Guess life is about balances, eh? We met friends (yeah for meeting friends again!!) and found a new walking trail to explore with the dog. Which is where I start my muse for this week. Have you ever been to a new location and about to start out on a journey and you consult the official map board posted at the entrance? They have them in the mall, provincial parks, large buildings, amusement parks… those signs that say this trail is 45 minutes long and loops around the pond, or your favourite shoe store is next to the donut shop on floor 2, or the five public washrooms are located here, here, here and here and here, but there is only one that is family friendly, and it’s back at the entrance….

One thing that all those map signs have in common is the “you are HERE” spot. That red dot or arrow indicating the location you are standing at right now. The central location you currently understand — and the spot in which you navigate the rest of your journey from. That little dot is your orientation. It’s your point of beginning. It’s also sometimes your final destination! The goal you want to get back to after the day of exploring. And so I began to muse… where is “here” in life? Where are you “at” right now, compared to the big map board of your journey? Big questions. Perhaps big answers.

My searching didn’t help much in answering the big questions of life. I did find a little tidbit of random information, though, about the “@” symbol…. commonly called “at” in modern day computer language… originally penned by medieval monks, the symbol became standard in commerce in the 1800’s to mean “at the rate of”. It wasn’t until 1971 that a computer scientist named Ray Tomlinson needed a way to connect his computer programmers to one another…and “randomly” chose the obscure symbol on his typewriter. The rest is email history, as they say! Bloggers will tell you it’s where they are “@”. Okay. Moving on.

Let’s go back to where we are at. The “we are here” dot. Are you happy where you are? I think about this a lot. I like to set goals, but I find I rarely meet them. Am I content? There’s a big theological discussion waiting to happen.

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

Philippians 4:11

What did Paul mean when he says that he has learned to be content? Was he financially secure with investments to keep him happy well into retirement? Or was he simply sharing thanks for the gifts the Philippians sent him? Does it mean we can’t ask for more? Should we be striving for more? The verses before remind us to “present your requests to God” and “think on things that are noble and true”. I don’t know. I am HERE. On this dot. Yes, I can be content here, with God’s help and blessing. Perhaps this is where He wants me to be for now, in order to serve a greater purpose in His plan that I don’t know about. I’ve been thinking about Hannah — who wanted a son so bad it ached. Was it wrong for her to pour her heart out to God in prayer? Was it her faith that God would answer her prayers that led to Samuel’s birth? Should she have been content to be greatly loved by her husband and not need more? Her husband thought so.

As usual, I don’t have all the answers to such questions. I struggle with them too. Yet, I think it is important to take note of the “you are here” dot in life. To look at the big board and figure out if you can go around the pond and still make it back to the “you are here” dot in time for lunch. Or should you wait here and not go to the donut store on floor 2? Are you looking at the map, my friend? Are you staring at the possibilities with excitement? Or are you learning to be content “@” home base? Where people know where to reach you. It’s all part of the journey, and worth the muse.

Photo by Kelli McClintock on Unsplash

The Wrong Way on a One Way Street

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Have you ever found yourself driving in the wrong direction on a one way street? It’s never happened to me that I can recall, but I can imagine that it would be somewhat of a distressing adventure! The hubby did it once on purpose. A few years back, we had stopped at the border for a quick snack before heading down to the U.S. when we noticed the traffic heading over the bridge was very backed up. We were hoping to fill up the gas tank south of the border expecting the prices would be cheaper. The fuel marker was almost on empty. We debated the gamble. Should we wait in traffic running the risk of stalling in the middle of the highway, or do we get gas in Canada and pay the price? News reports were saying the hold ups would take hours. Canadian gas it was…

Canadian Traffic jams are a definite thing.

As the family and I sipped our Timmies, the hubby went off to ask where the nearest gas station was. I should have known when he comes back a short time later with a “just stay here with the kids until I get back” statement and the look of “just don’t ask questions, okay?” glare in his eye. As it turns out, we were “past the point of no return” in the world of borders and duty free shopping … and there was no way of “going back” to the nearest gas station… unless… yup, you guessed it … a quick detour down the one way street against oncoming traffic to the next local turn off. I’m glad I was not witness to the acutely distressing (not to mention law breaking) act of going the wrong direction on a one way street! He didn’t tell me until some time later… after his survival and a full tank of gas.

So why do I bring up my husband’s misdemeanors for this post? I was reminded this week about the concept of repentance. I’m sure many of you have heard that true, biblical repentance means doing a “full turn around” from going in one direction to making the decision to go in exactly the opposite direction. Perhaps we think of this in much too simple terms… “oops, sorry God, I’ve sinned against you, gotta switch gears and ‘do better’ next time.” Yet, true repentance is really hard. It involves humbling yourself. It involves a broken heart and true sorrow. It’s scary and not always easy. It’s like going down that one way road that we’ve been sailing along on, only to turn in the opposite direction — and face the on coming obstacles heading straight for us! And you know there will be opposition when you are trying to do the right thing…

Many of the biblical time prophets spoke of this repentance. Their cries were for revival and change. They spoke of the doom and destruction that was to come if the people of the land refused to repent and turn back to God:

11 The Lord thunders
    at the head of his army;
his forces are beyond number,
    and mighty is the army that obeys his command.
The day of the Lord is great;
    it is dreadful.
    Who can endure it?

12 “Even now,” declares the Lord,
    “return to me with all your heart,
    with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

13 Rend your heart
    and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
    and he relents from sending calamity.
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent
    and leave behind a blessing—
grain offerings and drink offerings
    for the Lord your God.

Joel 2:11-14 NIV

Many folks showed “outward signs” of repentance… the tearing of clothes, the sitting in ashes, the presentation of sacrifices… still, God reminded them (and us!) that true repentance takes place in the heart, not in the rendering of garments. When heart changes happen, God blesses and is merciful. It’s so true, even today, our world is in need of real revival and a return to God. Our societies have travelled so far from His teachings, that we are going to need some major construction to happen on those one way streets before we all get going the right direction!

Photo by Ian Taylor on Unsplash

Well. How you feelin’ my friend? Is there a heart change you need to make? Do you need to experience the thrill of changing direction on that one way street you’ve been stuck on? Will the gas tank go empty if you don’t? May you find the courage to take the risk… and make a change of heart! Be blessed!

RESCUED

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Have you ever rescued something? A baby bird? A drowning person? A recyclable can from the trash? Seems like vastly different scenarios but I think a rescue is a rescue. Big or small, redemption is a worthy pursuit… even if it costs. I was musing about this as I was doing dishes the other day and looked at my little windowsill above the sink. On the ledge, in a tiny pot, is a rescued houseplant. I found it earlier this summer in a giant pot I am using outside for my tomatoes (which are not doing well this year and are also in need of rescuing). I recognized one tiny leaf as a houseplant — not a tomato shoot. It must have been abandoned as “all but lost”, buried in the dirt. Then, when the pot was hauled outside for tomato usage… well, I guess a little fresh air and sunshine revived it!

My little rescued houseplant in all its dirt and glory!

I plucked the little leaf and moved it back inside where it is flourishing once again! New leaves are unfurling and the little guy is quickly outgrowing its nursery. Rescued! Love it! I’m a big thrift-er and my basement is filled with projects that I want to “refinish” or “repurpose”. I’m always looking at Pinterest for new ideas. Currently the family is watching a variety of do-it-yourself shows and renovation programs — the kids are fed up with my dreams of renovating an old farmhouse or Victorian mansion one day. They laugh and point out the most rickety buildings on the street corners and say “Look! Mom would buy that house!” And I would.

Am I alone in this weird fascination with the old made new again? Obviously not if you look at HGTV’s play list. Is it a new millennial trend to reduce and reuse in this environmentally conscious generation, or have we just come full circle and are beginning to value what we have again? I don’t think they make stuff like they used to, but maybe Covid has convinced us that we don’t need to be the throw away society we once were. Perhaps now we think about what we truly need before we go running to the mall. Or buy local – even if it costs a little more because it’s handmade or made well. I’m still on this learning curve. So far, “rescued” is still my method of choice.

“But now thus says the Lord,

He who created you, O Jacob,

    He who formed you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

    I have called you by name, you are mine.”

Isaiah 43:1 ESV

Isaiah’s words are a reminder to us that we, too, have been rescued and renewed. Christ paid a very significant price for us. And He is in the business of continuing to renew and remodel. Here at mittonmusings.com we chat a lot about being “on the journey”. Our redemption starts out a lot like my little plant… we seek fresh air and the “son”. Then, once He plucks us out of the old soil and gives us a new chance at life, we begin to unfurl, flourish and grow!

Does this mean we will be perfect? No. Does this mean we won’t have bumps and bruises along the way? No. Do we still need to be watered and tended carefully? Yes. Do we need to still seek the “son” and gain energy to prosper, grow and be used well? Yes. Often “renewed” or “rescued” items need a lot of care before they can reach their previous state of glory. I love those furniture “flips” where people take old pieces of furniture and deep clean the cushions or scrape off years of paint until the true, original beauty begins to show. Those old farmhouses need to be stripped down to the rafters before being built up again. And so it often is with us as well. Sometimes we need a period of deep cleaning — stripping away the old before anything new can shine. For people in the process, it is not pretty. Most of the time it is down right ugly. But that is the beauty of the restoration… and so much more in the hands of one who is passionate about the cause!

Photo by chrissie kremer on Unsplash

So, be encouraged friends! If you are in that time of renewal… be patient. The process takes time. If you are still seeking the fresh air, keep poking your little leaves out until you get plucked from the dirt! And if you have been rescued and renewed, be thankful and shine bright. Show off your flaws with courage and bravery as one redeemed. Rescued with passion and encouraged to grow and flourish on the other side!