Sometimes Squishy Men Die

If you are an angry child in this household, you will likely be sent to your room to calm down. One technique we use is ‘Squishy Men’ (aka stress balls). Ours have faces and a tuft of woolly hair. The storm soon disperses into smiles as the latex face is contorted in all manner of ways.  I suspect they get played with at other times too.

Today there was sudden wailing. Long and loud and oh-so-sorrowful coming from my baby (though really, he is a very grown up four year old thank you very much!). I went to investigate. He met me halfway, balling his precious little eyes (and heart) out. In his hand, lovingly cradled, was his Squishy Man. With a leak. Friends, there are only so many times a Squishy Man will squish.

He laid his treasure to rest in the rubbish bin, then came and sat on my lap for a hug. Pressing his face into my chest he wept some more. His darling heart was plain broken. Apparently this was one very well loved Squishy Man.

In an effort to console him I suggested we would purchase another one – identical. The idea was appealing enough to momentarily stem the flow of the salty torrent. Then the cogs in my brain crunched into gear. Why not take the opportunity to create a better, stronger, model?  In less than half an hour we had Squishy Man 2.0.

The new version has somewhat different features. He does not squish in the exact same manner but is still able to produce a giggle worthy face contortion. Better yet, it is made of more durable stuff. As a bonus, this model also allows for the (sneaky) addition of soothing essential oils…

The whole fiasco got me thinking. 

Sometimes the Squishy Men have to die – in order to make way for something better. It hurts to let go of the old, but the new will be greater.

If you are a regular reader you will know that I have been daring to dream.  I was particularly grieved at the loss of Idea2.0. God has been taking me on a journey. Each time asking me to let go of my version of the vision until finally Plan 4.0 is a goer! (Just need to finalise the paperwork).

Excitement flows through me! But this is not just about finally being able to put passion into action. It is so much more. As I handed over my blueprints, releasing the tight grip on my precious ideas, God has been able to point a few things out.  Improvements if you will. He is showing me how to use what I already have. Ways to create something beautiful from significantly less.  I am reminded of the old chorus…

“Something beautiful, something good.

All my confusion He understood.

All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife

But he made something beautiful of my life".

^{Ecclesiastes 3:11a '}He has made everything beautiful in its time'. 

How to make your own Squishy Man

REC Button Faith

Back in 1980-something were two little girls. Sisters. The younger one thought the older one to be very wise and would listen to all she said as if it were gospel truth.

Little Sister was still learning how to operate a cassette tape player. Big Sister had already mastered this fine art and decided to play teacher.

She pointed to each of the buttons, explaining what they were for. The little arrow meant ‘play’. The two lines meant ‘pause’. The square was for ‘stop’. ‘REW’ was to rewind the tape, while ‘FF’ would fast forward it. Little Sister listened carefully.

Pointing to the ‘REC’ button, Big Sister became very serious.  Lovingly but firmly she made very clear that one must never ever push this particular button. No matter how badly tempted or curious. For you see the letters REC when sounded out say “r-eh-k” which is exactly what would happen to the cassette tape and player should this button be pushed.

For a long time afterwards Little Sister treated that button with great reverence. While it puzzled her that the manufacturer would include such a bizarre function, she heeded the advice given and left it well alone…

Mark 10:13-16 People brought their small children to Jesus so that he could lay his hands on them to bless them. But the followers told the people to stop bringing their children to him. Jesus saw what happened. He did not like his followers telling the children not to come. So he said to them, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them, because God's kingdom belongs to people who are like these little children. The truth is, you must accept God's kingdom like a little child accepts things, or you will never enter it." Then Jesus held the children in his arms. He laid his hands on them and blessed them. (ERV)

So how does a little child accept things? What does it mean to have faith like a child?

Young children are typically humble. They do not see themselves as greater than another. They are in a position of obedience rather than authority.

Matthew 18:4 The greatest person in God's kingdom is the one who makes himself humble like this child.

They are accepting. This is not permission for ignorance though (we are called to know what we believe and why - 1 Peter 3:15). Rather, this speaks of a ready acceptance of God’s promises; having faith in His abilities and power. We do not need to be grand philosophers to come to Him. Simple faith is all that is required. Trust and obey.

It all sounds too easy doesn't it? Sometimes our adult minds want to fluff it up and add a few rules. Over complicate things. When God gives us direction we sit and have a big evaluation session. We want to know what, why and how. And somehow in the so doing, we lose sight of faith.

I seek God and want to know everything. A detailed plan. But He keeps bringing me back to simple faith. If He said he would do something then He will. That is all.

What is God asking you to trust Him with today?

What's Your Dream?

Sitting here, sewing in lap, stitching away in the stillness that is my husband and kids in bed. The CD player is loaded with five albums I've not listened to for a while. The volume is low and in hushed tones I sing and hum along to some old favourites. I have heard these songs plenty of times before. Even belting out the words on other less quiet occasions. Halfway through a song the meaning of it really hits me. It is not that I didn’t know what it was about. Somehow though I’d missed grasping the full significance.

Perhaps it is because God has been stirring up a few long time dreams within me lately that the words suddenly have more value. A few posts ago I mentioned a desire that God had given me. So far there has been no physical way provided to move forward. In fact, some stuff has arisen which makes it even more difficult to pursue. God has brought me to a place of peace and trust with the whole thing for now. Yet I don’t feel as if He will fully allow me to shelve it again. Yes, it is resting up there but constantly on my mind too. Whenever I find myself trying to ‘put it away’ I feel compelled to keep faith about the whole thing. I still do not know what He has in mind or what the unfolding will look like. He’s given me a dream though and I need to ‘have faith in the power to believe’…

Dream

I believe there is divine imagination

Give it wings for it created aviation

Every little hope you’re holding inside

Every little gleam you keep in your eyes

A dream, yeah, a dream

Before a seed became a flower there was a vision

The dream is planted deep, He’ll shower it with wisdom

Flowing with the love that’s making you smile

You’ve waited and you’ve prayed, you’ve dreamed your whole life

Your soul begins to fly

There’s a dream in your heart

And His heart is your prayer

You can move mountains with your life in His hands

He’ll tear down the walls and He’ll walk where you can’t

Have faith in the power to believe

He’s given you a dream

I pray your dream will leap beyond your expectations

You’ll see miracles He has no limitations

Listen to his voice a spark will ignite

Let Him be the strength to carry your life

He’ll raise your spirit high

You will find the bloom beneath the sunshine

Reach inside and sail to His horizon

Every little hope you’re holding inside

Every little gleam you keep in your eyes

You’ve waited and you’ve prayed, you’ve dreamed your whole life

Your soul begin to fly

Faith in the power to believe

He has given you a dream

Faith in the power to believe

Gotta have faith in the power to believe

He has given you a dream

Faith in the power

Michelle Tumes, 2001.  

Click here to listen to this song.

^{Philippians 1:6} being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.(NIV)

Figless Trees

This week has been tough.

I have had the flu for nearly two. A difficult one to crack and there is plenty of it going around. Just as I begin to feel better, my husband succumbs. Here we are sneezing and coughing together; consuming vitamin C, cough medicine, and lozenges like they are going out of fashion.

What has kept me perky? While resting in bed has been necessary, there dreams can flourish too. God has placed a vision in my heart, a kind of commission if you will. First planted a little over three years ago, I often wonder when the time will come for it to bloom. It has been on my mind quite frequently of late. Pondering the reasons for this I sought Him.

Not wanting to read into things and create ‘signs’ that do not exist I tried to ignore them. All the more they appeared. Inspiring quotes on friends facebook updates, topics of blogs I’ve been reading, even internet advertising. Convinced in the end that I should do something, I came up with a brilliant (or so I think) plan. Not only does it serve others but also has the potential to create an extra income that we could genuinely use.

The one big physical thing holding me back from fulfilling this aspiration is a lack of finances. It will require funding to get off the ground and established. Right now we simply do not have that kind of money. Not because we don’t earn it, but because we have an obligation to pay the cost of living of my step-son. Talk about expensive. I’d be lying if I said we had never been bitter about it. Not so much the fact that we have to pay (we do want to do the right thing by him), but rather the amount and what we see it being spent on. Unnecessary luxuries that we could only fantasize about having for ourselves.  The government care little what she does with the money or that I am financially dependent on my husband. Sometimes it feels like a slap in the face... 

So I had never dared to explore the possibilities too much or allowed myself to believe that hope might come to fruition any time soon…

Overcoming shyness I contacted companies for exact quotes. We also comply with the rules and regulations, so far so good. Laying it all out there on the line we approached the bank believing that if God wants this to happen then it simply will…

We do not have the final word on the matter, and I have not given up hope just yet. But things are not looking good. For the bank to agree to the loan, a small miracle is required.

Right now, emotions run deep. We are so close and yet so far. I do not understand what God is doing. Why does He allow the dream to stir if the season has not yet arrived? Or have I run ahead of Him without meaning to?

Pouring my heart into his hands, I’m a blubbering mess. I often find that writing things out is a great way to lay burdens down; scrawling in my most chicken-scratchy writing for pages until I finally get to what really matters.  Fully expecting just this, I begin…all that comes though is this:

When life overwhelms,

I turn to you.

When I can’t see the way forward,

I turn to you.

When all seems so unfair;

When ungodly men profit

At my expense.

Turning the fulfilment of dreams

Into a lesson in trust and patience.

Again.

I know that you are there.

 

Then, almost immediately, I am compelled to write these words underneath:

^{Habakkuk 3:17} Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

                                    (NIV - Emphasis mine)

I do not know the ‘what’ or the ‘why’ in this situation. Having all the answers is not my job. Mine is to trust. Simply trust Him.

When Life Hands You a Bucket of Seedy Mandarins

Come on, say it with me..

When life hands you a bucket of seedy mandarins you make – juice!

(OK so a little different to the one we all know about lemons, but you get the idea).

There are a few other things you can do too.

1. Be grateful for the bucket of seedy mandarins. Especially because they were free thanks to their sheer seediness.

 ^{Colossians 3:15} Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.(NIV)

2. Think of all the goodness going into your body when you drink the delicious juice. I’m no expert but I’m pretty sure there is a fairly high concentration of vitamin C going on in there. (If you are like me and curious, check out this really great site I found) 

 ^{Romans 8:28} And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.(NIV)

3. Upon reaching the bottom of the bucket – go and fill it again! We are very grateful for our friends who own several mandarin trees. We can have as many as we like of the seedy ones as they are not really into them. Really?? These are very sweet fruit, albeit very seedy, but they make really yummy juice.

 ^{James 1:2} Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.(NIV)

Let’s not be put off by a few seeds in our circumstances. There’s always a way to see the bright side. I’m not for one moment pretending that’s always easy, though I do firmly believe that if you seek you will find.

Did I mention how seedy they were? (insert tongue firmly in cheek here)

Just look at the bright orange (er…mandarin) goodness!

One last thought...

^{Hebrews 10: 22} let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (NIV)