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Managing Our 2016 Expectations
Back in the saddle of weekly activities, 2016 is already barreling along, the stock market and the weather jerking around like a bull in the Houston Rodeo. (Or…maybe that should be a bear?) Whether we write down our goals and vision for the year ahead or not, we all have this picture of the way we'd like things to be. And then life happens. Here are some reminders to think about, pray about, as we try to live on purpose when life starts bucking around: We hold our expectations with open, God-trusting hands. Like Nehemiah, we may long to see certain outcomes and ready strategic plans for the moment when…
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Peace on Earth? What about a Little Peace in the House?
What comes to mind when you think of Christmas? Perhaps family gatherings, carols, Santa, the manger, shopping, debt, a favorite food, or decorating. Your mind may go to joyful or hurtful memories of the past or to anticipation of problems ahead. For those of us with heavy responsibilities to see that everything is done on time and everyone is happy, it can be difficult to find peace in the busyness of high expectations or ourselves and others. Our homes may end up as battlefields rather than the sites of joyous celebrations of the birth of God as man. This morning I was meditating on the truth that God wrapped himself…
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Broken Christmas
What are your expectations at Christmas? Too often its overshadowed by disappointment, but my friend Elisa Morgan has just written a book to transform your Christmas. Read her blog below–better yet, read her book The Beauty of Broken for a truly Merry Christmas. Most of us don’t want to talk about the not-so-pretty stuff of life. We’d rather focus on loveliness. Hued sunsets. Tinted leaves. Indigo skies. Golden grass. Christmas. Christmas is supposed to be one of those lovely seasons – right? Except when it’s not. Except when it’s broken. A cancer diagnosis. A child who’s far away from home. A runaway spouse. Unemployment. Loneliness. Ugh…broken Christmas. It’s time to…
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Hail, Mary
Our new church home has plunged into the pages of Luke, so yesterday we had a bit of Christmas in July with the Annunciation and Mary’s magnificent response. I’ve written on Mary before but she’s worth coming round to again and again. Her life is a beautiful melody full of rapturous high notes but written in a dark, minor key. And it's an important reminder for me right now. My husband and I have just moved our family across several states to follow God’s call to a new church, and I suppose I had unspoken expectations of how he would reward our obedience. Mistake. Our domestic…
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Why Our Expectations of God Are Unrealistic
In my last blog post I talked about “Unrealistic Expectations” and promised to explore some of the reasons our expectations of God are unrealistic (and thus why we get frustrated or even furious with Him). I mentioned several ways in which we think God should act. Here are my responses to why those expectations are unrealistic. • Show the same grace to all of us by treating us all the same No child ever has to be taught about fairness. The heart’s cry for justice is part of our design. But we are broken in our understanding of so many things, and we usually equate fairness with equality. We want…
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Unrealistic Expectations
Lots of things can keep us stuck in places that are hard to get out of. Like harboring unrealistic expectations. When my first son was four years old, I found myself angry and frustrated with him a lot. One day I “happened” to see a book on the inspirational display at the grocery store, Overcoming Hurts and Anger. I don’t remember anything else from that book except the wise counsel to adjust your unrealistic expectations. I realized that although my son was four, and a smart, prodigious four at that, it was still not fair to expect him to be and do things appropriate for a twelve-year old. It was…
