152 Insights to My Soul: Meet Me In The Middle

Showing posts with label Meet Me In The Middle. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

The Middle Matters {an Easter post}

“My corrupt soul wanted to run, fast and hard, away from the hurt that swirled on all sides. I knew in my mind that I was born again – destined for a new, eternal, no-tears-in-heaven kind of life. I knew my salvation was a direct gift from the blood and sacrifice of the spotless, uncorrupted, unstained, untainted blood of the Lamb of God; but in the darkness of night, I couldn’t help but wonder how that knowledge was supposed to help me in the present moment. I could concoct a whole host of scenarios in which the afterlife would be the most amazing, fulfilling, Guinness Book of World Records worthy, mind-blowing, God-honoring experiences where I (Lord willing) would be reunited with lost loved ones. But what about life on this side of the veil, the one we’re all living right now?”

{Megan Nilsen in "A Beautiful Exchange"}

I’ve met people and seen circumstances that make me wonder how I’m supposed to reconcile this life with the eternal life that’s coming. Why wouldn’t someone choose hope when it was right in front of them? Maybe they couldn’t see out of their own despair. Maybe they had been burned by hope before.

I get it because sometimes I feel stuck in the middle.

With Easter coming in a few days, this middle place has been on my mind, but, more importantly, so has hope.

Sometimes we skip over what happened leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and what his death was like because we want to get to the glorious end. We know he rose again and lives forever. But it wasn’t pretty getting there. There was blood and meanness and weakness and physical pain. But there also was endurance and hope.

After being whipped and insulted, Jesus hung on a cross in the middle of two criminals. He died in the middle of day.

The middle matters.

Even his resurrection comes in the middle of the story. While the stone being rolled away is certainly the highlight, it’s not the end.

The middle matters.

How we got to where we are matters, but God doesn’t want us to stay there because the best is yet to come.

The middle matters because of the future we are promised. {Tweet that.} That future includes an inheritance we share with Christ because are adopted into God’s family. We are children of God, made new (2 Corinthians 5:17) and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12).

Maybe you love where you are and who you’re with, like I do. But maybe you’re waiting for whatever you’re dreaming of next, longing for circumstances to change. I’ve been there too.

Tears and pain and endurance and hope are probably part of your middle too. I know they have been mine. Maybe you see God moving. Or maybe you believe God is moving but you’re waiting for evidence.

Wherever you are, this is the middle of the whole story. This is the week to remember Jesus’ sacrifice and celebrate his resurrection because that’s why the middle matters. The redemption and resurrection and celebration only are possible because of the hurt and betrayal and pain that happened first.
_____________________

This is the last post in the Meet Me in the Middle Project. Britta LaFont challenged me during Lent to slow down and notice the pieces of life I bypass in a rush. Find all the details about the Meet Me in the Middle Project here. {You can read all my preview posts about the middle, if you're new here.}

#ThreeWordWednesday friends, I'd love for you join in Meet Me in the Middle by linking up there and here, but the weekly #ThreeWordWednesday link up is open as usual even if you're not participating in this Lenten project. I'm always so glad y'all are here.

An InLinkz Link-up

_____________________
Subscribe to get new posts and/or a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog in your inbox. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable.

"Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'.

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Place of Transformation {and a recipe}

I don’t bake much, but one favorite recipe around here that does happen is Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. The recipe comes courtesy my high school boyfriend’s mom.

It always amazes me I can take mushy, seemingly-no-good bananas and turn them into deliciousness.

Don’t believe me? Try it yourself.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
From Jane Garcia

1 cup margarine softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 ripe bananas that I puree in a food processor
Chocolate chips

Cream margarine, sugar and eggs till light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time. Add dry ingredients and blend well. Then pour in the pureed bananas and mix until well blended. Stir in however many chocolate chips you want and pour into two greased and floured loaf pans and bake at 325 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

I’ve also discovered the bread freezes well.

I’m reminded how The Middle is a place of transformation. {Tweet that.} It's in the middle where one thing becomes another, something is changed from the inside out with effort and time, and sometimes it takes some heat to do the job.

I’m talking about banana bread, but I’m also talking about my own heart. Food and faith are intertwined in celebration and the ordinary moments that make life sweet.
_____________________

An InLinkz Link-up

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Are you tired?

I’ve watched Rachel fall asleep a few times recently.

At first she looks around, mentally fighting the urge the sleep. She seems to think about what she might miss if she closes her eyes. Then her eye lids flutter open and close, but she’s no longer mentally fighting what she knows she wants. Her breathing changes and then her eyes stay closed. Rest comes.

(Let’s not even talk about how she doesn’t really like to be put down in her crib before 9 p.m. Thank God for the swing, which she’s sadly outgrowing, and her pleasant demeanor.)

I know what it’s like to be in the middle of wanting to rest but fighting to slow down and be still.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

{Matt. 11:28-30 The Message}

Having a baby in the house again after six years has reminded me of how God cares for us, his children.

Rachel needs me to do everything for her – make her bottles, feed her, change her diapers, dress her, buckle her in the car seat, carry her from one place to another. At almost 6 months, she’s able to roll around, slowly getting from point A to point B, and manages to feed herself Baby Mum Mum crackers. But she’s still got a lot to learn and needs me.

God is the same with us. He tends to so many details of our lives, gives us opportunities to take care of things as we mature, and is always teaching us. Like a baby learning some independence, a faith journey is a process of maturing. {Tweet that.}

Regardless of our age or how long we’ve walked with God, we’re living in the middle of new life in Christ and our eternal home. In the middle, we are sanctified, but we won’t be perfected until we call heaven home.

The middle can be exhausting, especially when we try to carry all of life’s details ourselves. In Jesus, there is another way. He wants us to walk with him and learn from him – and that often means slowing down and finding real rest. As we do, our steps become more confident, our faith stronger, and our life freer.
_____________________

An InLinkz Link-up

_____________________
This isn't the first time I've written with these verses about the unforced rhythms of grace on my mind. Read other related posts here and here. Obviously, rest is a practice I'm always needing to learn about.

I'm sharing this post with Dawn Boyer's new Grace Moments link up. Come join us there for more encouragement.

Want more insights?Subscribe to get new posts and/or a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog in your inbox. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable.

"Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'.

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Gratefulness & Guatemala

I don’t want for a thing. Not a single item.

I’ve been known to spout lectures to my kids about how they need to be grateful and appreciate what we have – every single last thing.

But gratefulness isn’t just about things. Gratefulness is an attitude, a perspective. Yes, all the things are part of it because that’s the kind of world in which we live.

Gratefulness goes far beyond the things and takes root in our hearts. {Tweet that.}

My husband, oldest daughter, and I went to Guatemala last year. {Read more about that here.} We spent a week there, helped build some houses, and distributed wheelchairs, clothing, and food. And that one week spent in a foreign land almost eight months ago has rocked my own world.

While building houses there, the beginning was a concrete slab. The middle involved metal walls, a roof, and a couple windows. The end result was a sturdy, blue-painted house that far surpassed these families’ previous housing.

Yes, the houses were blessings that I’m sure spurred gratefulness in these Guatemalan families. How could they not? But I’m not sure the houses were necessarily the intended result. The hearts of the people – the ones who call Guatemala home and those of us serving – are what ultimately matters.

Sure, those families are better cared for because they have a roof over their heads, but I pray they know the love of Jesus in a new way too. We gave them food, but did they realize we really wanted to give them love that truly nourishes. Absolutely, God cares for our physical needs, but he yearns for our souls. {Tweet that.}

I’m still feeling the effects of that one week. That trip spurred on a couple new friendships and offered a new perspective. In any given moment, I appreciate my life and my things while longing for a simpler, less cluttered lifestyle.

And I understand gratefulness in a new way that I’m praying overflows onto my kids.

“The very thing most parents long to give their kids – a grateful heart – is destroyed in our attempt to simultaneously give them the world. It’s hard to have both because true thankfulness is experienced when we first understand we are missing something. And that’s hard to teach when we are trying to give them everything. When we have everything, we are thankful for nothing. When we have nothing, we are thankful for everything.”

(Kristen Welch in “Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World”)

It’s nearly impossible to live the American dream and long for God’s Kingdom at the same time. But the everlasting kingdom is better than any fleeting dream, so that’s what I want to hold onto here in the middle of it all.
_____________________

An InLinkz Link-up

_____________________
Want more insights? Subscribe to get new posts in your inbox and a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable.

"Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

When Life Changes {In the Middle}

Last week Rachel was sitting in the bouncy seat I bought right after she was born recently. But instead of just sitting kind of slumped over like she did in the beginning, she was swatting at the hanging animals and adjusting her posture. I used to put her down in it and not worry about her scooting out. Now she has to be buckled in – otherwise she may slip right onto the floor.

As soon as she swatted at those animals, I remembered a picture from when she was tiny – not that people are huge at 5 months old. But she seemed huge in that moment compared to a few months ago. So I compared the pictures – the one I remembered and the one I had just snapped to compare. I texted them to my husband and a couple friends with “How did this happen?”

Well, of course, I know how it happened. She eats and sleeps and grows. That’s a baby’s job. But, geez, the time has flown by. I feel like it was just yesterday we met Rachel’s birth mom and started sharing the news that we were going to be a family of five.

At the same time, we waited so long for her. Years, really. In 2012, we started the process to try to adopt a third time. We met Rachel’s birth mom in May 2015. That’s after updating our home study a few times, meeting with two agencies that weren’t the right fit, having situations that seemed hopeful never pan out, and letting go of the pursuit altogether because God told us to.

We weren’t sure we’d ever have a third child, but now we can’t imagine our lives with her.

In the middle, sometimes the waiting grows weary. We get restless and try too hard to make something that’s not supposed to be come true. We doubt God’s promises and wonder if we’re hearing him. (That’s where I was in 2013, especially.)

But sometimes in the middle, time flies. We are delighted in what God has done and want to hold on to every moment. We want to tell everyone of God’s faithfulness that managed to show itself at exactly the right time. (That’s where I am presently.)

What’s your middle look like right now? Regardless of what kind of middle you’re living, snap a photo – even a mental one – so you can look back and see what God has done. {Tweet that.}
_____________________

I’m excited to join Britta Lafont for her Meet Me in the Middle Project during Lent, when I’m going to slow down and notice the pieces of life I bypass in a rush. Find all the details about the Meet Me in the Middle Project here or reference Britta's guest post from earlier this month.

#ThreeWordWednesday friends, I'd love for you join in Meet Me in the Middle by linking up there and here, but the weekly #ThreeWordWednesday link up is open as usual even if you're not participating in this Lenten project. I'm always so glad y'all are here.

And one more announcement: Subscribe to get new posts in your inbox and an all-new monthly newsletter starting in March with content not available on the blog. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable.

An InLinkz Link-up

_____________________
Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Note to Self

I type blog posts and other ideas in my phone notepad while I’m feeding Rachel or waiting for the big kids at the bus stop and then email them to myself. I copy and paste texts into emails because once the notification is gone, I may not remember. I use Post-Its and a paper calendar. I make lists of where I need to go.

“Note to self” is a regular practice around here. (Those before and after photos above are my real where-to-go list from last Wednesday.)

Like I wrote about last week, life is lived in the middle. And, for me, that means life isn’t compartmentalized.

I’m a mom and writer and vacation rental property manager and wife and sister and daughter and aunt and friend and … the list goes on, depending on the day. Sometimes I’m more a chef and less of a chauffeur. I’m the grocery shopper and clothing provider. I do the laundry and dishes and home management schedule. I make appointments and plan outings. And many moments I’m wearing more than one of those hats at time.

Life in the middle overflows from one responsibility and adventure to the next. It’s nearly impossible to separate my roles as I go about my days.

But that’s exactly where God has met me. He’s shown up when I’m frustrated and offered inspiration when I didn’t have any. He’s reminded me of what matters when I’m overwhelmed by the to-do list that can wait.

It’s in the middle where we’re changed and redeemed and pressed but not crushed (2 Corinthians 4:8-10). {Tweet that.}

Jesus lived in the middle. His days on earth were spent in the middle of God’s will, knowing where he’d been and where he was going. He stopped in the middle of his journeys from one town to the next to have conversations and meet people wherever they were. That’s where he encouraged and healed – right next to wells, while people were eating meals, on the roadside, during a wedding reception, and while he hung between two criminals on a cross.

Because Jesus lived – and died – in the middle and then rose again from the grave, we can have life. That’s a note worth writing to myself over and over again.
_____________________

An InLinkz Link-up

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Noticing The Middle

When I think about the middle, I think about ...

... my son, who is perfectly suited to be between my two girls.

... landlocked Kentucky, where I’ve lived my whole life. It’s not the geographic center of the USA, but it’s there in the middle of two oceans.

… the half time of a basketball game.

... the best part of a sandwich.

... the best part of a batch of brownies.

... where characters are developed and action happens in books & movies.

... where messes are made in the middle of living and doing and making and cooking and playing and creating.

... where the conversations happen after the hello and before the see you later.

The idea that the joy can be found on the journey is true because most of our time is spent in the middle, between the beginning and the end, between the mess and the perfection, between here and there. The middle is the process, where we make decisions, surrender our stubborn ways, and take leaps of faith.

Sometimes the middle seems mundane. I don’t always want to expend the time and energy to empty a sink full of dirty dishes or help the laundry find its way from the dirty piles to being clean in people’s drawers once again. I don’t always wait to wait on spring or for that much-anticipated email to arrive. But waiting comes in the middle, and it’s not wasted time. In the middle, we learn and grow and experience. It’s in the middle where we serve and love.

I’m excited to join Britta Lafont for her Meet Me in the Middle Project during Lent, when I’m going to slow down and notice the pieces of life I bypass in a rush. Life is more than a series of before and afters; life is lived in the middle – preferably with a gooey Ghiradelli brownie. {Tweet that.}
_____________________

An InLinkz Link-up

Find all the details about the Meet Me in the Middle Project here or reference Britta Lafont's guest post from last week. #ThreeWordWednesday friends, I'd love for you join in Meet Me in the Middle by linking up there and here, but the weekly #ThreeWordWednesday link up is open as usual even if you're not participating in this Lenten project. I'm always so glad y'all are here.

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

In The Middle

You know sometimes you hear an idea that just makes sense and gets you excited about participating? Well, that's how I was when my blogging friend Britta LaFont told me about her Meet Me In The Middle Project. I like it so much, it's going to be the theme of my posts on Wednesdays for the next seven weeks — that's starting next Wednesday with Ash Wednesday and continue through the Lenten season.

I invited Britta to come share about the project here, so that's what today's post is. There's absolutely no pressure for you to participate in this project, but if you want to, I'd love for you to link up both here and at her place. And, even if you aren't joining in The Meet Me In The Middle Project, you're always welcome to link up here for #ThreeWordWednesday, and nothing that that changes. Honestly, I'm excited to have a focus for the coming weeks, especially throughout Lent.

So, welcome, Britta, and I hope the rest of you get as excited as I am.
_______________
I remember walking up the stairs and seeing her at the computer, out of the corner of my eye. She was muttering to herself and shaking her head.

"What's wrong, Sweetie?"

"Mom, I just want to hurry up and get all my work done, so I can have some fun," fumed my homeschooling sixth grader.

Everyone likes to have fun, but my child always loved school too. What had happened? Instantly, I knew where she learned that way of thinking and it stopped me in my tracks.

I was the one always rushing, Let's get our reading done, so we can have recess. Let's try to finish early, so we can meet our friends at the park. Let's hurry up and do our work, so we can bake.

I turned around and went downstairs. I repented of my haste. I explained to her that most of life is work and if we can't see any value in it, we are missing our calling to honor the Lord in all we do.

Do you ever find yourself rushing ahead, wanting to get to the next place, to move straight from Before to After without spending time in the middle? That day on the stairs, I realized that I was constantly chasing the "After" and missing the Middle. And it got me thinking...

Most of us dread the workout, but want to look great in our jeans. We don’t enjoy cleaning, but we love the shiny, sweet-smelling endpoint. We don’t like waiting, We want results, and we want them fast. We don’t want to wait for anything.

What if…we realized that most of life is lived in the Middle? That most of life is work, sweat, and tears?

What if…we saw a Before & After and did not covet the result, but admired the effort exerted?

What if…we acknowledged that every “Big Reveal” pales in comparison to the biggest reveal of them all — the Resurrection?

— The Meet Me In the Middle Project, A Lenten Curation

YOUR INVITATION!

Won't you join me in celebrating the middle places that we sometimes miss, because we want so badly to get to the After? It's a small commitment, but I think it could be really fun! We are calling it a Lenten Curation of Before & After pictures. We want to repurpose those Before & Afters and show how they point to the gospel.

WILL YOU MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE?

1. Create a before/after collage
2. Post it (on a blog or Pinterest or Instagram)
3. Tell how the story of the pics is a gospel story (can be a few sentences)
4. Hashtag #Meetmeinthemiddleproj
5. Link up Wednesdays Feb10-Mar23 (You CAN link up with the permalink from the Pin or the Instagram post!)

Sign up! Then link up at meetmeinthemiddleproject.com. In all, it is just seven before/after collages! Easy peasy! Here are some examples:

A furniture refinishing Before & After can remind us that Jesus promises to complete the work He began in us (Phil 1:6, ESV).

A garden Before & After reminds us that The Holy Spirit is an imperishable seed placed in us, that we will yield fruit even if our hearts look like fallow ground now (1 Peter 1:23, ESV).

The Before & After graphic design creation below is from a tutorial, where you can learn, step by step, how to create a tachometer that begins as a simple line. The website responsible for the images generously shares expert knowledge, offering FREE tutorials, using FREE (professional quality) vector graphics software. The everyday kindnesses represented in this Before & After remind me of how Jesus lived and taught, "Think of the kindness you wish others would show you; do the same for them” (Luke 6:31, VOICE).

We start next week. Link up first here, at Three Word Wednesday. Then hop over to the Meet Me in the Middle Project and join us there!
_____________________

Britta LaFont is a sojourner. She was a military kid and is a military wife. She lives in the hot, hot desert of Arizona far, far away from her New Orleans family. She gratefully homeschools two of her most favorite people on the planet: 12-year-old Gracie and 10-year-old Josh. Britta and her husband Scott recently celebrated their 21st anniversary and foresee a happy ending to this military life in the very near future. Find her online at her blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
_______________

An InLinkz Link-up