Morning Chats with Myself

Here is the conversation I'm having with myself at 5:17am about going to work out in 10 minutes:

Why can't I just work out later? oh yeah, because I won't as evidenced by several years.
But it's so early. This is awful. No, awful is being a prisoner of war. This is just uncomfortable.
But I have cramps and a headache. And my work out shorts don't fit right. And isn't there something about modesty to be considered here? I mean, if the shorts are too tight..... stop it. you're just stalling.
Fine, but they ARE too tight. Agreed, and perhaps the working out will help in that problem.
Why can't I just accept the need to exercise like a normal person!? Other people seem to work out with no real internal conflict over it. Relax. One step at a time. You've never cared about being normal anyway. True. I just want to quit hating it so much. I'm sure there's a spiritual principal here but I'm too cranky to care. It's okay. Just go work out and then you'll be less cranky and maybe figure out what God wants you to know. 

There you have it. The whole back and forth over getting on an elliptical machine at 5:26 am.  

Titus Two 4 U - Embrace Weird

You know what's not weird in this world? Being on a band wagon against something. Everyone has some cause or issue they are against- abortion, republicans, democrats, taxes, gluten, Lance Armstrong, Lady Gaga, GMO's, public schools, homeschooling, and on and on and on. I will be honest and say I find it exhausting and overwhelming to listen to all the internet rant on why people ought to be against whatever particular thing the ranter is against.

You know what is weird? Quietly going about being for something. I have so many highly inspiring friends who have determined to serve people. To reach out and show others the love of Christ by actually doing something about the problems they see in this broken world. My old youth pastor used to say being a person who did not: drink, smoke, have sex, curse, see the wrong movies, lie, cheat or steal made you no more spiritual than a department store mannequin. Biblical Christianity has always been defined by active obedience, not passive abstinence. Yes, there is a place and time to take a stand against sin and injustice in this world. But I find it utterly ineffective if not accompanied by a life lived for the good of others. Jesus did not just stand around telling everyone how wrong they were. He got his hands messy as he touched sick lepers and ate with drunken fishermen and sat with the town harlot. He fed hungry people, healed the hurting and cared for children.

Being a suburban wife and working mom of three has it's challenges. One of them is how to get off bandwagons and onto the business fighting for people. I have found that there are really great ways to do this in my community through several ministries where I can be hands on relationally with folks who need some love and encouragement. I'll give a shout out to GreenHouse Ministry, Doors of Hope, Branches (where I also get to work!) and The Journey Home.

I personally had to embrace weird a long time ago because I'm married to a guy who was weird enough to think he should quit a job with benefits and a salary to work instead as a church planter in India and raise his own salary. (Still no benefits unless you count the really amazing chai he brings home) I work for a non-profit where the question is occasionally are we going to buy toilet paper or light bulbs. We decided to let go of the "American dream" for a bigger one and it's often terrifying but God has overwhelmingly changed us.