Santa Claus, Tim Tebow and God

"When you stop believing in Santa Claus, then you find Grace."

That was the last sentence featured in the very last dream that I had last night as I was sleeping.

I went to bed after watching the stunning upset victory of the Denver Broncos over the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime. Some game! And you can't mention a Broncos game without mentioning their controversial quarterback, Tim Tebow.

The man American society and sports commentators love to hate.

It is astonishing how much vitriol comes Tebow's way these days.

It's true that Tebow is not a great technical quarterback, as NFL quarterbacks go. But he really does inspire his team with his upbeat, can-do attitude and he does pull out enough wins to get the job done, if not elegantly then at least satisfactorily. He's also constantly striving to improve. Non-expert that I am, even I can see that he played better yesterday as a passing quarterback than I've seen him play before.

The controversy, of course, is that he's vocal and demonstrative about his faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. From all I've read and seen, he walks closely with his God all day long every day. The press makes much of it, thus it is seen by millions of folks all over the country.

And this leads me to the concern that people who do not know God will come to believe that either God is shining favor on the Broncos because of the prayers of Tim Tebow, or that Tebow is a fraud because he's not a perfect person, or that he is a hypocrite because his prayers must be meaningless if the Broncos lose.


For the record, I've read some about Tebow and watched him closely on the field. I may be wrong, but I don't think for one moment that his prayers are for the Divine Intervention of God in a football game. I think he thanks God at each moment for the pleasure and privilege given him on this earth -- to be doing something that he truly loves in a venue that allows him to minister to others in a variety of ways.

No, I'm sure he's not a saint. But he is an excellent role model for young people and, comes to that, for our entire American culture in some very important ways. For example, you never see Tebow dancing and gloating with glee on the field as you see so many, many, MANY other NFL players doing (it's one of my pet peeves, can you tell?).  Tebow's conduct on the field is very sportsmanlike. Enthusiasm for the game and his team, yes. Taunting and gloating over your opponent, no.

And now, back to that opening sentence.

"Santa Claus" as a concept means that gifts are given to deserving (read: good) people.

But God gives gifts that are not based on whether we are good or bad. God brings to each of us Grace: the absolute gift of all time that allows every last one of us to be reconciled fully with Him. And along the way, God also blesses those who accept that Grace. Generally not with football victories, although if there is a deeper purpose, He could do just that. (And that's a whole 'nother blog post, dear reader.)

He blesses us with meaningful gifts and pleasures and joys. The kind you can't get from Santa Claus. Not always what we request. Not always evident at first as a gift. The kind of gifts that, in a myriad of ways, shine a spotlight on just how much we have been given by the God who created us, who redeemed us, and who longs for our minute-by-minute relationship with Him (football minutes or conventional minutes -- you choose).

Tim Tebow knows Grace. He knows football careers are fleeting and that God has brought him to this moment for His divine purposes. Tebow passed up the "Santa Claus" concept a long time ago. And when he's "Tebowing" he's not just thanking God for another completed pass, another touchdown, or another victory.

He's thanking God for another opportunity to show the world who God really is.


- Catherine

Easter Sunday

Christ is risen!

A happy and blessed Easter to all!

- Catherine

Good Friday

Good Friday.

The darkness before the dawn of the Resurrection.

Explore the darkness, and have a blessed and holy day.

- Catherine

The Contrast

It's Holy Week. Jesus is in Jerusalem, he is getting ready for a final Passover meal with His followers, and He knows that in the space of a few short days He will be arrested for sedition, tortured, killed, and then raised from the dead.

If I have one beef with the modern Protestant church, it is that Holy Week is fast being seen as irrelevant. Holy Thursday isn't even mentioned. Good Friday is up for grabs -- maybe we'll have a service, maybe we won't.

Everyone is busy, we all say.

Too busy to take some extra time to focus on Christ's sacrifice? Too busy to fully explore and celebrate our salvation? We can't set aside a few days on our calendars each year in order to center down and consider the miserable condition we'd be in if the Cross had not happened?

Really?

Traditionally, the Church would have a Holy Thursday service and a Good Friday service. Both services were solemn and quiet in tone. Both were focused on the significant events leading up to and including the Crucifixion.

By Sunday, we understood.

We understood where Christ had been on our behalf and exactly where we would be if He hadn't accepted the Cup in the Garden of Gethsemane. We understood and, by Sunday, we were ready for the party that is the Resurrection.

Easter Sunday remains a big, happy celebration in the modern church, but I would argue that Easter Sunday loses impact when the week before has just been another week in the life of the everyday man.  There is a spiritual gain in marking the contrast between the solemnity of Holy Week and the party of Easter Sunday. That opportunity to gain understanding should not be underestimated, not even for the "seasoned" Christian.

If your church doesn't mark Holy Week, then I strongly encourage you to mark it yourself. Spend more time in the Word. Read the Gospels' accounts of the week between Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem and His triumphant resurrection from death. Enter that darkness and consider your own darkness as well. Spend time in prayer.

By Sunday, you'll understand, and you'll be ready for the Party too.

- Catherine

Morning hymn

There's a slick mixture of snow and slush on the ground this morning. The trees and the eaves are dripping steadily. The horses in the pasture make not a sound as they walk along, looking ghostly in the morning half-light. With the series of Pacific storms making their way up from California, we are as sodden as we can be. It's more like April than December.

But tomorrow night we begin the celebration of Christ's birth and all that it meant to humankind and all that it does mean still.

And all that it will mean.

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, yet wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand.

So let the trees drip. I'm warm inside, where Christ lives.

- Catherine

Worth repeating

I'm a little cranky today because once again we are up against a situation where grace is completely absent.

 

Sigh.

 

So, to repeat a little bit of yesterday's post: 

 

This is our family's manifesto. This is how we run our home and it's how we try to run our lives. And we do it by the very grace that our Father extends to each one of us (even though we fail):

 

In this home, we do second chances.

We do grace.

We do real.

We do mistakes.

We do I’m sorrys.

We do loud really well.

We do hugs.

We do family.

We do love.

 

To go further today:

 

The reason that this is so important to us and the reason that I wanted to repeat this saying one more time is simple: 1 Corinthians 13. 

 

Love. 

 

God is love and all of our love as humans comes from God. (1 John 4: 7-8)

 

Love does not keep count of wrongs (Psalm 103:12).  Not even when we're trying to teach our children right from wrong. We don't keep count and continue throwing the wrongdoing back in their faces long after the incident should have been closed. (That's what is meant when scripture says that we are not to provoke our children to wrath.)

God is love. Through the Cross, which fulfilled the unfulfillable Law once and for all, God gives us everlasting mercy and grace (unmerited). 

 

Who are we to do anything differently?

- Catherine

You raise me up

Grief, I've discovered, takes interesting turns along the way. It is two weeks until the first anniversary of my mother's passing from pancreatic cancer.  (If you click on the "grief" label and/or the "cancer" label, you can read that whole saga.)

I've had a hard time this last week, with a significant burden of sadness weighing me down as the anniversary approaches.  I miss her so very much still.

Backing up: about a month ago, I received a call from Patti, a friend here in Pocatello. Patti is a breast cancer survivor -- not once but twice over!  She is truly amazing. She had called me because the annual Pink Tea breast cancer fundraiser was on the horizon -- an event that she heads up -- and she wanted me to sing a couple of songs during the event.

We'd been trying to arrange this for a few years, but scheduling conflicts always got in the way. This year, the schedule was clear and I accepted the invitation with gratitude.

As I mentioned above, a weight of sadness had descended on me in the last week. I knew it was grief over my mother's passing. And I wondered how I'd get through the Pink Tea, given that the room is filled with cancer survivors and their supporters.

I'd already chosen the two songs for the Pink Tea before this grieving season had come upon me again. I knew those were the right songs for the occasion, so I didn't change anything, despite my very real fear that I'd lack the strength to get through them.

How Could I Ask for More, written by Cindy Morgan



You Raise Me Up (which everyone knows, thanks to Josh Groban and Celtic Woman). The best version of that one is here: Celtic Woman singing You Raise Me Up (embedding of that video was disabled, so you have to follow the link).

Strangely enough, as I spoke before two hundred people at the Pink Tea about how the support of so many had been crucial to me through the journey with my mother, I found myself gaining ever more strength. And a peace. That I'm still carrying with me.

I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all my blog readers, friends, and online friends for all the support you have shown me on the journey.  Suffice it to say that God is good and He does provide all that we need. I certainly needed you!


- Catherine

The Grip

I had an ah-ha moment while I was practicing racquetball. I hesitated at first to write about this because there are many sports analogies utilized in Christian ministry.  But this I felt I had to write.

So, my ah-ha moment as I pounded the ball today was this: the grip is key.

When the grip is correct, it feels completely natural, it produces a huge amount of power from the most efficient effort level, and it keeps the racket stable in your hand, no matter how hard you whack the ball.

The grip is amazing in its significance to your game.

I want to be in God's grip at all times. I want Him holding me so that I have that power, that efficiency, that stability.

In racquetball, the grip needs support from well-placed feet and open eyes -- to produce accuracy as well as power and stability.

That's true in God's kingdom, too. Psalm 18:33 says "He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights."  Ephesians 1:18-19 says "... having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, ..."

I could, of my own will, place my feet badly. I could stick my head in the sand and keep my eyes closed too.  But if I let God do the placement of my feet, I am secure and accurate. And if I open the eyes of my heart, I will see where He wants me to work, and my aim will be true.  If I rest in His grip, I cannot be moved.

I want to be in God's grip.

- Catherine

Baptism

I was baptized as an infant and "confirmed in the faith" when I was in the sixth grade. 

While I deeply appreciate the symbolism of those two acts in the life of a child . . .

. . . this is the experience that no Christian should miss!!

- Catherine

Weekend update

The church family camping trip was all that we hoped it would be. Gorgeous weather (not a cloud in the sky for three days), good food, good company, beautiful scenery, and -- more important -- a start to the healing process for all of us after the loss of Jared.  His young wife and children, his mother, and his in-laws joined us Sunday morning for church in the mountains, where we baptized his eldest daughter, his widow, and a niece and nephew of his.

Jared had wanted to be baptized too, but he no longer needs that. 

After the events of this week and the weekend, it is ever more clear to me how much of a family our small church has become. And am I ever glad!!

Surprisingly, I also was baptized on Sunday morning.  Growing up Methodist, I had been baptized as an infant and then "confirmed" in sixth grade.  For the last few years, I've been thinking long and hard about being able to choose for myself that "outward and visible sign" of baptism by immersion. Yesterday morning, it all crystallized, and I stepped up to our church's galvanized horse trough baptismal and got myself dunked.  And I felt so free and light afterwards! I've been a Christian since I was 15 years old. To feel as Jesus did when He came up from the water was amazing! I wish I'd done it sooner!

Okay, that's my weekend update. And now, we're going great guns at building the new deck and finishing the outside of our house.  Because in a few months it will be on the market!

But that's another blog post . . .

- Catherine

The prayer on page 89

About 20 or 25 years ago, I purchased a very tiny, pocket-sized book entitled Thoughts in Solitude by Thomas Merton. Of all places, I purchased it from a rack near the cashier's stand at one of the Smithsonian's gift shops (cannot remember which museum, though). I purchased it for one reason -- this prayer that I found on page 89 as I thumbed through the book.

"My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.  I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone."

This is, without doubt, THE prayer that has touched me most profoundly over the years. It speaks of absolute trust in God, even when we cannot see where we are going or why we are on that particular road. It speaks of a plan for each of us that is much bigger than our little individual worlds.

The little book where I found this prayer keeps getting lost in the house (in fact, the book has gotten lost in every house I've lived in since I purchased it), but it ALWAYS turns up again without my looking too hard for it. And it falls open to page 89.

- Catherine

Calling for YOUR opinions on this one.

My husband and I had an interesting discussion last night about the Rapture.  You see, when Jesus comes for His church, every human being who lives in our house will go with Him. But what happens to our beloved dog, Hank? 

Tim and I went around and around on that concept at some length, and we didn't come to any kind of conclusion.  I have to admit I got more than a little upset picturing Hank slowly dying of thirst because there's no one here to look after him and he can't get out of the house by himself.

So, I ask you, what do you think will happen to the indoor pets when the Christians are raptured?  I'd seriously like to know your thoughts.

- Catherine

Thursday randomness

I think Spring may finally be here. I'm not naive enough to believe that there will be no more snow -- after all, we've had snow in June a time or two. But there have been two -- count'em: one-two! -- warm, sunny days in a row. Tomorrow is supposed to be more of the same. The birds are madly chasing each other all over the place and the crows are making a racket in every tree. 

I declare that Spring. Is. Here.

Whether Mother Nature wants to admit it or not.

This is the time of year when I am usually visiting my mother, so I've had some sadness these past few weeks. Around Easter we'd have been discussing the music she was doing in her church and what I'd be doing in mine. If she'd been alive and well this year, I'd have tried to convince her to fly to San Diego and meet me for a few days of beach time next week. She loved seeing the Pacific Ocean.  At the very least, I'd have been planning to visit her in the Central Mountains of Pennsylvania for a few days of R&R.

And, of course, Mother's Day is coming soon -- my first without her. No reason to send my customary bouquet of yellow roses and daisies (her favorite) or anything else that I thought might delight her or make her life easier. Last year on Mother's Day I sent her a cordless floor sweeper because she was finding the vacuum cleaner too heavy to handle as her strength weakened.

Instead I'll be visiting my stepmother in New Jersey on Mother's Day. It's been ages since I've been able to spend that holiday with her, and this year there is a serendipitous business trip taking me to New Jersey. It will be good to see her and the rest of my family.

The weekend starts tomorrow night -- hurrah! Time with my two best guys (hubby and #7)!

And on Saturday will be our church's annual Mad Hatter Tea Party -- a fun activity for the women. We wear silly hats, have lunch, have a time of worship and listen to a speaker.  I'm bringing the sautéed mushrooms for the Potato Bar lunch that we are serving. I'm also singing and playing for the worship session.  Can't wait! (I'll take a picture of my hat and post it here on the weekend.)

- Catherine

Easter

Better late with the blog post than never, I guess.

We started our Easter morning before dawn, meeting our nephew and niece and their family up on the ridge above town to greet the Easter sunrise.  A cold day, but achingly clear with a brilliant sunrise. We feasted on breakfast burritos and God's word (not necessarily in that order). We read the resurrection accounts in Matthew and in John and had an interesting discussion.

Excellent way to start this day of days!!

Later that morning we had a rousing worship service capped by a great message from our pastor.

The afternoon started with lunch out at the local Applebees with a couple of good friends.

The evening has just been my hubby and me, sharing some quality time.

Easter is my favorite holiday in terms of my spiritual life. I love the collective remembrance of what Christ did for us. I love the truth that my real home will always be with my God and Father, whether I am here on earth or there with Him.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus name.

On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand.

Good Friday

Good Friday. The most solemn day of the Christian year.

Our church puts together a Prayer Path on Good Friday: a specific pathway that one follows alone while listening to a CD over headphones. The path takes you through 11 different stations, intended to give you an hour to commune quietly with God and to reflect on Christ's work on the Cross.

I'm acting as host until 2:00 today, which means I'm greeting people and helping them get started on the path. And, although I organized and help set up the different areas of the Prayer Path -- so I know it pretty well already -- I will also spend a quiet hour following the path today, relishing some time alone with my Savior.

Good Friday. Good to reflect on all He has done for each one of us. Good to remember why He did it. Good to know that we are forgiven and forever reconciled with our Creator.

- Catherine

According to whom?

I loved John Fischer's "Catch of the Day" entry for today. For reasons of copyright, I can't reproduce it here, but you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.fischtank.com/ft/inthetank.cfm Here's a little taste: "We get into a lot of trouble when we use our culture's definition of fulfillment and apply it to our understanding of God's purpose for our lives."

It goes along with something that I once read by Anne Graham Lotz: "Are you interpreting His love by your circumstances instead of interpreting your circumstances by His love?”

Tim and I were talking last night about how the Christian culture has done a disservice to believers when it promotes the "gospel of prosperity" or the notion that God yearns to bless us with all our heart's desires. God is not a Fairy Godmother. He has a purpose for each of our lives that is perfect, but it doesn't always look like the things our selfish hearts want. We need to look beyond our own whims and remember to seek first His kingdom -- because what the Lord wants for us is much, much better than anything we could imagine.

Praise God Now!

Getting back to some serious thoughts here....

We join in a very ancient cry when we sing or say the word “Hallelujah.” Interestingly, it appears in Scripture in this form -- i.e. as the actual word “Hallelujah” -- only in the book of Revelation (chapter 19). The literal translation is: Praise JAH -- JAH being the Hebrew for He that Is. This is in contrast with the Psalms, where we find Praise Jehovah – which means Praise He who will be, is, and was. In Revelation, with the use of “Hallelu JAH” we have reached the time when there is no more need of thinking about God as He was or will be – we are then in the present with the living Lord. That gets a “Hallelujah!” out of me when I think about how wonderful that day will be!

So, does our use of the word “Hallelujah” in the present age mean that we are living in what is known as the “end times?” Are we getting ahead of ourselves by using the term? I confess I don’t know the answer to questions such as those, and I am not really trying to address that here (although you’re welcome to think about it).

Hallelujah is not the equivalent of the present day “Woohoo!” or “Ye-es!” that we all use when we’re excited about something. Hallelujah! is an ancient form of reverent worship and praise to our living God. What is interesting is that singing or saying “Hallelujah” means we are praising the God who is right now, with no need to think about the past or the future. Seems to me that’s how we are to be living anyway in these days. Scripture exhorts us not to worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34); it also tells us that God does not remember our past sins (Psalm 103:12). We get to live in the present with our magnificent and mighty God – what a relief! Hallelujah!

Winter into Spring

Spring is definitely trying, but winter keeps coming back and biting us. It reminds me of some unfinished business in my own life – some unforgiveness that I know needs to be resolved so that spring can arrive, but, like winter right now, keeps coming back to bite me.

Scripture is very clear that as we forgive others, so will our Father forgive us. Bearing that important truth in mind, it is still incredibly hard to get around the very human emotions engendered when someone deliberately sets out to hurt you. The shock, the hurt at being betrayed by someone you thought you could trust to deal reasonably with what is, admittedly, a sticky situation. Can’t we all just act like adults? Well, it seems that we can’t. And I need superhuman powers to get to the point of forgiveness – something I most decidedly lack right now.

Where is God when you’re trying but not getting anywhere? Is He just sitting up there laughing at vain effort? Not at all! Jesus tells us that our God knows every hair on our heads; He knows every emotion we go through.

Then why the continuation of this particular winter season of my soul? I pray for spring (forgiveness) to come. I know His mercies are sure. I just have to believe – and, really, I already do know -- that this cold and dead season will eventually give way to spring’s more pleasant climate and the renewal, birth, and growth that come with it.

April 2008