Ecclesiastes 3:6b (New International Version)
“…a time to keep and a time to throw away,”
A Time to Keep
I have this urge to purge; to clean out the extra in my life; to make room. What is this inner drive to let go, and why is it emerging just as the old year is coming to a close? This is not a conscious decision. It is not a resolution. It is just an urge that comes at a timely place…the closing of a calendar.
This past year has been so difficult that I am glad to see it go. That is significant because I cannot say that about many years in my life. I tend to mourn the passing of a year…I want to keep the old, resist change, and hold on. But this year is different.
Perhaps it is a natural instinct to make room for the new. Maybe it is my spirit responding to the Holy Spirit’s preparation for me in 2009. I wonder what God has for me next.
But I should be careful not to swing to extremes. I should not simply mourn a year’s passing, or rejoice at the coming of the new, but hold them in both hands, pressing them together, experiencing the process of change. The passing of this year for me is both a time to keep and a time to throw away.
Last year brought such deep change in me—foundational shifts in my thinking, I want to keep the good I have learned, trusting my Lord in a deeper way. Last year also brought much pain, fear and doubt. These I want to throw away.
The new year is uncertain, but it doesn’t have to bring fear. I can hope in God, expecting good, even if it means more pain.
So I throw away:
fear,
condemnation,
bondage,
doubt.
And hold onto:
hope,
forgiveness,
freedom,
certainty
Thank you Lord for 2008. I know you are not bound by our calendars, but I am thankful for the new starts you provide for us. Help me to keep what you’ve taught me this past year, throw away the pain, and look hopefully toward 2009.
I love you,
Mindy
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
2008 Hirst Christmas Message
“I want a live animal for Christmas,” Isa said at lunch. Jon answered, “We are not getting any live animals for Christmas this year.” After some discussion about turtles, Isa said, “If God thinks it’s best, when I grow up, my husband is going to work with animals.”I smiled because it makes me happy to hear that our family’s vocabulary is beginning to be full of phrases like “If God thinks it’s best” and "I hope." (I was sad because I was not-so-secretly hoping for a Christmas puppy!)
We all want control of our lives. We’re told that to be successful, we must become better and better at being in control of our lives. Our language is full of ways to gain control. “If this…then that” “When this…then that.” We think we can understand the cause and effect of things and feel most comfortable when our lives can be explained by simple rules.
But our Christian walk is nothing like our language insists. We are truly out of control. That does not mean that there is no order or control in our lives. It’s a matter of who is in control—our good God.
We can never understand God’s ways. Sometimes he gives us a glimpse of what he is up to, but most of the time, we have to live in a state of uncertain certainty—uncertain as to what will happen, but totally certain of who is in control.
Our lives have been filled with transitions and liminality (see http://ourwordshop.blogspot.com/2008/01/living-in-liminality.html). We live in the in-between…in a process of growth, never arriving, but always traveling. I have been concerned that our kids may grow up with a sense of insecurity. Instead, they are developing a sense of hope. When the kids ask about their school next year we say, “We’re still thinking and praying about it.” When our little girl answers “I hope I can go to my school next year,” We pray she is learning more than a fleeting hope, but a true, strong hope that will help her face this world.
According to the Strong’s Concordance, “Hope expects good" while “Fear expects evil.” (Strong’s Concordance, 1679, 1680) What a wonderful freedom to know that to drive out fear, we can hope by expecting good. How many times do we take uncertainty and respond by assuming the worst? Instead, we can hope in an amazing God that is in control of everything and can make good out of evil.
This year as you face the uncertainty in your life, may God help you to expect good. Many blessings as you experience 2009.
Jon and Mindy Hirst
News:
Jon and Mindy: Working on our new book which is due out early 2009. Taking care of the munchkin-heads. Making fires and talking.
Jon: Meetings, meetings, meetings. Blogging and Twittering. Trips to State Parks on the weekends.
Mindy: A delightful garden. Walking to the bus stop. Hanging out with Emi. Writing Beyond the Call scripts. Seeing old friends that come through Colorado.
Isa: 2nd grade, reading, writing and telling time. Mealworms and homework. Neighborhood friends. “Yeah-huh” and “No clue”
Adin: Kindergarten, alphabet sounds. Songs and recess. Riding the bus. “You know…” "What's tomorrow gonna be?"
Emi: Walking the neighbor’s dog home from the bus stop. Videos. Walks to the park. Helping Mommy with chores and errands. “I do it myself” “I got work-a-do”
Prayer Requests: Wisdom that we make good decisions for our kids’ education and health. The ability to hope moment by moment in our good God.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Generosity--small but important gifts
Generosity--small but important gifts
Luke 21 The Widow's Offering
1As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.[a] 3"I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."
When I’ve read this story in the past, I’ve had a difficult time identifying with the woman in the story. After all, I am not a widow; I don’t live in the time of Jesus, and like the rich people in the story, I have plenty to take care of my needs. So what am I to learn from this woman’s incredible generosity?
I think what’s held me back from understanding this story personally is that I take the currency of coins too literally. Money is only one way God provides for us. We also have time, energy, health, intellect, enthusiasm and ideas—and these are just a few examples. God provides for us on many levels, but like money, not all of us have the same amount.
That’s ok. Jesus points out that just because the woman’s coins were a small gift, they were everything to her. The generosity of the woman was not based on amount, but on heart.
But though I have much, I am poor—energy-poor that is. I’ve always been a low-energy person, but this last year has been worse than usual. I find myself carefully guarding my energy since I “crashed” this spring. Simple things are difficult: getting to church, making phone calls, just being with people. I budget my energy like a small checking account, carefully monitoring it so I don’t go in the red…because going in the red is painful, and there’s a high price to be paid.
The guarding of my energy is like the hoarding of money that a poor widow might be tempted to do. But here in Scripture, Jesus witnessed a poor widow giving her all. It didn’t look like much…just two little coins. It wouldn’t seem to make much of a difference in the finances of the temple, but she gave to God generously. In the same way, my efforts to live to honor God may look frail and feeble. It may seem like I have little impact at all. But Jesus encouraged her efforts.
One thing I notice is that she didn’t give what she didn’t have…but she gave her all. I don’t need to feel bad that my gift is not as large as other people’s gifts. Maybe I only have one phone call in me today. The question is, will I use that energy for what God wants, or for what I want? Will I give it to the temple or to someone else?
What are you poor in today? How can you be generous with what you have in that area? How can you be sure you are giving to God and not to what you or others want?
Lord, give me a generous heart to give you my all. Give me wisdom to see what I have to give and not give more than belongs to me. Reveal to me how you want me to use my energy today and help me be a good steward of all you graciously provide. I love you.
Luke 21 The Widow's Offering
1As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.[a] 3"I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."
When I’ve read this story in the past, I’ve had a difficult time identifying with the woman in the story. After all, I am not a widow; I don’t live in the time of Jesus, and like the rich people in the story, I have plenty to take care of my needs. So what am I to learn from this woman’s incredible generosity?
I think what’s held me back from understanding this story personally is that I take the currency of coins too literally. Money is only one way God provides for us. We also have time, energy, health, intellect, enthusiasm and ideas—and these are just a few examples. God provides for us on many levels, but like money, not all of us have the same amount.
That’s ok. Jesus points out that just because the woman’s coins were a small gift, they were everything to her. The generosity of the woman was not based on amount, but on heart.
But though I have much, I am poor—energy-poor that is. I’ve always been a low-energy person, but this last year has been worse than usual. I find myself carefully guarding my energy since I “crashed” this spring. Simple things are difficult: getting to church, making phone calls, just being with people. I budget my energy like a small checking account, carefully monitoring it so I don’t go in the red…because going in the red is painful, and there’s a high price to be paid.
The guarding of my energy is like the hoarding of money that a poor widow might be tempted to do. But here in Scripture, Jesus witnessed a poor widow giving her all. It didn’t look like much…just two little coins. It wouldn’t seem to make much of a difference in the finances of the temple, but she gave to God generously. In the same way, my efforts to live to honor God may look frail and feeble. It may seem like I have little impact at all. But Jesus encouraged her efforts.
One thing I notice is that she didn’t give what she didn’t have…but she gave her all. I don’t need to feel bad that my gift is not as large as other people’s gifts. Maybe I only have one phone call in me today. The question is, will I use that energy for what God wants, or for what I want? Will I give it to the temple or to someone else?
What are you poor in today? How can you be generous with what you have in that area? How can you be sure you are giving to God and not to what you or others want?
Lord, give me a generous heart to give you my all. Give me wisdom to see what I have to give and not give more than belongs to me. Reveal to me how you want me to use my energy today and help me be a good steward of all you graciously provide. I love you.
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