Been There, Done That

It's been a slow week for free Kindle books, but here's something to  inspire you as you move into the weekend. Do you ever feel like God expects too much of you? Find out why God is so different from your boss, and how he knows exactly what you're going through.

Been There, Done That

Have you ever wished you could watch your boss try to do your job? Have you wondered if he or she could do everything you are expected to do? When I was a nurse I often wondered if management truly understood what it was like in the trenches. I also remember the satisfaction of receiving my husband’s empathy for my work as a stay-at-home mom after he had watched our boys for a day while I was away. We feel so much better when we know that someone in leadership empathizes with us, don’t we?

Photo from "Undercover Boss" on CBS

A while back, I watched the debut of a new reality television show called "Undercover Boss, where someone from the top of a corporation spent time undercover doing entry-level work for the same corporation. This boss drove a garbage truck, sorted trash, and pumped sewage from portable toilets. He struggled with some of the jobs and even got fired from one position when he couldn’t get the hang of picking up litter on a windy day. Through the experience, he gained a new appreciation for his employees and for what he was asking them to do. He began to see his employees as people and not machines. One of the greatest moments in the show came from watching the faces of the people with whom he’d worked undercover as he revealed his real identity to them.

Although some of the people were mortified when they discovered the “new” employee they’d worked with was really the president and CEO of the corporation, most of them were delighted to discover how his experience had enlightened him. Because he had been there with them, they’d acquired an ally who understood their struggles. Because he’d done the work, he saw how his corporate decisions affected them. And because he’d traded his business suit for their uniform, he became one of them, not just an observer. A follow-up note on the show explained how the resulting changes this president made had improved the morale and performance of company employees.

Do you ever feel as though living a life of faith is impossible—as if God asks you to do more than you are able? Does it feel like he’s out of touch with our reality? Fortunately, it isn’t so. Our God isn’t a boss who sits in a corporate office barking orders at his people. Nor is he a supervisor unsympathetic to our struggles. Instead, he went undercover and experienced life himself, right down to entry level as a newborn baby.

God the Father understood our desire to be understood, and Hebrews 2:14-18 tells us that he shared in our humanity by sending Jesus, his son, in human form. He was made like us in every way (vs. 17) and he himself suffered when he was tempted (vs. 18) so that he could help us. God didn’t throw an instruction manual at us leaving us to figure out how to live a life of faith and pursue holiness. He didn’t issue a corporate style order telling us to shape up. Instead, he gave us Jesus, who lived by example and asked us to follow him. Jesus experienced normal childhood, likely including bullies, unfair treatment, and skinned knees. 

Because Jesus stepped out of the glory of heaven and became one of us, we have hope.
Scripture tells us to hold firmly to what we believe because Jesus understands our weaknesses and faced the same testing that we did (Hebrews 4:14-15). And here is our message of hope: “Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Heb. 4:16, NLT).

The corporate president I mentioned above gave up a few days of CEO glory to help his employees see that he cared. Think about how much more Jesus gave up for our benefit, motivated not by profit, but by a deep love for his people. So then, we can be encouraged knowing that God is intimately involved in our lives, urging us on towards godliness, leading by Jesus’ humble example. He’s been there, done that. By God’s grace, we can do it too.

Reprinted from Michelle's February 2010 column in Wisconsin Christian News.

Life in An Estrogen Free Zone

I'm in the second week of the Beth Moore group Bible study on the book of Esther and it's all about being a woman. Last night, during our group discussion the topic turned towards raising girls in our society and it got me thinking. That's because I live in a virtually estrogen free zone, except for that which I supply. Life with three boys/men can get a little lopsided. But as I thought more, I realized that although I'm not raising a daughter, I am raising someone's husband and someone's father.

My boys will grow up to leave home (hopefully!!), and create families of their own. This means that the interaction in our home has everything to do with how they will treat their future wives and future daughters. It means I have a lot to do with their attitudes about women. Ironically, I had mentioned at Bible study how respectful my boys were towards women and that made me feel like a queen in my home. Sure, they make their share of messes, and they roll their eyes at my chick flicks, but they are respectful and kind. However, when I got home from Bible study, I questioned my boasting for a moment. 

I came up the basement steps from the garage and when I reached the top, I noticed a shadow under the stairway door. My husband and sons were home, so, I wasn't terrified or anything. But when I turned the doorknob, the door opened only a few inches before bumping into resistance from the other side. I heard a snicker and then a blond head popped into the six inch gap. "Did you want to get through here?" He laughed. But he didn't move.

More teasing from him. More pleading from me. But after a reprimand from his father, he finally let me through the door. Then he gave me a hug, "Just teasing you Mom."

Photo linked from http://www.betterparenting.com/raising-boys-vs-girls/

"After I just got through telling my friends what kind and respectful boys you are." I laughed.

Teasing comes with the territory in a no estrogen zone. They learned that from their father. But they've also learned not to push it too far. And I've learned that humor is a vital part of human interaction, especially for my boys.

For today's practical, everyday idea, I'd like to discuss ways that we can raise boys who treat women with love and respect. I'll share a few ideas here, and then I'd love to hear how you're raising a son, how you've raised one who is happily married, or how you've impacted young men through your work and volunteerism.

• I wait for my sons to open doors for me, including the car door when we all go somewhere. 
• I've asked their dad to come to my defense any time they use a disrespectful tone with me.
• I don't let them order me around. Instead of, "Mom, I need two dozen cookies for school tomorrow," I expect them to ask, "Mom, would you be able to make two dozen cookies for me to bring to school?" That goes way back to when they would ask for more juice. "More! More!"(banging of cup) wasn't acceptable, but "May I have some more, please?" was acceptable.
• We spend time together. They take turns going on "dates" with me once in a while, even as teens.
• I've tried to teach them to be helpful. When I see a woman at church carrying a big box, I'll send one of them over to assist. Now, they begin to notice themselves and run to help.

Now it's your turn. How do you raise polite boys in the hopes that their wives will come and hug you someday?  

Remember your comments get you added to the January book drawing. You have 6 days yet to enter!

Muted Monday - Photo of the Week

I love taking flash pictures at night when it's snowing. Next time, I need to Photoshop the propane tank out.

1st Chapter of "Radical" for Free

Last week, I reviewed Radical by David Platt. You'll find the first chapter available as a free download from Multnomah, if you're interested in checking it out. Free Chapter One Download

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream

Are you ready to do something Radical? David Platt wants American churchgoers to wake up and see how their prosperity is ruining the spread of the gospel. I just finished reading Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, where Platt challenges readers to consider how our culture has made us comfortable Christians rather than evangelists ready to take a risk for the gospel. We’re comfortable in our fancy churches, our padded bank accounts, and our safe little social groups with others like us. But, he reminds us that early Christians left everything to follow Christ including security, money, convenience, and family.

Platt advocates being radical, but he’s not unreasonable. He isn’t asking people to sell everything they have, leave their homes forever, or neglect their children. But he does challenge Christians to be willing to live with less and to give up some comfort for the sake of radical obedience to the call to spread the gospel. And he addresses nearly every excuse we might give.

I enjoyed the conversational style of the book and I also liked that the author was willing to be radical too. He didn’t just preach about it. He lived it. Most of what he spells out is right on with scripture. The only place where I wasn’t so sure was when he explained how all peoples have a knowledge of God. I could agree that they have a perception that there must be a supernatural power outside of themselves, as evidenced by how even pagan nations seem to set up some kind of worship system, however off-base it might be. But I couldn’t quite see that this indicated a knowledge of the one God Almighty. Other than that, I found this book to be a great scripture-based faith challenge.

The other thing I liked was that Platt ends the book with a radical challenge for readers. He asks them to commit to 5 things for a year. 1. Praying for the world. 2. Reading the whole Bible through. 3. Sacrificing money for a specific purpose. 4. Spending time in another context (giving in service in a way that spreads the gospel). 5. Committing to a local church that encourages discipleship (multiplying community).

I’ve been mulling over ways that I can implement this radical challenge in my own life. This isn’t the kind of book that you read and toss aside. The challenge keeps coming to mind as I examine my own comfortable surroundings. That’s what makes this a great book, I can’t forget the message!

Note: I received a free book from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for my honest review.

About Author David Platt

Dr. David Platt is the pastor of the Church at Brook Hills, a four-thousand-member congregation in Birmingham, Alabama, comprised of world-impacting disciples who really believe that as a church they can shake the nations for God’s glory.

David’s first love in ministry is disciple making—teaching God’s Word, mentoring others, and multiplying the gospel. “I believe that God has uniquely created every one of his people to impact the world,” he says. “Some may count this view as idealistic, but I believe it is thoroughly biblical—rooted in Psalm 67:1–2, yet found in Scripture from beginning to end. God is in the business of blessing his people so that his ways and his salvation might be made known among all people.” To this end, David has traveled throughout the United States and around the world, teaching the Bible and training church leaders.

David has earned two undergraduate degrees from the University of Georgia and three advanced degrees, including a doctor of philosophy from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to coming to Brook Hills, he served the seminary as dean of chapel and assistant professor of expository preaching and apologetics and was on staff at Edgewater Baptist Church in New Orleans.

David and his wife, Heather, are Atlanta natives who made their home in New Orleans until they were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. They live with their family in Birmingham.

Additional Info

You'll find links to much more information about the book on the author's book website. There are Bible study resources and much more that go along with Radical. Check out http://www.radicalthebook.com/links.html

Tell me what you think. Is it time for American Christians to get radical? Do our comforts prevent us from being bold in sharing our faith? Remember: Your comments get your name in the January drawing.

Creatively Organized

I've been working on getting organized for the past few weeks. I just read Getting Things Done: The Are of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen at the recommendation of a friend. I checked it out at the library and then renewed it so I could continue to work through some of the ideas. 

Yesterday, I parked myself at Panera Bread for a little while to brainstorm while I had lunch so that I could get the book back to the library. Allen has a lot of good ideas in the book, but the main idea is that if you get your to-do list out of your head and onto paper, you'll stop obsessing about what you need to do all of the time. This will free up your mind for more creative pursuits. I think he's onto something. When my mind spins with all that I need to accomplish, sometimes, I get nothing done because I don't know where to begin. And my writing inspiration is all but gone when all I can think of are things I should do.

David Allen helps the reader figure out how to divide tasks into compartments such as phone calls to make, things to do at the computer, projects to do, etc. He describes several ways to set up a notebook or a file system where everything that needs to get done can get out of your head and onto a reminder list that works.

Then he also talks about how important it is to have actions steps on a to-do list, not just the end result. For example, if my to-do item is to organize my office, I would need to think of specific action steps to put on my list. Sort file cabinets. Get more manila folders. Process junk mail pile. You get the idea.

Now, for a system to work for me, it has to be functional and appealing. It's just part of my creative side. I like pretty folders and baskets, but they can be expensive. So I've discovered some ways to organize on the cheap. Here's one little thing I did. 

I needed to organize my notebook where I track piano students. I didn't want to spend money on plastic tabs, so I went to my scrapbook supplies for inspiration. I was able to use scraps of paper to come up with this.

 The little tabs are made with a punch and I had plenty of little scraps to make a bunch of cute tabs.

 I was also using the labeler that day, so it ended up in the picture.

 You just punch the tabs, fold in half, and then attach with glue or 2-sided tape. Next I'm working on my to-do notebook using tabs to separate categories. Cute and functional. Win!


Need more organizing help? Check out 8 Ways to Simplify.


All comments left on the blog this month (not via e-mail or facebook) will qualify you for the January drawing for Your Money God's Way. Multiple entries for comments on more than one post.
 

Has Your Family Caught One of These Viruses?

I shivered as we approached the automatic doors thinking, this is last place I want to be on a subzero night. I strode over to the check-in desk with my teenager in tow.

“May I see your insurance card?” the receptionist asked.

While she entered information into the computer, I gazed over the brimming waiting area. Coughing, sneezing, glassy-eyed and crimson-cheeked patients and their companions filled nearly every chair. The walk-in clinic in flu season promised a lengthy wait.

“Thank you. Please have a seat.”

In a medical clinic, it isn’t difficult to guess which are the sick people. We judge from their symptoms, and we avoid them. Who likes getting sick? Even at home, when someone is ill, we wash our hands more, use separate hand towels and we try not to share germs. But a bigger epidemic than influenza is sweeping our culture. This wave is more subtle than a respiratory virus, but if we look close enough, we might see that the disease has spread even to our own homes.

Listen closely to those around you. Listen to your own words. How often do you hear, “I’m too busy,” or “I can’t rest right now?” In the grocery store, we see the mother with little ones trailing behind. “Hurry up,” she says, “We’re going to be late.” This is the disease of feeling chronically short of time which leads to an ongoing sense of frustration. People with hurry sickness never have time to relax.

Hurry sickness isn’t the only culprit in the epidemic. Its near cousin is overload syndrome, a title that describes the stress that comes from having too much—too much stress, too many possessions, a crowded schedule, and an overloaded mind. The overloaded person seems to live from one crisis to another, and when a new stressor comes along, he or she goes into a meltdown. Eventually it wears down the physical body as well.

A close examination of the hurried or the overloaded person might give some clues to yet another culprit in the epidemic. Those who are always trying to keep up with the Jones, with ever-increasing debt, likely suffer from what has been coined affluenza. As our culture becomes more affluent, there is increased pressure to have more material things. Victims of affluenza frequently suffer from both hurry sickness and overload syndrome as they struggle to get ahead.

If a quick check-up reveals that you are afflicted with any of these or even all three, there is hope. Just as with viral infections, treatment and prevention are essential. Like an antibiotic for an infection, the first prescription in getting better is to deal with the worst of the problem right now. If too much stuff is bogging you down, it’s time to purge your possessions. Give to charity, auction on E-bay, have a yard sale, or take a trip to the landfill, but do whatever you need to do to free yourself of the things that are suffocating you. If hurry is your problem, ask yourself what you are doing right now that you don’t really need to do. Purge your schedule by focusing on what really matters.

Affluenza is a sneaky virus. Sometimes we don’t even realize we have it. I’m a great bargain hunter, and I love shopping at thrift stores, but that doesn’t mean that the pursuit of more stuff doesn’t affect me even in my bargain hunting. It may be difficult to deny our children a Nintendo Wii when everyone else has one; and it’s easy to fall into traps of thinking we need things that we don’t.

Once we identify solutions, it’s time to think about prevention. Just as we wash our hands to prevent the spread of colds and we immunize against the flu, it’s important that we protect our schedules and our minds from relapses. The best prevention is learning to say no. It sounds simple enough, yet it’s difficult to put into action. I struggle too, but it gets easier the more I practice. We can learn how to say no to purchases, no to new commitments, and no to more stuff—even if it is free.

We can wipe out this epidemic, at least in our own homes, by renewing our focus on godliness (Ephesians 4:19), and letting go of worldly desires. We bring emotional health and tranquility to our families by guarding our time, spending wisely, and making God-honoring choices. I think our family could use an overload syndrome booster shot.

This article, written by Michelle, appeared her "Habits for Quality Living" column in the March 2008 issue of Wisconsin Christian News.