Tag: transformation

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Tomorrow Starts Today

It was such a nice day yesterday afternoon that I decided to walk back to the garage to pick up the car, instead of taking the shuttle. It’s about a 20 block walk through parts of town that are in various stages of renovation. But it was a delightful day with mild temperatures and the glory of the sun beaming down.   I had noticed this sticker in an office window a few weeks ago,  so I this time I stopped and took a picture of it.

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That sticker is from Chattanooga Stand, which is a non-profit whose work was to encourage people to think about the city and to create new ideas and changes that move the city into a positive future direction.

But hey , I like the message.  Because it’s so fitting.  If you want change, you can’t just wake up tomorrow and be like – “hey, I am different now!”  No, you future depends on what you do today.  It’s the same idea that I expressed earlier in the week with the braces post.

So what do you want to be like to tomorrow?  Start that today.

 

2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  Colossians 3:2 New International Version (NIV)

 

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Metamorphic

Last week, I was blessed to be able to spend the week in the woods with around 80 6th graders.  Many of you would say “What in the world?”  But it was really a great time.  So now you know why lasts weeks posts were so odd.

I wrote down one note during the week.It was on a hike where the instructor was telling the children about different types of rock.  She mentioned one particular type of rock – “Metamorphic”.  I took off my pack, open the zipper, grabbed my Moleskin and scribbled down these words:

Metamorphic -> changed by the environment.  A type of rock, or a type of Christian?

It’s the idea of being changed, and helping others to change that struck me. It was as  if her words were a rock thrown toward my head.

I have come back to those thoughts several times, and since that time the book of Colossians seems to find its way in front of my eyes.  In Colossians we can find this somewhat famous line:

You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.  3:7 NIV

Changed!

Changed, not by the environment as much as by the mercy of God and the love of Christ.  But changed none the less.

Colossians 3 continues with this:

…since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 9-10

and then it ends when the results of the change

 

 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Colossians 3:12-14 New International Version (NIV)

 

If you were a rock, would you be classified as metamorphic?

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Who Do You Fear

Why is it that we use the excuse of fear so many times when we are trying to do something?  We say “I am afraid of their response” or “I am afraid of how they will react”  or “I am afraid of failure”.   Yesterday I mentioned some words from the Christ in Luke 12.  Today, I wanted to back up just a little in that same section of this book from the great doctor and see what else the Christ is saying.

4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Luke 12:4-7 New International Version (NIV)

and here is the same thing from The Message

4-5″I’m speaking to you as dear friends. Don’t be bluffed into silence or insincerity by the threats of religious bullies. True, they can kill you, but then what can they do? There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands.

6-7″What’s the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries. Luke 12:4-7 The Message (MSG)

So why did I want to repeat the same thing two days in a row. Well I think it’s this thought that has been with me for several weeks, or maybe months. I was in a discussion with some people and one of the ladies said “It really comes down this. Do you fear God more than your fears?”. Hm. I think that is a tough thought. We are paralyzed by fear, yet the Son of God tells us that we should not be afraid of those on this world, but only be afraid of the creator of the world.
I find that when I live with this bold thought it becomes so freeing. It removes so many of the worries of life. Are you flying on a airplane? – no fear! teaching a kid to drive?, no fear! Talking to a new person – no fear!  Stepping out on faith – No Fear!  It allows me to life the radical risk filled life that continues to make me grow ( and avoid ruts).
But when I am fearful, oh, then I am full of the most creative kinds of anxiety that a person could ever imagine. And I a paralyzed into inactivity and non action, and I find comfort in the ruts of life.

I bet it is the same for you!

So, consider those words in Luke and the words of my friend as well – Do you fear God more than your fears?

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Quotable Art

Early this morning I found this set of quite inspiring posters that I just had to share with all you you.  Take a look at this group of thought provoking quotes and the accompany art that I think will help to move you out of your comfort zone and into a place of riskiness.  Since this whole concept of transforming and leaving our comfort zone is what I write about a lot, it just seem good to share these.

 

And then remember what your Creator has said to you:

7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.  Luke 12:7 NIV

Oh and let me know your favorite. Mine happens to be  “You’ll have an entire eternity to think inside the box!”

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Wind Watching

Lately, I have been thinking a whole lot about taking risks and getting out on my comfort zone and all of that.  One thing that I seem to struggle with around this risk is making it a priority and just doing it.  You see it’s been my observation in life that for the most part you do what you want to do.  Obviously there are times where other events dictate your decisions, but for hte most part, we do the things that we want to do.  You attend the events you want to attend and don’t attend the ones you don’t want to. 

Except when it comes to stepping out and changing.  Then we sit and find excuses as to why we can’t do the thing we want – and we are pretty good at that.  So today, just a little challenge, and encouragement to continue to break down those excuses.  For instance look at this wisdom from Ecclesiates.

 4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
   whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. (Ecclesiastes 11:4, New International Version)

Stop watching the wind and the clouds, and break out of your ruts.  Challenge yourself today to make one small change you have been wanting to make.  I’m starting by getting all this junk off my desk at work – one small change.. How about you?