Three Steps to Survive Life's Surprises

 

            The difference between what you expect and what you get can be surprising. We once took a three-day April vacation in the Pocono Mountains expecting to see a show, take leisurely boat rides and relax by a lakeside. Instead, we faced chill winds and attractions still closed from winter. We spent a few minutes by a lakeside—when swarming May flies allowed.

            But the biggest problem came from workmen doing renovations. Buzz saws and heavy equipment clogged the pathway to our car. Truck drivers had to back up so we could drive out for breakfast.

            When we checked out, I asked if someone could transport our luggage to our car on a golf cart, since we had to park a distance from our room. I also mentioned that our stay had been challenging.

            Then came the surprise: They tore up our bill.

            I certainly had no such intent when I complained. I certainly had a right to mention the inconveniences we suffered. But—surprise! They tore up our bill!

            Life in general is full of surprises. Some good. We inherit money from a long-lost relative (I wish). We win a trip to the Bahamas on “Wheel of Fortune” (I wish).

            But some bad. Who expects accidents? Or deaths? Who expects COVID-19 to keep us penned in our homes for months? We DON’T wish for such things.

            We have no problem handling the good, but how do we survive the bad surprises--the lightning strikes, the disappointments, the rejections?

Keep Trusting:

            Joshua and Caleb brought back a good report when sent to spy out the Promised Land. Ten other spies brought back bad reports, scared off by giants that lived in the land. Because they didn’t trust God they were doomed to wander in the wilderness for 40 years and die there. Joshua and Caleb wandered with them—for 40 years. But you never read that the two grumbled. They simply kept trusting God, and eventually they entered the Promised Land (Numbers 14).

I’ve clung to scripture when I’ve faced a wilderness: “’I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord. ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). I pasted that scripture to the front of my computer, and eventually God brought me through. He will bring you through too.

            And there are always nice surprises along the way. For instance, COVID has sent us into a wilderness and forced us to relate to our families in different ways. But we have appreciated each other more and learned to care for one another in different ways. Surprise!

Keep Talking (to God):

            Jesus told the parable of a widow who kept pleading with a judge to grant her justice, and the judge finally gave in simply because she kept pestering him (Luke 18:1-8). Have you ever given up on something you’ve prayed for? I have. But God wants us to keep dialoguing with Him about our needs. Let’s revive some old prayer requests and watch for a surprise.

Keep Trying:

            God directed the prophet Elijah to go to a widow at Zarephath for food. He found her gathering sticks to make a last meal for herself and her son. Yet Elijah asked her to first make him a small loaf of bread. So she did. She then found she had enough flour and oil to feed herself and her son until a drought ended (1 Kings 17). The widow did what she could, and God did the rest. Much in life requires trying. And trying. And trying. Whether it’s at a job (like writing) or relationships (like raising kids) or just getting through an illness, it requires effort on our part. And God blesses our efforts. He will see us through. And watch for the surprises!

Wrap Up:

            Life challenges us. But we need never give up. God makes a way for us to get to the finish line, even if we have to crawl. He is faithful. And always full of surprises.

           

Book Review - Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts

 

According to author Jennie Allen, who references an article in Psychology Today, 70 percent of our thoughts are negative. But we have a choice to make when it comes to what we think about.

The origin of toxic, negative thoughts stems from lies we believe about ourselves, and the three lies that most impact us are that we are helpless, worthless or unlovable. Actually, such thoughts are anchored in what we believe about God.

How we think molds our lives, so pray to see things as they really are. According to the author, we need the support of others and we need to be unafraid of life’s circumstances. The enemy may taunt us with “what if’s,” but we can defeat that thought by reminding ourselves God loves us and is for us. The key is to think more on God and less on ourselves.

The author advises that rather than distract yourself with busyness when thinking negatively, be still and concentrate on what you know about God. When you have cynical thoughts, delight in God and His world.

According to Allen, every thought changes our minds. As we choose positive thinking over negative, we gain victory and strength so that negative thinking has less of a hold on us.

This book offers helpful suggestions on how to see the glass as half full rather than half empty. Jennie Allen is founder of IF:Gathering, an organization that fosters discipleship. Her book was published by Waterbrook in 2020.

 

Book Review: The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible

The author tells the story of a blue parakeet landing amidst a flock of sparrows. The sparrows scatter, frightened by the new bird on the street. But eventually they get used to him and ignore him. Throughout the book, McKnight likens this to our relationship with God’s Word. Many passages puzzle us. but we then get used to them and ignore them. Instead, we should dive in and look for the bigger picture. We must understand how biblical concepts apply—or don’t apply—to life today.

McKnight suggests viewing the Bible as three chapters of a story—theocracy, where God heads the nation, monarchy, where kings lead, and Christocracy, Christ’s kingdom, which is not of this world. He writes: “The unity of the Bible is the King and His Kingdom Story that brings redemption. It is this Story that puts the Bible together.”

As an example of that unity, McKnight offers Acts 15, where the council at Jerusalem discussed whether or not to demand Gentiles undergo circumcision. Their meeting offers a pattern of discernment: Listen to the old, understand the present and discern how to live that old way in a new day.

The last chapters of the book take an in depth look at women of the Bible and how principles of leadership should be recognized today. McKnight also addresses race and slavery, Genesis and science issues. Appendices offer a closer look at other issues along with a discernment quiz so you can check how biased you may be.

I appreciated how this book helps you recognize that you may interpret the Bible with some inconsistencies. McKnight makes you think more deeply about what you read. Any Bible student would benefit by reading this book published by Zondervan.

How to Climb Out of the Doldrums

 

I sank into the doldrums. Winter weather, COVID isolation and health issues made me want to pull a blanket over my head. I sat at my computer but could think of nothing to write. I struggled through the morning.

            After lunch, I wanted to “do something” with my hands. My bathroom cabinet and drawers had bothered me for weeks. Today was the day. I’d feel better if I accomplished great things. So cleaning cloths in hand, I emptied shelves and drawers.

            I replaced soiled liners, moved products I never use and rearranged products I do use. In my makeup drawer I found 29 alcohol prep pads. They had migrated to all corners, over and under drawer dividers—and multiplied.

            Lower drawers? Total disarray—over a bed of hair. A full bag of cotton balls could just as easily live in the linen closet. I found products I forgot I had and an instruction manual I searched for just last week.

            But I also found a brand new Sugared Snickerdoodle Fragrance refill, badly needed since my old one with a dried-up wick was still plugged in.

            All it took to accomplish great things was simply to get started plus 45 minutes.

Isn’t that how it sometimes is in our relationship with God? We let it slip. And then it turns into a mess.

We go to church—well, we used to. Now it’s so much easier to put up our feet and watch online. And no one knows if we skip even that.

We used to read our Bibles. Well, maybe that’s a habit that never developed. There’s dust on the only book that can tell us how live on earth to prepare for heaven.

And praying? What good does it do anyway? Maybe we prayed for a friend’s recovery and that friend passed on. Maybe we prayed for a different job, and it never materialized. So we give up. God? He’s far away and out of touch.

When such thoughts intrude, we need a new approach. So I suggest:

            TALK to a Christian friend. We all know someone who loves to talk about God. In fact, some are just waiting for you to ask how they’ve grown in their Christian walk.

You might even look for a mentor, as Kim and Janine invited me to be theirs more than 20 years ago. They are now like daughters to me, and I learn as much from them as they do from me. We inspire each other. Your friend may suggest:

READ your Bible. For starters, set aside 10 minutes a day. Either get up earlier or turn off the TV before bedtime. (I just discovered TheBibleProject.com with five-minute animated videos that clearly illustrate Bible concepts. Great for novice and seasoned Bible readers.)

            TALK to God. If you’re not sure how, just think how you’d chat over a cup of tea with anyone who loves you with all their heart. That’s God. And remember: Prayer is not about getting what you want. Prayer is about developing a relationship. I wouldn’t know my husband if I didn’t talk to him. Let’s talk to God.

            READ inspirational magazines and books. I read a page in Mornings with Jesus 2021 to preheat my mind for Bible reading. There’s Guideposts, Today’s Christian Living and a jillion online magazines (just Google) looking for subscribers.

            TALKING lets you ask questions and READING helps answer them. It’s a win-win.

            The best part of cleaning out my bathroom cabinet was that it gave me something to write about, and I’m back on a motivated track.

            So clean up your spiritual life and spruce up your relationship with God. You will surely feel invigorated. Give it a try. And let me know how it goes.

Book Review: The Boys in the Boat

 

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown

This heartwarming story focuses on Joe Rantz, one of the boys who grew up, went to college and made the team—against all odds. He was deserted by his father and stepmother as a boy and bounced from household to household on his road to maturity. Yet he persevered, enrolled in college and became one of the young men in the boat who rowed their way to the 1936 Olympics.

Brown has done a masterful job of researching all aspects of this story down to the posturing of Hitler and his cohorts as they hosted the Olympics while keeping the world in the dark about their insidious plans. The book includes 15 pages of extensive notes plus a detailed index. Brown spent countless hours with Joe Rantz’s daughter Judy, who shared scrapbooks, photographs (many included in the book) and letters and retold the stories she heard from her father.

In the depth of the 1930’s depression, the boys in the boat defined what teamwork means and what it can accomplish. Their coach, Al Ulbrickson, and the builder of their boat, George Pocock, played instrumental roles in the team’s success. The book leaves you inspired and encouraged to persevere in the face of adversity. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the story of the boys in the boat.