random thoughts

Well, for the last couple of weeks I have had a few thoughts in my head that have never made it to a blog post. Partly because I was not sure they were coherent yet. And partly because my computer died, and I'm boring my sister's netbook. The keyboard is significantly smaller than I'm used to so typing is a bit of a challenge, but at least I have a computer to use until I get a new one.

Since the retreat I went on last weekend, I have been thinking about the masks we often wear when we're around church people. We've probably all done it at one time or another - we go to church event and we paste a smile on our faces and tell everyone we're fine no matter what is really going on in our lives. But, something I've seen happen at the last few retreats I've gone to is that the masks come down. In that environment it seems like, at least to some degree, we stop caring about what others think of us. I wonder if we need to learn to take that feeling of being free to be ourselves from retreats into the rest of our lives. Hiding behind our masks is not a healthy way to live. I know I enjoy life more when I take down the masks, but it does not always come easy.

Do you ever wonder what you would do if you didn't have to worry about money? Have you ever thought about what you would do? A couple of people have asked me this question in the last couple of weeks. It's more difficult to answer than I thought. The world tells us we should be practical and plan for the future. We don't dream big. Or, if we do, we don't admit it to anyone. But being asked this question has made me think, made me dream. What about you? What would you do if you didn't have to think about the cost?

retreat

I spent the last weekend at a women's retreat. As I was reflecting a bit on the weekend tonight, it seemed like a poem fit the way I would describe it.

Friday night at the retreat

Laughter and conversation rings

There's an excitement in the air

Just the beginning of some time away

With girlfriends and with God

Late night, laughter, games

Dance party in the games room

Everyone gets involved

No expectations or judgement

Let's just have some fun

Time in worship and in prayer

God is the reason that we gather here

"God we want to hear from You -

Pleas meet us here?"

We come with expectation

The lives we have at home

The things that fill our hours

Are left behind for hours

So we can hear from God

And grow together in His Word

Sunday lunch comes too soon

It's time to head back home

Conversations, prayers, and tears

Have made up our weekend

They go home with us

God did show up amongst us

He drew us close to Him

He drew us close to others

Our lives changed if we allowed it

Because God has been at work

proverbs 3:5-6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6

I have heard these verses quoted many times and in many situations. I can say them without really thinking about what they actually say. I have done so, but when I read them today, I found myself stopping to meditate on them - asking myself whether the words of these verses were true in my life and what it would look like if they were.

Do I trust in the Lord with all my heart?

What does it look like to trust the Lord with all my heart?

Or am I leaning on my own understanding?

What does it mean to lean on my own understanding?

Am I acknowledging God in all my ways?

What does it look like to acknowledge God in all my ways?

Proverbs 3:5-6 is a passage of Scripture that is pretty straightforward in what it says, but I wonder if that can mean we don't take the time to reflect on them as carefully as we would a passage that is more difficult to understand. But I would say that living life in this way is probably more difficult than it seems like it should be.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6