How is this not the best news ever heard? How is it that most of us would rather talk about bunnies and pastel eggs and new bonnets? Can’t we just talk about something sweet? Maybe tulips or lilies? Anything to distract us from having to really focus on the shock of what Jesus has done.

Why? Why do we push it away? Why do we let other things overshadow this profound truth? Don’t we want the broken places fixed?

I think I finally understand it. I think we DO want them fixed. At least many of us do. We know something is wrong. We see the shattered mess of the world. And we really want it fixed.

We just want to do it ourselves.

And there’s the rub. Easter Sunday is only truly a celebration if we are convinced we’d be hopeless and desperate without it.

John Stott captured it well in this short piece entitled Naked Pride:

“As we stand before the cross, we begin to gain a clear view both of God and of ourselves, especially in relation to each other. Instead of inflicting upon us the judgment we deserved, God in Christ endured it in our place… This is the ‘scandal,’ the stumbling-block, of the cross. For our proud hearts rebel against it. We cannot bear to acknowledge either the seriousness of our sin and the guilt or our utter indebtedness to the cross. Surely, we say, there must be something we can do, or at least contribute, in order to make amends?”

Yes, isn’t there something? Maybe I can be a little nicer to my annoying neighbor. Or go to church a bit more. Oh, and, I’ll totally stop cussing when the kids are around. Yes, I can pull this thing together if I just work a little harder. Put my nose to the grindstone and all of that. Come to think of it, what’s the big deal about Easter anyway? Oh yes,  another religious holiday. Sure, I’ll go pay my dues. If God is lucky, I’ll even throw a little something in the plate as it goes by. Better yet, I’ll contribute to one of those clean water well projects in Africa. Yes, that’s what I’ll do. If we all just did something like that, this world would be a better place.

Ah… but Stott cuts across such platitudes, “The proud human heart is there revealed. We insist on paying for what we have done. We cannot stand the humiliation of acknowledging our bankruptcy and allowing somebody else to pay for us. The notion that this somebody should be God Himself is just too much to take. We would rather perish than repent, rather lose ourselves than humble ourselves…

“But we cannot escape the embarrassment of standing stark naked before God. It is no use our trying to cover up like Adam and Eve in the garden. Our attempts at self-justification are as ineffectual as their fig-leaves. We have to acknowledge our nakedness, see the Divine Substitute wearing our filthy rags instead of us, allow Him to clothe us with His own righteousness.”

And it is right there. In that naked place of realization. There that Easter Sunday becomes the grandest celebration. The best news we’ve ever heard.

May your preparation this week be blessed. Both as you ponder your own nakedness and as you embrace the beautiful garment offered to clothe you.

Grace and peace,

Come on over and see what’s on my mind…

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough

or a book long enough to suit me.” 

― C.S. Lewis

Thank you, Clive, for just telling it like it is. Someone needed to say it.

And, since you did, it’s quotable.

Because my “command central” looks like this.

And my calendar still says this.

The 7^th was like five days ago.

Because my parents were in town for a whole week. And Caleb needed all his gear because he starts Lacrosse practices in earnest this week. And the first phase of Madison’s electric project was due today. And Grammy turned 90 this weekend. And I’m prepping to speak at a women’s retreat this weekend for a church in Michigan. And our own church is growing like crazy – 40% or something nutso like that. And blog posts have deadlines – especially the work ones. And the kids don’t turn their socks right-side out when they put them down the chute so I sometimes have to wash them twice. And my inbox had 147 messages in it. (How is that even possible?) And the raisin canister for Rick’s oatmeal is empty, as are some of the shelves in the frig. And I think the kids had cheese for dinner last night. Just cheese. (Did Rick and I eat anything last night?) And I was last-minute on the form for Caleb’s mission project. And the office clean-up project I started on last weekend is still half-finished, mocking me every time I go to the basement. And that dumb dog won’t obey me like she obeys Rick. And, by the way, didn’t I just vacuum those floors? And, and, and.

All these things screaming for my attention. These are my realities. I can’t just ignore them. I don’t want to ignore them. Because I like having parents and a Grammy and kids who are active and smart. I like blogging and caring for our home. I like that our church is growing and I can’t wait to speak at Saralynn’s church from one of my favorite books, Colossians. I even like that dumb dog. (But don’t tell her… or Rick.) I do not like my email inbox though. Just for the record.

I guess in some ways, I like the list. Except when it screams. But, now I’m here, on the cusp of my day, standing in the quiet after everyone has gone for the day. And I see it there. The candle I lit to soften the morning as the kids got going. Burning so sweet and soft and steady there. Suddenly it seems foolish to let the list scream at me like that. To let it interrupt the quiet. And now I know that I’m not talking about the quiet in the house… but the quiet that should be in my soul.

Because I have a set the Lord before me. “I have set the LORD always before me… therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices…” Remember that, Shan? The LORD. Not the list. I won’t set the list before me. Just the LORD. The One who gives meaning to lists.

Because let’s face it, no matter how well I do at tackling the list, it won’t make my whole being rejoice. Oh, I might feel good about it for a second – if I can even begin to catch up and do it well. But, it won’t fill me up. Or make my heart glad. Not really. And it’s just a gross lie to think that it will.

We’re in a pretty busy season as a family right now. And that means I need to live well. With my list. But, really, what’s the point if my Savior isn’t my motivation? In one thousand years when I’m before Him, the list will be a distant memory. In the meantime, I live with list. I go after the list. Because these are my realities and people are counting on me for things like cheese. And raisins. {wink} But I won’t let it steal my gaze. No. Not this day. “I have set the LORD always before me… therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices.” Amen.

Will you join me in the quiet, restful place of joy?

I hope so,

Dang. I knew it!

Anyway… I DID write about Yarn Bombing and the power of art to redeem. Here’s the link; in case you’re devastated that you forgot.

But, if you were as intrigued by the whole Yarn Bombing concept as I was, you’ll want to check out this post over at BuzzFeed. It’s a bunch of photos of really cool Yarn Bombing incidents. From the Blinged Out Bus to underwear for immodest statues, it’s just a lot of fun. Perfect to make you smile on a Monday.

May it inspire you take beauty with you into your day, no matter what your Monday brings!

“I have set the LORD always before me… therefore my heart is and glad, and my whole being rejoices…” – a song penned by King David of Israel

For the last 10 weeks, I have been gathering with 70 other women from our precious church family every Monday evening to ponder this very idea. What does it mean for me to set the LORD always before me? For starters, who IS He, anyway? What’s He like? Can I know Him? And, furthermore, can that – just setting Him before me – really make my whole being rejoice? Really?

I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure I experience that on a day-in, day-out basis. Oh, I have moments of joy. When I’m laughing with my family. Or when I’m having a great conversation with a like-minded friend. Or when I’m on vacation, walking along the dunes in quiet. Or when I’m singing hymns of praise and I sense the weight of my words back to God. Or when I’m reading an epic story like Lord of the Rings.

But she doesn’t have to. We are there. Holding up some of the burden with her. Her community is surrounding her – her husband, her pastor, her friends, her extended family. We are there. And, that’s it really. We are just being there – some of us physically and many of us in spirit. It’s a powerful thing to know you’re not alone when you’re hurting.

A lot of people have been asking me what they need. How we can help. We want to DO something. Something tangible. To take some of that ache away. To carry just a little bit of the burden for her.

It’s a beautiful scene really, watching people want to surround her like that.

As I’ve been reflecting on it, a few things have come to mind. I’m no grief counselor, mind-you. Just a friend watching another friend struggle through a month full of sorrows.

1. Pray. Like for real. For them and with them. Sometimes we feel like praying is the “only thing we can do right now.” Like it’s the second-best option since there is nothing else we can do. Can I just take a sec to remind you that approaching the throne of grace to talk to the wise, loving, all-powerful  King of the universe on someone else’s behalf is NOT second-best? Go to Him and ask Him to scoop her up into His strong arms and comfort her in her time of need. Do it often and tell her that you’ve done it. And, when you can, do it with her. She might sob through the whole thing but there is something very moving about being prayed for with people you love and trust.
2. See if there are any tangible needs that they do have right now. But be specific and be patient. Sometimes they don’t know WHAT they need. They’re too overwhelmed to make sense of lots of “what do you need” requests. Right now, my grieving friends have meals coming regularly through the wonderful website Take Them A Meal. And they are getting help with the daily needs of their kids. Those are the two most urgent needs that most families have in times of crisis. Beyond that, they just need to get through the week and let the dust settle.
3. Offer to take things off of their to-do list. If she was supposed to run the PTA bake sale this weekend, offer to take it over for her. But don’t assume. She might WANT to do something mindless and unrelated to hospitals and funeral homes. Cleaning her house might be a burden that she would be blessed to have done by someone else. On the other hand, it might be very therapeutic for her to get on her hands and knees and scrub the floor. Ask, sincerely offer, even push a little bit to let her know you’re serious; but don’t assume.
4. Text, email or facebook them just to let them know you care about them. A simple message can go a long way. But don’t be hurt if they don’t reply. They probably won’t. Because they just can’t always.
5. If you really want to do something tangible but the meal schedule is already full and they are covered on childcare, think outside the box. Maybe a gift card for a family outing or dinner out would be nice for them to look forward to once the dust has settled a bit. Tuck it inside a card with words of love and encouragement. And mail it! In this digital age of ours, a real card with handwriting is a precious gift! The most important thing is just the communication that you are “in it” with them. Grief can be a lonely, tiring place.

Remember that as you come alongside hurting people in your life, you are showing them a little bit of God Himself. You are messengers of His grace and love for them. Just be willing to be used as He leads you. And, that will make all the difference.

Today, I’m over at The Better Mom, sharing some of that passion. Will you join me over there?

And, if you’d enjoy some further reading on the topic, here are a few of my other favorite posts from the archives. They are all on the topic of falling love with God’s Word.

• And Another Thing
• Like A Long-Awaited Letter
• Enjoying Your Just Desserts
• Why My Mondays Are Taken

Blessings on this Sabbath Day,

One of the things we enjoy is how many young families we have in our midst. Rick keeps checking to make sure they all know how babies are made… because we sure do have a lot of them and they just keep coming!!  As I serve in the nursery and teach at our women’s Bible studies, I get to have conversations with many of these sweet mamas. My heart for these young moms just grows and grows. I remember those years. I know that some days feel long when tiny ones are under foot. I recall the discouragement that can set in and steal the joy of those precious moments.

I’ll just tell you that I think we women need to do a better job of going to bat for each other. No mom should feel alone in it. We need each other. So, today, I’m over at The Better Mom sharing a reminder. For all of us. Come join me, won’t you?