School's Out for Summer

I recently deleted (accidentally) my blog bookmark folder - meaning, links to all blogs that I read on a fairly regular basis were gone. I don't read blogs too much anymore and, apparently, I don't write them too much anymore either. A sentence or 2 on fb or twitter is so much simpler. Blogging is for days when, well, life is simpler. School is out for the high schooler and middle child for summer. The oldest is taking summer classes so he can graduate from college in December. (yikes!) Jessica is home for one week then off to her summer job traveling, leading rec at camps with a team of students from DBU for about 10 weeks. Honestly & selfishly, I'd hoped she would be home for summer. However, I did spend a summer working at a camp and I know it's going to be a great summer for her.

A couple of nights ago all 3 kids were here and Jessica cooked dinner and we just spent time together. The boys teamed up on their dad and tried to throw him in the pool - some things never seem to change. Johnny eventually turned the hot tub on and we just sat around, both in and out of the water, and talked and just were together. It's so amazing how much Johnny and I absolutely cherish those times we have together. It seems like it happens less & less. And, with Josh graduating from college then Jacob graduating from high school next May, it may happen even less and less...

I hope you are making the most of the time you have with your family. The days fly by and the thing you prepare your kids for - you know, growing up and taking care of themselves - happens in a blink of an eye.

Just speaking from experience.

Serving the King,

Jeanette

The Plentiful Harvest & The Laborers

We returned from London little more than 24 hours ago. It was my first time out of Heathrow in that city so I was super glad to be there. We went out into the city last Saturday - just on our own, navigating the public transportation and typical tourists attractions. Mainly we went to the British Museum. I've wanted to go there since 2001. It was great - and free! After the morning and part of the afternoon there we went to the area of the city where we hope to invest our lives over the next many years. As I am typing this and my iTunes is playing on my Mac, the song "Give Me Your Eyes" came up. That was and is my prayer as we did and will walk those streets in the future.  It will take us seeing with His eyes, being sensitive to His leading, for us to do anything.

During the first day of training in London we looked at Luke 10:1-16. Jesus sent His disciples out in pairs to the places where He would go. He said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." I am aware with a new, keen sense of awareness of the plentifulness of the harvest. The need for planting and sowing and reaping and gathering. I am beseeching, on the behalf of my city here and of our UUPG there, for laborers. In a way that I cannot at all explain, I feel a weird sense of confidence that there will be laborers. I cannot wait to see what God is up to - what He will do in us and through us, the laborers.

While we were on our way home from the UK, a group of ladies from our church community were leaving to go to prison. They headed down to Central Texas to go in to tell women inmates about the great love of Jesus. Really, I am so thankful for my church people and their willingness to be a part of Kingdom activity. Perhaps that's my confidence - except that part that comes from The Holy One - these people that God has put in our lives are simply willing.

What lies ahead will be challenging and fulfilling and a bit scary. We don't go alone. We know that. It will require sacrifice. We anticipate that. It won't be easy. Oh yeah, we're fully aware. Oh the joy of going. Oh the privilege to give and give up. Oh how strong we will grow when we are stretched.

Beseeching the Lord of the harvest,

Jeanette

How Does One Define Peace?

I've had the awesome privilege to study Philippians 2:6-11, "The Christ Hymn," in preparation to teach with my man this Sunday. Just teaching with him and studying the Bible with him is amazing but I thought it so great to have this particular passage on the Sunday following Easter. Really, I'm in awe of God and the sacrifice of Jesus. I've had my theology book, my word study & lexical aids, and my Dictionary of Paul and His Letters out on my desk all week. Top that off with some of my favorite worship songs playing on my Mac during study and it's near perfection.

I've been studying theological truth this week but there are some concepts that are just hard to define. Faith, for example. How do you truly define faith that saves? We can explain theological and doctrinal truth but each person has to come to faith in Christ on an individual basis. Peace. We all want it and can give a dictionary definition but sometimes it's hard to really experience. Especially when life seems a mess, or complicated, or hard. I think this week I came in contact with someone who experienced real peace.

There's a man at our church who faced some potentially serious news this week. He was having some medical tests for something that could be even life-threatening. On the day of the medical tests dozens of men at our church gathered with him to pray. He sent me a facebook message the next day to ask me a question about a particular ministry at our church. Following our exchange about the ministry, I ended my message by simply asking him how he was doing. I think I expected almost any answer except the one he gave. Just one word. Blessed. 


I don't know about you, but I don't know if someone asked me how I was doing following a full day of medical tests that could end with some bad news if I would answer "blessed." That is an example of peace. It's calm in the storm. It's confidence that the Creator/Healer is greater than human circumstances.  It's faith. Maybe not easily definable but experienced, none the less.

By the way, he got a decent report back. Apparently, even the doctor thought it was near miraculous.

All to the praise of His great name.  The Name that is above every other name.

"So that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow... and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:10-11, in part)

Serving the King,

Jeanette

Checking out Maundy Thursday

I'm not sure I ever knew this but the word maundy is from the Latin word mandatum which means "commandment." Maundy Thursday is commemorating the day of Passion Week (Thursday) when Jesus met with His disciples and celebrated the Passover meal with them; what we call "the Last Supper." The reason for maundy is, therefore, in recognition of the instructions, or commands, Jesus gave His disciples during the time they spent together in the Upper Room. The synoptic gospels record the event in the chapters that follow: Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22. John's gospel account covers 5 chapters, 13-17. It starts with Jesus washing the feet of His disciples and ends with the High Priestly Prayer. In both, Jesus modeled how to have the heart of a servant. He said, "I washed your feet. Now you follow my example." (my wording, John 13:13-14) Later in John's recorded account, Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35, NASB) Again, He didn't just teach what to do, He lived it: even as I have loved you...

In John 14, Jesus said that if we (spoken directly to His disciples then and meant also for His followers of all time) really love Him then we will keep His commandments. But, we don't have to do it in our own strength or ability (hallelujah!) but we have the Holy Spirit as our Helper. In chapter 15, Jesus talked about abiding in Him and bearing fruit. One reflects the other. If we are staying close to Jesus, then we ought to be living in such a way as to bring glory to Him. The focus is on Him and not on ourselves. Not on temporal but eternal. Not on the world but on the spiritual.

Jesus began the High Priestly Prayer, as recorded in John 17, by saying, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You." (verse 1, NASB) The dark part of the Passion story follows. The arrest, the trials, the beatings, the crucifixion. But, today is Maundy Thursday. We celebrate what Jesus did on that Thursday every time we participate in the Lord's Supper. He instituted it on that day.

So, if it's appropriate, happy Maundy Thursday to you! Tomorrow's Friday but Sunday's coming!

Serving the King,

Jeanette

A Little Madness in March

We started a new Bible study by Angela Thomas on Wednesday mornings. It's titled Beautiful Offering and it's a study on the Sermon on the Mount. As Johnny says, "the greatest sermon ever preached." Such a preacher kinda thing to say. It's my first study by Angela Thomas but I selected it because I so love (I know, I'm trying not to over-use the word love but I think I really do love it) the Gospel of Matthew. Johnny and I spent an entire school year in it and it gets me every time. Anyway, in the study today I came upon the following question: "Which words best describe your relationship with God right now?" There were 5 choices. I really wanted to check the last one:

running toward a God life, desperate to know Him more

But, to be completely honest, I checked the one above it:

walking toward God, sometimes distracted

I then went back and put a check by both and wrote in the margin that I vacillate. It's true, I do.  I told the following story to my Life Group this past Sunday:

Johnny and I have been trying to eat better and we're generally just trying to have a more healthy lifestyle. Most days, I do it. For lunch I have a wrap and fruit instead of a sandwich and chips. It's delicious and I like it. But, last Saturday we went to a movie and Johnny said he was getting a snack. I walked right up to the concession stand and said to the teenage guy, "I'm so excited about this." He thought it might be because we were seeing Hunger Games, the hot movie out last weekend. We weren't even seeing that movie but, instead, October Baby. So, I said (even though I know he didn't care), "No, the popcorn." What does that say about me that I was excited about popcorn? But, here's the point I was making in our class - some days I get up and I'm living that all-in follower of Christ kind of life. I'm denying self and taking up the cross daily... (Luke 9:23) and some days I'm just eating popcorn.

It's those popcorn eating days that keep me from checking the box in front of running toward a God life, desperate to know Him more.

So many things can creep in, jump in, be thrown in, that distract me from the running toward God life. Sometimes it's important things like family issues or even health matters. Sometimes it's meaningless stuff like March Madness. I made my brackets for both the men's and women's tournaments. I've followed each tournament. And, btw, I'm 100% on the Final Four on my bracket for the women even though I only got 50% for the men. (The teams I got right are Kentucky & Ohio St; I missed Louisville & Kansas. Yes, I did pick Ohio St to beat Syracuse. But, Baylor beat Kansas in the Big 12 tournament so I wasn't expecting them to beat NC)

Jessica and I are headed to Denver to watch the NCAA Women's Final Four games on Sunday and Tuesday. I'm so excited that our Baylor Lady Bears will be there. I'll be cheering them on to, hopefully, a national championship. But more than I want the Bears to win it all, I want to be desperate and passionate about my pursuit of God. It's a daily choice, a daily discipline.

Some days I'm walking and eating popcorn. I wanna be running. I like the way that feels. It really is the winning life.

Serving the King,

Jeanette

I'm Jealous

Happy Spring Break to you! My 2 oldest have gone to Colorado to snowboard but I'm here, home in Mansfield. The best part of that is what arrived in the mail on Monday. It was White Flag, the cd from Passion 2012. I've been listening to it frequently since Monday - it really is so amazing. I have it playing on my iTunes on my Mac right now. Really, in the last 6 months or so I've purchased 3 of the best cds ever - 10,000 Reasons Matt Redman, Give Us Rest David Crowder Band, and, of course, White Flag.  


The big thing going on right now is that Johnny and I have started a new Life Group at our church and we are teaching from the book of Philippians. I like it so much. The book of Philippians, that is. I like how you can almost read Paul's intensity, how passionate he was for the Gospel and for the people in the churches he founded and pastored. In 2 Corinthians 11:2 he wrote, "For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy." Paul so wanted his readers to get the Gospel, to be sold out to it, to be committed to Christ. Paul warned them so they wouldn't be led astray.

Last Sunday Johnny and I were in the first few verses in the book of Philippians. In that chapter, Paul wrote, "And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment." Christ's love is central - His love for us, in us and to the world through us. I told our class about how I have prayed for my children - because they have been in church their entire lives and, because of their dad's vocation, have been taken there just about every time the doors are open - to not just have head knowledge about God but for it to be heart-knowledge. Like Paul, I want my kids to really get it. I don't want them to just know the right answers but I want them to really know - the experiential knowledge of really knowing and discerning. Is that repetitive? Yeah, I think it is, but I'm jealous for them with a godly jealousy.

As I am writing this the song that started playing on my iTunes is "One Thing Remains." Part of the lyrics are as follows, "Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me." That's what I'm jealous for my kids to know. To know with such a depth of knowledge that they know they can count on that whatever happens, where ever they go.

And that's what I want for the folks in our Life Group to know, too. I don't know if I will always adequately relate it but, just like the passion Paul had for his original readers, my passion is for our people to know and believe and, as a result, to live out the all-consuming, never failing, sustaining, empowering love of God. I'm jealous for them to that end.

Serving the King,

Jeanette 

Their Belief in the Value of All Human Life

I think I've started every post lately with a statement about the inactivity on this blog. All the nonsense that could be typed here is now limited to 140 characters and takes place on twitter. Let me warn you right now, before you read one more sentence - this is not a light and frivolous post about the random happenings in the Dickerson house. This contains my repeated theme and constant source of contemplation - the sanctity of human life.

Unlike my partner-for-life, I do like to be up on all things current and cultural concerns. I twitter and facebook and follow, friend, and like all sorts of random organizations and people. Much to the displeasure of one of Jessica's professors (if he knew me or my situation) I do get my news from twitter. So, this morning, when Jacob brought up what was trending on twitter today and I didn't know I so wanted him to fill me in. Did you see #stopkony trending? Do you know who Kony is? Jacob's known for years. He learned about it in school 2 or 3 years ago.  In case you don't know, Kony a terrible, horrible person who leads an organization in Uganda that kidnaps, terrorizes, and forces horrible things on children. Thousands and thousands, tens of thousands, of children. They (the kids) have been known as the Invisible Children.

There's a video on youtube about the situation called "Kony 2012." There's a movement building to actually stop kony in the year 2012. I think he should be stopped. I think he should be hunted down and no stone should be left unturned until he's found. I think those that have followed him and helped him should be stopped as well. I think children have the right to be children and to be taken care of and to be protected.  In the video, the filmmaker talks about the film being "an experiment" to save the invisible children of Uganda. The movement, he says, is being funded by "an army of young people" who "put their money toward their belief in the value of all human life."

Amen. I believe in that. I was there at Passion 2012 when we heard about 27 millions slaves - more slaves on the planet now than any time in human history. I gave to support the effort to abolish slavery in my children's lifetime. Everyone has the right to be free. Freedom...

But, the words of the filmmaker haunt me, "their belief in the value of all human life." When does human life become valuable? When a heart is beating? When fingers and toes are formed? When there's movement? When? What defines when the life of an infant begins - life that demands rights, the chance to live and to take breath, the God-given breath of life?

I've been hearing about the link between our current President and infanticide. I want to know facts and not just what news show hosts or anchors have to say. You won't find the mainstream media types talking about it but it's definitely out there thanks to Newt Gingrich. Apparently, as far as I can tell, there was an attempt made at writing a law protecting "born-alive infants" back when Obama was chair of the Health and Human Services committee in the state of Illinois. It never made it to the floor to be voted on - couldn't get past that pesky HHS committee. Those "born-alive infants" included babies born alive from failed abortions. Imagine, a law to protect babies born alive was deemed necessary by someone.

"Their belief in the value of all human life..."

Back to the filmmaker, toward the beginning of his video to Stop Kony in 2012, he shows a clip of the birth of his son. He says, "every single person...because he's here, he matters." Unless, perhaps, he happens to be born alive by mistake. Because of a failed attempt to prematurely end his life.

I'd like to start my own experiment. The one that calls not only for freedom but for the chance to live. For everyone. My everyone definition just happens to start with conception. I know, it's not a popular belief. It's just the one that moves me. That makes my heart beat faster and compels me to give my time to make a difference. Even if only for one, the breath of life for one.

Serving the King, the Creator of life,

Jeanette