Cauliflower pizza crust

Parents dropped off a mattress topper. Looked like something else.

Ice

Winter Glory

 

Your 7 Days?

“Never before have I written so long a letter…I can assure you that it would have been much shorter if I had been writing from a comfortable desk, but what else can one do when he is alone in a narrow jail cell, other than write long letters, think long thoughts and pray long prayers?”

Truth be told, I haven’t ever read a full letter of Martin Luther King’s. But I read the following Letter from a Birmingham Jail in its entirety this morning. It was eloquent, convicting, incredible. May we use the day honoring his memory to understand what he did, why he did it, and how we can continue to use our voice in our divided nation:

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

 

“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying,

‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.'”

Nehemiah 1:8-9

Last time Nehemiah led us in ensuring we include ourselves in yadah – thankful confession. Today we continue to peek in on the next word of His prayer: Remember.

“LORD, Bring to mind the charge you laid upon your servant Moses:

If you act treacherously, I Myself will shake you to the nations. But if you turn back towards Me by bodyguarding and accomplishing my commands…I will gather you (though you are driven to the edge of the heavens) and bring you to the home where I have chosen My Name and Fame to settle down and dwell.”

I appreciate so much of the Hebrew wording in this. Particularly the doubles: I Myself will shake you. We never have to wonder if our Good, Good Father is behind any discipline in our lives. Of course He is. He loves us too much to be indifferent. And if we’re really honest with ourselves we are so glad.

I also love turn back and towards Me. “Don’t just turn, turn to Me!” We don’t just turn away from what we know isn’t best for us; we turn right into His arms. If we know Him this way, repentance is a relief.

And the way we turn into His arms by doing two things: bodyguarding His commands and actually doing them. In the Hebrew there are two separate words used. Yes, we carefully observe and watch over His commands, but the way we do that is by obeying them. Bringing them forth into the world in our sphere of influence. What we know in our head moves its way into our hearts and, after a while, we realize we are walking this thing out with Him. It really does look better to us to give than receive. We really do desire to turn the other cheek, live lives of servanthood, pray for those who persecute us and die to ourselves so we can live for Him.

Ah, but now the best part: No matter how far away we’ve roamed or He’s scattered us as His people, He will gather us and He Himself will bring us Home. It’s what we all want, isn’t it? To be Home? In a place of perfect comfort and acceptance, yet where we’re challenged to grow and learn and discover and have dominion.

But the best news is we don’t have to wait until the New Earth. We have a taste of this here and now, amidst the chaos of brokenness. We ourselves are the place He has chosen to dwell. Our union has begun. Because of the Cross we are perfectly accepted and forgiven and chosen now. We are given work and challenged to grow and commanded to ask, seek, and knock now.

Oh praise the One Who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead!

It’s 2nd Saturday time! Save some money, share some local love.

Feel the BRRR: Art Start for Groups at Wichita Art Museum is today at 10:00 and 1:30. Your kids can show different expression of cold in this free class. Registration is required.

So great: Children’s Book Sale at Watermark begins tomorrow the 13th and goes through Monday the 16th. Shop local and find great gifts for the kids in your life. (And their Cafe is hiring.)

 

Did you know the Bridal Expo is coming up this weekend? Come to Century II the 14th-15th from 10-5 for prizes, 260 booths, and samples of cakes and catering.

Check out Green Acres Bradley Fair’s Garden of Life Tent Sale today through the 14th.

Also Breakfast with Matt this Saturday the 14th as he discusses Iodine: how it can help fight disease, inflammation, and more. Please RSVP at 316.634.1088.

Oh good: the Bike Walk Wichita Workshop at Whole Foods is back on tonight from 6-7.

And Yoga for Runners workshop is on Sunday the 15th from 10:30-11:30 next door to Whole Foods at lululemon.

And Smoothies for Kids class is coming up Monday the 15th at Whole Foods from 10-11.

Come see Shapes at Mead’s Corner this Saturday from 7-9. And Poetry for Parents Open Mic Wednesday the 18th from 7-9 pm.

The Caffeinated Lab Class at Reverie this Saturday is Cupping Essentials from 10-11:30. Make sure to get your ticket first.

Come to the Donut Whole tomorrow night, Friday the 13th (really?), for Karaoke for all ages

And the Kansas Grown Farmers Market will be holding their Indoor Sale this Saturday the 14th in the Sedgwick County Extension Center.

 

Library:

Have you heard about the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Reading Challenge?

And we know 2nd Saturday means Second Saturdays of Code

There’s so much more coming up, including a Toddler Dance Party. So you know that will be good times.

 

Have a great weekend!

Checkers with GGPa

Doodle Dice with GGMa

(Cold) walk to the river

Glory (via The DIY Mommy)

 

Your 7 Days?

I saw a tweet this weekend that’s had me thinking. “What if we assigned positive intent to others’ motives?”

What would happen if we did this one thing? Of course, with people in our real lives. But also with those we interact with online, whose podcasts or sermons or blog posts we read? What if, unless we sit down face to face or over the phone and discover otherwise, we assume they are not deliberately looking for conflict or upset things we hold dear?

I think it could change a lot. It will take a lot of tenderizing of our hearts. It will mean taking those assumed slights to prayer instead of the internet. But I think we can do it.

I realize there are many exceptions. Some people are looking for a fight. But even so, could we think through their “why?”. Could we still take the majority of conflict to the Throne instead of the Twitter?

Obviously, if peace-making does not include peace-keeping, there will be times when we take up conflicting ideas and situations and systemic practices and assumptions and seek change. But could we do it in a way that does not attack character or individual people? Could we assume there are reasons behind why people do what they do and believe what they believe? I think we could. As another tweet I read recently asserted, “Empathy and resistance are not mutually exclusive.”

 

What do you think?

“I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.”

Nehemiah 1:6b-7

Last time we got a memoir-level view of Nehemiah’s new place to dwell: in prayer for his brothers and sisters. Today we get to dig more deeply into this prayer, starting with yadah – thankful confession. He is very aware of how the sins are hovering over the Israelites. But not just those back in Jerusalem – Nehemiah  makes sure to include himself and his father’s house. Not only his generation but also the ones before responsible for being sent into exile.

We are all guilty. We all have borne the loss of His presence, sent out of Eden. None of us have perfectly bodyguarded His commands, the boundaries He lovingly places in our lives, or His beautiful mishpat – loving justice and judgments to which He charges us as His messengers in a world desperate to know them.

So perhaps the second thing Nehemiah’s actions teach us is how to include ourselves in thankful confession. The awareness of our own shortcomings and sins in any situation. It is almost never good side/bad side. Situations in life are often way more nuanced than that. Fortunately we have a Just Judge Who sees all.

And His perfect mishpat has made a way for all who believe to be righteous.

Make ICT is hosting a series of workshops on how to build a self balancing robot. Tonight from 7-9, no fee for members.

This weekend, January 7 & 8, enjoy Johnson’s Garden Center’s 25% off sale on their 5-step lawn care program.

Come Monday the 9th to Great Plains Nature Center’s Creature Feature: Water Critters. From 1-2 you can learn about invertebrates that hang out under our streams and creeks.

Starting tomorrow, Friday the 6th, enjoy 25% off all supplements at Whole Foods. Then Saturday the 7th, enjoy Juice Basics and Cleanses 101 class from 10-11. This is a free program, but you must reserve your spot here.

Did you know that, through January 16th, you get to waive the joiner fee at the YMCA? Great time for the whole family to get moving.

Tomorrow night, January 6th, from 6-8 come to a free City Arts 2017 Launch Party! Take a look at new gallery exhibits, experience classroom demos, and learn about the winter events and classes.

The Donut Whole is celebrating their 8th Anniversary. Read more about their shop here.

Here is the rest of the week’s ICT Pop-Up Urban Park food truck schedule.

 

Library:

Rockwell is hosting a Budgeting Basics 101 Workshop. The first session is this coming Tuesday, January 10th from 6-7:30. This is a free event but registration is required.

And next Wednesday is Westlink’s first Adult Coloring for the Fun of It of the new year. Come from 6-7:30. Bring your own supplies (or not – they will have stuff) and a friend and de-stress.

Check out all upcoming events and storytimes here.

 

Have a great weekend!

Rogue One

Happiness

Eating Healthy (anyone else?)

Millennium Falcon

 

Your 7 Days?

“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said:

‘O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel.'”

Nehemiah 1:4-6a

When Nehemiah heard the report he sat down – yashab, to abide dwell – to palal – pray, intervene, intercede. He made it the new place to dwell: interceding for his brothers and sisters. He did this before (paneh) the face of the God of heaven. Who is frightening yet tender enough to shamar (bodyguard) His covenant with those who bodyguard His commands. He does this because of His hesed – unfailing love that, according to the NASB notes, is a “faithful love that honors a covenant through thick and thin.”

Honors a covenant through thick and thin. What a God.

This morning I dropped egg on the stove burner and it was smoky and stanky and I was crabby. Dan opened a window to alleviate the rank and it did. But what it left was inspiring to me: the shaft of light glistened on the residual smoke like a rainbow. Or dust flecks in the afternoon glimmer. A mistake turned into beauty.

Our brokenness transformed by love.

We took down Christmas décor this week and I have a new sign up in the entryway: Grace Changes Everything.

It does, friends. For every person we disagree with, let’s make our place to dwell in that relationship one of prayer. And believers, let’s fear our God of heaven in a good way. A way that desires to bodyguard His commands to His Bride. There is a way to do this in grace toward ourselves and each other. It’s hard to do it any other way when we’re dwelling in prayer. His Spirit makes it difficult to bash with Truth because we’re so deeply aware of our own need for grace.

Indeed, Grace changes everything.