Month: October 2014

Hiding Behind A Mask

On By mdannels3In Thinking about Family, Thinking about GodLeave a comment

 

A group of favorite Halloween costumes from 1997: Nate -- an Iowa Hawkeye football player; Phil -- a puppy; and Ben -- a fireman.
A group of favorite Halloween costumes from 1997: Nate — an Iowa Hawkeye football player; Phil — a puppy; and Ben — a fireman.

Well, it’s Halloween. I’m looking forward to what I hope will be an entourage of silly, scary, and strange creatures showing up on our porch tonight saying the words, “Trick or treat.” In fact, John has worked diligently to fix the electrical connection and replace the porch lights at our house so that trick-or-treaters would know that they were welcome and would come to our home.

You see, for the past 12 1/2 years we lived behind a church, out in the country in Colorado. We knew a family with adorable little boys and basically, they were the only ones who ever trick-or-treated at our house. Now we live in a city and I’m looking forward to kids knocking on the door again.

I have great memories of our boys and their Halloween costumes: boxers, a pumpkin, an Indian, a hockey player, a fireman, a pirate, a spider, a puppy, a football player — all of them were hand made except for one year when Ben wanted to be Steve Irwin and we bought a costume. Of course, even it had the “mom” touch when Ben had me hot glue plastic spiders all over it.

Their costumes had one thing in common — they never wore masks. We always used make up to create a look.

I know that many Christians don’t celebrate Halloween, and we don’t decorate for it or do anything beyond giving out candy. I guess one of the reasons we allowed our children to dress up and to get candy was because it allowed us to see faces we wouldn’t normally see. K-Love radio shared a thought this morning on their Facebook page that actually explained what and why we celebrated Halloween, “Halloween shouldn’t be feared. It’s the one night the world comes to your door. What an opportunity to be the Light on a dark night!”

It is true that what man has meant for evil, God can use for good. He can redeem anything — and anyone.

Even when it isn’t Halloween, there are many in this world who hide behind masks. The masks are many and varied. Some wear masks of anger, greed, or hatred. Others show humility, kindness, or caring. But if they are masks rather than the true character of a person, they are still false — even if they are positive in appearance.

It concerns me that so many people choose to present a false front to the world around them. God has called us to let our light shine. How can we do that if we hide behind an attitude or a behavior that does not reflect Him. Even if the behavior seems positive, if it doesn’t come from the heart, if it doesn’t show who we are — inside, deep in the core of our being, it is a false front, a mask.

When God comes into our life, He starts at the core of our being and begins to change us into the person He knows we can be — the person He made us to be. He strips away the mask and the bitterness, pride, hurt, loss, false-security, and the “stuff” that keeps us from experiencing Him in a real and personal way. Then He starts to build and create and make us into a new person — a new being. When He works in our lives, the masks in our lives become unnecessary because finally, we are who God has made us to be. Even then, He continues to shape and mold and lead and guide. As we live our lives, we become more and more like Him.

I remember watching THE JETSONS as a kid. Do you remember that show? They had video telephones — and to think, we now have Skype and Face Time! In one episode, Jane, the mother received a phone call early in the morning and she pulled out a mask, put it on, and took the call. (Why on earth do I remember that?) The caller did not know that Jane had just cleaned house, or crawled out of bed, or had the measles, or whatever it was that she was hiding — all they saw was the perfect Jane — the face that she presented to the world.

It’s time for us to stop presenting masks; it’s time for God to shine through us — time for the world to see Him as He transforms us into His image.

My mom always told me that my life may be the only Bible that some people will ever read. It’s time to take off the mask and let Him, His love, and His light show in my life. How about you?

Feeling Incompetent

On By mdannels3In Thinking about GodLeave a comment
This beautiful and amazing lighthouse brought sailors to safety and warned them of dangers for years. There is a lighthouse for each of us -- Jesus. He will warn us of danger and bring us to a place of safety, acceptance, and service. Aren't you glad?
This beautiful and amazing lighthouse brought sailors to safety and warned them of dangers for years. There is a lighthouse for each of us — Jesus. He will warn us of danger and bring us to a place of safety, acceptance, and service. Aren’t you glad?

 

Recently, at a job interview, I was instructed to describe myself as an employee. I responded by saying things like, capable, competent, responsible, hard-working, creative, and a quick study.

Another question at a job interview asked me to describe my personality. My answer included things like cheerful, optimistic, friendly, outgoing, kind, and caring.

Then I went to work at a call center where I am one of 1500 agents receiving, answering, and servicing phone calls.

Don’t get me wrong, I am THANKFUL to have a job — thankful for God’s provision.

But I hate the job.

Granted, I’ve done it for three days outside of training. It will get better — I have to believe that and I know that it is true. However, right now, I am tired of coming home in tears everyday, feeling like I’m too stupid to do a job that I did twenty years ago. Yes, systems change and processes are different. Yes, I’ve been in a classroom with young people for fifteen years. Yes, I much prefer to move around, to have flexibility, and to be allowed to invent, create, and share a part of myself with those I’m helping.

But I’m a professional and I CAN DO THIS.

But I’m a PROFESSIONAL and now I’m working in jeans and a t-shirt.

Seems silly doesn’t it? I use to beg my boss for a “jeans” days and now I can wear them all the time.

And I hate it.

I don’t feel like a professional. I don’t feel competent. I don’t feel capable.

Enough of the pity party!

I heard a story once. Satan was having a yard sell. He was selling many of his tools because he’d gotten new and improved versions. He decided to clean out his tool shed and was selling things like greed, lust, anger, exhaustion, selfishness, and jealousy. On another table he had placed the tools of poor self-image, wealth, incompetence, fear, lack of resources, and depression.

His last table held one tool only. It had the highest price and yet it looked like the most innocuous of all of the tools. When asked why this one was valued so highly, Satan smiled and answered, “This was my most valuable tool. It worked better than any other and all I had to do was plant a small seed. Then I would stand back and let the person take over. This small seed did all of my work for me — with it I could destroy a church, a family, a good intention, or a positive work.

“You see, with this tool, I could plant a seed and destroy a person — or at the very least, I could destroy his or her effectiveness. This is the tool of discouragement. If a person is discouraged I’ve won. I don’t have to do anything else because the discouraged person will destroy himself.”

How about you? Ever felt incompetent? Incapable? Self-doubting? Discouraged?

God can pull those seeds of discouragement that are at the root of that feeling. He can and He wants to.

When seeds of discouragement take root, we become weak, angry, and ineffective.

And then, Satan wins.

We can’t let him; he hasn’t earned it.

Yes, it’s a small battle and we KNOW that our Heavenly Father will win the war, but we don’t want to let Satan have even a small, teeny, tiny victory. God can make the difference.

I will be honest and tell you that I am diligently seeking other employment and my supporting, loving, encouraging, and hugging husband has told me I don’t have to go back to work at the call center. I’m spending the weekend praying and I may not.

Either way, I’ve asked God to remove those seeds of discouragement that Satan planted…I’ve let them grow long enough.

In the meanwhile, please pray for us that God will pull those discouragement weeds and will place both of us in jobs that use our abilities and skills. Pray that we will both find jobs where we can minister to others and be effective in our community — not only in our ministry in the church, but in our neighborhood and our town as well.

Let’s also look around us for those people who are fighting discouragement and pray for them. And then, let’s encourage them.

 

Distance

On By mdannels3In Thinking about Family, Thinking about God, Thinking about RelationshipsLeave a comment
The detail in the close view -- near to where we are -- serves as a frame for the colors and layers that are in the distance. Each contributes to the beauty of the picture just as relationships -- distant and near -- add to our lives.
The detail in the close view — near to where we are — serves as a frame for the colors and layers that are in the distance. Each contributes to the beauty of the picture just as relationships — distant and near — add to our lives.

It was bound to happen. After all, we now live nearly 1000 miles from the place that was home for 12 1/2 years. I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon — and I didn’t expect it to make me so sad.

The distance has been magnified by circumstances. We’ve been in Wisconsin for nearly two months. In the past ten days, my dad (we use to live less than an hour away from him) had surgery, a dear friend’s son was in the hospital (I worked with his Mom), and our son became ill (we were 15 miles away). I’ve felt the distance — the literal distance — between us in profound ways. On the other hand, since we’ve been here, my father-in-law was hospitalized and our nephew-in-law became ill and is hospitalized. Granted, my second dad and our nephew are five hours away — but it isn’t 18 hours.

As a teenager I was told to bloom where I was planted. I’ve always tried to do just that. But really, what does that mean? Does it mean settling in and becoming a part of a community? Could it be working hard at the job you have and doing it to the best of your ability? Is it simply learning, as Paul said, “to be content in whatever situation wherein I find myself?”

Wherever we’ve lived we have “settled in” and made a life for ourselves, for our children, and we’ve ministered. We’ve interacted with communities. We’ve found jobs and worked hard to do them well; we’ve made friends and been involved in their lives. We’ve tried to show others who Jesus is. As we all do, we’ve loved people and we’ve been blessed to be loved by amazing, wonderful people.

When you move away from those special folks, it’s hard. Honestly, I make friends fairly easily. But it is still hard to be away from old friends, to be away from family members. And it is especially hard to be away from them when they are hurting.

Distance is difficult. It isn’t impossible to overcome, but it’s hard. In the world in which we live we are able to remain connected in so many more ways than ever before. I don’t “tweet” (I’m too verbose), but I do Facebook. I use Instagram, email, text, and of course I use the phone. Oh yeah, did I say that I blog? For the past seven weeks, we’ve been trying to communicate and stay in touch, but we didn’t have internet — we’re back on line and it’s just in time. The distance seems smaller for the simple reason that I can pick up my computer and check Facebook and email everyday once again.

I understand the concerns that people have about the overuse of technology — I have many of those same concerns. However, today, living 1000 miles away from Dad, Nate, and Carson, I’m thankful to be able to know what is going on in their lives.

Distance means we have to work harder to stay involved in each others lives. It means that the relationships are different — but they aren’t gone; they’re not lost.

As a fourth grade Girl Scout I sang a song that said, “Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other’s gold.” That’s where we are. We are living a great distance from many people we love and care for. Yet, there are amazing  “new” people that we’ve already learned to love and care for. They are silver; they are gold. They are treasures in our lives — distance or not, we treasure the gifts of the people that God has brought into our lives.

In fact, in spite of the distance — or perhaps because of it, I can join the Apostle Paul in saying these words to my friends and family who are everywhere from Alaska to Vietnam and all points in between:  “I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart.” (Philippians 1:3-7a, NIV)