Grace-Space

Last week I had coffee with a friend, and when we stood to leave she apologized for the pants she was wearing.

            “I wear these all the time. They’re my default.”

            “I have the same pair,” I said. “I like mine too.”

She had been wearing those stretchy black pants. You know the ones. We all have a pair. We could live in them 24/7. Dress them down for housecleaning or lounging. Dress them up for coffee with a friend or even a night out.  

My friend had just come through a difficult time of family-drama. No wonder she was ready for those comfy pants with the elastic waistband. She needed some grace, some breathing room.

God knows we need elastic - better known as grace. We are not perfect. We are weak; we struggle; we give in to temptation; we hurt others. And God rescues us. And not with just any kind of grace, but grace with a two-way stretch. While God’s grace is wide, like that wide waistband, it is also deep and high, and He invites us to dive in. Ephesians 3:18 describes the vastness of God's love:    ". . . the love of the Anointed is infinitely long, wide, high, and deep, surpassing everything anyone previously experienced" (The Voice). 

King David describes the depth and width of God’s kindness in Psalm 103:11 and 12:  

            As high as heaven is over the earth,

            so strong is his love to those who fear him.

            And as far as sunrise is from sunset,

            he has separated us from our sins (The Message).

How high is heaven over earth? Scientists say that our universe is ever-expanding! And what about the width of his mercy – has anyone ever measured the distance between sunrise and sunset? Is it not an eternal circle? Is God telling us that His mercy is vast and immeasurable? That His kindness knows no end?

The Psalmist said of God’s path that it was broad and easy to walk upon: “You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way” (Psalm 18:36).  He reminds us again later in Psalm 31:8, “Thou hast set my feet in a large room.”

While we know that broad is the path to destruction and narrow is the gate to eternal life (Matthew 7:13,14), King David also knew that walking in obedience to God provided wideness, soul-freedom, and liberty.

The wide-open fields of the Enemy are not wide and free as we might think. They are a maze of constantly changing “right and wrong”. Our footsteps are never sure or confident when there are no absolute standards! Living in relativism causes confusion, insecurity, and fear (Isaiah 33:15; Romans 7:11; Psalm 36).

However, the walls of God’s Kingdom are widely-set, so spacious in fact that we have room to run and dance, and space to fall and make mistakes. We feel secure inside His protective barriers, inside His grace-space. 

Instead of the simplicity of grace, Pharisees dressed in layers of law-keeping and the high-fashion of religiosity. It could not have been comfortable. There was never any wiggle room for somebody to make a mistake, to struggle, to fall. Jesus condemned their rigid judgmental attitudes. “The Law and the Prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it” (Luke 16:16, emphasis mine). His grace extended to tax-collectors, prostitutes, and indeed everyone that recognized their need.

Jesus frees us from the chains of sin and the law, to live a new life of obedience to Him. “Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you” (Galatians 5:1, The Message).  

Does that mean we can live how we want? I love the way Eugene Peterson puts it in the Message:

“So, since we’re out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we can live any old way we want? Since we’re free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind? Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it’s your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you’ve let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you’ve started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom! (Romans 6:15-18: emphasis mine).

We have all blown it. We all need grace, everyday. Like those stretchy black pants, God’s grace covers us in the stress and rigor of everyday life, but His garment is also beautiful enough to enter the throne room of our King (Hebrews 4:16).   

Why go around wearing the latest style of self-righteousness? All the frippery of ritzy rules and pretentious policies only serves to weigh us down, make us itchy, and restrict our movement. Step into the robe of Jesus’ goodness instead (Isaiah 61:10), and enjoy the depth and width of His mercy. Extend the same kindness to others. We all need His eternal, elastic, grace-space. Everyday.

The lyrics of Frederic Faber’s hymn (1854) speak about God's two-way stretchy grace. Click on the link below and listen if you like:
  There's a Wideness in God's Mercy

Pamela Mytroen takes inspiration from the never-changing bedrock of God's Word, and the ever-changing skies and seasons of Saskatchewan. The tenacity of her English students, and the diverse cultures they represent, challenge her comfortable life and have informed many recent stories. She loves a tall Norwegian farm boy who has tried teaching her how to hunt, call coyotes, and check the gas gauge. Their four children and two grandchildren, LadyBug and Sir Cricket, offer a steady supply of sweet words which she unabashedly plagiarizes, and tucks into short fiction, blogs, human-interest pieces, and devotional writing.    

SAND IN MY SHOES - by Heidi McLaughlin

The feeling of being barefoot and feeling sand squish between my toes evokes giddiness and freedom. When I flirt with the ocean I am a child experiencing the joy of the occasional splash of gorgeous, turquoise sea water and the sun warming my cheeks. I am free to frolic, run, laugh and giggle. Being barefoot in the sand unleashes a brazen abandon that I find in no other place.

When I wear shoes I do not enjoy the same freedom. It is blatantly unrealistic of me to think that I can frolic in the sand and not expect to get sand in my shoes. Those irritating grains of sand eventually find a little open crevice and rub at me until I either take off my shoes or leave the beach. Annoying, hurtful and disappointing!

An unrealistic expectation is like an irritating grain of sand-a silent thief that robs us of freedom and joy. When people do not meet our expectations we get mad, feel hurt, rejected, disappointed and blame them for letting us down.  Here is a paradigm shift to reality.

Everything in this life is a created thing and has the potential to disappoint us.  It’s a harsh statement, but once we get it, it will unleash the same kind of freedom as running barefoot on the

beach.  I have found my greatest freedom in this life by identifying and learning to let go of unrealistic expectations. How do we do that? Realize that:

1.     It is not other people’s job to make us happy.

2.     Everyone sees the world through a different set of lenses.

3.     People orchestrate their lives to make them feel loved and comfortable in the way that has been modeled for them.

4.     We can never assume anything-always check the facts.

5.     God has made us all unique, and we cannot expect people to climb into our life’s journey and be like us.

6.     God is shaping each person’s character in a distinctive manner. It is not our job to shape other people’s characters.

7.      It is unrealistic to think that granite countertops, a flashy career, a perfect spouse, a face lift, fitting into skinny jeans, or a diamond ring will bring us lasting, and fulfilling joy.

8.     Everything in this life ends up in a box…one way or the other.

9.     We need to treasure what God has placed in our hands and receive it as a gift to be held loosely while we are on this earth.

10.  When we buy into unrealistic expectations we are setting ourselves up to be robbed of our freedom.

God is so kind and gracious to us. He tells us in John 8:31, 32 “You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

What truth? It’s all right there in the bible-every word and story is a realistic expectation and promise to set us free from the hooks of this world. People and things were not put on this earth to give us freedom, only Christ can do that. Once we recognize and believe it, we will be empowered to make choices that will be as freeing as running near the ocean barefoot. No chance of gritty, annoying sand in our shoes.

Heidi McLaughlin lives in the beautiful vineyards of the Okanagan Valley in Kelowna, British Columbia. She is married to Pastor Jack and they have a wonderful, eclectic blended family of 5 children and 9 grandchildren. When Heidi is not working, she loves to curl up with a great book, or golf and laugh with her husband and special friends. You can reach her at: www.heartconnection.ca

Strong and Free, Defined - Belec

by Glynis M. Belec

A friend posted this picture on Facebook last week. As a child of WWII veterans, it held a powerful message for me. And this timely addition to the social networking roadway, certainly has sparked conversation. I have entered into a discussion or two about our present state of society with more than one over the last few days and for some reason it is not leaving my brain.

Mom, who passed away in 2007, was a former ATS - Auxiliary Territorial Services - during the war and poppa bear who is still very much alive and in possession of all his marbles, served valiantly from 1942 - 1954 in the Royal Marine 45 Commando Division.

I nodded my head in agreement when I saw these juxtapositioned pictures and read the captions. When I showed this picture to Dad to get his opionion, I think I saw a tear.

 "They have no idea..." was all he uttered.



Dad - 'marching' in the Remembrance Day parade November 11/11

I gave him a hug and helped him don his beret in time for the Remembrance Day parade. His gnarled fingers and the limited range of motion now evident in his battle-weary body interrupts his activities of daily living. Although, for 85 years of age, he does well and still manages to live alone. We keep a close eye on him and look after all his needs, just so that he can stay in his own home.
"They'll have to carry me out!" is his battle cry if anyone dare ask him about moving. I love his spunk and spirit. My sister and I are doing everything we can to help his remaining years be happy and stress free. (We have often said he might just outlive us~)

As I look again at this contrasting picture, I wonder why are we like this today? What is the difference between 'then' and 'now'? Between my Dad's willingness to enlist and today's desire to resist? Why were the boys so willing to give all back then, but now the prevailing message is take as much as you can and make everything about self?

I am probably quick to waggle my finger and nod in agreement as I consider the underlying message in this picture. But then I wonder. The boys who gave it all didn't have everything handed to them on a silver platter. People worked together and looked out for  each other. Families weren't little entities with absent parents and the divorce rate was certainly no where near what it is today. My hubby said his mother would send him out to play in the summer and he would only reappear for meals and when it got dark. Not such a wise idea nowadays. [No parent in their right minds would allow that in this day and age.  Besides, they would likely be reported if they did.] Yep, in our quest for a better life, it seems we have erred somewhere along the way.  It becomes more and more obvious that  we no longer live in a safe world where everyone watched your back. It's a different world. It's a different society. Me first. What about me? What can I get out of it? I want...want...want...

God must look down and shake his head somedays. How he must weep for the mess we are making of His creation. Looking at that first picture does make me feel a little hopeless. Then I remember our Lord Jesus. I remember the first memory verse I learned as a Christian...For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost - Luke 19:10

Yes, I suppose we do appear as a sorry excuse for humankind sometimes. Maybe we need to be reminded that Jesus came to save us from our brokenness and always gives us a second chance [and a third, a fourth, a fifth...]

They do say - a picture is worth a thousand words.



Freedom and Freedom - Mann

For a significant portion of time, I served as volunteer chaplain at a men’s maximum security prison. This was probably one of the most significant training opportunities that I received in my journey toward ordination. It began as a CPE (Certified Pastoral Education) course and extended into two years of ministry. Freedom was a word often used as the men talked about walking out the door and going home to be with loved ones. Although I celebrated those days with them, I began to cherish the occasions when I would hear testimonies of experiencing new freedom inside the walls. Maybe it was a change of attitude, or a discovery of a positive personality trait. Maybe it was the opportunity to share one’s story during group time or play a guitar during worship. Maybe it was a new understanding of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Is the most important test of feeling free when we are limited physically in some way? I’m always inspired by Joni Eareckson Tada’s witness of freedom as a paraplegic. Think about how handicapped people are able to overcome what others might see as limiting, or veterans who have learned how to interpret freedom as those who have risked their lives to secure it for others.

Do you ever wonder if church doctrines enhance or limit people’s freedom in their faith experience? Is there freedom in our invitations? Do we offer or accept, only to receive? Do we make it difficult to follow the Master?

Today, while cleaning out a closet, I found a verse written by Menno Simons (1539), given to me by an inmate when I left the prison. It initiated this blog.

True evangelical faith
cannot be dormant.
It clothes the naked,
It feeds the hungry,
It comforts the sorrowful,
It shelters the destitute,
It serves those that harm it,
It binds up that which is wounded,
It has become all things to all men.

There is freedom here in spite of limitations the situation may provide. There are no rules, just love in action with abundant grace.

Donna Mann
http:www.donnamann.org
http:www.homestead.com/the_meadows/mann.html
Take Time to Make Memories: A memoir
WinterGrief: A personal response to grief
Aggie’s Storms: The childhood of the first woman to be elected to Canadian parliament

Spin... - Black

Spin... The world in which I grew up generally used the word spin to convey the idea of turning around, twisting, or whirling about. As a kid I’d spin round on my toes and fall down dizzy, my head–or at least the perceptions in my brain–spinning. I’d spin the wheels of my toy car or locomotive, or my bike. I’d spin my humming top, or whip my spinning top till it spun fast and steady. I knew what it was to spin. More abstract understandings and uses of the word came to me years later.

Still, as a kid, sometimes I’d try to fib my way out of trouble for some misdemeanour, and soon learned that doesn’t pay, and that "honesty is the best policy." However, the honest approach also resulted in trouble when I deserved it. And so, honesty morphed into ploys to tell the truth in such a way as to make the deed appear not quite so bad after all, or to spread the blame around, in hope of mitigating my own failure (and prospective punishment!). That was spin, although I didn’t know it.

The term "spinning a yarn"– making up stories, whether for entertainment, or for political or commercial ends, comes from the old process of spinning clumps of fibre, like wool or cotton, into yarn. Adults, kids, advertisers, public servants, and politicians, engage in spin all the time. It’s the spin doctor’s job to put the ‘correct spin’ on things; make their clients look good and their clients’ opponents look bad.

Now that both Canada and the USA have elected their respective federal governments, the question arises whether the political spinning of the past months on either side of the border will end? Will spin doctors be out of a job? Not a chance. As a breed they’re surely here to stay. Why? Because truth exists, and the truth in pure form will either commend or condemn. Decisions will be made and situations handled well or less well. Some citizens will benefit, while others won’t. To survive, those in office have to look good and appear to be doing well. Political parties not in office try to make themselves look good by making those in office look bad. Hence, spinning is here to stay.

Our putting the best spin on our own life’s conduct and condition doesn’t fool our Heavenly Father one little bit. Truth exists. Each fact and facet of our lives is fully known to Him. He is completely cognizant and understanding of every nuance of our emotions, motivations, and thoughts. No matter how relatively good or bad we may be compared to other human beings, there’s sufficient to condemn and little to commend us when viewed in the white light of His holy and righteous character. But, His truth sets us free from condemnation and guilt.

Remember how, as parents, we were glad when our children ‘fessed up, telling the truth of some disobedience they’d committed or careless action made? The process of reconciliation and moving on from the failure could then begin. When we stop spinning, our relationship with God our Heavenly Father can really begin. Israel’s King David experienced the relief of freedom from spin (Psalm 32:5 NIV): Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"– and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Peter Black

(This piece previously published in The Watford Guide-Advocate – November 6, 2008).