#8-Parables of Legos

Seriously. I think if Legos were around in Biblical times I think Jesus would have used them for all of his parables. They carry so much depth and application to our lives it is incredible. And my story of Legos for today is as follows...

Micah got out the Duplos today. Funny because he has hundreds of dollars in "regular Legos" but he had a grand ole' time building with big huge blocks and new creations.

New creations. Let me say it again, new creations.

And that is what is so profound about Legos. You can take all these pieces that were originally made for a certain set and then put them together in new ways and then you have a new creation.

Not like this is a whole new revolution or anything, I mean the whole "Lego Movie" that just came out was all about this idea. But what was a new revolution for me tonight was how Micah handled when we said, "ok time to clean up the Legos" before bed. I knew he was still in the middle of something. I knew he didn't want to have to take it all apart and build again tomorrow. I saw it in his face, but he let go anyway. He rolled with it. And I think it was a lesson we all need to be reminded of...

You know, that "creation" that you put your heart and soul into today or in the last year and then you are told, "time to clean up" when you weren't finished with it yet. Or you don't want to have to start over with again tomorrow. Yeah, that one. Are you willing to let it go so a new creation can be made?

And the really cool thing that I saw today was what happens when you wait and come back to it. Micah at age eight played with Duplos a lot different than he did at age three. He had new ideas. He had had years of experience. He grew. And probably grew bit by bit.

And when he gets out the Duplos tomorrow or even if he goes back to his "regular Legos" he will have grown a little more. Because he put all the Legos away even when he didn't want to. He obeyed even if he didn't think he could rebuild something exactly the same way he did today. And I bet you his new creation tomorrow will be just that...a new creation.

I bet obedience will result in something even better. Because God is just like that in our lives. That pile of Legos that is just waiting to be turned into a new creation...but first you need to put away what you built today even if you don't want to. Especially then. We can learn a lot from an eight year old's response. Just roll with it. And trust.

#7- Is Forrest right? Is it both?

So I accidentally started reading this book lately called "Traveling Light". I downloaded a sample and then got sucked into it somehow since I keep using my "in-between times" for more useful things than Facebook and checking the weather 14 times a day.

And it is one of those books where it (so far) has inspired me, ticked me off, and made me jealous all at the same time. It's one of those written by someone who was 26 at the time so of course quitting your job and leaving it all behind to write a book and travel is (in my eyes) a wussy risk. So it makes me wonder what do I see has a huge risk but to someone on the outside they see as a wussy risk? What comfort is easier to give up at 36 than at 46? And 56? And why?

I'm really not sure where all of this is fitting into my "becoming" but I know it falls under this whole bit by bit deal somehow.

Bit by bit you accumulate junk.

Bit by bit you look at other people's stories and instead of being excited for them you have that passing thought...wish that was me. Wish that was me on vacation or up in the mountains skiing.

Bit by bit you get judgmental. 
 
Bit by bit you start thinking ideas that once were crazy but possible have become less possible.

Bit by bit you slowly fade.

I'm not trying to sound pessimistic here or even dooms day, but if you don't catch it or weed it out when you are 36 you sure as heck aren't going to when you are 46. 

This whole pick up and go was something Jesus asked his disciples to do, "drop your nets and follow me." Truth is that analogy is so far from having to give up my comfort that I can't even connect to what my "nets" are right now that Jesus wants me to give up. And the cool thing was when Jesus asked them he wasn't asking them to give it up all for crap. Truly. He was asking them to give it up for a fuller life. A more abundant life.

a·bun·dant [uh-buhn-duhnt] 

adjective

1.

present in great quantity; more than adequate; oversufficient: an abundant supply of water.

2.

well supplied; abounding: a river abundant in salmon.

3.

richly supplied: an abundant land.

 

Overflowing. That doesn't sound like something that Jesus gives us bit by bit, that sounds like a bam I got this moment. That makes me think that this whole idea of "He must become more and I must become less" isn't so we can slowly let God fill us up. It is because He wants the space to fill us with the overflowing life...all at once. This I like. This I can get excited about. 

 

This is why I read stuff that pisses me off and challenges me to go beyond the "well that sounds great in theory" but what applying it to my "suburban 36 year old life filled with teaching, sports-practices, homework, a car that is in the shop from an accident, and making meals from scratch?" How do I let down my net and follow him?

 

Is it like Forrest Gump said? Is it both? Is it bit by bit and all at once? 

 

The only way you know is if you let go. Both bit by bit and all at once. Yikes.   

#6-Become. More. Content.

When I stripped down my heart's desire tonight I say that at the core...

I. want. to. become. more. content.

I have struggled with this in my life in some capacity for my whole life. When I was in Junior High I compared myself to those who wore Guess jeans and I didn't. And that still shows up in my life as a 36 year old today. And as much as I know this quality has had it's strange benefits...like it has pushed me to become who I am through always pushing the limit and wondering what else could be possible in this situation? I know it is time to allow it to swing to the other side. To stop wondering all the time if I should move to the ocean or the mountains or teach art or buy end tables or grow my hair long or cut it short. Because truly I will always be discontent in something. And knowing that actually brings this weird freedom, to be more content. So here's to be content in discontentment. Because as Paul said "I have learned to be content in all circumstances and I know that it in Him that I have strength."

Interesting combination of thoughts. Strength through contentment in all circumstances. That is more of who I want to become.