Maim Day

There is nothing more wonderful than when you open a book to read a few pages & discover that, in no time at all, you have fallen into the pages of the fantasy world. The real world becomes a hazy memory while the book world becomes a tangible reality. The only thing better than falling into a book is leading twenty-two students on a "journey to the center of the book".
This spring my Junior High English class is studying Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes. Being the young, energetic, Ms. Frizzelish teacher that I am, I have looked for fun, creative ways to help the book come alive to the students. So far, my favorite activty has been dubbed "Maim Day."

Now, don't you worry, I didn't really maim the students, but I did come up with a fun, creative way for the students to experience a crucial event in the life of Johnny Tremain while teaching them to sympathize with those who live with disabilities everyday.

Johnny Tremain is the 12-year-old apprentice to a Boston silversmith in the early 1770s. Johnny is a pleasant boy who, unfortunately, has let his talent go to his head. Driven by arrogance and pride, Johnny runs his master's shop as if it were his own. Johnny's life was set--he would surely be a talented master silversmith one day. All he had to do was bide his time.

That is, until his accident.

As a result of a malicious, ignorant prank, Johnny severely burns his right hand in molten silver.

The morning after my students read of Johnny's horrific accident, I met them in their homeroom with prewrap & athletic tape. With no explanation to them, I bound the thumb of each students' dominant hand to his/her palm. They had to live maimed for one day.

Initial reactions included remarks like "why are we doing this?" "this is stupid" and "I can't feel my thumb!" A few students questioned my teaching capabilities as they wondered if I "had permission to do this" and "does my _________ teacher know"? Of course, I had sought counsel and gotten approval from administration and the other teachers before implementing the activity. But I was still worried: what if the students don't get the point I'm trying to make?

The students fought & struggled against the activity during the first two class periods. More than one student was retaped between class periods, but this was expected. After all, English class wasn't until third hour & they still had no idea why Miss Lawson taped their thumb down.

After a mild reprimand & a third retaping session, I finally explained the activity to the students. Yes, I did have permission to do the activity, & (believe it or not) the purpose of the activity was not to inflict pain. We discussed that we could feel our thumbs but couldn't move them, which is why the activity was slightly alarming & exceedingly frustrating. The conversation turned to what Johnny Tremain must be feeling--what thoughts were going through his head? Do you think he was afraid? Frustrated? Angry? While I can't report that the students immediately changed their minds about the activity, I could see a slight change of attitude. Yes, this activity hurts & seems kind of dumb, but Miss Lawson seems to have a reason & she's taped up too.

From there, I expanded the conversation. Yes, the activity was about Johnny Tremain, but think about those who live with frustrating disabilities everyday. Almost instantly the room that was buzzing with complaints & concerns was filled with a thick, ominous silence. Do you think they ever wish they could "rip the tape off" & and just be "normal"? Do they complain or accept their disability?

The rest of the day went of without a hitch &, if you listened closely, I'm sure you could hear twenty-two junior high students singing the Hallelujah chorus as they ripped the tape off at the first ring of the dismissal bell. They made it: they lived maimed for one day.

While the students gloried in their freedom, I thought ahead. They would soon learn that Johnny's injury is irreversable: his thumb has melted to the palm of his hand. He can no longer function as a silversmith. Johnny is now maimed for life.

My Jesus, Fair

Do you ever despise yourself? I mean, complete & utter disgust with something that you did or didn't do. A regret that seems to haunt your waking & sleeping moments? For me, these moments of despicable agony are often centered around spiritual failure. How could I fail my God again? Have you ever been there?

This weekend I found myself disgusted with the way I had responded to my parents & I punished myself by stepping away from God's Word. Not a brilliant idea, to say the least. I muddled through my weekend, pretending that life was honky-dory. Who was I kidding?

It's in these moments that God sends a soft rebuke that leaves my face stinging as though I'd received a much deserved slap. As He often does, God used His still small voice to remind me who He is & who I am (a princess of the heavenly kingdom) by His grace.

My Jesus, Fair

Chris Anderson & Greg Habegger

My Jesus, fair, was pierced by thorns

By thorns grown from the fall.

Thus He who gave the curse was torn

To end that cuse for all.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

O love divine, O matchless grace--

That God should die for men!

With joyful grief I lift my praise,

Abhoring all my sin, adoring only Him.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

My Jesus, meek, was scorned by men,

By men in blasphemy.

"Father, forgive their senseless sin!"

He prayed, for them, for me.

My Jesus, king, was torn by nails,

By nails of cruel men.

And to His cross, as grace prevailed,

God pinned my wretched sin.

My Jesus, pure, was crushed by God

By God, in judgment just.

The Father grieved, yet turned His rod

On Christ, made sin for us.

My Jesus strong, shall come to reign,

To reign in majesty--

The Lamb arose, and death is slain.

Lord, come in victory!

I don't know about you, but sometimes I need to be reminded that my Savior died a horrifying death, was scorned by those he came to save, & was rejected by His Father so He could reign eternally in victory. But even those glorious thoughts aren't everything. The message of the song is wrapped in the chorus--"O love divine, O matchless grace--That God should die for men!" Who am I that the holy God of heaven--the Creator of everything--chose to leave His throne & die so I could be adopted into is family? Should I not, "With joyful grief . . . lift my praise"?

It's time to wake up! Time to stop living in despair & wallowing in regret. Run to Christ. Fall at His feet, begging for His unfailing forgiveness. Then sing, with tears falling from your face, "With joyful grief I lift my praise, Abhoring all my sin, adoring only Him."

Count Your Blessings

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed

When you are discouraged thinking all is lost

Count your many blessings, name them one by one

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done!

As I opened DAVID: Seeking a Heart Like His this morning, I can tell you I was ready to blubber, not bless. I mean, it's Valentines Day and I'm single. That's a legitimate complaint, right? Wrong. Count Your Many Blessings--those four words just stared at me. Those twenty-one letters sent my mind reeling: how often do I count my blessings?

How often do you stop & count your blessings? STOP right now & take a minute to write down every blessing in your life. I'm timing you. Ready . . . GO!

How far did you get? 10-20? Did you fill the page? Is your mind still racing or did you get everything . . . & I mean everything--your breath, your health, your family, your best friend & your worst enemy . . . everything?

Today's study focused on Saul's irrational hatred for David. I mean, this guy was nuts! He focused nearly all of Israel's forces on capturing & killing David, a shepherd boy from the insignificant town of Bethlehem. Beth Moore used I Samuel 23 to discuss how God uses trials to bring blessings. I know what you're thinking, "why does God use trials? Can't He just bless me?" I've thought the same thing, but Beth's rhetorical question hit the nail on the head, "have you noticed how the colors of God's faithfulness appear brigher when the backdrop of our lives look bleak & gray" (69)? When my life is all sunshine & daisies, I'm less aware of how bright God's faithfulness is. Be honest--most of us rarely notice the moon when the sun is shining, but it's still there, shining brightly.

I Samuel 23 presents two evidences of God's faithfulness to us: a reconfirmation of His direction & His provision of encouragement. Beth remarks that "doubting God & doubting that we understood God are two different things" (69). Two vastly different things. The first, doubting God, demonstrates my lack of trust in God. According to this mindset, God has no idea what He's doing & He may need my guidance. The second, doubting that we understood God, demonstrates my lack of trust in myself. I have proven to myself that I am not trustworthy--I am prone to misunderstanding. The second demonstration of God's faithfulness is friendship. Isn't it encouraging to know that God doesn't want you to face trials on your own? God has specifically placed people in your life to encourage you during a specific trial that you will place. That, friends, is awesome planning!

Even with the knowledge of God's faithfulness "we often want to be called of God, then ushered painlessly into a position of service & honor, miraculousy possessing the character our callings require. God doesn't work that way. Our appointments are not about glamour. They're about glory, God's glory" (71). I wish I could say it in a more personal way, but Beth's words speak with clarity: it's not about me, it's all about Him!

"Painless or painful, enjoyable or distasteful, God always works to prepare us to serve Him, but He rarely prepares us in ways we expect. . . . Make no mistake. Jesus will be worth it. Remember, He thought we were worth it too" (71).

How is God molding you? Have you been counting your blessings?

You've Got Mail

Nothing compares to the joy I experience when, after a long day of teaching, I come home and find a sealed envelope on my chair in the living room. My mind is flooded with a million thoughts in the three seconds it takes me to cross the room. Who sent me a letter? What will the letter contain? Pictures? Money (yeah, right)? I know! My crush will finally admit that he likes me too (hey, I said a million thoughts, I didn't say a million practical thoughts)! While a majority of my mail includes billing statements & a ridiculous number of credit card applications, every once in a while I get a letter (none, so far, from that crush, but I'm still waiting). A "how are you doing?" note that tells me that somebody cares about me.

I suppose it's no surprise that one of my favorite movies is You've Got Mail starring Tom Hanks (Joe Fox) & Meg Ryan (Kathleen Kelly). The movie captures my love for written communication (although I prefer handwritten letters to e-mails) & places a modern twist on my favorite novel, Pride & Prejudice.

Kathleen Kelly writes it beautifully in You've Got Mail, "What will he say today, I wonder. I turn on my computer, I wait impatiently as it boots up. I go on line, and my breath catches in my chest until I hear three little words: You've got mail. I hear nothing, not even a sound on the streets of New York, just the beat of my own heart. I have mail. From you."


Contrary to popular belief, letter are more than just words on a page. Without even opening the envelope, I know that the sender is saying, "Hey, I care about you" & that has an unique effect on me. "The odd thing about this form of communication is that you're more likely to talk about nothing than something. But I just want to say that all this nothing has meant more to me than so many somethings" (Kathleen Kelly, You've Got Mail).

I love to communicate with my friends with handwritten notes, e-mails, & facebook messages. Our correspondence has no greater goal than staying in touch: we share prayer requests & blessings, discuss what God is teaching, vent a little over our frustrations, & share our deepest secrets. The note could be filled with vital information or nothing at all. All that matters is that we are communicating.

I don't know who is reading this today or if you feel the way I do about writing. I know that I'm a little odd & sometimes a little too romantic. Whether you write your biggest crush, your dearest friend, your mom, or your grandmother, I hope you write letters to someone. Remember, "a man that has friends must prove himself friendly" (Proverbs 18:24, my interpretation). Who are you being a friend to today?

sha'ul

Confused of the title of this post? Do you know what the word means (or do you care to look it up) or would you rather I just tell you? I'll give you a hint--it's not Greek, it's Hebrew. Any guesses now?

Okay, I can't wait any longer. It means "asked for" in Hebrew & it was the introduction to the single ladies spring Bible study: DAVID: Seeking a Heart Like His by Beth Moore. So, what's so cool about sha'ul & what does that little Hebrew word have to do with David? Let me tell you.

Pop culture proclaims that the story of my life begins with me, but is that really true? In the introduction to week one, Beth Moore refutes this humanistic argument as she introduces us to the people who shaped David's life remarking that "A person's story never begins with his or her own. . . . Our lives are often laboriously intertwined with another we have neither chosen nor fully accepted" (8). God started molding David's life, not at his birth, but with the lives of his two counselors: Saul & Samuel.

In I Samuel 1, a woman named Hannah asks God for a son. When her request is answered, she names her son Samuel (shem'el) which sounded similar to the word "asked for (sha'ul). To show her gratitude, Hannah returnsto God what she had asked for & God uses Samuel to accomplish His will in a mighty way.

In I Samuel 8, the people of Israel demand that Samuel select a king to rule over the nation. Following the Lord's direction, Samuel anoints a tall, good-looking Benjaminite named Saul. Where Samuel's name sounds like "asked for", Saul's name literally means "asked for". God literally gave the children of Israel what they asked for! Sadly, the nation soon discoved that what they asked for, wasn't really what they wanted.

Saul eventually loses God's favor because his "position exceed his passion." He worshipped God, not because he wanted to, but because he was a Hebrew. God was part of the package deal. As Beth Moore put it, "There is a country mile's difference between pleasing & appeasing God" (9).

As Beth Moore spoke, I could remember a little too well times when God gave me exactly what I asked for &, like the people of Israel, I soon regretted my choice. That little word sha'ul (which I can surely write better than I could pronounce) has been a rebuke to me. What have I been asking God for? "He wants my whole heart--the whole splattered mess." Am I willing to give Him what He has asked for?

Because

I know I said that I wasn't going to answer "why?" with "because" anymore, but, let's be honest, you were expecting it. Which is interesting because I wasn't.

Why you ask? Because God is still teaching me what "because" means.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, & keep his commandments: for this is the whold duty of man." Did you catch that--the whole duty of man rests in two words: fear & obedience.

Fear is humbly bending my body down & lifting my heart & hands up to God in reverential worship--not a shaking terror of what God will do to me if I don't obey. Obedience blossoms from proper fear. If I truly fear the Lord then I will obey Him because I want to worship Him withe every action.

Even if obeying Him will bring me pain.

Paul tells the believers in Corinth to expect trials because of their faith & encourages them not to give up, "therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy [God granting us favor, benefits, opportunities, & especially salvation], we faint not [do not get discouraged or overcome with fear]" (2 Cor. 4:1).

So, why do I do what I do? Because I have received mercy & I have no reason to doubt God's love for me.

Why?

Has anyone ever asked you why you do what you do? What was your response—a simple response or a ten-point message explaining each intricate thought behind the decision?
When I left home for college five years ago, I found that when others asked me, “why?” all I could do was repeat the question to myself: Why do I do what I do?

If you asked my high school classmates to describe me you would probably hear adjectives like hoity-toity, stuck-up, goodie-two-shoes, & teacher’s pet. Not only was I known for following the rules, I also had the audacity to encourage my classmates to follow them as well. I was one of those irritating students who loved school. I mean LOVED. I played school in the summer & counted down to the first day of school. Weird. People got the impression that I did right because I wanted to stay out of trouble. While avoiding trouble may have been part of my logic, it wasn’t my main motivation. I did right because, well, it was the right thing to do. Crazy, I know.

As I entered college, my mentality for obeying rules remained the same. Was my logic wrong? Well, no, but it wasn’t right either.

Between my sophomore & junior years in college I began to ask myself the question people had been asking me for years, “why do I do what I do?” I was disturbed to find that I didn’t have an answer. I wasn’t a rebel who flagrantly broke rules, but I would make allowances to bend rules when I felt they were too restrictive. I was obeying the rules, but I sure wasn’t being a Christ-like example to others.

The spring of my junior year was a spiritual low. God wanted to change me but I was content to remain spiritually stagnant. On a whim, I applied to be a camp counselor, not really believing God would send me to camp. But He did & I came face-to-face with my mediocrity. My counselor training packed required me to share my reasoning for tough scenarios--principles for deciding if something is right or wrong & principles to give to someone who wants to grow spiritually--& verses defending God’s guidelines for dating, music, friends, authority, & a plethora of other counseling topics. For the first time in my life I had to answer “Why?” with more than just “because.”

I'm not perfect--God is definitely still working on me--but God is helping me answer my own questions. I don't have all of the answers & sometimes what I do may make your head turn, but I promise, God is helping me answer "why do I do what I do" with more than just "because."