Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The night Mandisa nearly got me killed

It's dark. I'm tooling along the path. Got a later start on my walk than I'd planned, and I'm totally zoned into my iPod music when, from out of nowhere, this HUGE boxer is charging straight for me. Six feet away at best. I have no idea how loud I screamed because my earbuds were in and all I could hear was Mandisa belting out "What if we were real..." And I'm thinkin' real nothin', I'm about to die!

Look at this ferocious creature! Just look at him!


Well okay, that's not really him but mine was much meaner looking. And bigger. Much bigger. And his jowls were flapping and he was barking and–– Well, it was scary. Thankfully, the lit end of a cigarette butt appeared close behind him (attached to the beast's owner) and all turned out well. "Oh he's really friendly," the guy said. Uh-huh... He looked really friendly as he was eying my jugular.

But that's the night last week that Mandisa nearly got me killed...

God's been introducing––and reintroducing––a theme in my life over the past few months, one that I didn't notice at first. Not even when writing A Lasting Impression. The true theme of that book wasn't truly clear to me until after the first draft. Then God revealed it. And He's had my attention ever since.

One of the songs I was listening to repeatedly that night is from Mandisa's newest album and is entitled The Truth About Me. Here are some of the lyrics...

You say lovely, I say broken
I say guilty, you say forgiven
I feel lonely, you say you're with me
We both know it would change everything
If only I believed the truth about me.
I would sleep better at night, wake up with hope for another day
I would love...even if it costs me
Take a chance and know I'm gonna be okay
I would dare to give my life away...

Give my life away. That's the theme God's been repeating to me recently.

On another walk this week (in broad daylight, thank you very much!), Kathryn Scott joined me (in my earbuds) with her song You Gave Your Life Away, and in listening to her words about how Christ gave His life away, I was struck again by how little of my own I've really given away thus far. And how much I want to change that.

Then as I read a couple of days ago, Paul "whisper shouted" these words into my heart,


For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.


Oh to be able to say that. "I am already being poured out..." To live with that kind of conviction. That kind of surrender. And it makes me question, Where am I being poured out like that in my own life? What parts of my life––and heart––are still tightly corked and hidden away, kept greedily on the shelf?

It's a theme God keeps "whisper shouting" into my heart, and I'm listening. I've got such a long way to go, but I'm listening. He's shaping me, slowly but surely.

Where are you being poured out today? And into whose life or lives? If you hear a "whisper shout" too, share if you'd like and we'll encourage each other in this journey.

Blessings on your day, friends!

P.S. Have you ever googled images of adult white boxers? Well, suffice it to say, don't forget to put the word "dog" in there when you do, k?

Saturday, August 27, 2011

And To Die For goes too...

Meghan! 


Congrats, friend. Thanks to everyone who left a comment, and for the connection we share. Appreciate you all. Meghan, I'm writing you now for your address!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Sehnsucht


Last Friday I struggled with something. I didn't quite know what it was. I wasn't unhappy, or sad. Not really. I just wasn't…"me," if that makes any sense. Then I read a passage in a book that my Bethany House editors had sent me for my birthday and it perfectly defined what I was feeling.

In her wonderful book Deeper into the Word, Keri Wyatt Kent writes, 

"C.S. Lewis wrote extensively on joy. His life was marked by what he labeled Sehnsucht––a longing for joy. It was the longing itself that brought joy, not the attaining. And it was that longing that led him to eventually renounce atheism and become one of the greatest Christian apologists of the twentieth century. In his wonderful book Surprised by Joy, he writes, 

' In a sense the central story of my life is about nothing else… It is that of an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction. I call it Joy, which is here a technical term and must be sharply distinguished both from Happiness and from Pleasure. Joy (in my sense) has indeed one characteristic, and one only, in common with them; the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again. '

Jesus told his disciples that they would find joy by staying intimately connected with him (see John 15). When Jesus told his disciples he would be leaving them but then returning (referring to his death and resurrection), he told them those events would cause them to grieve but then to rejoice. Sometimes the path to joy leads us first through disappointment or pain. Sometimes we find joy in the midst of the pain, in spite of it, because we experience the presence of God."

Me here again… I read that last line and it totally summed up what I was feeling. Even as I was experiencing the presence of God in my life, I had a deeper craving for more of His presence. A desire to live more fully "in the moment" with Him. And while it was encouraging in one sense, it left me with a longing––a kind of emptiness inside––that left me feeling out of sorts. Unfulfilled. And with good reason, I realized, as I more closely examined my feelings. Because (as the old song goes) this world is not my home. 

God fashioned us for so much more than just these few years on earth. Don't you feel that when you look at a sunrise? Or when you look out across a meadow bathed in the blue of coming twilight and you see, so vividly, the hand of the Creator, and you know without a doubt that the One who created what you're seeing, also created you, and also created an eternal Home for you and me. As fabulous as this world can be at times, it simply doesn't begin to measure up to God's plans for us.



 (Thanks to my friend Delmar Schroeder for these pictures of Colorado)

I highly recommend Deeper into the Word. It's a wonderful book (that could be used as a daily devotional) that enriches our understanding of words used in the New Testament and therefore God's message to us. 

On a completely different note... On Sunday night Joe and I saw The Doobie Brothers in concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. We had such a great time and the music was fabulous! But wow, when did the rest of the Doobie fans get to be so old? Sheesh... If you've never visited the Ryman, click to read the history of that wonderful historic old building. 

Praying you're sensing God's presence today, and that it leaves you Joyful and yet…Sehnsucht––longing for more.

Me and Joe at the Ryman

Friday, August 12, 2011

June's Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cake

Remember this cake from a post a couple of weeks ago?


Dianne requested the recipe, as did a few others via email, so here you go! I originally posted it last year (in my sweet mother's handwriting as seen below) but it's been a while, and this recipe is definitely worth posting again. Enjoy!



Tuesday, August 9, 2011

So far, 50 is fabulous!


Thank you to everyone for your sweet bday wishes over on Facebook yesterday. I had a wonderful day. Went to see the movie Crazy, Stupid Love, which I enjoyed. [No spoilers coming, I promise.] So many parts of the movie had me laughing out loud, then others tearing up, then others, admittedly, shaking my head at what Hollywood considers humorous or promotes as acceptable behavior. But all in all, I found Crazy, Stupid Love enjoyable. And it had a great ending. That's all I'll say. No spoilers, as promised...
Seeing that movie got me to thinking about all the different kinds of love we experience in this life. And the different stages of love too. As many of you know, my precious mom went home to be with the Lord in August 2009 from gallbladder cancer. Her passing left a gaping hole in our lives and an especially huge hole (understatement) in my Dad's heart. He adored Mom, and she did him, for 55+ years. They were each other's best friends, and far more.

This past spring we encouraged Dad to attend his 60th high school reunion. He did, and long story short…several weeks later, through the encouragement of a sibling of a former childhood friend, he reconnected with that "childhood friend," and a seed of love was planted, and began to grow. Dad and Esta––a dear woman he grew up with in  Fayetteville, TN, and hadn't seen since high school––are to be married later this month. And my older brother, Doug, and I, and our families, couldn't be happier for them.

Dad and Esta visited us in Nashville recently. 
Don't they look happy!

Esta lost her husband, Merle, thirty-six years ago and then raised their children by herself. She was a nurse for forty-one years and also endured breast cancer in her late forties. She lost a daughter and sister to breast cancer in recent years as well, and yet is the most joy-filled woman. Her love for the Lord (and my dad) just radiate. We've really enjoyed getting to know her and welcoming her to our family. Thank you for your prayers for my family and for my Dad. They've made such a difference!

And now, switching gears back to movies... 

Through the power of Fandango (I don't care for their paper bag ads but love the service they provide, LOL), I've got a ticket for the first showing of the The Help on Wednesday. What a fabulous book (and audio book!), and I can hardly wait to see it on the screen. Wish we could all have a Girl's Day Out and go see it together.

Have you heard the soundtrack for the movie yet? And the original song written for the movie? Listen to The Living Proof and the story behind it. Beautiful arrangement and lyrics.

Now off for some iced coffee and to finish the discussion questions for A Lasting Impression. Oh…it's so wonderful to be at this stage with another book. My publisher will be asking for advance readers for ALI soon. I'll be sure and get you the info if you're interested.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

The Sacrifice of Time

The August 2nd selection in Jesus Calling (by Sarah Young) reads, 


BRING ME THE SACRIFICE of your time: a most precious commodity. In this action-addicted world, few of My children take time to sit quietly in My Presence. But for those who do, blessings flow like streams of living water. I, the One from whom all blessings flow, am also blessed by our time together. This is a deep mystery; do not try to fathom it. Instead, glorify Me by delighting in Me. Enjoy Me now and forever!

I love how Sarah Young phrases these vignettes in Jesus' point-of-view. Time truly is a precious commodity, and time with Him is too. A friend and I were commenting yesterday that recent days seem to be flying by! I can hardly believe August is already here. And before we know it, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be around the corner, followed swiftly by another new year.

On a walk the other night, Joe and I discussed this very thing. He was listening to a sermon on James while I was listening to Mandisa (Hey, don't judge me! Her new CD is fabulous!), and we started talking about these verses in chapter four...

"Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone."

We agreed that this is exactly how each day feels right now. Like morning fog. Here and gone. These verses served as a reminder to me that only what we do for God will last. Everything else fades to nothing.

I was also reminded to slow down, and to cherish more time spent with loved ones. Yes, there's always work that needs to be done, and we need to work as though we're working for the Lord, not for people (Colossians 3:23), but we also need to take "Sabbath time." To refresh our souls, and to cherish family and friends. I did some of that this weekend...

Karen Schurrer, my editor with Bethany House Publishers, was here in town with her husband, Jeff, and we ran to Chuy's for dinner on Sunday night. Fun!



Karen is quite the photographer too, and she brought along her camera and took some pictures of my family. In between the jokes and sarcastic comments (both of which flow freely in the Alexander household)...

 

Karen managed to capture us––Jack too––with our eyes open at the same time...


As I "bring Christ the sacrifice of my time" today (however odd that sounds to me, as if time with Him is ever a sacrifice on my part), I'm praying that you too will pause to dwell in His presence––to delight in Him––perhaps more consciously than you normally do amidst the hustle and bustle.

Glad we're in this together...

P.S. Lots of free Kindle books right now! Be sure to check out:

Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Whitson
Code Blue by Richard Mabry
The Vigilante's Bride by Yvonne Harris

Know of anymore freebies? Do share!
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