One Bright Corner

4.15.2011

Soar

In the whisper of the silence,

I can hear my Jesus say,

“If I lead you from all the rest,

Yet can you walk in my way?”

“Not looking at what others do,

But focus on my Promise?

Can you trudge when they soar skyward,

And fix your eyes on My face?

“T’will be safer with me at night

Than it is for them at day.

Follow me, with no backward look,

And I’ll be there all the way.”

I look on His face; the world fades,

And, through fear, I know my choice.

I will stride the deserts with Him;

My heart will follow His voice.

I go; I live simply with Christ.

Each day, scores fly over me,

But I grip His promise closer,

And press on through the valley.

And then one quiet night, I pause

And my heart is stillest still.

I hear again His whispered voice,

With love speaking His kind will.

He asks, “Was it worth the aching?

Was the ground better than sky?”

Without wavering I say yes

And He smiles. “Then now, you fly.”

Picture Credit: AlicePopkorn

4.12.2011

Ah, boys. Those creatures who, at the beginning of my life, I loved to run with and make believe with and beat at table games. The ones who taught me how to correctly shoot hoops, challenged my pride when I was ready to give up in a game of tag, and got away with a whole lot in front of gullible me. Then, naturally, as I entered my teen years, things began to change. There just wasn’t that same chummy friendship anymore. We had different interests and different lives.

I remember the year I suddenly discovered that I had a power common to every woman in the world. Not to beat a boy at Uno or make him laugh at my knock-knock joke. No, I had the power to make a boy look at me, talk earnestly with me, and even pick me out of a crowd. It has taken many years for me to come to terms with that power, for it is really something I’d rather not have to worry about. And yet, the fact of the matter remains: God created man and woman to choose a partner and covenant together for life, based on not only His will and the guidance of authorities, but also on attraction and love. Brandy, one of our readers and followers had this question over our blog anniversary week:

How do you keep your attraction to boys on the "downlow"? What steps do you take to make sure you are not wrapped up in every boy that may be interested in you...keeping your mind on what God has in store for you now and waiting patiently for what He may have in store for you in the future? I guess I am assuming this is easier for you than other girls your age because your blog is rarely about boys or love, which is something on a lot of girls' minds at your time in life. I think your answers could be useful/helpful in training up my daughter.

After I discovered my new power, I tried it out, like a tadpole who has just sprouted legs and is wondering what in the world they are used for. It only took a few tries, however, to realize that my power was not worth wielding—it could not only hurt someone else, but also me as well. I came to recognize flirting and close relationships with men as selfish. So as I’ve struggled to keep my emotions in check, I’ve found a few helpful practices along the way.

Talking with My Parents

Phew! I know, I know—it’s harder than it sounds. But as I’ve opened up with both Mama and Papa about attractions, I’ve actually become less embarassed about the whole thing. It is not wrong for me to be attracted to someone, but how I handle that attraction brings the opportunity to err or succeed. My parents keep me accountable in my interactions with young men, and that is a powerful incentive as well.

Scripture instead of Fantasy

Perhaps I’m the only one, but the writer in me loves to compose the perfect romance story with me as the perfected heroine. My mind is always busy on something, whether my taxes due in one week, my latest teaching conundrum, my college assignment, or my very own fairy-tale. If I train my mind onto the things of God instead of the things of the world, however, God has a powerful way of honoring that choice by reducing my temptations and revealing Himself to me. What can be a stumbling block becomes a magnificent opportunity for fellowship with my Creator.

Avoiding Close Relationships with Men

I’ve written at length about this before, so I hope you read "An Honest Heart" if you haven’t already. It’s also worth mentioning that I do not subscribe to “dating” as the world defines it, and you can read the series Lauren and I wrote last year about this starting here. To summarize, however, I don’t believe that men and women should be close friends. We should treat members of the opposite sex as if they were taken, because they most likely will be married someday.

I do think about boys and love, and I certainly hope to get married. However, I always have to come back to Philippians 4:8:

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

It is not virtuous for me to flirt with men. Gossiping with girlfriends about crushes or handsome celebrities is not of good report. It is neither lovely nor pure for me to dwell on guys in my thoughts. Because of this, there is a regular, purposeful choice in my heart to keep my attraction to boys on the “down-low.”

Brandy, you asked a tough, but wonderful question. I am by no means qualified to give you advice on mothering your daughter, but I hope that by answering this question from a daughter’s perspective, I have helped you and the rest of the daughters and mothers who read!

4.08.2011

Self Control: The Big Misnomer

Sometime when I was under four feet tall, I learned a song about the endearing Benny Bear who couldn’t restrain himself from eating just one little berry out of the basket he was bringing to a party. Of course, before he knew it the basket was empty, and he was left bemoaning his total lack of self control. Then there was Mrs. Blab who just couldn't stop blabbing gossip until her tongue was sore, and Suzy Q who snoozed constantly. My sisters and I loved singing this song, partly because the words were so much fun to troll, and partly because the adults always laughed hysterically when we sang it for them. (You can listen to this song here, starting at about 2:35.)

So here I am now, just a touch over five feet tall, and I’m still thinking about self control. In fact, I have been dwelling on the word a lot lately, and I've had a revelation. Am I the only one who has ever thought that, for a Christian, the word “self control” seems like a misnomer? After all, Romans 7:18 says,

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.”

Does not Scripture emphasize that we are to be “Spirit controlled” not “self controlled”? When you sniff it out, does not self control reek just a bit of self help, innate goodness, and self sufficiency? My revelation may seem to be a restatement of the obvious to you--perhaps you have always taken for granted that when a believer talks about "self control" he is actually talking about "Spirit control." I know I am being technical, but I want to get the term right because it affects how we respond to temptation and how we aim for righteousness!

As I said, I have been mulling this thought over for some time now, for I know that it will be no easy task to get Webster’s to change their dictionary. Thus I have also considered that, even if I could convince the Webster dictionary man to replace “self control” with “Spirit control,” that would not mean that Christians abdicate their responsibility for living righteously. At some level, we do still have a responsibility.

Rejecting control of yourself by your flesh and accepting control of yourself by the Holy Spirit still requires a decision and daily obedience. That’s why I love the definition the Institute in Basic Life Principles gives for self control (that misnomer aside!):

“Instant obedience to the initial promptings of God’s Spirit.”

That is also why I love how the King James version of the Bible translates self-control: temperance. Strong’s says that temperance is the virtue of one who has mastered his desires and passions, especially sensual appetites. The Greek word for temperance comes from two root words, literally meaning “fixed position of great vigor” or “strong in a thing, masterful.” And Scripture tells us to find our strength in the Lord!

II Timothy 3:1-4 describes today’s society perfectly:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, ...blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ...incontinent [i.e. intemperate],...lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.”

Yes, we are very good at being self controlled. We are very good at doing what we think is right, and at avoiding things that will bring us pain. But how are we at being Spirit controlled? We need to hand the steering wheel over to God. God fills us with fuel, the Spirit steers, but there is no cruise control--we still have to press the gas in order to go anywhere. Matthew 26:41 says,

“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

So if self control has never been your strong suit; if you, like me, find it difficult to stop the vicious cycle of distraction via Google searches and website browsing; or if you love your sleep or your chocolate a bit too much or find yourself losing your temper only to cry, "I wish I had some self control!"--consider changing your mindset by deeming self control a misnomer and Spirit control the real virtue. Webster's might need some convincing, but I've never been more excited to redefine a word.

Photo Credit

The key to Spirit control is Philippians 4:13:

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

4.05.2011

Family Tree Grows Upward

Lorenzo Cuppini

I can trace my family lineage a few centuries at best. Six of my great-grandparents died before I was even born—they are just pictures and stories now. And me…in this moment. Such a short inhale, exhale. In the time it takes the sun to set, I will be the picture, story, and memento. Will I even exist in the features and the dreams and the convictions of my great-great-great grandchildren?

David. The shepherd boy. The anointed king. I envy him. He had a solid wall to lean on of three thousand years of family lineage through the honorable tribe of Judah and ancestors such as Caleb and Boaz. He was appointed by God to purposefully lead his nation into prosperity and peace. And he had a magnificent prospect to look forward to in perpetuating his lineage and his principles:

“When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you....I will be his Father, and he shall be My son….And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever (II Samuel 7:12a, 14a, and 16).”

In fact, David’s great-great-great-great-great (et cetera) grandson who would be born approximately 1085 years later would be the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world. David was indeed a man to be envied. He knew where he was from, what he was doing (and why he was doing it), and where he was going.

Living in the moment is a tremendous exercise, but living in the centuries is even better. I never learned world history by opening up the book at random and reading a few pages at a time. I only walk up to a conversation and interject my thoughts without listening to the topic if I feel like making a fool of myself. So I shouldn’t live my life with blinders and ignore the pages before and after me.

I may not be able to trace my ancestors back to Noah. I haven’t the faintest idea where God will have me in fifty years, and I sure don’t know what my descendants will be doing in a century. I may not have a knowing, but I can have a consciousness. I can complete each day in the context of yesterday and tomorrow and last millenium and next century. God has given me here and now to fulfill the plans of yesteryear and to begin the purposes of the future.

Just like David, I come from a long line of fallen men and women, some of whom served God with all their hearts, and some of whom fell and never got back up. Just like David, I have an incredible responsibility to the future of my family, my nation, and the world. Just like David, I have sinned and will continue to transgress God’s standards. I may not be compiling the resources to build an august temple, or raising future kings, or looking forward to the birth of the Savior of the world as my descendant. But the way I live my life today will change the way the world lives their lives tomorrow.

I want my posterity to have my Father’s eyes, and my Father’s smile—my Father’s passions, and my Father’s love. Pray God that it be so. That every single one of my thousands of descendants will look like me, only better—will look like my Father. That would be a pretty awesome family tree if I do say so myself.

“This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD. ….But You are the same, And Your years will have no end. The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be established before You (Psalm 102:18, and 27-28).”

4.01.2011

Guess What?

Lilla sweetly tagged us with this "Stylish Blogger Award." Behold this gleaming model of style:

Along with this award, I am charged with sharing seven utterly random and little known facts about myself. Here are my self-absorbed nuggets:

1. On past April Fool’s days, I have frosted a foam cake and hidden little frogs around the house, but I have yet to pull a truly epic prank. Those sorts of things are years in the making, so let's just say that someday…In the meantime I find delight in Google's yearly pranks.

2. When I was younger, for some reason I thought that one typically graduated at age 16. I still remember the devastating day that I found out the typical age of graduation from high school was actually 18. My first words upon learning this sad truth? “What a waste!” I graduated at age 17.

3. I am going to be the shortest person in my family. It’s my destiny, and there is no escaping it. I’m a nice 5 foot 2 ½, but Mikaela has me beat, and my little sisters are my height if not a bit taller right now.

4. I am an incorrigible girly girl in my tastes. Pink lipstick, cute earrings, fluffy skirts, flower in my hair… What can I say? I love my femininity!

5. Right now I am taking “Financial Freedom” in school. With Scripture memory work, lectures to watch, interviews with other people, and essays to write, I am keeping busy and learning a lot. Anyone else out there Dave Ramsey nerds?

6. My favorite passage of Scripture has, for the past several years, been Isaiah 43. In my Bible next to that passage I wrote, “I am in love with God, and He with me.” The end of verse one on to verse two just overwhelms my heart:

“‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.’”

7. I finished my 123 page novel when I was twelve about a family of nine children during the Great Depression. At that ripe young age I had nearly completed several other books with Mikaela. One was a mystery having something to do with logging and twins, and the other was a time travel story back to the era of Daniel in the Bible. Both of these stories we decided one random day to delete in order to save space on the computer. This seemed to make so much sense at the time, but now it would head my “Biggest Regrets” list.

I hereby tag these ladies:
Sarah of Lord's Lass
Samantha of Tea and Ink
Ruthie of Journey of Faith

And I hereby tag all of you who read One Bright Corner--I would love to read your zaniest facts and anecdotes about yourself!

Picture Credit: daniel_pfund