Jerusalem First

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. Then you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem. You will be my witnesses in all Judea and Samaria. And you will be my witnesses from one end of the earth to the other. Acts 1:8 (NIRV)

This is possibly one of the most well know passages in the New Testament. It's one I can remember hearing my whole life. And have heard many teachings on it. But yesterday it came to life in a very real, heart-wrecking way. Every year around Christmas time we support organizations like Operation Christmas Child or Agora Ministries or various Angel Tree charities. We do it because there's a need. We do it because we want our kids to grasp that we are a tremendously blessed family. And we do it because it makes us feel good. We do these things, talk about the things we saw and how blessed we are for a few days then go about our lives. I'll be honest. I've never considered myself a naive person. I've honestly never thought I lived inside a bubble. But as my bubble popped yesterday, I realized how blinded I've been...especially to the things in my Jerusalem...right here in my neighborhood. I sat in a meeting yesterday where I heard about families right in my son's school that have needs that absolutely wreck my heart. Families sleeping on floors because there's nothing else to sleep on. Families whose most basic needs don't just come up short occasionally, but are never met. I knew that in our quiet Hill Country town there were those with needs. But it never occurred to me that those needs were less than one mile from me on any given day. As my naive bubble popped and my heart broke (ok, I cried a little, too), Act 1:8 ran through my head. But there was so much emphasis on "Jerusalem" each time. See, very unintentionally, we've looked for needs in our Judea (other parts of our state). We've looked for needs in our Samaria (other parts of our country). And we've looked for needs on other ends of the earth. But somehow we've overlooked our Jerusalem. Our hometown. My heart ached as I thought of the needs that have been right in front of our noses for all these years that we've just missed. How many of these precious children have I crossed paths with at my son's school, yet never thought to ask if there's a need? How many of these parents have I crossed paths with in the course of a day and just missed? As I spent most of yesterday afternoon and evening trying to figure out what we can do to help, I felt God do what he often does. He showed me something I've missed. Both inside and outside. I don't think locations are in random order in that verse above. I believe that they were intentionally ordered that way when Paul wrote Acts. We start where we are. Build in our immediate communities. Meet needs in our immediate communities. Invest in our immediate communities. Then we work on those needs in our state, our country, our world. Or do them simultaneously. But I think we often "forget" to see the needs right where we are. And that's where God showed me what I've missed on the inside. It's easier to give or invest in things that are at a distance...outside my city, outside my state, outside my country. The time and emotional investment aren't as deeply rooted. To meet the needs right in my community will require more of an investment...of my time, of my resources. Of my emotions. Investing right where I am means I'll cross paths with those that I've tried to help. And I won't be able to simply walk by going about my day. I'll end up crying with people. And I'll end up celebrating with people. Because they will be real, tangible, cross-my-path-often people. I've not consciously overlooked my own neighborhood. But I've certainly not been intentional to seek out needs here. And I find myself feeling a bit self-centered because of it. But here's the good news. Today I'm aware. Today I'm ready to take action. Today I'm ready to share in the tears. This Christmas season, I encourage to be His witness in your Jerusalem. Call the nearest school to you and ask how you can help families. Call your church and ask how you can meet needs in your own congregation. Call a local non-profit and find out what they need. But be ready...your heart will be wrecked by the needs right in front of you. And your reward will be immeasurable.

Day 1: The Foundation

There's a little fad that's made it's way around Facebook and Twitter the last couple of years in the month of November. It's to post each day about something you're thankful for. I'm gonna be totally honest. I've never participated because I knew I wouldn't follow through and finish. But this year I felt like I was supposed to play along...just in a different way. A blog a day. And since I'm putting this in writing, I have to follow through and finish. So, here it goes. Day 1! Today I'm thankful for my life's foundation. It's not just a foundation of faith, but a foundation of love, of giving, of life. It's a foundation that has shaped who I am in so many ways. It's a foundation that was laid by my grandparents, Lloyd & June Ball. My grandparents lived through the Great Depression. They both lived through things that would make some people crumble...but made them stronger. They both lived their lives to serve their God and anyone else they could. They worked hard. Today's entitlement generation could take a lesson from how they lived...and saved...and earned all that they had. My grandpa served in World War II and the Korean War. If you asked him, he would downplay his service. He often felt that because he wasn't on front lines, his role wasn't as significant. That's actually how he was about most of his life. Incredibly humble. A prideful spirit was nowhere to be found with him. He epitomized the phrase "man of God". Slow to anger, quick to forgive. First to serve, but usually behind the scenes. He never wanted recognition. He truly served out of a heart of love and only needed his Heavenly Father's approval. He loved everyone. And everyone he met loved him. He saw the best in everyone and always gave you the benefit of the doubt. He would give the shirt off his back to anyone at any time. He may have aged physically, but he never got old. His heart for missions was unmatched. His pride in his family was evident to all who met him...even if just for a moment. He'd be sure you knew how perfectly wonderful his daughter, granddaughter and great grandkids were. And if you knew him the last 5 years of his life, you'd know that mom and I happily faded into the background as he became completely enamored with my two munchkins! He knew his Bible inside and out. And even as his memory faded over the last couple of years, he never forgot the spiritual things, the Bible things, the beautiful old hymns. My grandma, well, she was grandpa's polar opposite in so many ways. You'd know that if you ever got on her bad side. Grandpa didn't have one. Grandma did. And once you got on it, you weren't getting off. She brought life to every place she went and everything she did. If she was around, there was a party. You never knew what she was gonna say. She was a get-it-done kind of lady. If she saw a need, it was going to be met. If she couldn't meet it herself, she was going to get all the people necessary to make sure it was met. She was fiercely loyal. And ferociously protective of those she loved. She was strong and independent. And she was incredibly smart. She had a career working with special needs students. She was so different than so many other women of her generation. She had a voice...and she used it. She never stopped learning. She never stopped giving. She pretty much never stopped. Age was strictly a number. She watched MTV so that she would know what all the "kids" were up to these days. She loved the old church music, but welcomed the change of music with more guitar than organ. All of those things, plus countless others, have laid a foundation. Have taught me. Have had a huge part in shaping who I am today. They established a foundation of faith in our family and left a legacy that now their great grandchildren can begin to carry. I'm so thankful to have called them my grandparents. Who are the people that laid a foundation for you?

Some Day...

In the last couple of weeks, I've had some extra opportunities to do fun, special stuff with the kids. And in that, God has made me keenly aware of how fleeting these moments are. My sweet boy goes into 6th grade next year. Here, 6th grade is its own campus. Not part of elementary school, but not quite middle school yet. Next year my sweet girl goes into Kindergarten. Today, they both still enjoy when I show up at the schools for something. Today, they still ask if I'll please come to the party or the field trip. Today, I don't embarrass them. Today, they'll still give me a hug and a kiss in front of their friends. They'll even both still initiate the hug or kiss. But soon those moments will become less and less. It's a natural part of the growing up process. And in a lot of ways I'm looking forward to the next stages. Where our conversations are more grown up. Where the public affection will happen less often, but have more significant meaning. Where I'll begrudgingly be allowed to tag along on a class trip. I look forward to them because I know that it's all part of growing up. It's all part of how my relationship with my kids will change and grow as they grow. I know there will be things I miss, but I know there will be unexpected things that I love, too. But today, in this moment, I love where we are. I love being there. I love being wanted. I love that their friends like me and want me around or want to be at our house. I love taking silly pictures at the bowling alley or the pumpkin patch. I love snuggling on the couch with a re-run of Good Luck Charlie. I love help in the kitchen and playing word games. I love family devotions with a kids Bible. I love late night board games with big brother after little sister is tucked in bed. I love being present. Not just being here, but being present in the every day. I love that God has allowed me to be aware of how fleeting this time is. Some day they'll grow up and need me less, need me differently. But today, this day, I'm here and I love it.