think different | boxes

Today, I watched this video:

Do you think differently?

On July 25th, flying from my Asia home back to my America home I wrote this:

I don’t like staying inside of boxes. I think the world is much prettier outside of them. (I’m not talking about cardboard here…)

That was probably one of the biggest challenges I faced here, living in a culture that often finds its identity inside of the boxes. People are taught to never think outside of the established boxes. They are taught that the world outside those boxes is a dangerous place.

I was told by the leadership of my University once that I needed to CONTROL the thinking of my students and not to “let them think too much.” I should not allow them to get too creative. It might cause a rebellion. Honestly. They said that. We also were told on another occasion that activities we wanted to do with students might make them TOO happy and that they might start riots as a result of their excessive happiness.

And, you may imagine… I didn’t much like being told such things. I’m an advocate for all of the opposite. I want my students to be creative, to think out of the box, and to be happy! I also want them to be smart and disciplined and not to be rebellious or to start riots. But, I’m pretty sure they are capable of doing all of that at the same time. I really often just had to laugh. This fear of thinking just seems so ridiculous to my mind and way of seeing things. But I took it as a challenge to creatively encourage THINKING and CREATIVITY as much as I could.

But now, as I’ve been anticipating the return to my home culture… one that, in many ways, values creativity and thinking outside of the box… I’ve found myself recognizing OTHER boxes that people in America live inside of… and those boxes frustrate me… But then I catch myself and I ask the Father to help me walk in humble grace and to see the boxes that I too have found comfort in staying inside. And I pray that He’ll continue to open my eyes and expand my vision and teach me to live a life that isn’t afraid to ask questions, to challenge the status quo, to go to new limits, to dream beyond…

So today,
I am challenged to think differently.
To be crazy enough to think that things can BE different.
And to resist the comfort of staying inside of boxes.
Not to create trouble for the sake of trouble…
But to not be afraid of the good kind of trouble… 

And that reminds me of a song:

Josh Garrels, Resistance

There is More

Today, I was running and this song came onto my iPod. It’s really NOT a running song. But it was kinda perfect. It became my song of the day. (I usually have one of those.)

More (Live) by Andrew Peterson

I’ve always loved cemeteries. Some people think that’s weird and find cemeteries creepy but I think they are beautiful and peaceful and amazing reminders of important truths… And yes there is sadness in them, but even the sadness is somehow a part of the beauty, though we don’t always know how to see that. I have learned that… like the song says:

There is more
More than all this pain
More than all the falling down
And the getting up again
There is more
More than we can see
From our tiny vantage point
In this vast eternity
There is more

The other day, I went to a cemetery – the one where my dad is buried. It’s been a few years since I’ve been there. So I went. Not because I felt like I needed to, out of duty. Not because I was sad. Not even because I missed my dad. (Though I do, all the time.) I went because I wanted to remember that THIS, what I can see today, is not all there is.

In the years that my dad was sick I begged God to not let him die. I couldn’t imagine learning to live life without him in it. I just knew I would NOT be okay if that happened. But then one day, God showed me that I was wrong and that I WOULD be okay. And then He took him.

And you know what? It was true. I was okay. There have been some days and some moments and some seasons that I did not FEEL okay. But, I have always been okay. And today, 7 years later, I really know that I am okay. I even FEEL okay. (Though my friends are not always sure they are okay when I make awkward jokes about it…)

So I sometimes stand above his grave and I thank God that:

This is not the end here at this grave
This is just a hole that someone made

And I think about life, the one I’m living… The Life that Jesus gives to me, and fills me with! And the Life my dad is living, outside of time – in eternity. And I’m so thankful. And I keep learning that there’s MORE. 

A thing resounds when it rings true
Ringing all the bells inside of you
Like a golden sky on a summer eve
Your heart is tugging at your sleeve
And you cannot say why
There must be more

…

There is more than what the naked eye can see
Clothing all our days with mystery
Watching over everything
Wilder than our wildest dreams
Could ever dream to be
There is more

And I remember that in whatever I can’t yet understand… In the things I can’t really explain… And even in whatever currently causes moments of feeling NOT okay… There is beauty. Because there is MORE. More than the naked eye can see.

More. And it’s wilder than our wildest dreams could ever dream to be.

God is not… God is… | “White Man” by Gungor

Yesterday I mentioned that I think I am guilty of putting Jesus and The Church into boxes they don’t fit in. Last night, I was introduced (thanks Anissa) to Gungor. I’m pretty sure I’m about to be obsessed with them. They have this song that starts off…

God is not a man
God is not a white man
God is not a man sitting on a cloud
God cannot be bought
God will not be boxed in
God will not be owned by religion

I love it. And the video is – awesome! You’re gonna want to watch it. (There’s a flying HAMSTER! … Not only do they have great songs but they’re SUPER RANDOM. Love it!!!)

Here are the words.

God is not a man
God is not a white man
God is not a man sitting on a cloud

God cannot be bought
God will not be boxed in
God will not be owned by religion

But God is love, God is love, and He loves everyone
God is love, God is love, and He loves everyone

God is not a man
God is not an old man
God does not belong to Republicans
God is not a flag
Not even American
And God does not depend on a government

But God is good, God is good, and He loves everyone
God is good, God is good, and He loves everyone

Atheists and Charlatans and Communists and Lesbians
And even old Pat Robertson, oh God He loves us all
Catholic or Protestant, Terrorist or President
Everybody, everybody, love, love, love, love, love

Hi Gungor. Nice to meet you. Let’s be freinds. Love, Shanda

His EVER BEAUTIFUL thing | “Farther Along” by Josh Garrels

Life can be hard.
You know that. I know that.
Some days… some moments…
I can have so many… ”WHY God?!?!” thoughts
But I have to trust…I have to remember…
God is here and God is there.
WORKING…. Doing His EVER BEAUTIFUL thing.
And in the end… All of the things that make me think my ”WHY God?!?!?” thoughts…
Will make sense to me and not only that but…
I’ll see beauty in them.
Because the Most High God writes beautiful stories…
and He creates mosaics from the broken pieces our lives and our world are FULL of.
So, when I don’t see and can’t understand…
I can and I should choose to smile, to laugh, and to LIVE
knowing that He’s doing GOOD.

BECAUSE

That’s Who He is
and
What He does.

This song reminds me of that. You should listen to it. And then listen to it at least 3 more times. In a row. And soak in the truth that whatever makes you ask WHY today will make sense to you when you are Farther Along. You will understand why. “So, cheer up my brothers, live in the sunshine. We’ll understand this, all by and by.” (Click here to read all of the lyrics.)

(If the video doesn’t show up – go here.)

AND if you like this… you can download the whole album (Love & War & The Sea In Between by Josh Garrels) for free, HERE. You’re welcome.

a prayer and a song

Today, I just want to share a prayer and a song. Because that’s what I need today. A pray. And a song.

And now, O God, grant us to live in the riches of all that Jesus’ resurrection means. All authority belongs to him in heaven and on earth. No power and no enemy can prevail against him. Only good can come to us in the end as we trust in him.The best is always yet to come.So, Father, banish fear and fretting and discouragement and moodiness from our lives. Rivet our attention on the ultimate reality of Christ’s final triumph over death. Never let us forget or fail to feel universal glory that you have given Jesus a name that is above every name. Make this practical in our daily lives as we see every person, great and small, facing someday the risen and triumphant Judge of all the nations. Give us a brokenhearted boldness in the mercy and the might of Jesus.O Father, we want our lives to count for the display of his greatness. Work in us to this end with all your might, we pray. In Jesus’ name, amen.

~ John Piper, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ