Learning Along The Way

The Basic Elements of Living in Tandem

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As I’ve pondered this bicycle metaphor I’ve been alluding to so far in the first 10 days of this series, the metaphor has gone deep into God and wide out into the world.  A tandem bike? Really?

Really.

Here’s why: as a Christ follower we live this earthly life learning to…well… follow. That implies someone is ahead, leading. Showing the Way. But we don’t live this life independent; we’re closely connected, to the One who is leading. Christ is constantly present with us. We have His strength, His wisdom, His love to guide our lives.

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There are 3 basic elements to this tandem metaphor that I’ll spend the rest of this series exploring:

Getting to Know the Captain;

Getting to Know Our Part; and

Working as a Team.

I’m really excited to share the Biblical basis for each of these elements and hope to inspire you to begin deeply considering where you are in your relationship with Christ; how aware you are about your role in relationship with Him; and the vital part you play as a member of the Body of Christ.

Let’s take a look at this photo together for a moment.

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What are the stand out elements for you?

For me at first glance I see the light in the clouds. Then I notice the things that are in the foreground.  You might have approached it differently. I’d love to hear.

What’s my point? We see a similar circumstance differently. Nothing is wrong with different perspectives. They are just different. Difference can enrich life. But sometimes we can let difference divide us.

The idea of our spiritual life being like riding a tandem bicycle is an idea, a perspective, that has been formed through my experience riding on the back seat. God has used these experiences to deepen my awareness of Him, to help me learn more about myself in relation to Him and others, and the experiences on the bike have helped me see value in the part I play. These are good things. But they are my perspective.  You might see things differently. I’d love to engage with you to hear your thoughts as this series unfolds.

You may comment here, over on Facebook or Instagram or even on Twitter. I’d love to have you share your perspective!

Soul Thoughts to Ponder (again!)

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“Come to Me all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My load is light.”  Jesus

What is very appealing in these words of Jesus is the idea of rest, rest for my soul.  Twice He mentions this idea.  It is easy to picture my physical self coming to Jesus, laying down a physical burden like a backpack and then being at rest.  But I don’t think that is all He means because Jesus says “rest for your soul”.

 

How do I come with my soul burdens and receive rest?  How do you?

 

What are the burdens of my soul?  And yours?

 

“Search me O God and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.

Point out anything in me that offends You and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”  David from Psalm 139 NLT

 

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There is a wonderful book, recently published, that delves into what soul rest really is.  Bonnie Gray of Faith Barista is the author.  I am only through the introduction and the first two chapters and already I am underlining and writing quotes and personal reflections in my journal.  There will be much more written in weeks to come.  In the meantime, buy her book.  You won’t regret it.

We need rest.  We long for rest.  He offers us rest.  Join Him.

Also, for fun I am linking up today with my friend Sue over at Welcome Heart.  She is a great encourager from the Word as well…O taste & see Tuesdays (a day late but worth the wait!?)

Tasting on Tuesdays

 

Learning to Be

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When you move, are you the person who empties out all the boxes and hangs things on the walls within the first week?  I love and admire you.

That’s not me.

I have to live in a space arrange and rearrange furniture; slowly figuring out what gets hung where.

That being said we have framed art leaning against the walls in different rooms, waiting for me to make the final decision.  I love my hubster.  He has his own opinions but not so much about things like decor.

Recently while I was away for the weekend with girlfriends he finished a project we had been working on together.
photo(66)So happy with how this turned out!

I have been sorting through and organizing the ‘stuff’ we (think I) thought we (think I) needed to keep when we moved.  I have been coming face to face with the realization that I have some mindset issues that need realigning.  Somewhere along the line I developed the mindset that “things equate memories”.  Giving up ‘things’ has been a challenge to my core.  And yet we shed a lot prior to our move.  I keep reminding myself of that while I see boxes of books we haven’t unpacked and all the boxes of scrapbook materials I haven’t even opened yet.

I am trying a new, gentle approach with myself.  I am going through one box a day and shedding some more.  It’s good to do this so that no one else needs to figure out what was important in the midst of all the knick-knacks and paddy whacks that I have stored!

The joy of going through this process is the freedom that it brings and the treasures that I find.

Here is one such treasure from a file of notes:

The Fruit of the Spirit is Love

Joy is love’s strength

Peace is love’s security

Patience is love’s endurance

Kindness is love’s conduct

Goodness is love’s character

Faithfulness is love’s confidence

Gentleness is love’s humility

Self-control is love’s victory
Against such things there is no law.

You may recognize that someone has taken the passage of Galatians 5:22-23 and written it a little differently.  If this offends your Biblical sensibilities I am sorry.  But I see it as a beautiful way to go deeper into Who lives within us as Christ-followers.

God is Love.  He is so much more but for the sake of conversation (and the length of this blog post) I want to focus on only one of His many perfect attributes.

This step by step, word by word look slows us down, giving us time to think about each attribute of the collective Fruit (evidence) of the Spirit in us.

All these character traits are a part of us.  All the time they are present within us.
I used to look at these characteristics as individual to do lists of self-improvement and a measuring stick of how well I am doing as a Christian. If I was having a bad attitude day I was coming up short of a lot of fruit.  Which gave me fuel for self-condemnation. But that perspective is neither accurate nor helpful. God’s Word also tells us there is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  If He is not condemning me then why am I so hard on myself?

We live this life one moment at a time.  Not one day at a time.  One moment.  In this moment we can choose to speak kindly.  We can choose to be gentle with our own heart.  We can choose to show patience in the face of a repeated mistake because this moment will pass and a new moment with new possibilities follows.  We choose our responses one moment at a time.  Be present to God’s Presence within you.  His fruit will be more and more evident, one moment at a time.

One of my favorite things about this sorting process is coming across treasures like this 3 x 5 card that remind me how far God has brought me and all the grace He has shown me in the process.  How have you seen God at work in your life lately?

 

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