the seventh gift...

The seventh gift of waiting is trust in God. 

Trusting in God is an invitation to let go of fear. 

Trusting in God is an invitation to trust in love. 

Trusting in God is an invitation to pray. 

"When we can't control things and when we can't predict the figure, we begin to live in trust....This may well be the greatest gift of waiting.  Trust in God takes us beyond self-reliance into new depths of faith.  Trust in God invites us to let go of our fears, to open our hearts in prayer, and to trust in the boundless love and care that God has for us." (pg 83) 

"It has been said that 'Pregnancy is a receiving partnership in grace.' We are all- men and women- called upon to be 'pregnant' at times, to enter a period of waiting for growth and new life. Like Mary, we, too, are called by God to say, 'Let it be with me according to your word.'  Our waiting holds the potential for new life and the invitation to trust God." (pg 86) 

"The next time you are waiting for something important, think of it as a built-in opportunity to put on flesh and bones on your trust, to put words into practice- and to experience the blessings of God's mercy." (pg 87) 

"I have learned a great deal from my Quaker friends about letting God decide.  When they are asked to pray, they say simply, 'I will hold you in the light.'  This prayer of absolute trust, which delights in God's awesome wisdom, sits in contrast to the highly controlled wish list of desired outcomes that many of us frequently present to God.  This kind of prayer finds its peace in the plan God things best. It is a prayer of surrender to the larger picture of God's love." (pg 89) 

the sixth gift...

The sixth gift of waiting is humility. 

Humility leads us to the grace of God.
Humility leads us to love rather than achievement.
Humility leads us to honor others.
Humility leads us to live without judgment.
Humility leads us to honest assessment.

"Sometimes we wait because we can't do anything else.  We recognize that we are powerless.  That powerlessness can be a spiritual opening. In our vulnerability, we realize that forces and powers far greater than ourselves have taken over. It is during those times of waiting that we learn humility." (pg 73)

"We all feel powerless over something in our lives-- maybe especially waiting. Our first instinct may be to rail against the powerlessness, to try to do something about it.  Powerlessness is not something we welcome, and we might do everything we can to avoid it.  But when we can let the powerlessness of waiting lead us to humility, to admitting that we are not in charge, we can move into a place where we can lean on God. And when we lean on God, we receive grace-- grace that changes everything.  God's grace provides relief and restoration and invites us to embrace outcomes we would never have believed possible." (pg 75)

"There may be no more provoking experience than being told, "Wait."  It stops any action we might take. We may feel powerless, unprotected.  Someone else holds all the cards. Un the intervening moments- or days or weeks or years- waiting beckons us to come to the well of humility, to drink deeply.  Those clarifying waters give us a chance to see ourselves clearly: to see both our flaws and our gifts, to accept both our failings and our goodness.  Even the waiting itself becomes a lens through which we can assess ourselves honestly.  The next time you find yourself waiting, consider your response.  How much do you assert yourself to get things done, to end the waiting? Acknowledge your confidence, your decisiveness.  How much do you seek advice and support? Acknowledge your ability to listen and discern.  Then give thanks, in humility, that you are a child of God born to make manifest the glory of God."  (pg 80-81)

the fifth gift...

The fifth gift of waiting is gratitude. 

Gratitude turns obstacles into opportunity. 

Gratitude moves us beyond entitlement. 

Gratitude opens our eyes to the blessings of small things. 

"Waiting can give us unexpected moments to be grateful for...the small things we may not have noticed before. Waiting can inspire us to look around carefully and to observe what's there." (pg 63) 

"If the only prayer you say in your entire life is 'Thank you,' that would suffice."  - Meister Eckhart, German mystic (1260- 1329) 

In regard to a situation in which the author found herself in a dark period of her life, she wrote, "Was this an opportunity for me to change something, an opportunity to grow? I thought of Christina Baldwin's great line, 'Life is an unending opportunity to see things differently, to keep reframing disaster and discouragement into faith.'  It got me thinking about reframing... In the Beatitudes, Jesus offers the chance to be in the reframing business. Many of the persons described in the Beatitudes says well-known preacher Fred Craddock, 'are victims, to be sure, but the beatitudes deliver them from a victim mentality.' The Beatitudes invite us to see blessedness even in the midst of tumult and suffering. They invite us not to be trapped by circumstances, but to look for the grace, to find the possibilities, to explore edges for growth."  (pg. 65) 

The Beatitudes teach us that we are blessed in our waiting because it is then that we have the opportunity to see with new eyes, to count our blessings. (pg 66) 

The feeling of Gratitude is a shy bird. Chasing it does no good. Genuine Gratitute can never be forced.  Trying hard to feel Gratitude is like trying hard to fall asleep or fall in love. The harder you try to be grateful, the more elusive the experience becomes.  It must come to you, on its own schedule and on its own terms.  You practice Gratitude by carefully building a home in your heart to accommodate it.  The bird does not always come, but it you make a home for it, it comes often enough. (quoting Timothy Miller, How to Want What You Have) 

In our fragility and brokenness, little things become a lifeline: the food a neighbor brings to the door, a peaceful sit in a lilac- filled park, a gentle touch of understanding, a homemade card of a child.  Needing all the emotional help we can get, we notice all those small things that sustain us while we wait. (pg 67) 

"For 13 years, I have been attending and sometimes leading a women's spirituality program at my church...and over the years in this group, it has become a tradition to go around the circle and share what we have come to call our 'Miracles.'  This periodic review offers all of us a chance to ask ourselves, 'What were the large or small events in my life during the past few weeks that seemed truly miraculous to me?'  Sometimes people's answers are big and dramatic: a loved one's has been saved or medical tests have come back blessedly negative for the presence of disease.  But at o there times answers are small and, at first hearing, almost insignificant: a crocus is blooming on the front step after an interminably long winter, or the finch is building her next once again in the same place above the garage.  Most of all, this time of sharing miracles has taught each of us to look at life through the lens of gratitude, appreciating the small things, taking nothing for granted." (pg 69) 

the fourth gift...

The fourth gift of waiting is compassion. 

Compassion reminds us that we are not alone. 

Compassion teaches us to receive. 

Compassion allows us to be seen for who we really are. 

Compassion helps us gather strength from others. 

Compassion offers us hope.  

"When we are waiting for something important in our lives, we tend to seek out others who will understand our restlessness and anxieties." pg 49 

"The enemy of hope- despair- may creep in uninvited, bearing heavy burdens. But hope shines radiantly through the embrace of our friends.  That's how it is with God's compassion, too.  God's abiding love seeks us out and finds us wherever we are.  What a blessing this is! We always have a future with God because in life or in death there is no place we can escape from God's love. God loves us anywhere we could possibly be." (pg. 59) 

"When we enter a critical waiting period- whether it's waiting for life-changing news, such as word about a new job, or a potentially life-threatening report, such as a medical test result- we enter new territory.  While it may initially appear as a dry desert, it can be as surprising as a desert coming into spring bloom, with subtle gifts and vibrant signs of life.  As we walk the path of waiting, compassion sprouts around us, filled with possibilities of hope.  Hope changes the landscape from barren to blossoming. Hope give us something to hold on to. Hope preserves the future.  

Waiting teaches us the value of hope." (pg 59)  

the third gift...

The third gift of waiting is living in the present. 

Living in the present calls us to "be here now." 

Living in the present invites us to relinquish worry. 

Living in the present allow us to say, "It is enough." 

Living in the present teaches us to be faithful in small things. 

"Waiting teaches us to dwell fully where we are. When we can't control our circumstances and we can't predict the future, we have the opportunity to live in the present." (pg 41)

"Waiting presents us with a unique opportunity to shift gears from useless worry about the future to engagement in the present.  What is good right now? What can I be at peace with today? Living in the present invites us to make the spiritual leap of trusting in God, believing that God is always near." (pg 44)

"Three summers ago, when my mom was living with us before and after her colon cancer surgery, the days were demanding. I was waiting for my mom to heal and to feel confident enough to return to her own home.  I was doing my job, anxiously worrying whether her cancer was metastasizing, taking care of the kids, fixing meals, doing laundry, and sometimes commuting to the hospital twice a day.  I was conscious over and over of all that constantly remained undone.  I finally realized I needed to stop. I needed to stop trying to take care of everything, to stop worrying.  I needed to reclaim an area of peace within myself.  I needed to recognize what was 'sufficient unto the day.'  I needed to declare, 'It is enough. This is all that is possible.'  Over and over in the midst of the clamor, I had to admit that my own powerlessness, to relinquish worry, and to trust God. When I did that, I could breathe more easily, offer up my worry, and allow God to help.  Loosening my grip and living more lightly allowed me to take a walk each morning, to relax a little in the evening, and even to experience a good night's sleep.  'It is enough.' A small simple treasure. Consider it the next time waiting makes you crabby or anxious or stressed out. Maybe waiting is offering you a chance to receive this empowering gift." (pg. 44-45)

"Living in the present is an invitation to sit down, take a deep breath and ask, "What is in front of my face this very minute that summons me to faithfulness?" (pg 45)

the second gift...

The Second Gift of Waiting: Loss of Control 

Loss of control teaches us to depend on one another. 

Loss of control allow us to surrender to grief. 

Loss of control teaches us resilience. 

"For those of us for whom staying in control is the ultimate achievement, loss of control seems like a perverse and rotten gift indeed. The release of control, though, can be an empowering spiritual step." (pg. 29)

"The loss....has taught us resilience. We have learned to let go of our anxiety and to be patient. We have become more flexible than we could have imagined.  There are many things we have learned to do without."  (pg. 36)

"When we are forced to wait- either through hard losses or through much-anticipated transitions- we, too, experience the dismantling of all that is familiar. While we wait, we often find ourselves out of control.  In fact, loss of control is a hallmark of waiting.  Loss of control can be terrifying; it can unhinge us as we lose sight of everything that is tidy and predictable.
Very gradually, thought, it becomes a little more bearable. First, we understand that we are not along and that we can ask for help. Second, we sit and come to grips with all that we have lost. Finally, we name and claim all that we have navigated and survived- and we can celebrate our resilience." (pg. 37) 

the first gift...

As I mentioned the other day, a friend gave me the book called Seven Spiritual Gifts of Waiting by Holly Whitcomb.  Over the next week, I thought I would offer you both a few of the things that stood out to me in this book as you all are in a season of active waiting as Jens is healing from the surgery and as you wait to figure out next steps.

The first gift of waiting is patience: 

Patience means trusting that there's no quick fix. 

Patience invites us to trust the fullness of God's time. 

Patience opens us to active waiting. 

Patience gives us time to be available to others. 

"...it is hard to trust the slow unfolding of God's action. God's time is different from our time. In God's time, we are often waiting for the bigger picture but must be content with each small piece.  When we are waiting, we put one foot in front of the other every morning and every evening." (pg 15)

"Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are, quite naturally, impatient, in everything to reach the end without delay.  We should like to skip the intermediate stages; we are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new.  And yet, it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability...and that may take a very long time." -Pierre Tielhard de Chardin (pg. 19)

"In difficult times of waiting, I have always appreciated psychologist Jack Kornfield's clarifying questions:
- How have I treated this difficulty thus far?
- What does this problem ask me to let go of?
- What great lesson might it be able to teach me?
- What is the gold, the value, hidden in this situation?" (pg 21)

" 'Don't let the time do you. You do the time.' My hairdresser quoted these words to me recently as I was getting my hair cut.  She has been waiting years for her son to be released from prison on an armed-robbery charge, and the waiting is hard.  She attends a support group for family members whose loved ones are serving time.  The group is led by an ex-con who says, 'This is how we survive on the inside and how all of you can survive on the outside: 'Don't let the time do you. You do the time.' This kind of active waiting is good advice for anyone who waits."  (pg 22)

"Patience means trusting there's no quick fix..." (pg 26)

XOXOXO

I wrote about this on April 23 (almost 3 months ago) in the post called Hugs and Kisses. 

And I thought it was worth checking in again on how you two are doing in staying connected in the midst of piles of medication, sleep schedules and still feeling like you don't know many folks there in Pittsburg.  While I threw out this challenge to Jason back in April, we stuck to it for a while and it was good, but then things happened with throwing off the routine with us both being sick at different points,  being out of town, etc.  

Here are a few questions that we talked about last night that were a great springboard to our intention to push the "reset" button on this: 

1) How did you feel loved this past week? 

2) What does your upcoming week look like? 

3) How would you feel most loved and encouraged in the days ahead? 

4) How would you best feel pursued this week? 

5) How can I support and pray for you this week? 

hugs and kisses to you both... 

XOXO

XOXO 

Choosing Love

I wanted to write to you about something that happened last week. We had my dear friend Jodi and her family over for dinner on Friday night and had a wonderful time. After they left, Dan & Tracey (Jason's sister and husband) called so Jason was on the phone with them while I took care of bedtime.  Two of Jodi's kids were spending the night too so there were a few other bodies to corral and get tucked into bed. 

 

After goodnight songs, prayers and blessings, I came down to start the piles of dishes. There were quite a lot of them stacked up as the Haileys are a family of seven.  But, I put on some fun music and began the task of getting through them one by one. I thought about this sermon I heard years ago by Tony Evans. He talked about the times when we do work unto the Lord that the Lord will give us our "paycheck".  And this paycheck will be so much better than what an employer could give us as the Lord gives us the fruit of His Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control.  It reminded me that even in the midst of mundane tasks that I could offer it up to God and know that He would be with me in those moments and that I could trust that His gifts would be my "payment".  I would not need any thanks from others because it would simply be a small offering unto God.  

 

I really was in this mode for quite a while and was truly in a content spot, but after about half an hour in the kitchen, I heard Jason come downstairs.  And then to be honest, I had to admit to myself that it kind of bugged me that he had not come down to help earlier.  Now, I could have so easily just asked about his conversation with Dan and Tracey. But instead, the first thing that I asked him was, "Did you spend some time on the computer before you came down?" as I suspected that he was checking some update or an email after his phone call while I was still cleaning up after dinner.  On top of this, the last few nights when I had come home from teaching at SPU, I had been welcomed to a pile of dishes in the sink to take care of.  I felt justified for the feeling of resentment that just popped into my head.

 

The thing is that I had a choice here and I chose the resentful (and quite frankly- a passive aggressive) response that made it seem like I was the victim.  I could have just asked him when he came down if he would be willing to take a turn and finish up.  No big deal and then I could have gone on and taken care of things I needed to do.  I could have owned my own stuff here, but I did not and I lost out. I cannot expect him to read my mind.  And the ironic thing about it was that I started out with a good frame of mind. I was not frustrated when I was actually doing the chores- but when Jason came into the scene, I lashed out for no good reason. 

 

I know this was not fair and I apologized to Jason later for it and he apologized for his part too.  We gave each other a hug that seemed to bring healing and helped us both to move on. 

 

I share this because I imagine that things like this must come up with you two as you are trying to figure out what normal is right now and how to love each other well in this season.  

In this situation, I was reminded that I am not the victim.  I ALWAYS have a choice in these things. Sometimes I choose the life giving response that brings deeper connection, and sometimes I go down the road that brings more brokenness and separation.  

 

A friend gave me a book this week called the Seven Spiritual Gifts of Waiting and it has some things I can chew on a lot right now.  I will write about each one in some blog posts to you later this week. In regard to a situation in which the author found herself in a dark period of her life, she wrote, "Was this an opportunity for me to change something, an opportunity to grow? I thought of Christina Baldwin's great line, 'Life is an unending opportunity to see things differently, to keep reframing disaster and discouragement into faith.'  It got me thinking about reframing... In the Beatitudes, Jesus offers the chance to be in the reframing business. Many of the persons described in the Beatitudes says well-known preacher Fred Craddock, 'are victims, to be sure, but the beatitudes deliver them from a victim mentality.' The Beatitudes invite us to see blessedness even in the midst of tumult and suffering. They invite us not to be trapped by circumstances, but to look for the grace, to find the possibilities, to explore edges for growth."  

 

I share this simply from one friend to another who understands that this journey of sharing life together within our relationships is not for the faint of heart.  It's hard work to keep choosing each day to connect rather than retreat or pull away. 

 

I'm praying for you two for connectedness and for freedom in your day to day interactions.

Trailblazers

On our hike this weekend, we hiked on a fabulous trail to an alpine lake.  As we were going along, Anna asked me about how trails were made as we traveled through the forest, over rocky sections and around lakes.  We talked about some of the equipment needed to do this hard labor and we were so grateful for those who had gone before us to make this hike possible with the trail work. 

It reminded me of how grateful I am for those who have gone before you with the CF and lung transplant journey. But I am also so grateful for the fact that you all are trailblazers too and your story is laying the foundation for someone else to be able to risk and step out on this journey too. 

Just know that you were on my heart and I was giving thanks for you on the trails today... 

Summer treats

On Thursday, as I was biking to campus from downtown (a different route than I normally take), I spotted lots of blackberry brambles on the trail.  Though I was cutting it close to get to class on time, I thought of the two pictures you all posted on Facebook of you at the raspberry and blueberry farm.   Those pictures beautifully illustrated the call to savor summer, and they inspired me to just stop for 30 seconds and pick a blackberry for a treat along the way.  Thank you for the reminder to taste the goodness right in front of me. 

It also reminded me of this classic Zen story: 

"A man traveling across a field encountered a tiger. He fled, the tiger after him. Coming to a precipice, he caught hold of the root of a wild vine and swung himself down over the edge. The tiger sniffed at him from above.
Trembling, the man looked down to where, far below, another tiger was waiting to eat him. One the vine sustained him.
Two mice, one white and one black, little by little started to gnaw away the vine. The man saw a luscious strawberry near him. Grasping the vine with one hand, he plucked the strawberry with the other. How sweet it
tasted!" 

136 miles...

In the last month, I've biked about 136 miles with my commuting to and from SPU for teaching in this summer session.  Not much in one day, but after a month, it adds up.

Thinking of you as you all add up the mountains of pills and daily regimens.  It may not be much in one day, but after a while, it adds up and you are moving mountains!

It's been a gift to tie you up in my shoelaces on my running routes and to throw you in my backpack on these bike rides.  :) 

beautiful route on my bike to class yesterday...  

prayers for those with whom we share the Journey...

Today was my last day of class at SPU for my two summer sessions. I started class with prayer each time and this was the prayer I began with today: 

We offer prayers for all those with whom we share the Journey: those who have been given to us, and to whom we have been given, those to whom we promised our faithfulness and prayers… especially……..

We entrust all who are dear to us to Your never-failing love and care, for this life and for the life to come; knowing that You will do for them far more than we can desire or pray for. Amen. 

During the time when I invited people to name people in their minds for whom they wanted to pray, you two were the first to come to my mind. I am so thankful that I can entrust you to God who cares for you so much and who will do for you far more than I can desire or pray for... 

prayer...

"Prayer is like a burning candle. 

It keeps watch, 

not wondering if it'd serve a greater purpose 

by doing something else, 

being somewhere else...

it just stands and burns. 

Unfailing flame, 

always present 

and in the Presence..."  

http://seamlesskatherine.com/1-july-2014/

two candles lit this morning for you pictured above... 

healing...

Last week, I was playing in a neighborhood soccer game across the street in our neighbor's yard (parents vs. kids).  At one point, I got tangled up with a 3rd grader scuffling over the ball, and we both tripped. I felt terrible that he got hurt, but also, my hand was really hurting as I skidded on the sidewalk.  The impact of the fall also caused my right shoulder to be super sore all week long. 

Today, as I was looking at my hand and was able to see the healing evident from the last week, I got a little teary. I was so grateful for a body that is able to repair itself.  It also points me to the heart of God that is all about restoration and healing.  

My hand is a reminder to keep on praying for your healing and for tears of joy as you witness continued restoration and repair....

Sunny Skies

The weather in Seattle for the last month has been amazing- I've had bike rides back and forth to campus for my class for the past 3 1/2 weeks with bright blue skies and bright sunshine. 

As I was thinking about this weather pattern on my beautiful bike ride today, I simply prayed for a stretch ahead for you both of some consistent sunny days and clear skies and smooth sailing... 

Disruption

This had your name all over it when I read this at church this morning in our bulletin....

a small beauty

Anna and I spotted this on our street today and we both stopped to notice as it was so vibrant. 

praying for something in your day to POP before your eyes too...  

courage

giving thanks for the courage you both put on each day and praying for there to always be enough when you need it most...

Spiritual Courage "Courage is connected with taking risks.  Jumping the Grand Canyon on a motorbike, coming over Niagara Falls in a barrel, or crossing the ocean in a rowboat are called courageous acts because people risk their lives by doing these things.  But none of these daredevil acts comes from the centre of our being.  They all come from the desire to test our physical limits and to become famous and popular. Spiritual courage is something completely different.  It is following the deepest desires of our hearts at the risk of losing fame and popularity.  It asks of us the willingness to lose our temporal lives in order to gain eternal life."  -Henri Nouwen

a bend in the road...

since you've had a few bends in the roads lately... 

I thought this would make you smile. 

XOXOXOXO

a tribute to you today...

This morning, I was driving Taylor to his lacrosse camp and we were listening to a CD that had a song about Romans 5.  It was a powerful song as it puts the scripture to music, and you both were immediately on my heart as I heard it. 

Though I have heard these verses many times before, I am still surprised when I hear that we are "to rejoice in our sufferings" and that our "suffering produces endurance..."  Really? But, then, I look back at my own story, and in my heart of hearts, I know this is true. It's just that it is not my natural response. My gut wants to complain- not rejoice.  But, this song reminds me that I have another choice and that there is more going on that God is working out in my story through the ups and downs. 

Know that I am praying that this would be more of your heartbeat today... I hope that this slideshow that I put together for you is an encouragement for you today too. 

http://youtu.be/B210n8Uwpdo

Romans 5:1-5New International Version (NIV)

Peace and Hope

5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.And we[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings,because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

six magic words, continued...

Here is another take on the "Six Magic Words" that I posted yesterday for you. I know I may have shared this with you before, Abby... but it's worth reading again in light of where you both are today in Pittsburg.  The pressure's off- God loves to watch you two together... :) 

Six Words You Should Hear Today by Rachel Held Evans 

“I love to watch you play.'"

According to Rachel Macy Stafford, an author and special education teacher, those six words changed the way she related to her children.  Rather than praising or critiquing their performances at swim meets, recitals, and soccer games, she began pulling her children close, and simply whispering, “I love to watch you swim,” “I love to hear you sing,” “I love to hear your read,” “I love to watch you play.” 

Their reaction to these words, she said, was telling: 

My child's face broke into her most glorious smile -- the one that causes her eyes to scrunch up and become little slices of joy. And then she did something I didn't expect. She threw herself against me, wrapped her arms tightly around my neck, and whispered, ‘Thank you, Mama.’ And in doing so, I swear I could read her mind: The pressure's off. She loves to hear me play; that is all.

"The pressure’s off. She loves to hear me play; that is all." 

Even as someone who is not yet a mother, I see the wisdom of this approach. And as my eyes scanned the article, I thought of how desperately we adults need to hear these words too, perhaps most especially from the God who identifies as our Father and who is often compared to a Mother. 

What a relief it would be to know the pressure’s off. God delights in our living and breathing and working and praying and that delight is not something we have to earn by doing everything right. 

God just loves to watch us play. 

Too many corners of the Church have been infected with a legalistic, performance-based view of God in which God stands over our lives with crossed arms and a disappointed scowl, applauding only when we get everything just right and rendering judgment on everything we do wrong.  Some pastors seem to thrive in lording this disapproving God over their parishioners. As one pastor put it: “Some of you, God hates you. Some of you, God is sick of you. God is frustrated with you. God is wearied by you. God has suffered long enough with you. He doesn’t think you’re cute. He doesn’t think it’s funny.”  He then proceeds to explain how to win back God's favor. 

For too many Christians, God’s unmerited favor is a one-time gift that applies exclusively to eternal security. In the meantime, God’s favor has to be earned.  It has to be fought for with one flawless performance after another. The Family of God is a competitive, disciplined, performance-based family that runs on the economy of gold stars, rules and shame. God is rendered into the  classic nightmare sports parent  whose favor has to be earned, who is always, always, always disappointed in us.  

But this is not the God we encounter in Scripture or in Christ or in the Eucharist.  The God we encounter there is the God in whom we live and move and have our being, the God who rejoices over His children with signing, the God who spreads Her wings over Her children like an eagle over her chicks, the God who loved the world enough to experience all of its pain alongside of us, the God who—as Nadia Bolz-Weber puts it—“would rather die than be in the sin accounting business anymore,” the God who loves to watch us play. 

God doesn’t love us because we’ve earn it.  God loves us because we are God’s children. God created this world and everything in it—don’t you think God delights in it? Don’t you think God loves us at least as much as a good parent who delights in the activities of her children, regardless of whether they get everything right? 

This isn’t a performance-based relationship; it’s a relationship based on unconditional love and endless delight. We can breathe a deep and long sigh of relief because the pressure’s off. We’re not here to impress or perform; we’re here to revel in God’s delight. 

So hear these six words from God today: 

          I love to watch you play. 

Or perhaps: 

          I love to watch you write. 

          I love to watch you bake. 

          I love to watch you nurse. 

          I love to watch you read to your kids at night. 

          I love to watch you care for the sick. 

          I love to watch you take pictures. 

          I love to watch you study. 

          I love to watch you laugh. 

          I love to watch you seek the truth even when it’s hard. 

          I love to watch you be the church together, even when it’s imperfect. 

          I love to watch you love one another, even when it seems impossible. 

          I love to watch you eat and drink and dance and explore and worship and pray and get out of your car to move that poor little turtle out of the road…not because you do any of these things perfectly, but because you do them as my children. 

Now sink into that sigh of relief and believe this today:

      

The pressure's off. God loves to watch me play. That is all.