A WISH not a WEED Living Life with a Great Purpose

The beauty in a flower is not in my mind represented in the Dandelion, however, my sweet little boys disagree.  They excitedly bring me Dandelions in droves.  Handfuls of Dandelion heads come running towards me in chubby little toddler hands daily.  I have learned to appreciate the Dandelion more and more each day.  Dandelions by definition are a weed.  An undesired lawn pest run over by the sharp blades of the lawn mower at least weekly.  Yet it prevails.  It wins the spring battle of toughest weed.  The seeds of a Dandelion spread for even up to 5 miles!  Did you know all of the parts of a dandelion are useful; roots, leaves flower?  It can be used for food, medicine and for dye.

The most interesting thing to me regarding the dandelion is that we turn our nose up at it. It is a sheep in wolves clothing right?  It looks like a flower, BUT by definition it is a weed.  We try to kill it, we mow it over, we don't decorate our houses with it and we do not desire to receive it on our 5th anniversary.  This is not a celebrated flower, it is a thing of annoyance.  Of course only God could create a plant, that is a weed and turn it into something that is a beautiful wish.  You see the Dandelion over time, turns into a white puff ball of seeds.  We pick that puff ball up and close our eyes tight to make a WISH.  Then we blow the seeds out and scatter them out into the world.  In essence our wishes make more Dandelions.  What a concept!

You guys this is such a beautiful picture.  Our lives aren't pretty, they are yucky and mucky.  People who "have it all together" may look at us and think we are a weed.  We may not be the hottest mom on the block, we may not wear or do or say all of the right things.  They may mow over us and try to get rid of us.  Listen sweet girl, when you've gone from a looking like a flower to feeling like a weed Jesus picks us up, breathes life into us and scatters us out to spread the love. To multiply and do the same.  Here is hope in scripture:

For Yesterday:
Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and BREATHED into his nostrils the BREATH of life; and man became a living being.

For Today:
Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the BREATH of the Almighty gives me life.

For Tomorrow:
Revelation 11:11 But after the three and a half days, THE BREATH OF LIFE from God came into them and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.

Friend you have life breathed into you by your creator. Do not discount your great worth. You are not a weed you are a wish.  As God scooped you up he breathed life and scattered you out into the world, with a wish you would multiply and then return to him.  He is counting the time till you return.  You are a beautiful creation in him.  You are a beauty among the ashes, a treasure. created with purpose.  Let us no longer look at each others flaws, weaknesses, or disabilities but however look on God's creation and thank him for life breathed.  I will look at women, all women and know my sweet Savior breathed life into her bones and scattered her out for a great purpose.  Let us look on each other and ourselves in no other way.

I love Dandelions now and all other weeds that look like flowers like the picture above, they are a sweet reminder to my soul.  I love you as my sweet sister.  May you be reminded today you are a wish, scattered out into the community around you with purpose.  You are BEAUTIFULLY, FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made by the Savior who loves you immensely.

Much Love,
Chrystan

Will We Be LIGHT or DARKNESS?

As I have entered into the reflection period of Holy Week.  The time of the year where we remember what lead Jesus to the cross, the action of death, the restoration, the blood, the redemption and the resurrection brings great thought into my world.  I will never fully be able to wrap my mind around the cross.  I'll never know exactly what it felt like, I will never be able to explain all of the theology of the cross.

This year though, I wonder what it would be like to sit at the last supper with Jesus.  Tonight, to have Jesus breaking the bread and sharing the wine to prepare me for the days that will lead to his death and resurrection, to prepare me for the cross and life there after.  What would he say about today's church?  I fear he would speak with sadness on our affinity for pew sitting and judgement.  I fear that as he looked into my eyes he would see where I had not shown his love, where I had taken grace only to have stored it away unused on those asking for it.  That upon looking into my soul he would uncover the times where I had lied, the times where I had been less than kind.  Would he look into the church doors and say "no thank you, I think I'll stay out here."  I believe he would call us out of our buildings and into the streets.  He would lead us to have supper down the road in the community of the lost and low.  That he would preach there, he would feed them there, he would wash their feet and their tears would wash his.  No church, if Jesus shared his last supper with us it would not be as buttoned up as we find ourselves each Easter morning. There would not be pew sitting, there would be no talk of hymns or praise music, there would be no "this is how we've always done it" or that person is not welcome because of the size of that neck tattoo. No no no church, if we were with Jesus this weekend celebrating the passover there would be none of that.  Jesus would call us to shed our lovely Marc Jacob heals and wash the feet of the woman who called us unforgiving or looked down upon us for being radical.  The man who wouldn't support us in missions work, or the elderly lady who wouldn't attend our call to mentoring.  Jesus would wash our feet and call us to wash theirs.  And then we would walk the street back to the church, and be forever changed.  Passover, Easter, these would look different if Jesus were still in it.

Have you ever noticed that the thing that brings our city light is in the shape of a cross?  Today, I noticed this.  Jesus is the light of the world.  He brings light into darkness.  He calls us to light up our world with the good news, that he came for all.  That you need only lay down the old to walk in the light with him.

John 18:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people he said "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

This Easter lets remember to light up the world with his love.  To not be in our pews, all buttoned up and fancy and forget that Jesus brought the light for all and his light resides in us.

I will never be able to wrap my mind fully around the cross, but I will cling to it as if my life depends on it, because it does.  I have prayed for you, you are invited into the doors of my church this weekend and every weekend.  Wear your best dress or your favorite jeans it doesn't matter, just come and learn about this Jesus that changes us from the inside out.

He is RISEN, for us, who he made FEARFULLY,  BEAUTIFULLY and WONDERFULLY in his image!

Much Love,
Chrystan