Teaching, hula hoops and childhood faith

Today: Psalm 70-73

Today is Mother's Day. And of all things, today I tried to teach my mother how to hula hoop. She works with elementary-aged kids who dared her--on the playground--to learn how. I hadn't hula hooped in about 20 years, but I picked up the hoop she brought home and found that surprisingly, I could still swing with the best of them! :) As I was instructing my mom, "You have to move your hips like this and keep your feet planted like that...", I thought about some of the many things she taught me (so far, anyway!).

My mom taught me how to sing. She taught me (and dozens of other kids!) how to read and how to write. She gave me life--but she also introduced me to some of the best things in my life. Perhaps most importantly, she and my Dad taught me about God.

Today my pastor prayed a prayer of salvation with people who invited God to lead their lives. He asked the congregation, "How many of you remember this moment in your own life?" I do. For me, that moment did not happen at a church altar in front of thousands of people. It happened on my front porch. It happened when I was a preschooler who said something like, "Mommy--I want to ask Jesus to live in my heart." That day, Mom led me in the most important prayer of my life.

I thought about that day and lessons from my parents when I saw David's words to God here:

You keep me going when times are tough—

my bedrock, God, since my childhood.

I've hung on you from the day of my birth,

the day you took me from the cradle;

I'll never run out of praise...

You got me when I was an unformed youth, God,

and taught me everything I know.

Now I'm telling the world your wonders;

I'll keep at it until I'm old and gray.

I realize that everyone reading this post may not identify with it or with my life story. And that's okay. The main point of this post (and this excerpt from the passage) is to confidently express the fact that God is Someone you can lean on--whether you start at 4 or 104!

Maybe no one told you that when you were a child. My Mom and Dad didn't know God until they were in their 20s...they were learning about Him as they were teaching me and my sisters. They taught us to trust in God and they also taught us to never stop learning. I am forever grateful. Free hula hoop lessons could never make up for that...but I'll keep teaching them anyway. :)

Tomorrow: Psalm 74-77

Remember the road

Today: Deuteronomy 8-10

I've never been a fan of cheesy inspirational posters. You know, the kind with a picture of a country road and big type at the bottom that says something like "Vision." Typically, I also avoid cliche inspirational comparisons like, "Life is a journey." However, perhaps some things are cliche because they communicate ideas in way most people can tangibly relate to.

If I were to describe life as a journey, I would say that sometimes the road has serious potholes--the kind you can drive over in a small car (like my faithful-since-college Ford Focus) and wonder, "How did I not lose my tire in that?" The road of your life may have some fatal collisions, traffic, dead possums and dog poo (did I really just type that?!?). However, it might also have kind drivers who help you change your flat tire on the side of the road in the rain. It may have police officers who help you navigate some rough spots. Sometimes you might be in the carpool lane with some pretty amazing people. And at times, it may feel like you're driving in the sun on a freshly paved expressway with nothing holding you back.

Do you ever take time to remember the road--and reflect on how you got to where you're at today?

In today's passage, Moses repeatedly encouraged the Israelites to "remember the road." More specifically, he instructed them to remember God's intervention, provision and miracles along their journey through the desert. Let's refresh by taking a peek at these verses:

Remember every road that God led you on

for those forty years in the wilderness,

pushing you to your limits, testing you so that he would know what you were made of,

whether you would keep his commandments or not.

He put you through hard times. He made you go hungry.

Then he fed you with manna, something neither you nor your parents knew anything about,

so you would learn that men and women don't live by bread only;

we live by every word that comes from God's mouth.

Your clothes didn't wear out and your feet didn't blister those forty years.

You learned deep in your heart

that God disciplines you in the same ways a father disciplines his child.

So it's paramount that you keep the commandments of God, your God,

walk down the roads he shows you and reverently respect him...

And here's a different part of the passage:

...So now Israel, what do you think God expects from you?

Just this: Live in his presence in holy reverence,

follow the road he sets out for you,

love him, serve God, your God, with everything you have in you,

obey the commandments and regulations of God

that I'm commanding you today—

live a good life.

Sound familiar? This passage ties closely to some of the other themes in recent passages (see my blog site for the last few if you're interested). In these chapters, God (via Moses' message) isn't just encouraging the people to remember the roads they've been on--He encouraged them to remember His miraculous faithfulness, guidance and correction. I believe this instruction isn't about focusing on the past, but learning from it--it's about turning away from mistakes, living in obedience and most importantly, trusting in God all along the way. And you don't even need a cheesy poster to do that. :)

Tomorrow: Deuteronomy 11-13