Grounded

Last Sunday, I again had the privilege of teaching the Anchor Church kids. What can I say - I just love the littles. Spending time with children brings such a pure and grounded joy to my heart; it's no wonder I often do so every day of the week. Our kids ministry leader told me I could design a lesson on my favorite story from the Jesus Storybook Bible. I love so many of the stories in there - the way they do the prodigal son is amazing, and Leah and Rebekah's tale makes me cry every time. Every Old Testament story is a favorite of mine because of how clearly the gospel is illustrated in this lovely children's book.

I ended up choosing the Psalms because I relish every opportunity to teach the kids about prayer and worship. Praying psalms that I've memorized is one of the fastest ways to draw me into the peace of Christ in a chaotic world. I can't tell you how many times I've driven my car to the soundtrack of psalm 23. Psalms 16 and 139 are other favorites of mine to recite to ground down. William Wilberforce, one of my heroes, used to recite Psalm 119 on his way to parliament every day. Maybe I'll memorize that one day, but it's a long one :)

Praying the psalms is an important practice to me and I was thankful this week for the opportunity to share that with the church family kids and give myself the reminder and encouragement to press in.

1 year

Today marks one year since I took my first yoga class. It started as a last-ditch effort for some severe back pain (I hate going to the doctor). I really did have a hard time at first with the spirituality; I was a Christian yoga skeptic for sure. But it helped me meet Jesus in ways I never expected.

And to be honest, a big reason I started taking class and then classes was so that I could exercise more. It wasn't until I stopped cycling and trx and boot camps, and started doing yoga exclusively that there was a real shift in my mental and physical health. I don't take class every day, or even multiple times a day because I feel like I have to anymore. I'm not trying to be thin or whatever anymore. I just like moving. I like being in my body. I like connecting with the God who breathed life into my body, who knitted me together in my mother's womb, who is bringing me towards full redemption. I like discovering something new. I like feeling strong.

And I am really looking forward to watching my practice unfold. A lot of people at the studio and online tell me they're inspired by me. And I get it - I can do some really cool things. But I'm less inspired by "advanced" poses and practices than I am by the people who have been faithfully showing up for years, people who have been practicing longer than I've been alive. I think that's amazing, and while there are definitely postures I want to be able to do, that's not what I'm most excited about. I'm most excited about the journey. My dream is to be a cute little old yoga lady. And if I'm 75 and can still handstand, even better! 

Peace and Joy and Snow

In Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering, Tim Keller wrote, 

Peace is the disciplined thinking out of the implications of what you believe

In darkness, I was struck by that. When things are bad, what does it mean to believe that God is good? 

Today, in the light, I'm struck by it in a different way. 

I live in Seattle. It rains a lot. I have been told that it also "usually" snows here, but it has done so about once a year since I've been here so I do not really believe that. 

But today, I sat eating an orange blossom donut  and looked out the window, and there were snow flakes. Big ones. And people started pointing out the window and running outside and laughing and smiling and taking pictures and in a word, there was joy. I started singing softly, to myself,  

Here is love, vast as the ocean 

Lovingkindness as the flood 

I believe in a God who created. I believe in a God who made everything, including the snow that falls. I believe that everything God made is meant to show me something about Him. Snow is for beauty and for joy and for seasons and for change and for transformation, and that's how snow shows the love of God to the world He has made. 

Today, this is my peace: that today, God let it snow and that is part of His great love and gift to us.