Monthly Archives: January 2015

Jan 21 2015
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Relationships

a Ross & Rachel kind of love

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I’ve spent a fair amount of the new year watching “Friends” on Netflix. (PS, THANK YOU Netflix for FiNALLY streaming this beloved series)

The more I watch, the more I fall in love with this show. Super witty, heartfelt at times, and just down right fun.

And also, there’s Ross & Rachel.

Even if you’ve never seen a minute of Friends, if you live in America and are over the age of 12, you’ve heard of Ross & Rachel and know about their frantic, often confusing, on-again-off-again relationship. It’s possibly the most notable storyline of the show. I cried the first time they broke up (last week).

However, as unpopular as these next words will be, I’m not a huge fan of their relationship. I don’t really want a Ross & Rachel kind of love.

They can’t seem to trust each other. They are extremely jealous at times (see: trust). They can be manipulative. I’ll just stop there while I still have some friends of my own left (no pun intended).

Yet, as I think about it, I kind of do have a Ross & Rachel kind of love. I can’t think of a relationship I’ve been in where I have always been 100% trusting, non-jealous, and not manipulative to some degree. But I don’t want that. I want to love in such a way that trust is easy and I don’t have to maneuver my way around to keep the guy.

And the only way this is possible is with Jesus.

Apart from security in Christ, I’m never going to trust someone. Apart from identity in Jesus, I won’t be able to keep myself from manipulating another human.

When I come to fully know the love my Jesus has for me, I can then know how to love another person fully. I can see how unlovable, untrustworthy, and undeserving I am, yet still chosen. I can act out of that great love, because Christ completes me. And chances are I’ll have a love greater than Ross & Rachel.

Now pardon me, I have another episode to watch.

*enjoy this fun little video montage of the lovebirds from the internets here!

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Jan 14 2015
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Contentment

heaven came down

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I’ve had this 1961 song stuck in between my ears all day. Every time my mind has taken a little break from work, these words have popped into my head:

Heaven came down and glory filled my soul (filled my soul), when at the cross the Savior made me whole (made me whole); my sins were washed away and my night was turned to day – heaven came down and glory filled my soul (filled my soul)

I can’t remember the church I grew up in going more than 2 months TOPS without singing that song. And yes, my brain sang the bass parts in the parenthesis as well.

Today I think the significance really hit me.

For the past month or so I’ve found great peace in God coming down to His people. We just finished the Christmas season and celebrated Jesus coming to dwell with and save His people. I’ve been reading in Exodus where God comes to Moses and rescues Israel. I’m reminded of Isaiah when God comes to him in a vision.

Heaven came down.

And then I think of me. I think of how I treat the Almighty as if it’s His privilege to come to me. I act as if I’m in control. I play the part of god while leaving Him in the shadows when I may need Him out of convenience.

BUT. Heaven came down.

And glory filled my soul.

At the cross the Savior made me whole. He made me whole.

It’s so easy to search for wholeness, satisfaction, and love in things other than Jesus. Heck, I even search for it in ‘good’ things – friends, family, coffee. But I never find it. Nothing comes to me, but Jesus. Nothing fills my soul, but Jesus.

Last week I wrote about showing up, and today I’m writing about how God has shown up, and continues to do so, by meeting us where we are, as we are, and loving us for who we are regardless.

My sins were washed away, and praise God, my night was turned to day. Because heaven came down.

*watch this clip of Oprah/Maya giving out presents to the audience…because if we really got God’s love, we might react like this…

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Jan 07 2015
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Friendship, Relationships

to showing up

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I’m a huge Sophia Bush fan. I fell in love with her as Brooke Davis on One Tree Hill, I deeply admire her desire to change the world and people’s lives through her ‘activist’ efforts (she’s involved with Pencils of Promise, I Am That Girl, etc.), and I love her voice. Seriously. I’d just like to have her read a book on tape for me to listen to all the time.

I also follow her on instagram. Truthfully, I follow her on every platform of social media the two of us share. Follow may not be the word. If there were a word for “I wonder what Sophia’s doing today, I’m going to go check all the things,” then that would be the right word.

Recently she’s been posting pictures on Instagram with the hashtag #toshowingup. It’s typically in correlation with something she’s done with her close friends, or an adventure she’s been on recently. And it got me thinking.

Do I show up?
Am I present with people?
Am I available when it’s inconvenient to me?
Do I live life in such a way that makes it worth showing up to?

And as a Christian, what does this mean? Does showing up in Gospel rhythm matter in people’s lives?

I think it means that we rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep, bear one another’s burdens, call out sin in people’s lives, allow people to call out sin in our lives, go on big adventures to see God in the unknown places of the world and in our hearts. I think it means just that – we show up. We show up with one another, we show up with ourselves, and most importantly, we show up with God.

We go to God and say, “Here I am, Lord. Forgive me, change me, send me, use me.”

We open our selves up and say, “Today is not about me. Today is about loving God and loving others. Love Him and let Him love you, now go and do likewise.”

We be with others and say, “I’m with you, you aren’t alone, now let’s go have an adventure.”

We show up.

So here’s to that. Here’s to newness, and livelihood, and joy. To showing up.

*Sophia hasn’t been on SNL that I know of, so this hilarious throwback of Tina & Amy as the Bush twins (not related to Sophia) will have to suffice. ALSO, my ladies are hosting the Globes this Sunday so it’s appropriate. And ALSO again, Chicago P.D. makes it’s winter premier tonight so it’s timely that I write about Sophia 🙂 Okay. That’s all for now. I think.

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