Valentines for the Soul: They're playing our song

And you gave me a new song, a song of praise to you. Many will see this, and they will honor and trust you, the Lord God.

—Psalm 40:3

Have you ever been in love and couldn’t help but sing? You sing along to every love song you hear. You make up your own silly little songs. You sing with and to your sweetheart. You and your love even have your own song, one that commemorates a special moment in your relationship. Perhaps the song was playing on the radio on your first date or when you shared a meal at a restaurant. Maybe it marked your first kiss. Now when you hear it, all you have to do is look at your love and your eyes convey the message, “They’re playing our song.”

Valentines for the Soul: Call Me

My dove in the clefts of the rock,

    in the hiding places on the mountainside,

show me your face,

    let me hear your voice;

for your voice is sweet,

    and your face is lovely.

—Song of Songs 2:14

Have you ever been so in love that your breath catches in your throat when your sweetheart calls? Seeing their name light up your cell phone screen sets off butterflies in your stomach, and the bonus of seeing their face through video chat sends you over the moon.

Garment of Praise: Exchanging pain for joy

“To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

—Isaiah 61:3

I was barely a teenager when I got the opportunity to join the church choir. The director, Miss Moreland, was my neighbor. She drove my two sisters and me to and from choir practice each week leading up to Christmas. We were preparing to sing for midnight mass. I had never even stayed up late enough to attend midnight mass, let alone sing for it. What a privilege!

Our practices were held in the choir loft. I remember climbing those creaky stairs for the first time. I found myself rising higher and higher until the wooden rafters surrounded me, as the loft was situated in the ridge of the roof, its sloping walls on either side. I remember finding a seat on a bench next to my school friend Rocky and being in awe as I peered over the rail at the rows of pews below, which seemed so small from my new vantage point.

The Mezuzah and the Palm

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Blessed is the king of Israel!”

—John 12:13

I glanced at the corner of the door frame where I had tucked my palm branch under the edge of a mezuzah. I smiled at the juxtaposition of the two objects of faith, seemingly diametrically opposed to one another, the mezuzah of Jewish origin and the palm branch a symbol of Christianity.

My friend Stan brought the mezuzah back from his trip to the Holy Lands. As I unwrapped the souvenir and turned it over in my hands, Stan explained its significance.

Found in most Jewish homes, the mezuzah is a parchment scroll, contained in a decorative case, inscribed with specific Hebrew verses from the Torah, Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21.

Stan didn’t need to recite those verses to me, because I was already quite familiar with them. In fact, I had just returned from a writers’ conference in Atlanta where I pitched a children’s book built on the premise of teachable moments. I had included those same verses in the book’s Note to Parents.

Outdoor Worship Service

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

—Psalm 136:1

In case you haven’t heard, a worship service is being held outdoors this morning.

That’s right. All churches in our area have cancelled “indoor” morning services due to the aftermath of Winter Storm Jonas. But a worship service is being held right outside your home.

Too Important to Miss

Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

—Ephesians 6:18  

“No!” Mabel stopped me just as I reached down to scoop up the scrap of paper from the floor, “Leave it there. It’s my reminder.”

“What? A reminder on the floor?” I laughed.

“Hey, it works. You noticed it.”

I had to admit she had a point.

How do you remind yourself of important things? Write them on the calendar, leave strategically placed notes, or make lists?

I’ve done it all. In fact, I’ve even been known to write messages on my bathroom mirror with a dry-erase marker.

Hey, it works.

But I’ve also been known to miss the important things because I’ve overlooked my reminder.

Mothers and Teachers and Rosebushes

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

—Psalm 25:4-5 

“Tell me the best part and the worst part of your day,” I introduced the favorite mealtime ritual that invited my children to share.  

One by one they described the highs and lows of their day, which opened the door to meaningful conversation and opportunities to encourage and praise and counsel. 

Years have passed since that time, and I have to admit I miss those days. I miss mothering—and I miss those faces that circled my table. 

Last night I went to dinner with a friend and engaged him in the high-low conversation. I listened as he described his “low” part of the day that occurred at work. In the end the “low” became a “high” and I concurred that he did the right thing. Then the tables were turned (no pun intended…well, maybe), and it was my turn to share. 

Church, Out of the Mouths of Teens

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

—Hebrews 10:24-25

Out of the mouths of babes. Out of the mouths of teenagers (smh). For those of you not well-versed in text language, “smh” stands for “shaking my head.”  It took me a while to catch on myself, but as a teacher of teens, I need to keep up.

Yes, I shake my head at what comes out of their mouths, but the truth is some of what they say gives me pause—like their responses to a recent assignment. Given a three-column chart, students were directed to identify and classify ten structures they pass on their way from home to school.  In the third column, they were supposed to describe the purpose of the structure.

While I expected that many would list a nearby church in the first column, I did not expect how they would fill in the remaining columns.  Some classified the church as a commercial building. And others described it this way:  “To worship your religion,” “To worship religions,” “To practice religion,” and “For people to feel holly [sic].”

Idioms, Peculiarities, and Personal Satisfaction

Let everyone be sure to do his very best, for then he will have the personal satisfaction of work done well and won’t need to compare himself with someone else.—Galatians 6:4

Okay, I admit it.  That bugs me.  There, I’ve said it.  What I’m talking about are those random spires of sorghum that rise far above the rest of the field.  I can’t help but notice them as I drive past—a peculiar sight that sticks out like a sore thumb. I imagine myself furiously slicing the stalks to line up with their neighbors.  But why?  Why do the overachieving shoots of grain bother me so much?  Is it because I prefer tidiness and clean lines—even, straight lines?  It’s true that a well-groomed lawn without a blade out of place is like a breath of fresh air to me.  And evenly aligned desks in my classroom make my heart sing. But could my annoyance over the perceived anomaly in the sorghum field stem from something much deeper?

Lately I’ve been feeling like I’m behind the curve at work.  A few of my colleagues are flaunting cool technology in their classrooms, while I’m still trying to install the software—let alone use it.  They’re head and shoulders above the rest of us.  That bugs me.  But why?  Can I not celebrate their success without getting my nose out of joint?  Do I have to keep up with the Joneses?  Why do I want to be like them?  Is it fear that they will get noticed by the principal and I will not?  “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man?”—Galatians 1:10