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Unexplainable Love in Any Language

By LisaNotes August 2, 2019 My stories 9 Comments

Some love you can't explain

I log on to complete my Spanish lesson in Duolingo. I attempt a lesson every day, even though progress seems painfully slow.

But in another tab, I see a note pop up in Messenger. It is from my friend Sofy. Completely in Spanish.

I like to understand things. I want them to add up. 2 + 2 = 4 and that’s that.

But some things happen I can’t explain.

I still have items around my house from our two mission trips to El Salvador summers ago. Papers, jewelry, trinkets, mementos.

With each item, I see a person. I hadn’t expected the outpouring. These people. I didn’t know they’d carve away a chunk of my heart for keeps in El Salvador.

How could I have known?

Oh, never underestimate the love of people.
Love has ways of binding hearts together we know nothing about.

When I first met Sofy, we could barely communicate. Through words anyway. But no matter. She was one of the unexplainable.

She invited Jenna and I into her home before our evening service to pick up something she’d left behind. We had our Spanish/English dictionary with us to communicate beyond gestures.

When I commented on the lovely artwork that filled her home, she pulled this piece off her shelf. She handed it to me. I admired it and asked how she’d made it. With individual magazine pages.

art El Salvador

But when I tried to give it back, she said no. She wanted me to have it. It took her hours to make, I’m certain. Yet she could so freely give it to me, someone barely a step above a stranger?

It mattered not that I understood few Spanish words. The gesture of love I recognized.

I’ve never forgotten Sofy. And thankfully she’s never forgotten me. We occasionally send each other messages on Facebook. On this day we share about each other’s lives. She’s since retired and enjoys her grandchildren. I ask how many. She has three. I tell her about my one granddaughter, and one on the way.

What did I do to deserve her friendship? Nothing.

Love is so good. And so unexplainable.

When I remember back to that breezy Salvadorian night, unexplainable love bound us together. Love that people can have for each other. Love that is fueled beyond words. Unaccountable and mysterious, yet certain and plain.

Unexplainable tokens of love. Extravagant gifts from one human to another, straight to my heart. Blessings that exceed expectations.

What do we do to deserve them? Nothing.

Sometimes you can explain love.
Sometimes you can’t.
And that is fine with me. In any language.

* * *

Have you received love today for reasons you can’t explain? Be grateful for it. Then extend unexplainable love to someone yourself tomorrow.

Please share your thoughts in the comments.

revised from the archives

On the Blog – July 2019

By LisaNotes July 31, 2019 Archives 2 Comments

On the Blog 2019-07

Here are brief summaries and links to blog posts from July 2019.

 

7.5 Reasons to Celebrate Introverts

By LisaNotes July 30, 2019 Encouragement 36 Comments

7.5 Reasons to celebrate introverts

No one says this about me:

The party really starts when she arrives.

Nor this:

The party is over when she leaves.

As an introvert, I don’t make a big splash when I enter (or exit) a room. I’m okay with that.

However, there are times when I’m not happy about being an introvert.

  • Sometimes I feel awkward when I can’t come up with a conversation topic.
  • Or I feel rushed when I can’t articulate my thoughts quick enough.
  • Or (this is a biggie) I get overwhelmed when I have hours left to socialize when I really just want to leave NOW, go home, and read my book alone.

So when I came across this list of reasons to celebrate being an introvert, I wanted to share them. It’s from Beth Buelow’s book, Insight: Reflections on the Gifts of Being an Introvert (apparently I put this book on my Kindle in 2012, but never opened it until now; I’m a little behind).

7.5 Reasons to Celebrate Being an Introvert

1. Depth of Curiosity

“I have an intense need to know. This need ranges from the superficial (I had to literally sit on my hands while watching a movie last week, holding myself back from running to IMDb for info) to the profound (shadow work and leadership).”

2. Ability to Be Alone

“It’s impossible to overstate how important this is for me as a solopreneur. An extrovert friend recently said, ‘You’re lucky you’re an introvert, you don’t mind working home alone. I’m about to go stir crazy!’ Lucky, indeed!”

3. Quiet Energy

“My energy tends to be a calming presence, which means I don’t take up too much space in a room or conversation. And I don’t need to take up a lot of space. I have a greater influence when I am intentional and deliberate in my speech and presence.”

4. Close Listening

“This makes me a good coach. I can listen ‘in between the words’ to what my client is saying, as well as hear what he’s saying without thinking about what I’m going to say when he’s done talking.”

5. Introspection

“Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated with my inner world. I’m grateful for the tangible proof of that fascination: stacks of journals in my closets, chronicling my life from first kiss to marriage.”

6. Close Friendships

“I have a few, close friends. And how I love that. My strong preference for quality over quantity means I’ve developed a chosen family based on mutual love and respect.”

7. Self-Contained

“I’m pretty easily amused. It doesn’t take much to entertain me; give me a book, a place to nap, my laptop, and I’m generally good to go. This makes me relatively low maintenance and a fairly cheap date.”

7.5. Look Before Leaping

“This is one of the core traits of an introvert. We like to observe before jumping in. This is a huge asset, as it keeps us from seriously unintentional actions and big-time goofs.”

(Beth listed that one as “.5” only, because while sometimes “looking before leaping” is an asset, other times she’d like to throw caution to the wind.)

Are you the life of the party or are you more of a quiet presence?

If you’re an introvert, which one of Beth’s gifts hits home with you?
If you’re an extrovert, which one puzzles you?

* * *

Please share your thoughts in the comments.

7 Books I Recommend – July 2019

By LisaNotes July 25, 2019 Books I Recommend, Video Book Reviews 45 Comments
When we come out of a book, we’re different.
– Jacqueline Woodson

Every month I share the best of the books I just finished. Here are seven books that I recommend from July’s readings.

7 Books I Recommend July 2019

Books I Recommend

NONFICTION

1. The Myth of a Christian Nation
How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church
by Gregory A. Boyd

Myth of a Christian Nation

Was this really published back in 2005? It feels very 2019. This book still serves as a current wake-up call, urging us to rein in our hunger for political power and instead go about doing the things Christ would do. I find it very thought-provoking.

Is it the church’s mission to overpower the world, or rather to serve those in the world?

“Only what looks like Jesus qualifies as a kingdom-of-God activity. Slaughtering, enslaving, cheating, conquering, and dominating are not the sort of activities Jesus engaged in.”

[click here if you can’t see 1-Minute Book Review]

2. The Enchanted Hour
The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction
by Meghan Gurdon

Enchanted Hour

I loved reading aloud with my two daughters as they were growing up, even long after they could read for themselves. And now I love reading with my granddaughter. So I don’t need to be sold on the virtues of reading-aloud; I’m already a believer.

Yet I am still inspired by this book about the importance of reading aloud at ALL stages of life, including reading to those who may be bed-ridden and/or dying. Filled with research, beautiful excerpts, and practical tips, this is a relevant book for all of us.

3. Glorious Weakness
Discovering God in All We Lack
by Alia Joy

Glorious Weakness_sm

This book is grace for our tender spots. Alia Joy writes with humility and rawness about her own hurts and weaknesses in a way that we all can relate to. Sometimes the book felt a little too dark for me, but if you hang in there, she always lets the light of Jesus shine back through again.

“His words served as a reminder of the Christian response to suffering—we enter into it together, share in it together, lament with each other.”

My book review of Glorious Weakness is here

4. Thriving as an Empath
365 Days of Self-Care for Sensitive People
by Judith Orloff

Thriving as an Empath_sm

This is a daily devotional for sensitive people. It focuses on gratitude, on small daily practices, and on self-care. I started reading a review copy this spring. I have benefited from the short reflections each day on how to protect our time and energy in balanced ways while staying engaged with the world.

“Finding this balance is the art of healing. Inwardly you can say, ‘This is not my burden to carry.’ It is impossible to fix someone. Everybody deserves the dignity of their own path.”

My book review of Thriving as an Empath is here

5. Just Show Up
And Other Enduring Values from Baseball’s Iron Man
by Cal Ripken Jr.

Just Show Up

I remember in 1995 when baseball’s “Iron Man” Cal Ripken broke the MLB record for playing in the most consecutive baseball games: 2,131 games. Then he kept playing, eventually reaching 2,632 consecutive games.

So when I saw his book title was the mantra I’ve been using for years—Just Show Up—I had to check it out from my library. I’m glad I did. It’s about his life, but it’s also for our lives. It’s about integrity and determination and character.

And some baseball thrown in, too.

“We do our best, we hope we’ve done the right thing, and then the next day, we show up again, ready to hit a baseball, or make a ruling, or raise a kid, or be kind to the person serving us in a store.
We only get a few innings on this planet, after all. May as well show up, ready to play, for every one.”

(He also made me feel better about streaks that I like to keep; maybe I’m not so weird after all? “A streak is not an end in itself. It’s a way of doing things.”)

Fiction

6. Before We Were Yours 
by Lisa Wingate

Before We Were Yours

A beautifully-told story that goes back and forth in time, this novel tells about five siblings living in a shanty boat in Memphis in 1939, and then a present-day family with a yet-to-be discovered past. Even though this is fiction, it revolves around a real-life scandal of a Memphis adoption agency.

“It’s funny how what you’re used to seems like it’s right even if it’s bad.”

7. I Let You Go
by Clare Mackintosh

I Let You Go

I’ve never been caught off guard at a plot twist as much as I was with this novel. The story begins with a horrible accident: five-year-old Jacob is killed in a hit-and-run accident. The novel then keeps you engaged, switching narration back and forth between involved parties, including the police investigators. I’d read this one again.

READING NOW

  • Where the Crawdads Sing
    by Delia Owens
  • The Weather Machine
    A Journey Inside the Forecast
    by Andrew Blum
  • Stop Being Reasonable
    How We Really Change Our Minds
    by Eleanor Gordon-Smith
  • Crossing to Safety
    by Wallace Stegner
  • What If God Wrote Your Shopping List?
    52 Ways to Find Freedom from “Stuff”
    by Jay Payleitner
  • The Art of Mindful Reading
    Embracing the Wisdom of Words
    by Ella Berthoud
  • While the World Watched
    A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age During the Civil Rights Movement
    by Carolyn Maull McKinstry

* * *

What good book are you reading this month? Please share in the comments.

My books on Goodreads
More books I recommend

sharing with The Modern Mrs Darcy

Run from First to Second

By LisaNotes July 18, 2019 Guest posts, Jesus No Comments

Go from First to Second-fb

Rickey Henderson is considered one of the most exciting players in baseball (he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009).

And it’s not because he played it safe.

What did Rickey do that we can learn from?

How can we learn to leave first base behind and run to second?

And why should we?

Read it all here

* * *

Will you join me at Do Not Depart for our #OnceforAll series? We’re walking our way through Hebrews 10.

Click through to today’s post: Run to Second—You’re Safe.

Poor in Spirit, Rich in Grace

By LisaNotes July 16, 2019 Book reviews 15 Comments

“Weakness is a holy invitation to allow grace to do its work.”
– Alia Joy

Poor in Spirit

My eye was hurting. This was day three. If something was wrong, I needed to fix it. Today. Before I went out of town again.

A quick call to my eye doctor proved successful. Come in now.

I changed out of my shorts and t-shirt and put on my good jeans and a blouse.

I’ve learned to dress a little nicer when I go to the doctor. Or anywhere that I’ll need something from someone else.

Because I want to be treated nicer.

And like it or not, that’s often the way our world works. People see the outside first, the spirit second.

Being poor in spirit might have been something Jesus valued. But do we?

At least not at first. And not until we take a deeper look.

Glorious Weakness

Alia Joy takes a deeper look. I understand when she says this in her new book Glorious Weakness:

“When I have errands like returning something to a store, or asking for a discount, or knowing I will be dealing with someone and their perceptions of me, I dress up. Over time, I have learned it’s easier to get help if you look like you don’t really need it.”

We all need help. Some of us are just more aware of it than others. And we need more help at some times more than at other times.

But our need for help isn’t supposed to indicate failure. In fact, Alia reminds us that,

“Being poor in spirit is the richest place of all. That’s where the treasure is buried.”

Admit how weak you are_Glorious Weakness

Grace Through the Ordinary

I don’t know exactly what Jesus meant by “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). But at my weakest, I feel a certain poverty of spirit.

Where is the treasure in this? How can our lack lead to God’s abundance?

“Sometimes the holiest ground is the emptiest.”

When we realize our need for grace, we’re most open to receiving it.

And sometimes our greatest need for grace comes not just in big, broken moments, but in the moments of ordinary life.

Alia says,

“Ordinary life has been the hardest calling I’ve ever answered, the hardest thing to bear witness to, because who could possibly care about the mundane and ordinary life?

“I had no idea the depths of my own selfishness until asked to share myself with my family. To lay my will down day after day and seek God’s.”

In these ordinary moments, God’s goodness may be on full display.

“Maybe this is the beginning. Letting ourselves be hungry in the most natural ways. Letting ourselves be fed. And when it’s time, letting ourselves be poured out again and again in serving each other.

“Maybe this ordinary life isn’t a secondhand one, a consolation prize. Maybe our ordinary is not just good enough. Maybe it’s good.”

When I Am Weak…

My visit to the doctor’s office was quick. Dr. Small quickly diagnosed the problem, told me what to do, and I was on my way.

The clothes I wore probably hadn’t mattered at all. The doctor likely would have treated me kindly either way. Because that’s how she is. A kind person.

Same with God. God isn’t good to us because we are worthy of his goodness. He is good to us because that’s who he is. Good.

“So often when we are hurting in church, we put our masks on and pretend everything is fine because we think our testimony is supposed to be our faithfulness.

“But our testimony is only ever how God is faithful to us, not the other way around.”

Perhaps this line from Glorious Weakness sums it up best:

“My deficiency was the strongest thing about me because God was fully present in my lack.”

Weakness isn’t the goal. But when we are weak (and we always are weak somewhere), maybe it really can work in our favor.

And maybe the apostle Paul had it right when he quoted Jesus as saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

For when we are weak, then we are strong.

* * *

There are so many great lines and insights in Glorious Weakness. Read it if you get a chance. Alia is brutally honest, weak, and delightful. “God was never interested in my strength; he’s most pleased with my surrender.”

My thanks to Net Galley
for the review copy of this book