Lisa notes

More blesssed than Mary?

By LisaNotes December 23, 2013 Miscellaneous 8 Comments

I think about Mary a lot in December.

How blessed she was to carry the Son of God in her body! Then later to kiss away his ouchies, to tie his sandals, to tell him the family stories. Such an incredible gift she received.

But something even more unimaginable has happened to me.

²⁷As [Jesus] said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” ²⁸But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
Luke 11:27-28

More blessed than Mary?

Yes. Not only do I get to learn about the Word, I’m allowed to have him live in me far longer than Mary’s nine-months’ gestation. I get to keep the Word forever.

That’s a gift worth delighting in year round!

* * *

revised from the archives

Top 10 books of 2013

By LisaNotes December 19, 2013 Books I Recommend 13 Comments

These are my favorite ten books of 2013 (with a few extras thrown in). Each made an impact on me and are ones I can recommend to you to read, too.

In no particular order:

1. Transforming Grace
by Jerry Bridges

Bridge explains his belief that it is grace that changes a person. Not performance, not self-confidence, not achievements – grace.

2. Spy the Lie
Former CIA Officers Teach You How to Detect Deception
by Philip Houston, Michael Floyd, Susan Carnicero

A fascinating look from three former CIA officers on how to detect lies. Filled with their own stories from the field, it also shows how to spot lies when they’re being told to you. Because I can be too trusting at times (surely no one would ever lie to me!), this book was also disturbing in some ways, but overall it was far more interesting than troubling.

I also recommend: The Honest Truth about Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone–Especially Ourselves by Dan Ariely

3. What We Talk about When We Talk about God
by Rob Bell

Rob Bell is a spiritual storyteller. His view here is that God is with people, for people, and ahead of people. He explains each concept in short chapters, and as is typical in many of his books, he gives you plenty of white space for you to think about the words instead of rushing through.

4. A Whole New Mind
Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future
by Daniel H. Pink

Daniel Pink explains why those who tap into right-brain thinking will be more prepared to succeed in the future. He walks you through these six essential abilities: design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning.

I also recommend: The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It by Kelly McGonigal

5. The Pressure’s Off
Breaking Free from Rules and Performance
by Larry Crabb

You’ll never get everything right. Give it up. This book helps you see the joy that comes from letting go of your self- and culture-imposed pressure of trying to make life work out. Instead of working to keep every rule, enjoy being loved.

6. Transformational Architecture
Reshaping Our Lives as Narrative
by Ron Martoia

We take in so much information, but does it change us? This book is about living through a spiritual conversation model instead of the old evangelism model. About moving from having to know all the right answers to being comfortable talking about the questions. I found it paradigm-changing and want to revisit it again soon.

7. Nothing to Envy
Ordinary Lives in North Korea
by Barbara Demick

We’ve all seen news reports about North Korea. But this book takes you into the lives of six “ordinary” citizens who live(d) there and tells what it’s like from an inside view. It is eye-opening. And a nice side effect is it makes you more grateful for how good we have it anywhere else.

8. Torn
Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate
by Justin Lee

Regardless of your stand on LGBT issues, you’d likely benefit from reading this book. Justin Lee grew up in a Christian home and was surprised when he discovered he had same-sex attractions, and even more surprised that God wouldn’t take away those desires. He’s written this book explaining his journey and his growth to understanding that “Gay Christian” is not a misnomer, but rather a reality for him and many others. Read more from Justin at his blog, Geeky Justin.

9. An Altar in the World
A Geography of Faith
by Barbara Brown Taylor

I appreciate the twelve spiritual disciplines (of sorts) in this book. I’ve been working through one chapter each month this year, and it’s been enlightening. I have much more to learn from those like Barbara Brown Taylor who embrace spirituality in sometimes unconventional ways, daring to step outside our traditional religious modalities.

I also recommend: Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith by Barbara Brown Taylor

10. Tattoos on the Heart
The Power of Boundless Compassion
by Gregory Boyle

This priest doesn’t preach it to you in his book; he demonstrates it—how to love the unlovable. Boyle runs Homeboy Industries among the gangs of Los Angeles, showing the precious boys and girls there that they are loved and that there is hope. He inspires me to to keep loving on those that can be repulsive in the flesh, but who are just as valuable as the most lovely and kind among us.

I also recommend: Wrecked: When a Broken World Slams into your Comfortable Life by Jeff Goins

And there are so many more!

Pastrix by Nadia Bolz-Weber, Carry On, Warrior by Glennon Melton, Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson, Help Thanks Wow by Anne Lamott, The Bible (and the Gospel) According to Peanuts by Robert L. Short, Love Does by Bob Goff, Jesus: A Theography by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola, The Invisible Gorilla by Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons, Speaking of Jesus by Carl Medearis, on and on . . . .

But I’ll stop here for now.

* * *

What’s a favorite book you read this year?

Stop the rush

By LisaNotes December 16, 2013 Miscellaneous 23 Comments

Monastics have a practice called statio that means stopping one thing before beginning another.

Rather than rushing from one task to the next, pause for a moment and recognize the in-between times.

Before dialing the phone, think about the conversation and the person. After reading a book, pause and think back through what you learned and how you were moved. After watching TV, pause and ask what it contributed to your life. Before reading the Bible, pause and ask for a spirit of attention.

– Philip Yancy, Reaching for the Invisible God

Do you do pauses?

Or are you more familiar with rushes?

When Jesus was on earth, we don’t read of him flitting nervously from one unfinished task to another.

He listened. He taught. He gave his attention. He took time to finish each thing well. He practiced statio.

I don’t think people felt rushed in his presence.

Not back then. Nor right now.

Neither does he want me to rush in and out of his presence without my full attention. He wants me to enjoy our experiences together. Then take time to reflect on them later.

He has all the time in the world for me.

Do I for him?

* * *

revised from Start. Stop. Start.

Word travels fast – Send responsibly

By LisaNotes December 12, 2013 Encouragement, Guest posts No Comments

You’re often told to watch your words. To think before you talk. To be slow to speak (James 1:19). And it’s wise advice. Words spoken with no thought can do great harm.

But that doesn’t mean you have to keep quiet. Your words are gifts to be handed out to encourage and help others (Ephesians 4:29).

And you’ve never had greater opportunity to say more words to more people with greater speed than today.

Here are 4 things you can send out daily–and quickly–with no worries.

Read the rest here

* * *

I’m writing today at Do Not Depart. Will you join me there?

Which social media are you quickest to reply to?
Have you ever sent an email you wish you could take back?
Who can you encourage today with your words?

Letters from Mama

By LisaNotes December 11, 2013 My stories 20 Comments

I can’t remember when I first stumbled upon this envelope. It was sometimes during Daddy’s short run with lung cancer. We were sifting through papers in his office, getting things in order, just in case he didn’t make it.

There were four envelopes, one for my brother, two sisters, and me. Each in Mama’s handwriting. We discussed what to do about them. Mama’s Alzheimer’s was pretty bad by then, but she still might notice if these disappeared. So we left them for awhile.

But after Daddy died and we saw Mama getting worse quickly, I pulled my envelope from the stack. And took it home. I was afraid it might get accidentally thrown away. I couldn’t live with that.

The next decision was whether to do what she said: wait until she died to read it. Part of me said, “Yes! You’re never too old to obey your mama.”

But another part of me knew that pieces of the woman who wrote these letters had already died. Maybe reading these letters now would help me better help her while she was still with us.

I opened the letters.

Letter # 1, 1988

“Dear Lisa,
I just wanted to write a few lines for you to read at my death. It’s not anything great or magical but just something I want to say.”

She said she never wished that I was like anyone else, and that I’d “never caused us any heartache (at this writing anyway).”

I laughed at that.
Then cried.
And read on.

Letter # 2

She wrote this one while babysitting my first-born one afternoon. I was at a tough spot in my life and she was feeling it, too.

“It’s been one of the most painful things for you to go through and I’ve hurt all along with you. Some things we never understand.”

Letter # 5

After the death of my and Jeff’s baby girl Kali . . .

“It has been so hard not knowing how to help and wishing I could take away your pain and sadness but knowing I couldn’t and that you had to go thru it yourself. That was hell on earth. I don’t think anybody knows the love a mother has.”

Through the years she wrote. The paper changed. The handwriting grew shakier. But the love remained the same.

Letter # 8, final one, last paragraph

“Just want you to know that I love you and still proud of you and so thankful for Jeff being such a loving husband and father. More than likely Keith and I will go before any of you children. We are happy and will be ready when He calls. I imagine I will be writing when I’m 80. 🙂
Mama”

And that was it. She didn’t make it to 80.

I fold the letters back up, seal them in the envelope, and return them to their safe place.

But my mama, I still carry her and her words fresh in my heart.

She was wrong in saying I never caused her any heartache. I did. And she took my own heartaches as her own.

But she was right in saying the love of a mother is special. I’ll be forever grateful I had hers.

* * *

Have you written a letter to be read after you die? Received one?

Related:

Ripple out – In memory of Jim Brinkerhoff

By LisaNotes December 9, 2013 Church, Community 40 Comments

“What? He died? Are you sure?”

Even though I didn’t know him well (although I feel like I did), I’m torn up. Because everything I did know about him was good.

And because everyone I know that knew him are better people because of it.

Jim Brinkerhoff would have denied he was anything special. But if you were ever around him at all, you’d have to disagree. He was special.

And he was real. After only a few times around him, I picked that up. I also discovered he liked order. He liked books. He liked people.

And he loved Jesus.

When my husband Jeff went to Auburn University in 1984, Jim was the campus minister at the Auburn Christian Student Center through Auburn Church of Christ. Jim’s determination to be authentic, to live like Jesus, and to care about people grew Jeff’s own faith in deeper ways.

In ways that stuck. In ways that shaped Jeff into the fantastic husband, father, and man of God he is now.

Thank you, Jim, for your influence on my husband. It ripples out to me.

When our daughter Morgan was seeking colleges, Auburn wasn’t her top choice. We insisted on just one visit before she ruled it out.

She was grumpy on the drive down. Walking around campus, talking with professors, and seeing the city of Auburn helped, but our final stop changed everything: she met Jim.

He didn’t try to sell her on Auburn. He was just himself—enthusiastic about the amazing things God was doing there. It was enough. Back in the car, Morgan was now happy and certain: this was where she belonged.

And being in Auburn changed her life. She made new friends, learned life lessons, and gave us a wonderful son-in-law.

Thank you, Jim, for your influence on my first-born. It ripples out to me.

Last year was Jenna’s turn to leave home. Knowing the stories of Jim, she began her freshman year hanging out at the Auburn Christian Student Center with Jim at the helm. Although she’s now involved with other ministries, she was blessed with initial friendships and the feeling of home from what Jim had started. And her faith is now more real than ever.

Thank you, Jim, for your influence on my baby. It ripples out to me.

So even though I was never a student in Jim’s campus ministry, his influence reached me anyway. Because he touched my family, he touched me.

Did you know Jim?
If you know someone who knew Jim, you know him a little, too.

Because it’s not always who you know directly. Or how many people you know. It’s how you love those you do know.

And how that ripples out into the lives of those they know. Maybe some pebbles make a bigger splash when they’re thrown into the deep, but all of us make ripples.

Each person matters. Not only to those you know, but to those who know those you know.

Be love. Show grace. Live Jesus.
Jim did.
It will be his legacy.

May his ripples live on and on and on . . .

* * *

Jim Brinkerhoff died unexpectedly Thursday, December 5, of a heart attack at the age of 56. He leaves behind his incredible wife Mary (who will meet you once, then forever remember your name!) and three beautiful children.

And he also leaves a legacy of thousands of lives changed by Jesus because of his own connection with Jesus and his more than 30 years devoted to students and families in Auburn, Alabama, and beyond.

Jim’s favorite verse:

We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.
Acts 4:20