Thoughts on the day before my birthday (note: It is a dangerous thing – giving a mom time to string thoughts together – much like green beans climbing a pole):
“What’s on your bucket list to do before you die,” the dj said over the radio.
I don’t put much store in bucket lists. If I can’t satisfy my spirit within the daily – bucket list activities won’t touch the deep in me.
A bicycle trip through the Loire Valley?
Sit on the field where the Battle of Hastings changed the course of history?
Live in a cabin in Vermont through a snowy winter?
I imagine those who didn’t survive the Holocaust, soldiers who didn’t come home from war, children who didn’t survive childhood diseases – I imagine bucket list activities would be what fructose is to honey – the honey being the potential of the daily.
. . . before I die. . . I want. . .
~ my heart to still have that forever love for my husband, to still be holding hands, still seeing the reason we said yes 30 years ago Tuesday – still smiling and not giving up on each other
~ both my husband and I to have shown our sons how to grow old loving the Lord – in the refreshing times and in the challenging times.
~ to see each of them showing others the love of Jesus Christ – intentionally
~ forgiveness for shrugged-off hugs and imperfect mothering
~ to have encouraged those the Father sends across my path – whole-hearted, hands reaching – and not to have missed a one He sent my way
~not only my porch door always opening for friends and family – but I want home to welcome, refresh and comfort – and I want them to come – always.
~ always have granola bars in the cookie jar, cupcakes on the counter, or ice cream in the freezer with a cup of coffee, ginger tea or lemonade with lemons and orange slices – ready to share
~ daily remember how long ago I wondered how I could be faithful to Yahweh for a lifetime – and today I marvel at how I can’t let go He has so grafted me into Him.
Living in the daily can be a soul-deep experience, a priceless experience.
The literalist in me struggles with things like bucket lists – and faith sleeves. Literalists make poor cheer-leaders but wonderful encouragers.
When I turned from the radio, I read an article where one of my very favorite Lord of the Rings actors talked about his faith and how he doesn’t wear it on his sleeve – which left me wondering – Well? Where do you wear it?
Jesus wore his faith on his sleeve – all the way to the cross.
Not in a religious way – and by religious I mean a Pharisee-and- Sadducee-way of following God – the old testament way – a by-the-rules way – where the rules are more important than anything else.
I’ve thought about this because one time, one of my teens told me I was too religious. If all you see is religion, then you are not seeing the relationship.
Jesus wore his faith on his sleeve in a relationship way.
He didn’t use church language like Brother Peter and Sister Martha or vocabulary that shows you are an insider. I doubt he talked in a cadence that identified Him as a preacher. He didn’t confine his out-reach to the temple. He took it to the streets – the hillsides and town squares, to leaders and outcasts.
He came to us as an Everyman – the Son of God born an Everyman – who spoke with an Everyman vocabulary of penny and nickle words. Did you realize the classics were written in penny and nickle words? With His Everyman vocabulary, he told us about a loving Father who hadn’t forgotten us.
He told us that He was our brother come to pull us into the family of God – that He wanted us to help Him pull others into that family – and that meant wearing our faith on our sleeve
Faith wearing doesn’t win popularity contests with the world, though.
“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” (John 15: 19-20)
Living the gospel, living Christ’s message isn’t religious. It is relationship – with Him, with the one who sent Him, with the Holy Spirit
Wear it on your feet, in your eyes, on your hands. Wear it in your actions, your words – even wear it on your sleeve.
Beware – Faith on Sleeves isn’t safe.
Matthew wore his faith so openly, he was killed by a sword wound.
Mark was dragged by horses through the streets until he died
Luke was hanged
Peter died upside on a cross
James was thrown over a hundred feet from a temple because he wore his faith on his sleeve.
Stephen was stoned
Paul was beaten, flogged, stoned and then beheaded
Bartholomew was whipped to death
Thomas was stabbed with a spear
Matthias was stoned and beheaded
“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong”
—2 Corinthians 12:10
I don’t want to wear religion on my sleeve. I want to wear Christ-faith on my sleeve – relationship with Him on my sleeve – regardless of the consequences.
The Father one day long ago invited me on a journey, a journey that took me away from religion and into relationship with Him. He let me come at my own pace, didn’t grow impatient with my literal and graceless ways. Some days He walked with me. Some days He stood with me. Other times, we just sit and talk about things like bucket lists and faith sleeves.
It is a journey in the daily that needs faith sleeves.
– a literalists thoughts that meandered and climbed the day before my birthday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR FRIEND! I was going to leave you a “birthday wish on Facebook, but couldn’t remember if you were on it or not. God Bless!
PJ
Happy Birthday Maryleigh. May God grant you many more healthy happy birthdays.
Happy Birthday! I love your bucket list! And your comments about wearing faith on our sleeves was thought provoking, …maybe also convicting!
Oh, this is just beautiful! Your heart is beautiful! I am in tears. Thank you. So blessed by you. Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday. I don’t think I have ever read something more true or touching. God Bless you! Kim
Happy, happy birthday!
I don’t have a real bucket list either (which is unusual since I am quite a list-maker!). But I love your list of wonderful ways to live every day.
Happy Birthday, Maryleigh! Wonderfully “spoken” words in this post. Religion in its truest, purest form is always about relationship … loving God and loving those around us, especially the most vulnerable. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27)
I love this post of yours. Happy birthday! What a beautiful heart you have. I too want to wear my faith and love for Jesus on my sleeve ( the relationship, not religion).
Blessings and love,
Debbie
Birthday blessings! I want to wear His heart upon my sleeve for everyone to see. His blood covers me, may I shine in it!
Happiest of birthdays to you and may God give you the desires of your heart! I’m visiting for Barbie’s.
Hi Blue Cotton! (we have to stop meeting like this!)
Happy Birthday, my dear! I hope you get lots of hugs and help today 🙂
Again, that theme of living in the moment. I think God is really trying to tell me something. And I loved your question: if you don’t wear your religion on your sleeve, where do you wear it? Excellent!!
Great post today, birthday girl!
Ceil
I am forever grateful that He takes us on that journey, away from all the man made add-ons and draws us closer to His heart. And … a happy, joy-filled birthday to you!
Oh, happy, happy birthday. and THANK YOU for being the gift on this day that celebrates the gift of you. This line echoes my own feelings- but in such a lovely way, I think I’ll stick your words to my bathroom mirror as a daily reminder-“I don’t put much store in bucket lists. If I can’t satisfy my spirit within the daily – bucket list activities won’t touch the deep in me.” May the One who invited you on a journey long ago bless you with many steps to come!
Happy birthday to you, dear friend. This is by far my favorite post of yours. It is much easier to wear religion on our sleeves that allowing Jesus to take away the false security it offers. Living love that makes us roll up our sleeves to serve others is also not a popular amongst religionists.
Blessings XX
Mia
Such an awesome post. Happy. Birthday!
Oh, happy day to you, friend! I love your list better than any old bucket list. and I want my faith to shine too…Sometimes it’s hard figuring out how best to wear it. But I just let the Spirit lead and usually, it works out. Thanks for all this loveliness.
Happy birthday and anniversary! And I really love the thought about how bucket lists don’t bring that deep down satisfaction – that it is the joy found in the everyday and the wearing of faith that makes our spirits well up.
Happy Birthday! I love your list!
I had a similar comment some time ago from one of my children: You are too religious.
Love the distinction about wearing our faith in a relationship way and a reminder to be on guard against the Pharisee way.
Such beautiful photos!! Just luminous.
A belated happy birthday and anniversary. May the Lord grant every item on that “before I die” list to you. You have a beautiful heart.