I LOVE the musical Wicked. If you've never heard of it, it's based off a book that is all about "The Life and Times of the Witches of Oz." It's basically some guy's back story as to how the Witches of Oz became who we know them as.
And although from first hearing it, I have always been head-over-heels in love with the music, there has always been one line that has always bugged me.
It's in a song about halfway through the production and it's a song between Glenda (yes...the good witch) and Elphaba (the name given to the Wicked Witch of the West), who back in the day where roommates and friends.
In this song, Elphaba is telling Glenda all of the great things she can achieve using these special abilities that she has realized she has. And do you know what Glenda tells her?
Glenda tells Elphaba that she is having "delusions of grandeur."
WHAT?! REALLY?! Is what I always think when I hear that line. Her best friend is pouring her heart out to her and instead of being the first one to say "YES YOU CAN!" Glenda instead tells Elphaba that she basically must be insane to think that she can do anything great with her life.
Crazy, huh? But how often is that us? How often, when a friend comes to us with this amazing thing that God has laid on her heart, do we play it down because with our human understanding it just seems "too big?" How often do we see only the person before us, instead of the God that is behind him or her, giving them the ideas they are presenting to you?
In the Bible, over half of the New Testament is made up books that are categorized as "epistles," which is just a fancy name for "letters." And do you know what the majority of those letters are about?
They are writers, such as Peter, James and John, writing to various fledgling church to ENCOURAGE THEM. To tell them not to lose heart during times of struggle. To tell them to stand strong in their faith. To tell them they are not alone and that God loves them.
If God took the time to have his disciples write letters to encourage his people 2,000 years ago, shouldn't it still be important for his people to continue to encourage one another?
Try this...pick one person a day and encourage them. It can be a quick email, phone call or text message. It can be an unexpected card they find amongst all the bills in their mail box or even just a comforting word in passing.
You'll find that not only will their day be better, but so will yours.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
How many times have you heard that in the last three days?
I hope and pray you have all had blessed and fun Christmas seasons and are ready for a new year. I have miss you all over the busy holiday seasons and greatly look forward to our monday morning minutes!
In all honesty, this holiday season was one of the roughest I think I have ever endured. It has led me to start this 2011 in a spirit of depression as I try to walk through this wilderness I find myself in through no fault of my own. I am struggling to figure out how to "fix" this.
Sound familiar? Is there something weighing on your heart as you start this 2011? Are you like me and searching for ways to "fix" it? Are you coming to dead end after dead end after brick wall after vast ocean!? There just doesn't seem to be anyway around, across, or through.
Is that you? I know it's me.
But one thing I saw over the holidays has been my anchor, teathering me to reality.
I was sitting in the backseat of my car as my husband, sister, brother-in-law and I drove home from a date night and I was letting my mind wander as I looked out the window at the night sky. It was just after Christmas so most people still had their Christmas lights up and as we drove down the highway, what should come in to view?
A giant white star.
It was one of those giant stars that you see on the top of electrical or cell phone towers. And as I stared at it, I was reminded of another star...
Two Thousand years ago a star led lowly shepherds to leave their situations to find the Christ child and to begin the greatest story in history that would eventually lead to his death, but our salvation.
In the midst of my storm, I was captivated by this idea: I can not leave my eyes focused on my situation and still expect to see Christ.
What would have happened if the shepherds had kept their eyes on their sheep (their situation) and chose not to follow the star to Christ? I honestly don't know, but I do know they would have missed the incredible opportunity to see Christ as a baby...an honor that very few were blessed with.
Situations come and go in our lives, but our God is constant, consistent and stable. And maybe that is all we have to start our 2011 with, but it is everything...my God...your God...wants you to have the best year ever, in the midst of and in spite of whatever your situation may be.
So, join me in 2011 to keep our eyes focused on Christ and not our situations.
