He Loves You Anyway

Published in Alive Now

March/April (2010):26-27

"Speaking Truth to Power"

Ashby, a precocious six year old in my previous church, received a "no" from her mother, Nancy, in response to something she had asked for. Ashby, clearly devastated by this answer, stared her mother in the eyes for some time before tucking her head close to her heart, raising her hand to her lips, and whispering something unclear into her chest. She then paused, looked up, turned her ear to her chest, and listened. Nancy watched all of this with curiosity, waited a few minutes, and then asked Ashby what she was doing. Ashby replied hands on hips, "I told God what you said." Clearly Ashby had appealed to a higher authority who would perhaps bring justice to this unreasonable ordeal. Nancy paused and then asked Ashby, "Well, what did God say?" Ashby ex-haled, rolled her eyes a bit, and replied, "He said he loves you anyway."

Ashby’s actions were a bold but peaceful challenge to the authority she was under. These types of challenges, even in Ashby's small way, are a risky business — especially when we are uncertain of the outcome. Bold language and actions that support our convictions are effective ways to disagree peacefully. They work because they create a breach in the sys-tem, a threat to those in power. Jesus’ threat came as promises about a new authority under the reign of God. When Peter told the Sanhedrin, "There is sal-vation in no one else; for there is no other name un-der heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12), he subverted the hierarchy of his day. His boldness not only claimed a higher au-thority than empire, it issued an inclusive invitation for all people.

In verse 13 we learn that the boldness of this witness had an effect on the Sanhedrin. "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed, and recognized them as companions of Jesus." Peter’s words, like Ashby’s, were effective because they were authentic. Honest words from "ordinary" people can have great power, even if their full implication isn’t known at the time.

We too have the opportunity to speak to an authority higher than any law, bondage, or injustice. In large and small grievances, we need only speak to our hearts and listen to the God of the universe who speaks back into our lives. Our authentic witness will strengthen our words and allow the Holy Spirit to work in the lives of listeners. That relationship and a simple and entirely radical message can still subvert the empire: God loves us anyway.

-Katie Carson Webster

Stand Up Under It

"For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ."
...
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
-1 Corinthians 10:1-4, 13

As you know, Tommy and I are challenging ourselves in some big ways this season of our lives. God has been so faithful to us as we have worked to accept His forgiveness for our past - and to forgive ourselves. It's not an easy task. I've always loved listening to preachers talk about the idea of offering difficulties at the foot of Christ and being "washed in the blood", but it hasn't come easily for me. I lay things at the foot of the cross, enjoy a moment or two of freedom, and then make sure to collect my items on my way back up to my feet. I would feel lost without them afterall! They are mine. There is part of me that relishes in my junk. It's sad - and I can claim that I don't want to keep carrying the same issues around - but until I discipline or "purpose" myself to take action --- I'm living in a continuous sitcom -- where everything is ultimately the same at the end of the day. No matter how many times Uncle Jessie or Dan sits on the end of DJ's bed and has a heart-to-heart, you can be sure to find similar shinanigans the next time you tune in.

The bottom line is that we all make choices every day that lead to consequences. If we wanted our lives to look different - we would make different choices. Sure there are events that are out of our control - but for the most part - we are all living the lives we have chosen. My Sunday School class (whom I love dearly) recently did a study on creating margin in our lives. The study included some DVDs with Andy Stanley, but it was the discussion with my friends that was super helpful. It's no fun living near the tipping point. Living with some space around the edges is healthy.

Many of us have turned things that God intended as blessing - into idols. Our jobs, spouses, children, belongings, bodies -- and on and on -- have become the biggest "sin" in our lives. Drugs, sex, and rock & roll are the least of my worries! My relationship with Christ is most often compromised by everyday "good" things.

Giving into temptation and refusing to access the power in our spiritual muscles ultimately leads to weakness and burnout. The good news is that no temptation that has "seized" any of us is beyond what God will be faithful to provide a way out of. We are not encountering anything new -- and we cannot be conquered if we are strong enough to stand up under whatever it is. What I am dealing with is common to man. What you are dealing with is too. God has seen it all before...

Tommy and I recently joined the Y to strengthen some of our weak muscles. I'm hoping the treadmill is the first step on the road to discovering healing balm in Gilead.

Sweet Times....

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. Remember Your Creator While Young Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun. However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all. --Ecclesiastes 11:5-8

Katie works in Savannah, and I work at our church here in Springfield. In order for her to get to work on time and still get a good night's sleep, we have worked out a system in the morning. We all get up at the same time - and while Katie showers & gets ready for her work day, I wake up Olive, feed her breakfast, and get her ready for "school". While we have a lot of family time together, and Katie has some evenings alone with Olive while I'm in meetings or rehearsals, my time with my girl is early in the morning. This is my sweet time. Our alarm sounds at 6:00am and I am off to Olive's room to wake her up, if she is not up & chatting already. I dress her (in the outfit Katie has already picked out) and we play with our dog Lilly before we play "I'm gonna getcha" all the way into the kitchen. (I have occasionally strayed from dressing Olive in the outfit Katie has preselected for the day -- and it has not been met with appreciation...)Olive runs and laughs down the hallway as I chase her. She must think I'm the slowest Dad in the world because I haven't managed to catch her one single morning of her life. I fix her breakfast and she usually eats while I get her juice and snack ready for the day. But sometimes -- she wants me to stay right with her. These are truly sweet times. She laughs, pretends she's not going to put the spoon in her mouth, or offers her oatmeal to Lilly and me. After her breakfast, she is ready to see Mama, and so again we play "I'm gonna getcha" to the bedroom where she finds Mama getting ready. We all sometimes lay on the bed for a minute, talk about the day, or tickle Olive while she pretends to go back to sleep. This family time early in the morning is priceless to me; I wouldn't trade it for any thing. I think about this time almost everyday after they leave. How lucky am I to have this sweet time with Olive? I think of my life as a blessing with Katie and Olive -- this time with them is my "success." These are just my thoughts for this morning...

-T

Community Supported Agriculture

Delicious! This is our Friday delivery of organic fruits & vegetables from Heritage Farms in Guyton, Georgia. They were the first certified organic farm in the state - and continue to be leaders in sustainable agriculture. They barter and trade with other local farmers - in addition to growing their own amazing foods - and have created a really cool system for getting local produce. While we aren't particularly attached to organic --- we do care about supporting local farmers and getting food for our family that is healthy and fresh. (For those of you who are shocked by this revelation -- this is one of our new challenges this year!) Tommy Webster really didn't eat vegetables prior to this past few years. He enjoyed a salad - and maybe some asparagus (cooked the way he likes it) every now & then - but was otherwise totally out of the vegetable market. But he has jumped in to our challenge! He loves discovering what is in our box -- and even adding new things that we find when we go to the farm. It turns out that his competitive streak is stronger than his obstinate one! So -- we are eating healthier and working to be strong examples to Olive. This week we didn't have anything too out of the ordinary in our box: some fresh lettuce, cucumbers, avocados, grapefruit, pear, new potatoes, green beans, strawberries, & tomatoes. We had a delicious weekend -- and are looking forward to dinners this week!

Refuge

My grandmother Olive Dale, for whom our daughter Olive is named, passed away three years ago this month. She was such an incredible woman and is certainly part of the cloud of witnesses I rely on to cheer me through my days on this side of the veil. She was a strong, strong woman. Among other things, I admire her for her strength, integrity, wisdom, and work ethic. She went to college well before it was a reasonable thing for women to do. She hopped on a bus in small town West Virginia -- and headed to Detroit to support the war effort during WWII. She taught in a one room schoolhouse. The list goes on an on. My favorite thing about my Grandma Dale, however, was her feisty personality. Let me just make my point: I love my Grandma because she taught me how to cuss. She was a good Christian woman - don't get me wrong - but she also knew how to place a well timed "jack ass" to get the maximum effect. What a great phrase. You can argue that it is Biblical if you feel the need to rationalize your exclamations --- or you can just run with it. Grandma understood timing -- so her "jack ass" came immediately after a brief pause -- and was followed by a nod, and a slight curl in her lip that let you know she meant business.

We never argued with Grandma about the merits of the person who had received the title. Afterall, Grandma lived well into her nineties and had surely cultivated the ability to tell a jack ass from a regular jack. Who was I to argue with age and wisdom? Besides, even in my minimal thirty year experience with jack asses - I had come to recognize that Grandma was nearly always correct in her summation and ensuing proclamation.

Grandma died three years ago with incredible grace. She had given away most of what she owned, lived sparingly (as she had her whole life), celebrated everyone else's accomplishments, and looked forward to a visit from most anybody. Oh - and she also cleaned up during nursing home Bingo games. She hadn't been a fan of Bingo until she realized that most of the residents, though younger, didn't have their "wits about them" and she could take them at Bingo. She was mighty proud of her nickle and dime Bingo winnings that sat in a cup in her dresser. In her final days we all gathered around her and sang hymn after hymn - and told story after story. She had scripture and verse painted on her heart -- and loved to sing praises even as other words or memories failed her. She was a believer -- not in a righteous way based on tradition and a sense of doing what is "right" -- but in the relationship with a living God kind of way. She was ready to go "home" and found her way there one day in April.

My Mom & Dad have spent the years since that time designing and building a cabin in West Virginia in her honor. Grandma loved family time -- as does my family -- and a place where we can all be together in the sweet and fragrant hills of West Virginia is the best tribute to Grandma Dale. "Olive's Lodge" has recently moved from being a vision - to a reality. My dad, mom, and brothers have spent countless hours building this beautiful retreat -- refuge -- for all of us to escape from the rest of the world and find some peace and new energy by being with people we love.

Each of us has a room that we are responsible for preparing for our family. My recent trip home afforded me the time to get our room together. Tommy wasn't able to take time off from work this time, so I took pictures to show him our little space in the hills. While Grandma is always on my heart, she seems especially present there - perhaps that is because I see so much of her in my mother and siblings --- especially considering how much they cuss...

If you have anything really valuable to contribute to the world it will come through the expression of your own personality, that single spark of divinity tht sets you off and makes you different from every other living creature.

-Bruce Barton