Swimming with long time, dear friends

Practice cancelled, but caught him coaching them

Gaining confidence

He insisted

Blue sky, city glory

Your 7 Days?

Cannot stop thinking about the Truth of this song.

http://http://www.vevo.com/watch/mercyme/Even-If-(Official-Lyric-Video)/USM2C1790031

I know You’re able.

I know You can

Save through the fire with Your mighty Hand

But even if you don’t

My Hope is You Alone.

Source

There is sorrow out there. There is so much good, too. But for those of you struggling, I acknowledge you. And my prayer is you come through this season with a Hope you’ve never known before.

This week marks the beginning of Lent. We have a need for this time of year, don’t we? Remembering, along with our brothers and sisters across the world, what had to be done to save us. We have to go through Ash Wednesday and Maundy Thursday before Resurrection Day explodes on the scene with deep joy. It may not look excitable; many of us have walked through the “even if you don’t” enough for that to no longer be our reality.

Oh, but it’s still Joy. Deep and sincere and palpable. We can know – once again – we have a God Who saves. Who beat death and humiliated darkness and finished it all.

Here’s to Lenten Season, friends. Let’s not miss our opportunity to draw near.

“‘And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I occupy?’ And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.”

Nehemiah 2:8

Last time we listened in as Nehemiah requested from the king safe conduct among the governors beyond the River. He simply wanted to be passed over on his way to Judah, saving all his energy for the task of rebuilding.

Today we get to see his further request: timber. Nehemiah knew he was heading back to a place with little materials to build. Likely he was trying to deal with details before he arrived so they could jump right in.

“And may I have a letter to Asaph, bodyguard of the king’s forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I occupy?”

And because the beautiful hand (ability alongside) of Creator God was hovering over me, the king granted my requests.

Oh so much in the Hebrew. The word for make means to appoint, lay beams. Don’t you love it? There would soon be different timber laid upon One appointed to do for us what we could never do for ourselves.

As we navigate these divided cultural and political waters, let’s remember what our Savior had to do for all of us. All of us. If there is someone out there you don’t understand or relate to, would you pray for them? Would you ask God to show you that what He had to die for in you is the same thing He had to die for in them? Remember, Creator God created all. His image is in every one of us. I guarantee He would love to grant you that glimpse into our own hearts to see more clearly His.

Because if we are His children, His beautiful ability alongside us is powerfully at work within.

It is Final Friday time! Some art exhibits of note:

At City Arts enjoy the exhibits Testing by Curt Clonts, Ditch by Conan Y. Fugit, The Rhythm and Power of Landscapes by Pam Hayes and Pulp by Phillip H. Ness.

At Reverie check out charcoal drawings by local artist, Zach Rathbun.

At Clutch Studio brows the Bad News Company Pop Up Shop.

And see the AIGA WSU Student Group at Silo Shop for their pop-up shop of unique, handmade goods.

See at map and more Final Friday details here.

Tonight, February 23rd, see Kathleen Grissom at Watermark with a reading and signing of her book Glory Over Everything at 6:00.

This Saturday the 25th, come to Wichita Art Museum’s WAM BAM Bust-a-Move. Join the fun at this 3rd annual disco party blowout beginning at 11 for costume prep and 1:30 for family dance fun.

Did you know our city ranked one of America’s most artistic towns on expedia.com? Atta way, Wichita.

Want to help sponsor a wonderful City Race that benefits children in our community? See some details here.

Tomorrow night, Friday the 24th, at Mead’s Corner help celebrate the release of Kansas artist Zack Manuel’s album The Sunflower State.

And check out the rest of the week’s Food Truck Schedule at ICT Pop-Up Urban Park.

Library:

Check out the next upcoming Academy Awards Short Film Screenings today at Central and Saturday the 25th at Warren Theater.

Interested in starting your own small business? Register for the Small Business Administration/SCORE’s program this Saturday from 1-2:30.

Have a great weekend!

Timeout

Costco vortex

Glory

Your 7 Days?

I have been processing so much: the immigration/refugee situation, white majority, a division of We the People, a life-changing conference.

Hubs has been the main sounding board, as working full time does not warrant hour-long walks at the Y with heart friends. Nor does it lend itself to musings over mochas. But it does allow for school lunches and wiping noses and laughing out loud more times a day than I have in years. I love the exhausting – sometimes frustrating, always entertaining – work of being at our boys’ school.

Something I’ve been thinking about our current political climate and this administration relates to parenting. One side effect of being a parent for 9 years is the instinct to reward ridiculous behavior with no attention. Unfortunately, we cannot ignore what is in front of us. It looms darker and heavier each week.

So it seems the answer is not to ignore. But remain kind and brave. To speak up and speak out and make phone calls and learn more about our Constitution. I’ve never wished I was more versed in what the law of our nation says.

We ask for the refugee and elevate the voices of those to whom none of this is new. We read blog posts, yes, but also (slightly less biased?) news articles. And fully published books. These feel foreign to me lately and that I want that to change.

But you know what else we do? We unplug our phones and snuggle our people. We eat a late breakfast and drink tea with friends. We remain open to our neighbors and coworkers because His strength in us is bigger than our need for some quiet. But we take that quiet time. We guard it zealously when necessary. We get out our cameras and recapture hope in images and life in moments. We paint or write or draw or build as God made us to do. We cheerfully give and fire our perfectionism and get a pedicure. Because no one has the right to take away our joy. No one can take away the Joy.

I’ve been hoping to have deep and insightful paths appear before me lately. But instead I’m doing the next right thing rather than allowing the huge picture to overwhelm. These days that gets me nowhere and we’ve got places to go, don’t we? Besides, “after obedience, the courage was waiting for me.” So let’s obey whatever that looks like for you today.

And together on our President’s Day? Let’s remember all the good that has happened on this soil and the ones who led. But let’s not pretend it has always been a dream. Especially for those on whom we built this dream. I hope we remember and repent, love and listen anew today. There is hope, but hope comes from things yet seen. We the People are not where we need to be, but we can choose to move that direction.

Help us, LORD.

“I also said to him, ‘If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah?’

Nehemiah 2:7

Last time we looked in on Nehemiah’s journey. He had the king’s favor and set a time for his departure. Today we get to see a bit more of his detailed request.

I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors beyond the River that they may pass over me in their territories across the other side until I arrive in Judah.”

The word for pass over is particularly interesting. It is the Hebrew word abar and its most concise definition is “to alienate.” In this context, the safe conduct Nehemiah is seeking is to be ignored, alienated in a foreign land. To simply be passed over until he arrives safely in Judah.

Feeling overlooked or passed over is ordinarily hurtful. To feel unseen is sometimes worse than feeling hated. At least the hate acknowledges your existence.

But in Nehemiah’s situation to be passed over meant survival. It meant fewer hassles and entanglements on the way to his destination: Judah, the land of his forefathers.

And in our situation it can also be a positive. If we’re seeking to please our Commanding Officer alone, we too will have fewer entanglements on our way to our Destination. Oh, we engage. We love and serve and grieve and pray. But we are not so entangled with lesser pursuits that we miss The Way.

Friends, we have our marching orders. We even have the divine method. Anything he asks us to sacrifice is worth it. Not pain free, but worth what is ahead and guaranteed to be surpassed. And we have One Who was passed over on His Way to the Destination. It was certainly not pain free, but His loss is our reward. We, too, can set our faces like flint to please One.

Because Worthy is the Lamb.

Today is the last day to register for the Sedgwick County Extension Office’s Design and Grow Gardening Workshop. The class is this Saturday, February 18th from 9-3:30.

Coming up at Watermark:

Brit Bennett will be hosting a reading and signing of her book The Mothers tonight at 6.

See Cindy Jenson-Elliott Saturday the 18th at 2:00 for an author talk and signing of Antsy Ansel: Ansel Adams a Life in Nature.

Then on Monday the 20th catch Albert Goldbarth at 6:00 for his book The Adventures of Form and Content.

And finally Alex George in conversation with Clare Vanderpool of his book Setting Free the Kites.

The Women’s Fair is this weekend, February 17-19th. See local vendors, exhibits, and shows.

You can win a Painted Carousel Horse in a raffle to help restore the Joyland Carousel at Botanica. (Plus Botanica is hiring!)

Upcoming live music at Mead’s Corner:

Piper Lour-Renee with Roni Lowry Friday the 17th from 8-10.

Plus, Brandon Ellis with Colin Wilmore on Saturday the 18th beginning at 8:00 pm.

And join the fun of Game Night at Reverie this Saturday the 18th beginning at 5:30.

Library:

Over the next week enjoy the 31st Annual Film Festival at the Library. See all upcoming events and film screenings here.

Next in the Civil Rights Discussion is tonight from 7-8 at WSU Hughes Metroplex. Enjoy Mining the Trust Gap: Ferguson and Americans’ Changing Views of Police Behavior.

And don’t forget:

Have a great weekend!

Grandparent Love

Incredible conference + an ocean glimpse

Space Station

Glory

Your 7 Days?

“Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me,

‘How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?’

It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time”

Nehemiah 2:6

Last time we got a glimpse into Nehemiah’s request: both the fear and the faith. Today we get to see the king’s answer.

“The king, right next to the queen, asked, ‘How long will it take for your journey to come to pass? When will you turn back to us?’

It seemed acceptable before the face of the king to freely release me. So I set an appointed time.”

We can breathe a collective sigh of relief. Nehemiah’s request was acceptable before the king. The months of wondering and praying for the brothers and sisters in his home city came to positive fruition.

How about us? Is there a journey He is taking you on? I appreciate that when Nehemiah said he set a time, the Hebrew means “appointed time.” As in, Nehemiah might have spoken some dates, but God had already appointed the time.

We can trust His timing, friends. After all, He knew just when the timing was right to send the Ultimate Leader to us – to lead us to His heart.