A Contented Spirit

In continuing to think about being in the "School of Contentment" as we go through the Satisfied Series at my church, I can't help but think of Pastor Chuck Swindoll and his thoughts on attitude. I have shared it many times with others and have taught it to my boys.

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important that the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home.  The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day.  We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes."

I have learned that contentment does not depend on having; it depends on our heart's wanting the right things!  I would rather be able to appreciate things I cannot have than to have things I am not able to appreciate.

Ken Wytsma tells us in his awesome book The Grand Paradox - "When tempted to compare yourself with those who have more; give yourself to those who have less."

And when I think of having a great attitude - I always think of my friend Steve Edwards!

You Belong!

Isn't it fun to belong?  Many of you know that I am a BAMA football fan as well as a Green Bay Packers fan.  If you follow football, then you know that both of my teams came very close to the "final game."  Sports brings people together - sports bring a sense of belonging! We all need a place to belong.

In Jeff Manion's book, Satisfied, he reminds us that the Apostle Paul reminds the church of Ephesus that they belong before reminding them how to behave. This is an important reminder for us to remember as parents too.  As a parent, it is my responsibility to teach my children how to behave but it is also my responsibility to teach them that they belong!

I took time to read through the first three chapters of Ephesians tonight and once again I am struck by the phrase "in christ."  This is our identity!  Our identity is found "in christ."  Our identity is not found in our possessions or in our accomplishments or in our significant other or even in our children.  Our identity is found "in Christ."  You are blessed "in Christ."  You have a purpose "in Christ." You have been included "in Christ."  You were created "in Christ."   "In Christ" you who were once far away have been brought near through the blood of Jesus.

Take a moment and read Ephesians 1-3.  Note the times that Paul says to the church that they are "in Christ."

How is it that you can begin to understand your identity in Christ?   - through faith In Christ

Ephesians 3:12 "In Him and through faith In Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence."

For these reasons, I praise you!

Today as we experienced our second week of the "Satisfied" series at church, I was encouraged by our Senior Minister to make a list of the things for which I am thankful.  This list could be hundreds of pages but I sat down and wrote the first 20 things that came to mind...

I am thankful for...

1.  Wally Brown (husband) who loves me unconditionally, who kisses me every morning before he leaves for work and who works hard to support me, Elliott and Max!

2.  Dianne Hurt (mom) for teaching me how to pray, for letting me follow God as a young person to places like Russia and for always encouraging me to follow God and to keep him at the center of my life and for finding a way to make sure I went to college!  

3.  My step-dad for treating me like his own child and for taking care of my mom.

4.  My dad - God’s faithfulness to me in the death of my father, Roy Fox. (James 1, Philippians 1:6) 

5.  Education and Teachers!  I will always remember my 3rd and 4th grade teachers who helped me through my dad's illness and death. This is a pic (with my brother) from my graduation from the University of Kentucky!

6.  J.W. Orange and Millie Orange (grand-parents) for teaching me a strong work ethic (on the farm) and that God and family are the most important things in life, for the home-made biscuits, for the canned green beans and for the front porch swing conversations.  

7.  Ruth Edna Fox (grand-mother) for teaching me to love people no matter the color of their skin and for her $10 dollar bills at Christmas, her popcorn balls at Halloween and her homemade quilts that I will cherish forever.

8.  In-Laws for supporting and loving our family in many ways. And, they keep our dog Remi for us! 

9.  Having the opportunity to be a MOM!  I love it!  Elliott Brown - who keeps things real and who takes school seriously and loves serving at church and in his community. Max Brown who inspires me with his prayers every night and who inspires me with his great work ethic and sportsmanship!

10.  The Churches that have played a huge part in my faith journey....Childhood Church, Concord Missionary Baptist Church, for teaching me about Jesus.  The first Church I served while working full time for Lexmark International, Inc. - David’s Fork Baptist Church and Bro. Mack Craddock for allowing me to serve as Youth Minister. Broadway Baptist Church & Dr. Chris Caldwell for encouraging me to be ordained & then ordaining me. St Matthews Baptist Church and Dr. Les Hollon for giving me my first opportunities to preach. Middletown Christian Church for encouraging me in my leadership.

11.  Childhood friendships that continue to be in existence.  I so enjoyed staying with a childhood friend, Tracey Lee Fletcher, while attending the Final Four in Texas to watch the University of Kentucky Wildcats.

12.  The Bible study, Experiencing God, because it truly changed the way I live out my faith in Jesus Christ.

13.  Friendships, Friendships, Friendships....with colleagues, with church family, with teenagers whom I have had the privilege of leading, with family, with friends from High school, with college friends, with Costa Rica Friends, with Honduras Friends...

14.  Experiencing and Learning on Mission Trips...Myrtle Beach, Daytona Beach, Hells Kitchen (NYC), Camden  New Jersey (Urban Promise), Gulf Coast (Katrina Relief), Mission Arlington, Hopi Reservation, Navajo Reservation, Appalachia, Sunset Gap, St. Louis, Costa Rica, Honduras, Russia, San Antonio

15.  Basic Needs such as food, clothing, shelter and warmth in the cold

16.  Technology - We are able to stay in touch with family and friends from around the world

17.  Javanon and Coach Thuto - Max loves soccer!

18.  Dave Seely, Michael Swartzentruber, Miriam Georg and Tammy Bradley  - for the ways they love and teach Elliott and Max

19.  Opportunity to be a Mom Taxi - My car that gets us around to where we need to go :)

20.  Vacations that have allowed our family the space to have fun together and grow in love together!

Consumption & Gratitude

This past week, our church began a 6 week series that focuses on how we can live a Satisfied life.   We were challenged with the truth that consumption does not equal contentment.  We were asked to count our shoes and our shirts.  Yes, I have over 40 pairs of shoes.  And, I have 24 pairs of high heels.  Then we were challenged to give something valuable away.  As I engaged in this assignment, I found it difficult to figure out what I would want to give away and to whom. Do people really need my "stuff?" Well, maybe & maybe not.

I remember the first time I served as a missionary outside of St. Petersburg in Russia. I was nearing the end of my time there and I offered almost all of my clothing to a teenage girl that I had befriended.  With excitement, I gave her my clothes (thinking she needed them.)  She looked at me and shook her head "no."  She didn't want my clothes.  I felt very awkward and embarrassed.  You see, she had clothes but she just didn't have very many clothes - maybe 8 outfits.  Even though I thought she could use some more clothes, she knew she didn't need anymore clothes. I then remember her pointing to my backpack - my new LL Bean Cobalt Blue Backpack.  She wanted and needed my backpack. Honestly, I hesitated.  This was my new favorite backpack but it was what she needed.  How did I miss that? She had been carrying around items such as books and food all summer and had even used my backpack for her things.  I missed it because I wasn't sensitive to her needs.  I thought I knew what she needed and I was wrong.

Moscow, Russia - Red Square - Taken 1995

In reflecting on what God taught me while I served 10 weeks in Russia and in recalling God's word, I was drawn to Dueteronomy 24 where scripture teaches us about the rights of the widows, orphans and immigrants.  

17 Don’t obstruct the legal rights of an immigrant or orphan. Don’t take a widow’s coat as pledge for a loan. 18 Remember how you were a slave in Egypt but how the Lord your God saved you from that. That’s why I’m commanding you to do this thing.

19 Whenever you are reaping the harvest of your field and you leave some grain in the field, don’t go back and get it. Let it go to the immigrants, the orphans, and the widows so that the Lord your God blesses you in all that you do. 20 Similarly, when you beat the olives off your olive trees, don’t go back over them twice. Let the leftovers go to the immigrants, the orphans, and the widows. 21 Again, when you pick the grapes of your vineyard, don’t pick them over twice. Let the leftovers go to the immigrants, the orphans, and the widows. 22 Remember how you were a slave in Egypt. That’s why I am commanding you to do this thing.

Throughout Deuteronomy, there is a strong anticipation of the promised land, which was soon to be in the possession of the Israelites. The majority of Israelite families would be allotted a portion of the land and they would harvest the produce of the land, crops and fruit. But there would be some who would not be landowners and who could easily feel left out of the life of the community in that they did not share directly in the possession of the land promised and given by God. This instruction makes sure that resident immigrants, orphans, and widows, though not owning land for themselves, might nevertheless share in the fruit of the land. The manner of their participation in the fruit of the land would be such that they could maintain their honor and self-respect. They would not have to beg or seek a "hand-out"; they would go into the fields and orchards after the harvest, and like the farmer, they would work for their own small harvest, as they searched and gleaned for the grain and fruit that had been left there. And the farmers, who had allowed some produce to remain, were not simply being charitable to those less fortunate than themselves; they were expressing their gratitude to God, who had brought them out of the slavery in Egypt and given to them a land of their own.

You see, when we choose not to consume all that is at our fingertips (even if we can afford it), we are simply expressing gratitude to God for all that he has done for us.  I am very thankful for a frugal husband.  He definitely keeps my spending in check.  He has taught me through the years that when we don't consume the things we don't need, we are expressing our gratitude to God for all that he has given to us.  And in the spirit of gratitude, we are able to then provide honor & self-respect for the immigrant, the orphan and the widow. This is a difficult task.  Sometimes, people can use my clothes.  Other times, people simply need money or my time. And at other moments, people need to be able to afford a house and find a job. I am very grateful for a church that honors immigrants by partnering with Kentucky Refugee Ministries - that gives $43,000 dollars toward a bilingual school that will help orphans - that adopts children into a loving home and is generous to those widows who are in need. May God continue to give us discernment on how we can give honor and self-respect to the immigrant, the orphan and the widow.

I look forward to what this series has in store for our Church!  God is Good!