DEEP WATERS and DARK, DULL THREADS

God brings men into deep waters, not to drown them, but to cleanse them.

Aughey

I just finished reading a book called the Grand Weaver, by Ravi Zacharias, that tells the story of how our lives are like tapestries or fine fabrics (in the book he opens with a story about the weaving of wedding saris in the north of India).

Sometimes God uses the dark and dull – black, grey and brown – threads as a part of an overall picture, to provide contrast and the right backdrop for the brilliant threads that make up the design that He has for our lives. At times, we can only see the knots and the chaos on the back of the tapestry and lament at our lack of control over the weaving process. He sees the brilliantly colored threads that are just waiting, out of our field of vision, to be woven into our tapestry.

I firmly believe the story told in Psalm 139 which says that there is a grand plan for our lives, where each segment includes a beginning, various steps along the way (dark, dull as well as brilliant) and an end. Each segment is also a huge learning process and sometimes failure or loss in a particular segment of our lives is the grand teacher, allowing us time to reflect and learn from each step along the way, both good and bad.

As we try to understand a God that can see the beginning, the middle and the end, including all of our choices and the choices of others along the way that impact us, truly caring about the outcome, I'd like to share an analogy someone recently shared with me of watching a marathon.

In the marathon analogy, your perspective is different as a runner and as a spectator. An experienced runner trains, generally gains an earlier start near the front and if they don't run across any external obstacles, they expect an outcome that puts them at or near the head of the pack at the finish line. In fact, really successful runners will tell you that they start off by envisioning themselves being the first to cross the finish line. If we are a spectator, we are either at the starting line, watching the enthusiasm of the experienced and novice runners alike as they begin the race, or we are somewhere along the way, seeing people get discouraged, trip over something, fall or quit from exhaustion or heat and if we are positioned at the end of the race, we see the victors, hose that are angry because they didn't win and those that persevere to the finish line and those that celebrate finishing last, just because they were able to get to the finish line.

God's perspective is that of the person in the helicopter that can see the beginning, the middle and the end of the race and that can zoom in on any circumstance along the way and who has long enough arms to reach down and comfort those who fall and cheer on those that perservere.

When we feel out of control of the weaving of our lives or the running of the race, it is easy to get angry, bitter, frustrated, to lay blame and to live in regret of choices made and what might have been. "If only", "Why didn't I", "Why did he/she" are all refrains of the same sad tune that leads to a very dark place if we follow that line of thinking and don't see God's larger perspective on our lives.

I also read another book this past week by John Maxwell, called the "Difference Maker" that talked about the role that attitude plays in our lives. The one thing that really stood out about the book for me was John's analogy about the elevator of our life and our attitude and that we are in control of that.

Living a life of regret and blame for the past, and worse, talking to everyone who will listen about the injustices that we perceive that we have suffered at the hands of others is like getting into an elevator and choosing to press the down button.

My parents were eternal optimists and always believed the best about people. They choose in their conversations to always press the "up" button in the elevator, leaving their friends, colleagues and even acquaintances in awe as to the peace that they could have amidst the chaos that often surrounded them as pastors of a church. In their lives, unconditional love was the driver of all that they did. I was fortunate to grow up with that as a key "ideal" and a model for my own behavior. I wish I could say that I was always victorious against fighting the "down button" battle, but I do know the long term benefits of choosing "up" versus "down".

When Michael and I got married, his uncle George, who married us, said in our ceremony that love is a choice that you make every day, it is not a feeling. He reminded us that some days we wouldn't like each other very much, but that didn't change the choice to love.

I have realized this week that I won't always like the situations that I find myself in. But like love, personal peace is a choice, not a feeling. It is getting in on the 3rd floor of a 20 story building and deciding to rise to the penthouse, rather than sink to the basement, taking all those around you with you on that same journey.

Over the course of the past number of months that I have been facing extreme challenges in my business life. Fortunately, God has been doing some deep surgery on my soul and is helping me understand the purpose of the deep, dark water, to use Aughey's analogy, to spur growth and stability and even to cleanse out some bad behaviors that have been holding me back in my personal and professional growth.

I have seen a miracle occur in my husband and in our marriage as a result of being able to jointly have a level of peace and clarity of direction amidst the chaos. Some of the events of the past few months have brought me literally home, working out of the house, so I now spend more time with my children and my husband, traveling less. So where I saw a detour in my path, God meant it for good.

Romans 8:28 says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

The clarity of direction that comes when you choose to trust the Grand Weaver to guide your steps provides the peace that truly passes all understanding, even when there is no illumination to show the full path ahead.

And finally, Philippians 4:8 says "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anyting is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things.

My paraphrase: Choose the up button in your thoughts and in your conversations and in your dreams, and you will be choosing peace in your soul.

Be encouraged, be cleansed, be reconciled with the deep waters and the dark threads that have been plaguing you or those around you.

Chicke Fitzgerald

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Genesis 3 - Sent out from the garden
Our church is studying Genesis this month. I've been long absent from our regular study and am anxious to get back into regular blogging, setting aside the beginning of my day (or the end as the case may be) to that which is most important to me and that which feeds me.

This passage of Genesis is a bitter one - Adam and Eve, having chosen to listen to the father of all lies, are cast out of the presence of their Creator for listening to the lies of the serpent -- the enemy.

How often do we listen to lies from all parts of our lives. The inner lies -- doubts about our abilities or lies about what others think about us or what we can accomplish, or the pressures of the world -- urging us to focus on everything temporal and nothing spiritual. We cling to what can easily be washed away versus those things that are everlasting. What are we thinking when we make that choice ????

The good news is that while we read this story of abandonment -- of Adam and Eve and their Creator, of the Creator of his creation due to their poor decisions -- we live instead in hope.

Genesis by its very meaning is a new beginning. Every day we face a new beginning for our lives -- the sun rises with that promise.

I am so thankful for the perpetual sunrise in my life. As I invariably fail [from time to time], each day brings the promise of encouragement, of acceptance and of new opportunities to be all that He created me to be. I live with His gifts and His grace. Without that, I am empty.

Today I realized that for One who is responsible for keeping the planets spinning carefully in orbit, that keeping my life and my business in tune is child's play. I am confident entrusting my future to the creator of the Universe.

My spirituality is not something to be segregated from my business life. It is who I am, to the core. My decisions are driven by my faith in my Creator. My ability to face tough decisions and tough times are because I know that there is a grand Plan and that as long as I serve Him, I can live in the absolute comfort of being in the center of His will. That is the definition of peace and I am happy to live in His favor so that I can enjoy His peace that absolutely passes all understanding.

2006 was a challenging year and 2007 looks to be a bit of an uphill battle. But I don't enter the battle alone. My God and king owns the cattle on 10,000 hills and I draw upon His resources, not my own to meet the challenges ahead. He has promised that this will be a harvest year and I am READY!!!

May those that read this blog be blessed and somehow through my words or through my life may you know Him better and find peace in your life.


Chicke Fitzgerald

Proverbs 12-14 - The idea is clear - Serve God and live

Discipline, a life rooted in God, justice, sensible talking, hard work, kindness to animals, good conversation, taking good advice, being truthful and seeking truth -- these are just a few of the things that Solomon admonishes us to seek after.

The alternatives? Refusing correction, scheming, corruption, death, contempt, starvation, ruin, trouble, deceit, lies, distortion, laziness, worry, misfortune, disaster.

Whew..... when given the option, what choice would you make?

Practical wisdom. That is what Solomon provides for us. A guideline, a roadmap, a book that shows not only what to do, but the consequences of going our own way.

Personally, while I'm enjoying reading Proverbs, I am missing reading about Jesus! It had to have been a bit overwhelming in Old Testiment days to have to live up to what Solomon wrote about without the hope of the help from the Holy Spirit and the gift of mercy and grace of Jesus' life.

Their only hope was to keep company with the Godly, the wise. Proverbs 13 says:

20 Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces. 21 Disaster entraps sinners, but God-loyal people get a good life.

And verse 34 in Chapter 14 says:

34 God-devotion makes a country strong; God-avoidance leaves people weak.

Today, choose whom you will serve. Devotion or avoidance. The choice is yours.

Chicke Fitzgerald

Chicke Fitzgerald

Proverbs 4 - The Map to Righteous Road

Lest we be confused about where Solomon stands, this chapter reiterates over and over that we must seek Wisdom in all that we do.

Verse 7-9 Never walk away from Wisdom—she guards your life;
love her—she keeps her eye on you.
Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom!
Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding!
Throw your arms around her—believe me, you won't regret it;
never let her go—she'll make your life glorious.
She'll garland your life with grace,
she'll festoon your days with beauty."

Solomon lays out a clear map for us to follow:

10-15 Dear friend, take my advice;
it will add years to your life.
I'm writing out clear directions to Wisdom Way,
I'm drawing a map to Righteous Road.
I don't want you ending up in blind alleys,
or wasting time making wrong turns.
Hold tight to good advice; don't relax your grip.
Guard it well—your life is at stake!
Don't take Wicked Bypass;
don't so much as set foot on that road.
Stay clear of it; give it a wide berth.
Make a detour and be on your way.

And at the end of the chapter, he reminds us that our heart is our compass on life's road:

23 Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts.

Many things come at us, to distract our heart from staying on task. We get discouraged, angry, frustrated and distracted in the course of each day as various things come at us. Solomon's final advice to us in this chapter is:

24 - 26 Keep your eyes straight ahead;
ignore all sideshow distractions.
Watch your step,
and the road will stretch out smooth before you.
Look neither right nor left;
leave evil in the dust.

Lord, keep me focused on you today and on the path that you have set for me. Keep the kids safe and healthy. Show us your heart and teach us how to love.

Chicke Fitzgerald
Chicke Fitzgerald

Proverbs 3 - I'm holding on to the promise of an afternoon nap!

If you read my post from yesterday, you will know that I've been praying for direction in our business. I woke up today with an email from a dear friend that told me to pray without ceasing and that God would do amazing things in my life and in our business.

Then as I read this third chapter of Proverbs today, the first passage that hit me was:

Chapter 3: 5-9 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all.

It would be such a relief to just do this -- to stop taking responsibility for the business myself. I have been going through a time of feeling really overwhelmed lately, so now is the time for me to heed what Solomon is saying here.

Verses 5 and 6 may be more familiar in the New International Version:

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Let me back up now to verses 3-4

Don't lose your grip on Love and Loyalty.
Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart.
Earn a reputation for living well
in God's eyes and the eyes of the people.

These verses build on what was said in Chapter 2 about integrity and also about surrounding yourself with people that will provide sound advice -- love and loyalty are essential to keep the right people around you and then as a result of doing so, a solid reputation will ensue.

Following these passages, Solomon throws in some wisdom about tithing and also about accepting God's discipline.

10-12 Honor God with everything you own;
give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
your wine vats will brim over.
But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline;
don't sulk under his loving correction.
It's the child he loves that God corrects;
a father's delight is behind all this.

Well, we don't have a barn or wine vats, but I'm ready for our bank account to burst and our wine cellar to be full! In fact, the New International Version says it will be new wine, the good stuff. Bring it on! May my heart be as ready for God's loving correction when I don't listen to His word!

Chapter 3, verses 13-20 remind us that Lady Wisdom is the tree of life and that "Her value exceeds all the trappings of wealth; nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her."

And verses 21-28 is where Solomon makes my favorite promise:

Dear friend, guard Clear Thinking and Common Sense with your life;
don't for a minute lose sight of them.
They'll keep your soul alive and well,
they'll keep you fit and attractive.
You'll travel safely,
you'll neither tire nor trip.
You'll take afternoon naps without a worry,
you'll enjoy a good night's sleep.
No need to panic over alarms or surprises,
or predictions that doomsday's just around the corner,
Because God will be right there with you;
he'll keep you safe and sound.

Since I travel constantly, the promise that I will travel safely and neither tire nor trip has special meaning. It is actually funny, as this past week when I was in Mexico, I actually did take an afternoon nap after my meeting with my client. I didn't do so without worry though, as I really needed to be working on writing a business plan! So I was missing an important ingredient -- common sense told me that my body (and my spirit) were really weary and that I needed to trust that God would refresh me and inspire me, keeping me safe and sound, not only physically but in our business as well.

The last part of Chapter 3 deals with generosity, being straighforward and wise living. Yesterday in church, we were reminded that ministry begins with giving a cool cup of water to someone that is thirsty. Verses 27-28 say:

Never walk away from someone who deserves help;
your hand is God's hand for that person.
Don't tell your neighbor "Maybe some other time"
or "Try me tomorrow"
when the money's right there in your pocket.

We have been greatly blessed financially and are generally quick to write a check when there is a need expressed. I pray that I will be as quick with my hand and a cup of cool water, when that is what is needed.

I will switch to the New International Version for the end of this study:

33 The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.

34 He mocks proud mockers
but gives grace to the humble.

35 The wise inherit honor,
but fools he holds up to shame.

Righteousness comes from making right choices. As for me and my house, we will choose to serve the Lord.

Grace is given to the humble, but thankfully the promise given to us by the death of Jesus on the cross is that grace is ours - we don't have to earn it.

Lastly, when we demonstrate wisdom, we inherit honor. I don't know anyone who would choose shame over honor.

Lord, let me hear your Word today and really listen to what you have said. May I find new rest in your guidance and act responsibly with what you have blessed us with. Be with our children today in school and continue to work in their lives -- teaching them not only about math, science and language arts, but about what is truly important in life. Seeking you and trusting you.

Chicke Fitzgerald

Chicke Fitzgerald