What I Want to be When I Grow Up…

I saw my daughter-in-law, Nicole’s comment on facebook this week about a conversation she overheard between her daughter, Jessie, age 10, her friend, Kaeli, and her two sons, Ryan, age 5, and Zach, age 3:

“Earlier today-- Jessie says ‘I want to be an artist when I grow up’. Kaeli (my friend’s daughter that I was watching) says, ‘me too’.  Ryan says, ‘I want to be a teacher’.  Zach says, ‘I want to be a little kid’.  Ha ha!”

I laughed when I read it.  It’s so fun to listen to the kids interact.  But as I continued to muse on the conversation, I decided I had to side with Zach.  I, too want to be a little kid when I grow up. 

A little kid is trusting.  He is usually pretty happy.  It doesn’t take a whole lot to light up his face with a smile.  Sometimes just a lollipop or a kiss will do it.  And when he’s hurt or scared, he knows where to go. 

I was talking with my daughter, Rachel recently about how I find myself becoming more childlike these days.  Rachel knows about some of my special favorites and has taught the grandchildren well.  They know that if they collect a bag full of acorns for Grandma she will ooh and ahh like it’s treasure in the bag.  If they bring in a couple of pinecones, Grandma will put them as a centerpiece on the kitchen table.  They squeal and point when they see a ladybug because they know Grandma adores ladybugs.  They decorate my birthday cards with ladybugs of all shapes and sizes.  They even got me ladybug charms for my crocs.  I used to quietly enjoy these things, but now I make no bones about letting people know that acorns and pinecones and ladybugs, and a whole lot of other things, delight my soul.  Part of the reason I dance around about these things is that I am getting used to who I am, who God made me.  And I accept the pinecones and acorns and ladybugs as God’s special kisses to me since he, too knows what makes me smile.

So, yeah, Zach, I want to be a kid when I grow up, too.  I want to be basically happy with life, trusting my heavenly Daddy to take care of me and give me not only what I need, but often the pinecones, acorns and ladybugs that I want.  And if I’m ever hurt or scared, I want to always know I can run into Daddy’s arms.   

BEADS IN THE BAG

Missionary, Heidi Baker tells the best stories of how God shows up in her life.  Last week in Washington’s Crossing, PA she decided to share the “beads in the bag” story.  “This is not a story I tell very often,” she said. “But I feel I am supposed to share it with you tonight.”

The story goes that a visiting doctor was serving with her in Mozambique one Christmas. She and her team had invited everyone to a Christmas party, and I mean everyone.  She invited all the children of her village, of course.  But she also invited the addicts, the alcoholics, the prostitutes, the poor, the destitute, anyone who would come.  She handed out gifts to every one of them, even the ones who had been harassing the young men in training on her team.  Then there was one group of young girls left awaiting their gifts.  Heidi heard that the girls wanted beads, so she whispered to the doctor assisting her, “The girls wants beads.” 

Heidi told how the doctor looked at her as if she was crazy.  She and Heidi both knew that the only gifts left in the big black garbage bags were stuffed dogs, used stuffed dogs.  “The girls wants beads”, Heidi repeated to the doctor, several times and then she waited.  Suddenly the doctor screamed.  “There’s beads in the bag, beads in the bag, beads in the bag,” she chanted.  Heidi and the doctor distributed God’s beads to some very happy girls that Christmas Day.

I know lots of people, myself included, who need or want something very badly.  Maybe it’s a dream of what you always wanted to be when you grew up, but you’re stuck in a dead end job just to pay the bills.  Maybe it’s a relationship that you are longing for.  Maybe it’s a roof over your head and food on the table, healing from an incurable disease, relief from depression, or escape from addiction.  But you know there’s only old stuffed dogs in your bag.  Or maybe not.  Maybe God is really big enough and good enough to open his hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.(Ps. 145:16)  So I take Heidi’s story and say, “Do it again, God!”  Turn those old stuffed dogs into shelter for the homeless, mortgage money and jobs for the folks out of work, family for the lonely ones, lifting of depression, release from addiction, or even beads for a group of little girls who just want to feel pretty and special.

War by....Paintbrush?

I recently heard an interesting teaching by Bill Johnson in his book, Dreaming with God*. Johnson was talking about how God has used creativity throughout history to reflect his glory.  Take Solomon for example, that man who chose wisdom when God gave him a blank check to ask for anything he wanted.  The scriptures tell how the Queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s wisdom and came to check it out for herself. 

“And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, and the meat of his table, …his ministers, and their apparel, … his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her..” (1 Kings 10:4-5)  The Message version says, “it took her breath away”.

Bill Johnson notes that the queen recognized wisdom not only by how Solomon answered the many questions she presented to him:  “The queen of Sheba was stunned by how wisdom affected simple things like clothing, buildings, and the like.” (Johnson, Dreaming with God, p. 44) She saw wisdom in the architecture of Solomon’s palace, the cuisine on his table, the clothing worn by his servants, and even the staircase he built to go up to worship the Lord.  Why was she left breathless over these seemingly finite creations?  These acts of Solomon were the byproducts of the creative wisdom that had been gifted to him by God. 

And just why would Almighty God want to cause people to be breathless over a work of art, or a gourmet meal?  Johnson goes on to describe a scene of spiritual warfare as recorded in Zechariah 1:18-21.     
 Then I lifted up my eyes …and behold, there were four horns.  So I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he answered me, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.”  Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen.  I said, “What are these coming to do?” And he said, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah so that no man lifts up his head; but these craftsmen have come to terrify them, to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it.”
In the quoted vision, God’s people, the Jews were being strong-armed by four horns, four “abusive authorities and powers” (Johnson, p. 42).  God’s answer is somewhat incredible.  He raises up four craftsmen, four artistic, creative persons to terrify and throw down the abusers.  “Not since God first sent a choir into war (see 2 Chronicles 20:21) has there been such an outlandish strategy for battle,” Johnson quips. (Johnson, p. 43).  Johnson explains that when God’s people allow his works to flow through the gifts God has given them, the enemies of God become breathless, much like the queen of Sheba.  God’s people walk in their true identity and authority, and God’s identity, authority and superiority are revealed.

God has gifted his church with an amazing number of artists, musicians, writers, and craftsmen.   Think on this concept with me.  How does God want to establish my identity, and his authority through his wisdom expressed in my gifting? The things we build with the creative wisdom given to us by God, those works may well be part of the warfare of God designed to release his authority on the earth.  Think of it, God’s dominion released through our art, like Ria Mignano’s paintings, Jim Spaloss’ blown glass glory beads.  The nature of God somehow displayed through the foods we prepare, such as Brett Conover’s amazing pot roast, and Penny Kellow’s comforting lasagna.  God’s plans revealed through Barry Brindisi’s blog, or Jamie Moffet’s original music.  Even the clothing we wear, Amanda Wilkin’s stylish belts and scarves, Sharon Ryan’s flowing African tunics, designed to establish the superiority of our creative God.

Craftsmen of Shore Vineyard, how will you allow the Lord to triumph through your hands?

*Copy with permission for non-commercial use when below info is given:
www.billjohnsonministries.com
Bill Johnson Ministries
933 College View Drive
Redding, CA 96003
(530)246-6000”