But..... How Do I Stay in the Moment?

With another season of Elijah Project classes wrapping up... I have been contemplating the question:  "How do I stay in the moment when there is so much to get done for the future?"  This is a great question.  This is a real question.  This is a conundrum for me, the type A, over-achiever.

While taking a walk this week and literally experienced the answer.  As I walked along the sidewalk yellow, red and orange leaves crunched under my feet.  I gasped a little as I was overwhelmed with the Season changing.  My mind quickly rushed ahead into the future,  thinking of no leaves, snow covered ground and cold.  I spent a minute in the future.  As I continued to walk I began to sweat.  I became so warm that I took off my fleece sweatshirt.  The sun on my cheeks made me think of the summer.  My thoughts fleeted to the past: sun bathing at the pool.  I spent a minute in the past.  Then I thought - Today is beautiful.  Today is warm.  Today the leaves still remain on the trees and hte sun still hangs in the sky.  This moment is a gift!

How easy it is to backwards or to go forwards.  God invites us to be with Him this moment and enjoy TODAY!

LOVE!

My kids, my parents and myself are on a vacation in Lancaster, PA.  We are staying in a small hotel in the city of "Bird-in-Hand."  During our stay we have learned a lot about the Amish and Mennonite culture.  The last time I visited Lancaster, I was a sopho
more in High School.  I guess back then I didn't have an appreciation for a culture that values others more than the individual and emphasizes peace, love and contemplation.  The Amish people seek to look like Christ.  They de-emphasize themselves.  The honor the young and the old.  They treasure the land.  They care for one another.  And they don't do it because they are "so smart" ... they do it because they live by the principles Jesus left for us.  They live to look like Christ.

Riding through the hillsides of Pennsylvania, admiring gardens, hand made barns and quilts brought a penetrating peace.  I realized that I worry about myself and my needs way too much.  I'm reading a book called:  "If You Bite & Devour One Another."  Today while my kids splashed in the pool and the local Amish farmer was watering his field by horse and buggy, I read the amazing words of Paul the Apostle.  He wrote the following to the Corinthians:  "Love is patient and kind;  love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.  It does not insist on its own way;  it is not irritable or resentful;  it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."  I Cor. 13:4-7

The Amish dress differently and have separated themselves from the culture around them.  They look different and they live by the simple principle:  Love God and Love others.  Living this way we find ourselves in a spirit of love and peace.  We are more centered and contemplative and value community.  God's way truly change the way we live.  We treat others differently and in turn we look different in the world around us.  I may not wear Amish garb, but I desire to live in peace and love with those around me.  I pray that my "inner" light would shine through my English dress.

Living the Elijah Project: What is your BroomTree?

What is your BroomTree saying?
Yesterday I celebrated my 41rst Birthday.  Admittedly I didn't spend much time thinking.  I had two Birthday gatherings - lunch and dinner.  I celebrated a lot.  But along with "Happy Birthday", I received one universal comment:  "You look tired!"  It was a funny comment since one of my Birthday gifts was to sleep in while my husband put the kids on the bus!

I guess what really bothered me about the universal sentiment:  "you look tired" is that I felt tired.  I felt tired both physically and emotionally.  I had a lot of fun during the day... but I kept thinking how can I make the whirlwind of my life stop.

I did a little accounting in my head.  I have 3 major responsibilities before I get to go on vacation with my husband next week.  Although there is a light at the end of the tunnel, I'm only half way through the tunnel.

So, after a great day of celebration, I crawled into bed with a new book:  Stress Relief for Life by Dr. Mike Ronsisvalle.   Dr. Mike calls what I was feeling chronic stress.  And he believes it has been present since the Fall in the Garden of Eden.  It is not Gods design or desire but chronic stress is part of our broken existence.  Those words were somehow validating.  He also asserts that with God we can have "peace that passes understanding."  Dr. Ronsisvalle's words gave empirical research to back up many of my hunches and theories.

Satan seeks to destroy peace.  God desires to give peace.  Elijah's BroomTree was a space of quiet, rest and rejuvenation.  Although Elijah was separated from people, he was united with God.  Today God urges me to carve out time at my BroomTree.  Satan will throw up all sorts of road blocks.  He will delight in my distractions  Those distractions will lead to disconnection from God and fear  of approaching Him.  But God waits... as steady as an Oak Tree.  He will wait for me to curl up and unload under His sturdy branches.

My BroomTree is saying:  Come and I will give you rest.  Come, I see your exhaustion!  Come, my yoke is easy and my burden is light!  Come!

Living the Elijah Project: An anti-gravity chair for your soul!

This week at the Elijah Project group, we talked about finding a BroomTree.  Part of the conversation that emerged as we looked at our "who am I" picture was a sense that our hearts are often in need of care.

In the last blog, I talked about first aid for the soul.  This week I want to entertain the idea of supporting our hearts when they hurt.  One of our group members described it this way.  She said:  "I feel like my heart needs a sling."  As we were discussing our BroomTree... many in the group mentioned sitting on their porch or outside, listening to the birds, and sipping coffee or ice tea.  There is something about being outside engulfed in fresh air, hearing the stillness of nature that is healing.

Do you know what an anti-gravity chair is? anti-gravity sling for the soul.  What would that look like?  Using the force and inertia in our body and mind to actually hold our hearts up long enough to heal.

Many people are buying them for their decks and enjoying the feeling of hanging in the balance of the airodynamic technology.  As a group we laughed imagining an anti-gravity chair for our soul's.  For the sake of this blog, I will call it an

I believe there are some definitive steps to construct an anti-gravity sling for the soul.
When your hearts feel injured, fragile and precariously balanced... here is my advice:

*Look at who you are spending most of your time with?  
**Are you spending too much time alone?  If so, step in the direction of the safest, most loving and gentle person in your life.
**Are you spending time with people but constantly feel exhuasted?  Stop spending time with people who take and rest in the relationships that are mutual or the friends and family who have something to give you... right now!


*Stop Something?
**Think about soething you did in the last week that sucked the life out of you.  Stop or move away from those things.
***Put a time limit on a difficult client and get off the phone quicker than you have before.
***Leave work 15 minutes earlier than you did this past week. 
***Turn off your phone and car stereo for the ride home from work.


*Look at how your life is balanced?
**Spend at least 5 minutes a day doing something for you... reading, a bath, journal writing, a walk, etc.  Once you start it won't end at 5 minutes.

**Get some sleep.  Cancel a commitment or turn of the t.v..  Go to bed 8 hours before you need to get up.  I guarantee you will feel better after a good nights sleep.

I think you will be amazed how your heart feels when you care for it.  
Find the unique anti-gravity sling like activites for your soul.

This is your BroomTree for this week!

Living the Elijah Project

Since I began to teaching The Elijah Project on a regular basis I have been faced with a consistent a mirror of sorts... an audience.  I have found myself preparing to talk about rest and realizing that I was living the opposite of rest.  I have found myself saying:   “I am not an authority on rest.”  At first it felt un-nerving.  As I have pressed through it I have realized that although the principles of The Elijah Project are sound there is a definite next step needed.

I am calling it:  Living the Elijah Project.  Once a week for the next few months I am going to start writing the companion to The Elijah Project.  It is called Living the Elijah Project because once you understand the key principles and have your AHAH moments, you then need to practice and practice and practice living the journey.

So:  Welcome to a series of blogs called:  Living the Elijah Project!

It is May 2nd in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and its snowing.  I just received a text message from our school district informing me the kids are released early from school.  My morning activities were already canceled due to weather and I found myself with 2 hours of unscheduled time which is very unusual.

As I am sitting still long enough to catch my own breath and reflect I am realizing a few things to kick off the next step of E.P..

1.   I think I want life to just STOP sometimes, so that I can catch up.  But the problem with the momentum switch is that when it stops, I lose focus, collapse, waste time watching t.v. and numb myself.  I wall myself off from looking at my heart.

2.  I think I want to just feel better.  And I do want to feel better, but the bandaid for my booboo’s doesn’t work anymore.  Just adding a layer of plastic to protect my wound from the outside world doesn't soothe my hurt.  I need some antiseptic.. which hurts because it is cleaning out the bacteria.  I need some Neosporin with pain relief to coat and comfort my abrasion.  Finally I need the bandaid to offer a shield from outside influence.  This is what the Elijah Project is truly all about.  Its not just a “feel good” bandaid.  It is a complete first aid kit for the hurting care givers heart.

3.  The Elijah Project First Aid approach is this:

a.  Antiseptic - the rubbing alcohol or cleanser that actually cleans out the wound.  It is the process of looking for the dirt and debris in my heart that needs to be cleaned out.  It is the hard work of opening the wound and looking for infection.  Where am I holding on to hurt?  Where am I responsible for negative thoughts?  What relationships are toxic right now?  What do I need to move away from so that infection does not grow?

b.  Neosporin - God’s word is a powerful cleanser.  It changes my perspective from internal to external.  Jesus’ consistently demonstrated a spirit of humility.  He put others before Himself.  He did not amass possessions or wealth instead He gave everything He had away including Himself.  When I stop long enough to look at the example of my leader... my perspective changes.

c.  Bandaid - that is the beautiful protective yet translucent shield God places over my heart.  I think it is the shield of the spirit which extinguishes the fiery darts of Satan.  The shield is necessary.  God’s shield is unique.  It is not a wall - that keeps good and bad out.  It is like the new clear bandaids.  It protects the skin from a new irritation and allows the light in.  Here is the kicker... we have to put it on.  Just like the bandaid does not magically unwrap itself and stick to your sore, the shield of the spirit does not magically appear.  God invites us to take up His shield.  We are an active part of inviting the Holy Spirit to guide, lead and protect and provide in our lives.  God will let us do it on our own... but His Holy Spirit way is much sweeter.

The Elijah Project #7: The Broom Tree

I would like to redefine the BroomTree.  Elijah finds himself in the desert huddled under a BroomTree.  He finds himself exhausted, worn out and depressed.  He has yelled at God while running a days journey into the wilderness.  He asked God to take his life.  He said:  "I have had enough, Lord,"  he said "Take my life;  I am no better than my ancestors."  I Kings 19:3  God gave Elijah a resting place, a BroomTree.

Elijah's BroomTree was literal.  It was a juniper tree that provided shelter  and covereing for Elijah during his deepest place of need.  The BroomTree looks very different for me.  I don't huddle under a tree, ever!  But my thick down comforter is a BroomTree.  I cover up, blankets to my chin and feel the thickness, the weight of my bed clothes.  I also find solace when I pull out my journal and write down everything I am feeling.  I meet Jesus when I walk out on the bike trail behind my house.  When I feel the breeze on my face, see the sun hanging in the sky and watch the water move under the bridge.  Those are my BroomTrees.

I give you permission to redefine your BroomTree.  Sit for a moment and imagine your safe spaces.  Make a plan to visit your BroomTree today... even if it is just for 5 minutes!

The Elijah Project #8: Hearing God's Voice

There is so much mystery around "hearing God's voice."  This weekend in our Sunday morning Bible Study our pastor asked the question:  "In what context do you learn the most about Jesus - where, when, how and why?"  The question invited interesting comments.  Most of the group said they heard from Jesus when they were suffering.  I listened to the lively discussion and insightful thoughts.  I realized that I learn most about Jesus, God, The Trinity when I stop long enough to meditate on a piece of Scripture. 

I read scripture all the time.  I do a minium of two devotions every morning with my kids and for myself.  I read scripture to prepare for Bible study, youth group and other teaching opportunities.  But I rarely read, stop and then journal about scripture.  For me this is where I get the full beauty, breadth and meaning of God's word.  This is when I hear God's voice.

As we wrap our study on Elijah's journey with God, Protector and Provider - we see a vision of God in 1 Kings 19:9-13.  God was not in the wind.  God was not in the earthquake.  God was not in the fire.  Instead, Elijah heard God as a gentle whisper.  God's revelation of Himself again reminds us that He doesn't barge into the chaos of the earthquake of our life.  He is present  and waits for the pause, speaking in a gentle whisper.

In order to hear His gentle whisper, we must participate by slowing down long enough to listen.

I pray this journey has  been as beneficial for you as it has been for me.

My Name is I AM

           Helen Mallicoat

I was regretting the past

And fearing the Future

Suddenly my Lord was speaking.

My name is I Am.

He paused... I waited.....

He continued....

When you live in the past 

With its mistakes and regrets it is hard.

I am not there.

My name is not I WAS

When you live in the Future

With its problems and Fears it is hard.

I am not there.

My name is not I WIll BE

When you live in this moment

It is not hard.

I am here.

My name is

I AM