Letting Go

By Janet Morris Grimes –

This is for all of our friends who are going through this phase of life along with us.

Pride. Loneliness. Uncertainty. Faith. Tears. Laughter. Hope. Future. Past. Present. Purpose. Exhaustion. Excitement. Planning. Commitment. Investment. Life. Love. Moments. Remember. Expressions. Belief. Growth. Expense. Expansion. Talents. Overcoming. Fun. Roots. Wings. Dedication. Wonder. Wander. Prayer. Trust. Triumph. Shopping. Cleaning. Messing. Organizing. Trashing. Leaving. Arriving. Packing. Parking. Loading. Unloading. Rules. Chances. Choices. Strangers. Neighbors. Friends. Steps. Doors. Open. Closed. Locked. Directions. Signs. Lights. Bulbs. Power. Strips. Windows. Access. Login. Email. Personal. Mailbox. Laundry. Instructions. Shelves. Food. Fridge. Midnight. Movies. Music. Singing. Shower. Identity. Challenge. Depth. Comforter. Noise. Silence. Alone. Away. Anew. Chapters. Seasons. Worth it.

Hugs.

Letting go.

To my daughter, I trust that you and God will have a blast together in college. I can’t wait to hear what He teaches you. You have no idea what He has taught me, because of you. Through you.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the blessing of being a parent. We know that our children belong to You, and trust You to finish what You have started in them. Protect them and keep them safe. Draw them close.

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘Plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

I Don’t Want FRA!

By Janet Morris Grimes –

She walked her daughter gingerly into the school for her first day of Kindergarten. Other students dwarfed the tiny girl, and her new school uniform was bigger than she was. Her eyes widened as she took in all that surrounded her. Brightly colored letters splashed across the walls, more intimidating than welcoming, as they announced things she could not yet understand.

The teacher knelt to meet her face to face. She seemed friendly enough, but the girl buried herself into the legs of her mother. She attempted to climb up her mother. To squeeze tighter. To somehow regain the life that she felt slipping from her fingers.

How had she gotten here? Just yesterday, her days were filled with playtime with her baby sister, splashing in the backyard pool, or riding her bicycle. Popsicles dripping down her chin after lunch, staying up late and sleeping as late as possible. Just yesterday, her home was the center of her universe.

Each day, the same scene played itself out. Tears, sobs, and unanswered questions. Why did it all have to change? What happened to the way things used to be?

Every day, as she put on her uniform, she cried all the way to school, saying over and over again. “I don’t want FRA! I don’t want FRA!”

A dear friend shared this story with me about her daughter’s first week of Kindergarten. It took them most of the week to figure out what she was saying. And why.

FRA, as it turned out, stood for Franklin Road Academy, the name of the private school where she attended. Those initials were on the sign in the front, on the uniform shirt that she wore each day, and on the shirts of her classmates.

She didn’t even know what to call it. Her unexpected surroundings. And though she couldn’t read, she was smart enough to know what those letters said. And to know that she wanted no part of it. Whatever FRA stood for, she wanted out.

I fully understand how she feels. There are many times when my surroundings were changed without notice. My life shifted to a completely new direction, without my permission.

There are many days I feel like screaming, “I don’t want FRA!” Whatever this is, even if I don’t know what to call it, I want no part of it. I want everything to go back to the way it used to be.

The good news is that Jesus is already there, in the midst of our FRA’s. He makes a way for us. He is never surprised by our circumstances. When we face them, and it’s all that we can do to cling to him and cry, he is there.

This beautiful girl went on to adore her Kindergarten experience. As a matter of fact, she thrived.

Jesus wants the same for us. And He knows us well enough to know that it may be our unpleasant and unexpected circumstances that cause us to reach out to Him.

“You hem me in, behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me” (Psalm 139:5 NIV).

Bible Camp: It’s a Ministry

By Janet Morris Grimes –

You have to be there to understand.

No one from the outside world would get why people would load up 90% of our belongings, pack them into a tiny cabin with bunkbeds and no air-conditioning to inhabit the world that the snakes and the skunks clearly believe belong to them. Why would we bring enough audio/visual equipment to snap the breaker system on what little electricity exists in this tiny corner of the world? Why would we find creative ways to tell to stories, or better yet, help these kids become a part of the story? Why would we hike through waist deep water, only to climb the steepest of cliffs in our soaked clothing? Why would we hike through the dark with only every tenth person carrying a flashlight?

Why would we sing underneath the clouds, loud enough to rattle them? Why would we hold an obstacle course competition, with water, only to make sure that it ends in a massive mud and shaving cream fight? Why would we wake each morning at 7 when the previous night ended way too late? Why would we walk a mile through the last week of the life of Jesus, so that we might focus on what it felt to literally walk a mile in his shoes? Why would we remove ourselves from restaurants and computer screens and sickening daily news bulletins so that we might sit across the table from a teenager and look him in the eyes until he knows how much we care? Why would we make a point to write a note of encouragement to every person at camp during the week? Why would we spend a year planning something that is over so quickly? Why would we stand in line for a shower when only cold water remains? Why would we gather around a campfire to end a day spent in intense heat?

Why would we carve out time to read the Bible, to memorize a part we may not have known before, to ask questions and take the time to find the answers? Why would we spend hours in prayer for each individual, each activity, each moment to make sure that above all, God shows up? Why would we worship under the stars, where it seems that the crickets, the deer, the raccoons, and even the waterfalls worship right along with us?

It’s the relationships. It’s the changed lives. It’s the growth, from one year to the next. It’s the exhaustion and thrill of knowing you left it all out on the field. You held nothing back. It’s the joy of knowing that life is better with each other, and our burdens are much lighter when left behind for a week. It’s the feel of becoming invisible, translucent, so that others can see the love of Christ shining through you. Not because of us, but through us.

The fact that it’s a ministry really hit me this past year when I received an email from a girl who had gone with us for one year back in the 90’s. Now in her 30’s, her life was in shambles. But she had this to say: “I always remember your family being nice to me, and I want to do whatever it takes to get back to the way I felt that one week at camp. I think that was the last time I had any peace.”

Antioch Bible Camp at Fall Creek Falls State Park. That’s where you can find our family over the next week. It’s where we’ve spent just about every year of their lives, but they are no longer campers. They serve as staff, because they remember how much it matters. It’s where all three of our children were baptized.

A true ministry indeed. And worth every sweaty minute of it.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1 NIV)

Curly or Straight?

By Janet Morris Grimes –

Hair. Have you ever wondered if we put too much thought into it? Pay too much attention to it? Discuss it too often?

I have. As my daughter and I discussed how we have to yield to the power of our curly hair, especially next week while we will be at church camp for the week, away from mirrors and conquered by humidity, I decided to make a list off the top of my head, (pun intended) of terms that have to do with our hair.

An A-Z list, if you will.

Adorned. Ash. Auburn. Askew. Accessorized. Asymmetric.

Bold. Beautiful. Banded. Bandana-ed. Bushy. Broken. Banged. Bi-leveled. Bleached. Black. Buttercup. Braided. Bunned. Baby soft. Baby fine. Baby fuzz. Barreted. Bowed. Beaded. Bonded. Blonded. Balded. Blue. Bed-head. Blunt. Beveled. Blunt. Barbed. Bump-it.

Clamped. Combed. Crowned. Crispy. Conditioned. Covered. Coal black. Creamed. Curly-fried. Coiled. Curled. Crimped. Coated. Cropped. Copped. Cupped. Cowlicked.

Dangling. Dolloped. Down. Dry. Departed. Decorated. Dull. Dented. Dread-locked. Dishwater Blond. Diffused. Detangled.

Extended. Egged. Eared. Edged.

Flat. Frizzy. Flossed. Fake. Flowered. Fingered. Flowing. Fuzzy. Feathered. Fixed.

Goldi-locked. Golden. Gelled. Glossed. Glazed. Gnarled.

Highlighted. Halved. Heavy. Hung.

Inter-twined. Ironed.

Juiced. Jaded. Jeweled.

Kept. Knotted.

Long. Lotioned. Light. Layered. Luxurious. Loosed. Low-lights.

Misted. Moistured. Mayonaised. Moused. Milked Missing. Mulleted. Made over.

Neat. Not. New. Naped.

Oiled. Orange. Oval.

Pencil straight. Pinned. Permed. Pig-tailed. Penciled. Parted. Purple. Platinum. Pink. Pony-tailed. Perfumed.

Quiet. Quelled. Quilted.
.
Red. Rolled. Riced. Ribboned. Razored. Rubbed. Raven.

Sprayed. Shellacked. Surrendered. Sideways. Scissored. Stroked. Soft.. Sweated. Sweeted. Scented. Scarved. Sculpted. Silver. Salt and Peppered. Shiny. Soaked. Sprinkled. Sparkled. Shaped. Spiky. Split. Shaved. Short. Stripped. Smoked. Snow-covered. Strawberry Blond. Swept. Sectioned. Scrunched.

Teased. Tapered. Trimmed. Twisted. Thick. Thin. Tow-headed. Tousled. Toupe’d. Topped. Tossed. Tea-ed. Textured. Tucked. Tangled.

Up. Under. Uncombed. Uncovered. Undone.

Veiled. Viled. Vexed. Vined. Volume.

Wet. Waved. Worded. Wrapped. Wound around. White. Wind-blown, Wigged. Wagged. Weaved. Wild.

X – Factor.

Yellow. Yanked. Yucked.

Zoned. Zinged. Zany.

Wow! Is it really worth all of that effort? That list makes me tired just thinking about it. And personally, it makes me thankful to have a week when we won’t have to worry about it. What you see is what you get, especially at church camp.

Jesus mentions hair in two different places in the Bible, using both to remind his disciples, and us, that we were created by God, and that we are always in His care.

“And do not swear by your own head, because which of you can make your hair either white or black?” (Matthew 5:36 NIV).

“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30 NIV).

PRAYER: Thank You, God, for creating us as individuals. Curly or straight, we are your craftsmanship and long to represent You in all that we do. Forgive us when we try to bring glory to ourselves, instead.

Life After Sin

By Janet Morris Grimes –

I grew up as a Christian, surrounded by people who were sincere, walked out their faith, and lived by example. To this day, I am truly thankful for the way they demonstrated how I should live my life.

But none of that mattered once I crossed the threshold into sin.

I’m not referring to the little mistakes one might make as I grew up. I am talking about big, life-changing stuff. The kind of stuff I promised myself I would never do. The kind of stuff I thought I was strong enough to handle. The kind of stuff that stays hidden for a while. But eventually, the truth comes out. And the whole world knows it.

It’s the kind of sin that suddenly made me aware of how much I needed a Savior. The kind that proved that on my own, I was not nearly as strong nor as great as my adoring public thought I was.

And that journey led me straight to Peter.

He, like me, thought he could handle it. Jesus, on the other hand, already knew he could not. That he would fall. And it would hurt.

Sometimes, this story is overshadowed by that of Judas. The King of the Betrayers. But in a scene that may be more important, Peter shows us, by example, what happens after the sin.

In the upper room, during what became known as The Last Supper, Jesus predicts Peter’s denial of Him. But He does more than this. He blankets the situation with prayer, in advance. And not only does He predict the fall. He predicts the healing. The overcoming. The triumphant life, after the sin.

It all happens in Luke. Once Jesus confronts Judas about his pending betrayal, a discussion breaks out among the twelve. But, Jesus quickly turns the conversation to Peter.

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31 – 32 NLT).

Before Peter is even aware of his weaknesses, Jesus prayed over it. And this happens before Jesus predicts that Peter will deny Him three times on that very day.

And then Peter falls.

It is important to note how Peter responds. Everyone is in turmoil over the death of Jesus. Peter, perhaps more than others because of his own failures. He is not sure how to handle his own guilt.

Thankfully, he doesn’t have to.

Because, once Jesus had risen on the following Sunday, the angel who told Mary and the others about it had a special message for Peter.

“Now, go and tell the others, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died” (Mark 16:7 NLT).

Jesus wanted to make sure Peter knew He was alive, and that He would see him soon.

And Peter was thrilled with that news. What happens next, once he hears that the tomb was found empty?

Peter ran.

He ran to the tomb to see for himself. He ran back to Jesus with open arms. He accepted forgiveness without looking back. He ran to the future, without fear.

And when he had repented and returned to Jesus, he strengthened his brothers.

Just as Jesus had prayed.

Peter proved that the triumph comes by running to the Savior, after the sin.

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