300 days of beauty, day 47 [Easter]

 

He is risen!

look to the acorn, hope in death

 “When the will of God crosses the will of man, somebody has to die.” Addison Leitch

Death is not always physical death. Sacrifice and self-denial comes in many forms. Letting go of dreams, waiting on dreams, accepting the circumstances and path set before you, entrusting all that you are, all that you have, and all that you hope to the hands of the Lord.



I like acorns. I always have. My kids love them too. They collect them as if they were seashells on a beach, each one marvelous and unique and special. 

As a college student I was greatly influenced by Elisabeth Elliot's book Passion and Purity. I devoured every book she wrote and have never regretted one minute spent. I loved her thoughts on the acorn:

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  It is a marvelous little thing, a perfect shape, perfectly designated for its purpose, perfectly functional. Think of the grand glory of an oak tree. His intention for us is “… the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Many deaths must go into our reaching that measure, many letting-goes. When you look at the oak tree, you don’t feel that the “loss” of the acorn is a very great loss. The more you perceive God’s purpose in your life, the less terrible will the losses seem. The lesson of the seed is not fully learned until there is relinquishment. There is no way around it. The seed does not “know” what will happen. It only knows what is happening —the falling, the darkness, the dying.

God’s ultimate plan is as far beyond our imaginings as the oak tree is from the acorn’s imaginings. The acorn does what it is was made to do, without pestering its Maker with questions about when and how and why. We who have been given an intelligence and a will and a whole range of wants that can be set against the divine Pattern for Good are asked to believe Him. We are given the chance to trust Him when He says to us, “…If any man will let himself be lost for my sake, he will find his true self.”

When will we find it? The answer is, Trust Me.

How will we find it? The answer again is, Trust Me.

Why must I let myself be lost? we persist. The answer is, Look at the acorn and trust Me.

-Passion and Purity, Elisabeth Elliot

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Because I love Him will I choose to lay down everything? Do I accept "No" from the Lord? Do I accept his "Yes?"

Look to the acorn. In our finite mind, we can't imagine any sacrifice creating the grandeur of an oak tree. We lose hope. We lose patience. 

I'm so thankful God is who He says He is. And when I sputter and doubt He is there. He knows we cannot see the hope in the acorn, but He knows what He is doing. Something so much more elaborate and majestic and awe-inspiring that I can grasp.

We don't have to get it, but we can look to the acorn.

Happy Good Friday!

Easter movie pick! (and a book pick too.)

Looking for an Easter movie? I recommend The Good Lie. Reese Witherspoon stars in this movie spotlighting Sudan, its civil war and its child refugees. The real stars are the actors who play the roles of the Sudanese refugees--all were Sudanese refugees, former child soldiers, or children of Sudanese refugees. 

Oh my goodness was this a good movie! So very powerful. Thought-provoking and heart-wrenching on many levels and many issues. 

I also cried myself to sleep, but don't let that discourage you. And my husband was crying. And we couldn't get it out of our heads, but in a good way.

I literally can't recall another movie I've seen that demonstrated and illustrated such unconditional Christ-like love and sacrifice. This is what moved us to tears. It was a portrait of Jesus. Unjust, despicable evil stood in stark contrast to immovable sacrificial and selfless love.

I urge you to watch this movie (in Redbox FYI). It's well worth it.

Many organizations do vital and risky work to help refugees in Sudan and other war-torn countries. I like Samaritan's Purse. We should not be content to merely sit in our plush bubble. We are so blessed. The world has big problems and we can neither fix them all nor take on all of their burdens, but we can do something. We can give financially, we can pray, we can be open to opportunities to serve. Just food for thought.

And for my book recommendation...

I have been LOVING bread & wine by Shauna Niequist. I can't put it down.

Today we remember the Last Supper. One of Jesus' last acts was to share a meal with those closest to his heart.

This book is not simply about "bread and wine." It's about love, heartache, faith, laughter, friendship, hope, struggle, and yes, food (lots of it). It's about sharing our table, sharing our time and sharing our hearts. It's coming together to share life whether it's a dinner party or frozen pizza.

My heart has been captured, she is most definitely a kindred spirit. Did I mention how much I love this book?

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“We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink.” ~Epicurus 

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Happy, happy Easter!  Whatever table you find yourself at this weekend, remember the life we have been given in Jesus Christ. He is risen!!!!