The Life and Times of Michaela Kasselman

No, I did not omit her middle name -- she does not have one. Nor do I.
May 1st 1996 I gave birth to Michaela. That makes her 12. Wow.

I thought I would tell you a little about her as a way of celebrating her life and the fact that I get to be her Mom. Wow again.

Michaela has a head of gorgeous dark brown wavy hair - it is just beautiful. It compliments her bright smile and lively eyes.
She has been blessed with a beautiful singing voice and enjoys being in choir at school and the Amarillo Youth Choir. She loves being on the junior praise team that leads worship for ABC Express (Kids church). Seeing her gifts used to the glory of God makes my heart feel so full.
She is smart, logical and analytical (yes, that is from her Dad).
She has great comedic timing for a child her age and routinely cracks us up.
She is a loyal and good friend. If you are her friend, you are her friend for life.
She struggles to get going in the morning, but manages to be on time for school everyday.
She is very comfortable with leaving her shoes next to her shoe rack instead of placing them on the rack, therein giving me something to remind her about.
With equal ease is the ability to accumulate random pieces of gum and candy in every purse she owns -- like a chipmunk storing things for the Winter.
Her clothes tend to gather around her chair in her room until the parentals suggest they get put up.
She is into no-fuss clothing. Shorts, T's, Jeans, hoodies, flip flops - she owns one skirt and 2 dresses.
She is a fun big sister to Spencer.

And some of her favorites are: Webkinz; Youtube; Drake and Josh; Wizards of Waverly Place; iCarly; The Books Pretties, Uglies etc; Harry Potter; American Idol especially DAVID COOK; Apples to Apples; Vitamin Water; Cinnamon Rolls; Becky's Cookies; Buffalo Wild Wings; Lettuce Wraps at Pei Wei; hanging out with friends; Ascension Academy; ACU Camps; Hidden Falls Camp; Music - lots of kinds; her phone; brownies; milk tart; poppyseed chicken -- oh lots of things.

Just a window into the world of my baby girl, oh, I mean 12 year old daughter.

The Message of the Gospel?

It is not uncommon around church circles, for people to have various takes on "what is the gospel." We can all answer, Good News. But what does that mean? I believe, the gospel is this:
God, the creator, sent His son, Jesus, in the flesh to redeem humanity back to Himself through his death and resurrection in order for us to live in intimate community with Him.

I can nuance the phrases and add more meat to it, but bottom line, that is where I stand on the gospel. Incarnation. Redemption. Reconciliation.

But what about hope? You like me have heard the lessons and have taught them. So often I have thought "if only those people knew Christ, their life would be hopeful and fulfilled." Interesting. I am beginning to think that is not as true as I would like it to be. If knowing Christ brings fulfilled lives, then our churches would be full of people who would circle "fulfilled" on the great survey of life. And, the flip side is that non-believers would be desperate in their hopelessness and unfulfillment. Not exactly true. Take Oprah. She is intensely spiritual, not a Christian in my estimation, but a God lover for sure. Do you think she sees her life as hopeless and unfulfilled. What about Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters - none of them known Christians and none of them wailing in their own hopelessness or unfulfillment either. What about the guy across the road from me. Nice guy. Friendly. Kind. Non-Christian. Happy. Hopeful. Fulfilled.

Now it would be naive to believe this to be the case in every situation. The world is full of hopelessness and lack of fulfillment. But here is my point. I think if we are going to spread the good news about Christ, it needs to be about what life looks like with Christ. It needs to be about community, about serving something other than ourselves, about sacrifice, about joy and about the kind of hope that comes from Christ. We can not assume that all people who do not know Christ are unhappy, miserable, unfulfilled and hopeless. Many have dandy lives. Our job is to help them see that when our stories merge with the great story of God, something happens. Something bigger than ourselves, something transformational, something more than happiness.

You may agree or disagree. These are just my musings on a Monday morning. I just wonder if what we sometimes spread as good news, is underwhelming to people. If all we are promising is fulfillment and God as the ultimate vending machine, that may not be that attractive to a people who are already quite happy with life. However, if our good news calls them to something more in life, we may have some takers.

Thanks for the Input...paper completed....i've been tagged

1. Thank you so much for the insights you shared on my last post.  For those who commented and emailed I appreciate it all!!!

2. I am breathing a little easier today as my final two assignments for the semester are now out of my hands and I can check that off the to-do-list.

3.  My friend Gena has tagged me.  I will answer those questions below.  

I have tagged several of you previously, so I am going to break the rules and just respond to being tagged but not tag anyone else...sorry Gena!

Here are 7 random facts about myself:

1. I am allergic to most dairy products and shellfish
2. I have ridden an ostrich, with help....
3.I am not an outdoorsy person...I am so afraid of bugs, grasshoppers especially, that it is no fun
4. I would buy a necklace over a pair of shoes any day
5. I believe that most of life is more tolerable with a cup of hot tea, British style, in one's hand
6. Just being close to the ocean lowers my anxiety level...my theory is that if you are born by the ocean you long for it in a deeply spiritual way
7. I love organizing things: drawers, cabinets, closets, projects, etc.  It takes me to my happy place.

Blog Post 200! - Accountability groups

I am finishing up a paper and would like a little feedback if any of you readers have a moment.
If you have been in an accountability group or spiritual formation group, what size do you prefer? 2 or 3 or even 4 people?
Have you used specific questions when meeting, like renovare's or some other resource?
Do you meet weekly?
How has/did this experience shape you more into the image of Christ?
What are the landmines?
If you have not been in one is this by choosing or circumstance?

If you do not comment usually, would you mind doing it this time. Or, if you are not registered on blogger, would you mind doing that and just dropping me a comment? Thank you.
I really appreciate this!!!!

King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Someone is always telling you to go and listen to a sermon online and you may think about it and never do it, or you may think the suggestion is ludicrous to begin with.

However, indulge me. If you have 25 minutes or so go to amarillocentral.org and listen to Dan Bouchelle's sermon from today, April 6th. I think the title is "Take me to your leader." It may only be up there tomorrow, I am not sure. Either way do it.

During times like these when politics feels like it is going to choke the life out of us, Dan brings a word from God that is convicting, uplifting, prophetic and hard.

What are you listening to?

Every now and again I like to hear what you are listening to. Some of my favorites currently are: (now that doesn't mean they are all current)

These Hard Times (Matchbox 20)
Billie Jean (David Cook)
Won't Go Home Without You (Maroon 5)
When You Look Me in the Eyes (Jonas Brothers...I know :-))
Feels like Tonight (Daughtry)
New Soul (Yael Naim)
Unwritten (Natasha Beddingfield)

anticipation...abundance...disorientation...reorientation

I have tried to blog several times about my Come Before Winter renewal experience, and then about Easter, and The Shack, but I just don't have the words.
A friend asked me today about blogging about the Canada renewal and I said that I can't seem to find the words (which for those who know me, is funny, right). His response was spot on and I quote, "Transcendent events are hard to describe." That is it. Exactly. For all of the above.

I had such great expectations for our renewal and the women who would be attending. By the time they arrived at the site, I was almost beside myself. And God did the most amazing things. Life, truth, blessing, confession, sharing, laughing, love - it all happened in abundance. All expectations were shattered in amazing ways. Then when I arrived home, I realized that I did not have a way to share how I was feeling about the renewal. It felt so disorienting to have this experience that I could not translate into my regular life. Words just wouldn't do it justice. So, I think I have a treasure in my heart and in some strange way it seems most appropriate to leave it right there.

As for The Shack. Just go ahead and read it. You will be blown away and nothing I can write will make it more impactful. Now, do not think it is the final theological word on suffering or trinity - this is a novel. However, open yourself to the metaphor and allow God to speak to you and give you insights through it. What a blessing.

And then there is Easter. Reorientation. Nothing brings you back to center quite like the story of Jesus. Once again, a recurring theme here, my words are inadequate. Go to amarillocentral.org and listen to Dan's sermon from yesterday. God poured through him in incredible ways yesterday.
I am reminded of the hymn that says,
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell
The guilty pair, bowed down with care
God gave His Son to win
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin
Could we with ink the ocean fil
And were the skies of parchment made
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry
Nor could the scroll contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints' and angels' song

I am praying for more opportunities with Come Before Winter and feel like God has led me to a ministry where my gifts are well suited and where I can grow and stretch in new ways also. Seeing the impact on these women who will impact their husbands, their children, their churches, their ministries, their world. It is such an incredible blessing.

Canada

I leave tomorrow for Canada to serve on a Come before Winter renewal. I can not believe it is here.
If you read this blog and think about it over the next 10 days please can I ask you to pray over this renewal retreat for us.
Pray for hearts that are open to receive.
Pray for a refreshing time for all who attend.
Pray for God to show up in ways that minister directly into the hearts of these women.
Pray for my family while I am gone and join me in giving thanks for a husband who cares so deeply about my ministry passion and calling, that he will do double duty in the parenting dept.

I am not taking my computer, eek...can I survive??? I will share this experience when I return.

This 'n That

1. I have a post brewing on the book , The Shack. What an incredible read. I have been so moved and engaged by this book. Let me say it one more time, incredible!

2. Are conservative talk radio hosts really trying to get Republicans to vote for Hilary
in an attempt to set up the race to be Hilary/McCain because McCain has a better chance of winning against her than Obama.
Don't even get me started......

3. I feel so blessed to have spent time with good friends this week, kinda' getting my fill before I leave town for 10 days.....a warm fire and coffee with Cathy Burns, breakfast with Missy and Ange, Lunch and laughs with Allyson, lunch and sharing with Karen, extended coffee and heart conversation with Adam, lunch with Michelle, wedding talk with Bek, getting to hold Cassie's baby Matthew and see Mandie's delightfully alive eyes, laughing that Ange is now an old woman in old woman Jeans, finally giving Missy her birthday present 2 months late. Wow - I pinch myself and say is this my life.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

22 years today. Wow. I can hardly get my mind around that.
So in the spirit of being married 22 years on the 22nd of 02 (Feb) let me list 22 reasons being married to David is just a celebration!

1.He's pretty cute....especially with that salt and pepper hair thing going
2.He's smart
3.And quirky enough that I feel like I have company
4.He is responsible
5.And always looking out for the best for the kids and I
6.He makes a mean cup of tea and we always have 10 o'clock tea at night
7.He enjoys an adventure
8.Loves to travel
9.He'll eat anything
10.But appreciates good food
11.And will watch Food Network with me
12.He does special things for me like putting candles around the bath, leaving me love notes under the pillow etc
13.He is a practical joker - can't count the number of plastic bugs that I have found in my bed
14.He is far from a giggler, but when we laughs it makes you laugh too
15.He is thoughtful
16.Faithful
17.Prayerful
18.Considerate
19.And has one of the highest work ethics of anyone I know
20.His integrity is beyond question
21.He is still on the journey and a life learner with the sole purpose of being more like Jesus
22.And you know what comes here - but to prevent blog spam I will omit the word!

Happy Birthday Spencer

What a blessing Spencer has been to our lives! I can barely believe he is 7 today. He is a unique mix of tender heart and hilarious antics. He is crazy about Star Wars right now. He thinks his sister hung the moon. Frequently we find him hamming it up in front of the mirror.

An enemy of the cross

I have just had the huge joy of spending the weekend at the pretreat for my Come before Winter trip to Canada in March. We spent time in worship, prayer and study. As we read Phillippians over and over again, I feel like the phrase "enemy of the cross" just kept resonating with me.

I think it is too easy for us to think of those who do not follow Christ as "enemies of the cross" but I don't think that is what Paul is getting at here. Read the letter again and ask questions of the text.

Is it perhaps a little more like this....
when we don't submit ourselves to the way of the cross;
when we don't get along;
when we are not prepared to empty ourselves of our rights for the sake of others;
when we are so wrapped up in the stuff of image, possessions or status...

then we are the enemy of the cross.

It has me thinking about living in such a way that my life is a witness to the cross not an enemy of it.

Distractions

Today in worship our Worship Minister Steven, shared a little about how easily we get distracted. He chose to do this based on a situation that had happened just a few minutes earlier and was not part of his plan for the day. However, it tied in so well to the sermon that came later about hearing the small, still voice of God and choosing to obey and not be distracted, that I keep mulling it over.

I have always thought the real issue at play with Mary and Martha, was not the active versus contemplative personalities, but rather Martha's inability to focus on Jesus without the distraction of the preparations.

Distractions I believe, are perhaps the greatest hurdle to me spending quality time with God as regularly as He would like.

If......

My blog friend Preacherman had a similar post to this on his blog this week. It made me think. I have changed it up a bit, so I invite your responses.

If you could change one thing about yourself what would that be? But because of all the jokers in my world, let me ask you not to include nose jobs, liposuction etc. I mean something real :-)

To be named or to self-claim?

Dan preached another incredible sermon on Sunday. I am still mulling it over. You know the message is great when it keeps coming back and God speaks through it.
He preached from the Genesis texts covering the Tower of Babel and the Call of Abram. One may wonder where the connection point is. He did a great job of contrasting the people building the Tower of Babel, so eager to make a name for themselves, versus Abram who is promised a name and future by God.

Dan threw out some current scenarios where we are so busy making names for ourselves, building our towers, managing our images, our futures, our legacies, our financial security......
Something resonated with me in the deepest part of my heart. These are the questions that it is surfacing in me....
How am I living in such a way that I am concerned about building my tower?
Do I believe God? Not in God, just do I believe God?
In what ways is my language indicative of someone who is overly concerned about reputation, legacy, perception etc etc...
Is the promise and reality of being God's child enough or do I still need to secure my position?
Do earthly things give me identity?
Does the church exist as a tower of safety and ministry for its members or do we join God in His work in the world outside of our churches?

Thoughts?

Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places

Eugene Peterson has a series of 5 books, 2 still unpublished and 3 done. One of which I have already blogged about, Eat This Book. Currently, I am reading Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places. Eugene Peterson has been a longtime favorite of mine. I remember being blown away by Working the Angles back in the early 90's. I still gain fresh insight into scripture from his translation of the Bible, The Message.

Hear this from the introduction.
"The two terms "spiritual" and "theology," keep good company with one another. "Theology" is the attention that we give to God, the effort we give to knowing God as revealed in the Holy Scriptures and in Jesus Christ. "Spiritual" is the insistence that everything that God reveals of himself and his works is capable of being lived by ordinary men and women in their homes and workplaces. "Spiritual" keeps "theology" from degenerating into merely thinking and talking and writing about God at a distance. "Theology" keeps "spiritual" from becoming merely thinking and talking and writing about the feelings and thoughts one has about God. The two words need each other, for we know how easy it is for us to let our study of God (theology) get separated from the way we live; we also know how easy it is to let our desires to live whole and satisfying lives (spiritual lives) get disconnected from who God actually is and the ways he works among us.
Spiritual theology is the attention we give to lived theology - prayed and lived, for if it is not prayed sooner or later it will not be lived from the inside out and in continuity with the Lord of life. Spiritual theology is the attention that we give to living what we know and believe about God. It is the thoughtful and obedient cultivation of life as worship on our knees before God the Father, of life as sacrifice on our feet following God the Son, and of life as love embracing and being embraced by the community of God the Spirit."

Wow, I wish we could hang out at Starbucks for a while and talk about this. Doesn't it make you want to read this book!

A Rule of Life

One of the course requirements for the Christian Spiritual Formation class that I just took was to write a Rule of Life. I loved the assignment. It helped me formulate much of my thinking and really hold up a covenant to God about who I want to be for His glory.

More impactful than I ever would have dreamed, was the time we spent sharing these. Somehow real intimacy developed in a bland classroom with 30+ people sitting in a circle. Unreal. As each person took a turn in popcorn fashion to share their rule, they really shared their heart. Tears began to flow, ministry happened, connections were deepened. It was spectacular. One of our classmates, Chris Chappotin wrote and sang a song as his rule. Some read prose. Others had written prayers.

This is what I wrote.
DISCLAIMER - This is who I want to be...not who I am all the time.

My Rule of Life is based on my favorite quote by Henry Ward Beecher, “It is not well for a man to pray cream and live skim milk.” The underlying principle in how I practice my faith journey is fullness and abundance. As I reflect on the different areas that are significant to me, they are stacked like building blocks. Individually these are all great things, but when they flow out of an intimate relationship with God born out of communion and worship they become sacred.

I desire to be a fully formed disciple of Christ in Spiritual Disciplines.
In my relationship with God I acknowledge that He is already present and I invite him to invade my life and space everyday. That invitation is extended through me being available in prayer, meditation, silence and service. Daily prayer for me is comprised of several different types of prayer usually all in an ongoing conversational style: The centering prayer when I feel myself getting out of control; Lifting up prayer requests on behalf of people and situations; Praying a verse or phrase when it enters my mind. Even though I know I need to develop the contemplative side of my prayer life more, I have found taking time once a week for meditative, contemplative prayer fits the rhythm of my life better than trying to do it on a daily basis.

I desire to be a fully formed disciple of Christ in how I respond to the Spirit.
In my relationship with the Holy Spirit I acknowledge that my heart and my intellect are best led when I am actively communing with the Father. Out of a life connected to God I will seek to respond to the promptings of the Spirit that lead me to serve, pray for, seek out, surprise and encourage others.
Also out of a rich inner life, I acknowledge that the Holy Spirit can change my heart, my will, my desires and the fruit that my life produces. Instead of trying harder, relying on will power or even Spiritual Mountain top experiences I seek the real transforming power of the Spirits work on my life.

I desire to be a fully formed disciple of Christ in how I see my neighbor.
In my relationships with the people my life touches I acknowledge that I am a more useful tool for God when I am communing with Him and in tune with the Spirit. When I am aware of the role God wants me to play in any given person’s life it is a more fulfilling and rich experience. My life is full of different types of relationships and they all need something slightly different.
As a wife I want the Fruit of the Spirit to define all my actions, attitudes and behaviors.
As a mother I seek to point my children to Jesus and provide ways for them to enter a real relationship with Him.
As a friend I seek to always live in the truest form of community.
As a minister my goal is to see others move from believer to disciple.
As a resident of Amarillo I seek to see the hurting in my city and do what I can where I am.
As a member of the global community I want to live in such a way that I am making a difference in the world for those who suffer the most.


I desire to be a fully formed disciple of Christ with my resources.
Extravagant Generosity – this is the legacy handed down to me from my Mother and I seek to continue living in such a way.
Faithful Stewardship – taking seriously the commitment to tithe my income and give over and above to other causes.
Hospitality - to family, friends, church members and strangers. We acknowledge the blessing of our home and all our possessions and seek to use what we have as a way of blessing others. I desire to have people feel loved and honored when they leave our home.
Conserving – by recycling and limiting waste we are trying to honor creation.

Have you done one of these? Share your thoughts?

Texas

I know, you are scratching your head wondering what this foreigner is going to say about Texas. I got this email forward today and it made me smile. In fact it was way longer with tons of funny things on it, but I am just going to post the first part. Seriously, I never thought I would see the day that Jeff Foxworthy's name appeared on my blog :-)

Here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about folks from Texas...

If someone in a Lowe's store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you may live in Texas;

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Texas;

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Texas;

If "Vacation" means going anywhere south of Dallas for the weekend, you may live in Texas;

If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Texas;

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Texas;

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Texas;

If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Texas;

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph -- you're going 80 and everybody's passing you, you may live in Texas;

If you find 60 degrees "a little chilly," you may live in Texas;

If you actually understand these jokes, and share them with all your Texas friends, you definitely live in Texas

Surreal Moments from the last week or so.....

1. Seeing Jess and Brad together.

2. Eating lunch with a fellow Grad Student while in Abilene - but the fellow student is the son of some of our good friends from Coppell and I could be his mother. But there we were sharing thoughts, talking about professors, ministry, books etc like peers. Amazing.

3. Having multiple "Church of Christ everyone really is only separated by 6 degrees" moments.

4. Entertaining the idea of taking Advanced Restoration History with Doug Foster in Zagreb, Croatia. How small can our world shrink too....

5. Seeing a picture taken by our friends the Roberts' of my childhood home in South Africa. Phew what a flood of memories in one picture.

6. Thinking about the fact that my Mom died 5 years ago. Sometimes it feels like forever and sometimes like yesterday.

Prayer for Divine Comfort (Augustine of Hippo 354-430)

My Holy Lord and God,
You are most majestic and most excellent, most strong and most omnipotent.
You are most merciful and most fair; most hidden and most truly present.
You are stable, yet without foundation; permanent, yet flexible in all things.
You change Your ways, leaving Your plans unchanged; You recover what You have never lost.
You are never young, yet never old; always searching, yet possessing all of creation
You are always working, ever at rest:
Restoring, Sustaiing, and Protecting;
Creating, Nourishing, and Developing;
Drawing all things to You, yet needing nothing.
You are never in need but rejoice at Your gains; You are never greedy, yet You demand a return.
Men try to pay more than is required to make you a debtor;
yet who can possess anything at all which is not already Yours?
You owe men nothing, yet You are faithful as if in debt to Your own creature,
when you cancel debts you have lost nothing.
You love, yet without prejudice; You are jealous, yet attentive;
Yet, O my God, my life, my holy joy, what is this that I have said?
What can anyone say when he speaks to You? But woe to them that keep silent.
Unless Your ears attend us even in the depths, where should we go? To whom should we cry?
O Lord, deliver us who now call upon You, so that our hearts may rest.
O Lord, seek also those who have not called upon You, so that You also deliver them.
Our hearts were made for You, O Lord, and they are restless until they rest in you.