Mirror, Mirror

One spring we heard a weird tapping sound coming from outside.
Investigating we discovered a bird perched in front of the rear view 
mirror on the car. The little sparrow was pecking at the mirror over 
and over. Amused, we watched as she stopped to gaze at her image 
in the mirror and then pecked at it again. 

After 20 minutes, Ray shooed her away. But she didn't go far. As soon 
as he walked in the house, she swooped back to the mirror to ponder 
and peck at her reflection. The little bird's obsession grew. Every 
morning she flew in early to stare and peck at the mirror.  

After the novelty wore off, Ray tried to discourage the bird by 
covering the mirror with a bag. She just moved to the drivers side. 
We covered that one too. Then she migrated to the truck mirrors.  

That sparrow only had eyes for her. Did she see herself as the best 
looking bird on the block? Or did her obsession grow out of relentless insecurities and self-loathing? Either way, it kept her from seeing and interacting with all the other birds. It also kept her from looking up to 
her Creator.

The same proves true for us. When we look too long and too close at 
ourselves we lose sight of the One who made us. This may well be our greatest hindrance to true transformation. It also stops us from really 
seeing and interacting with the people around us.  

To keep from becoming like the bird, either pridefully or critically self-absorbed, we need to turn our eyes to the Lord. 

       "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory
        of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory 
        to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor 3:18 italics 
        added). 

Warren Wiersbe explains: "When we meditate on God's Word and in it 
see God's Son, then the Spirit transforms us." 

Change on the outside begins on the inside where the Holy Spirit lives.
      

What Are We Waiting For?

The last few years have been difficult for writers. When the economy 

crashed, it changed much about publishing. Established magazines 

closed their doors. Book publishers slashed staff to stay in business. 
Most of them no longer take chances on unknown authors. It's almost 
like if we haven't already made a name for ourselves, we've missed 
the last boat.

I spent a few days at a writer's conference where acquisition editors 

introduced us to the concept of platform. Basically that means bringing 
an impressive readership to the publisher with you.

"Do you lead a big church, have a national speaking ministry, walk on 

water?"  

Answering no to all the above brought a, "Sorry, we can't publish your 

book even though it's well-written and has potential." 

Yes, there are exceptions. Unknown authors still break into print and 
onto bestseller lists. But for those who haven't, the publishing odds discourage us. And discouragement saps motivation.  

This holds true in other areas of life too. If we wait for a person, a 
publisher or anyone else to grant us permission to pursue our dream, 
we may spend our whole lives waiting. God offers a better way.   

Romans 12:2 reveals step one: "Do not be conformed to this world"

This verse encourages us to stop looking to the world for direction, 
permission or confirmation. We can't approach the do until we eliminate the don't- the beliefs that stop us. 

Renewing our minds involves seeing everything through fresh eyes, 
washing away the lies and road blocks with Scripture. Our hope grows 
as old mind sets begin to crumble. Those walls have kept us living in a 
small corner long enough. Now we can step into the wonders that are 
only possible with God.   

Willa's Weakness

My German shepherd has an embarrassing problem, one I hesitate to 
tell you about. Willa has a weakness for eating dog poop. Yes, it's 
disgusting and I've tried everything to help her break this bad habit.

For years we had two dogs, Emma the beagle and Willa the shepherd. I 
tried to keep temptation scooped but some days busyness prevented supervision. I researched and found that it's a common problem called coprophagia. (We try to sanitize "conditions" by giving them names.) 
But I was relieved to find pet stores sell treatments for it. I bought pills 
that promised to deter Willa, hoping to cure the problem. 

One day I happened to look out the window just as she grabbed a quick 
snack. I ran out and whacked her on the rear with a newspaper. All my 
efforts to alter her behavior had failed.

Then I realized my oversight. The supplement is supposed to make the

poo taste bad (as if it didn't already) so the dog no longer wants to eat  

it. Giving Willa the pills did nothing to change the taste of Emma's poo or Willa's attitude toward it. I should have fed Emma the pills.     

This example illuminates a spiritual truth as well. Do we battle our 
problems by attacking symptoms rather than cause? That won't cure our ongoing issues anymore than it did for Willa. To change the effects 
we must first discern and change the cause.   

Romans 12:2 says transformation grows from a renewed mind. 
Correcting how we think about something is the first step to true and 
lasting change.

A new attitude about cookies, cake, pop and pizza will bring us closer to 
a healthy weight than all the diets in existence. If we never challenge 
our mindsets about "good food" we'll never change the foods we go to 
when we wander away from the diet.    

More importantly, we need to renew the mindsets that cause us to 
decline our invitation from God. It must sadden our heavenly Father 
to watch His children miss out on an abundant, creative life. But that 
can change starting today. No, we can't do it on our own, believe me 
I've tried. Thank God, Jesus is always ready to lend a helping hand.    

Resolutions Revisited

Though we've lived in the same house for a dozen years, we haven't 

bonded with some of our nearest neighbors. We share an occasional 

wave, hello, or a comment about the weather but nothing personal. 

Why? Because we have little in common. Differences in age, lifestyle, 

or family structure. No common ground to build a relationship on. 

Two months into the new year, some of us are feeling the same way 

about our resolutions. Statistics show that about 85% of those bold 

enough to make a resolution don't follow through. Why? Maybe for 

similar reasons. 

For one thing our mindsets are much older. The age gap makes it hard 

to find common ground. The contrast in lifestyle doesn't help either. 

Our entrenched habits don't leave room for new ideas. We're set 

in our ways and though some of them work against us, we're accustom 

to their familiarity. 

Rather than tossing an occasional wave at illusive life changes year after

year, I'm determined to spend less time on the path from resolution

to disillusion. By March people don't usually talk about rash statements 
made in January but I'm really talking about something more important. Transformation better describes the positive changes we want and 
need. And it's backed by Scripture.  

       "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing 

          of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and

          perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2).

This month I'll be posting weekly insights about true transformation and how we 
can experience it more in our lives.