Half-Ton Sanctuary
Yes, I drive a bus. Honestly, truly, according to the BMV, our 12 passenger van is considered a bus. We also call affectionately call it the Beehn Machine, but it could also be known as the trash-can-on-wheels, the-black-hole-that-sucks-up-single-socks-and-sippy-cups, or the mother-of-all-nasty-vans. And, yes, it is a source of frustration and embarrassment for me. Nothing is worse than pulling up to drop off the kids at school, the principal opens the door to greet the kids, and 47 halves of plastic Easter eggs fall out. Except maybe that time when our neat-freak friend tried to buckle his kid's car seat in the bench seat and had to dig all the fruit loops out of the place where the seat belt buckle should be. Yes, that was awkward.
But hey, let's look on the bright side. If we ever got stranded in the mountains during a blizzard, we'd at least have enough clothing and chicken-nugget-jerky to help us survive for days.
Recently, I was intrigued by a news article that said that Honda was going to include a vacuum with their mini-vans. I scoffed at this idea, because no turbo-vacuum is enough to handle our mess. That thang just needs to be driven off a cliff.
Yes, the van is a major issue. I'll agree that it's the one area of my life that is completely out of control. But, we hit an all-time low a while ago when we could not locate the source of the rotten odor that was invading the air. No one was going anywhere until we discovered the source of the stench. That meant one thing: I had to bite the bullet and clean out the van. I suggested that the whole family get on one side of the bus, and in one giant heave, we just turn it up on its side and shake out all the junk. But no one else in my family thought that was a good idea, so I settled for using a rake to clean it out. Several trash bags later, I found it: still wrapped in aluminum foil was a whole ham and cheese quiche that I had prepared for a church function--A MONTH EARLIER. I am humiliated by this disgusting confession. See, I told you it was bad...but hey, I've never claimed to be a domestic goddess.
Last night, I went to a women's conference where Christy Knockles led worship. She shared that in her pre-kid life, she would write her songs late at night by candlelight. But now, as a mother of three, the Spirit inspires her songs in bits and pieces as she's driving around in her mini-van. I could relate, and probably could most women who drive a mom-mobile. Life with kids is busy and requires a lot of running here-to-there, and it's often impossible to hear the voice of the Lord over the noise of life. The only thing I seem to hear in my van is, "MOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!" However, I was blessed as Christy shared that she has chosen to make her mini-van a sanctuary where she invites the Holy into the most mundane parts of her life. It is her way of staying in fellowship with the Lord throughout her day. This was a revolutionary thought to me, because most of the time when I'm in my van, I'm angry and irritated.
This challenges me. I truly want God to be ever-present in the details of my day, and so this MUST include the hours and miles that I spend in my half-ton kid-mover. Ezekiel 37:26-27 says, "I will...increase their numbers and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God and they will be my people." Since God's Word is relevant and applicable to our lives and my family, I can learn from this that:
1. God has increased our numbers, so much so that it requires us to have a 12 passenger van.
2. God says that His sanctuary is among us. It is all around us. His Presence is always with us. He is worthy of our worship everywhere we go. This includes my four-wheeled hunk-o-junk.
3. God desires to dwell with us. He meets us wherever we are, running to the grocery store, dropping off at sports practices, or speeding to get the kids to school on time. He wants us to share the most routine parts of our life. He desires to be the Center of it all.
4. He is OUR God. He is personal. He knows us. He is NOT untouchable. He is NOT unapproachable. He cares about the everyday things.
5. We are HIS people. This is the miraculous part. He knows about my van-neglect and loves me anyway. He calls me His own. He's not embarrassed to ride along with me in the Beehn Machine.
So, with a simple change in attitude, I can make my gas-guzzler a Holy Sanctuary. I believe that this would be better for everyone.
Where is this place for you? It could be your cubicle at work. Maybe it's the classroom at school. Possibly it is the doctor's office that you'd rather not have to visit so often. Wherever it is that you dread being, God's Word says that this place could be a sanctuary, if you'd just invite Him in.
But hey, let's look on the bright side. If we ever got stranded in the mountains during a blizzard, we'd at least have enough clothing and chicken-nugget-jerky to help us survive for days.
Recently, I was intrigued by a news article that said that Honda was going to include a vacuum with their mini-vans. I scoffed at this idea, because no turbo-vacuum is enough to handle our mess. That thang just needs to be driven off a cliff.
Yes, the van is a major issue. I'll agree that it's the one area of my life that is completely out of control. But, we hit an all-time low a while ago when we could not locate the source of the rotten odor that was invading the air. No one was going anywhere until we discovered the source of the stench. That meant one thing: I had to bite the bullet and clean out the van. I suggested that the whole family get on one side of the bus, and in one giant heave, we just turn it up on its side and shake out all the junk. But no one else in my family thought that was a good idea, so I settled for using a rake to clean it out. Several trash bags later, I found it: still wrapped in aluminum foil was a whole ham and cheese quiche that I had prepared for a church function--A MONTH EARLIER. I am humiliated by this disgusting confession. See, I told you it was bad...but hey, I've never claimed to be a domestic goddess.
Last night, I went to a women's conference where Christy Knockles led worship. She shared that in her pre-kid life, she would write her songs late at night by candlelight. But now, as a mother of three, the Spirit inspires her songs in bits and pieces as she's driving around in her mini-van. I could relate, and probably could most women who drive a mom-mobile. Life with kids is busy and requires a lot of running here-to-there, and it's often impossible to hear the voice of the Lord over the noise of life. The only thing I seem to hear in my van is, "MOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!" However, I was blessed as Christy shared that she has chosen to make her mini-van a sanctuary where she invites the Holy into the most mundane parts of her life. It is her way of staying in fellowship with the Lord throughout her day. This was a revolutionary thought to me, because most of the time when I'm in my van, I'm angry and irritated.
This challenges me. I truly want God to be ever-present in the details of my day, and so this MUST include the hours and miles that I spend in my half-ton kid-mover. Ezekiel 37:26-27 says, "I will...increase their numbers and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God and they will be my people." Since God's Word is relevant and applicable to our lives and my family, I can learn from this that:
1. God has increased our numbers, so much so that it requires us to have a 12 passenger van.
2. God says that His sanctuary is among us. It is all around us. His Presence is always with us. He is worthy of our worship everywhere we go. This includes my four-wheeled hunk-o-junk.
3. God desires to dwell with us. He meets us wherever we are, running to the grocery store, dropping off at sports practices, or speeding to get the kids to school on time. He wants us to share the most routine parts of our life. He desires to be the Center of it all.
4. He is OUR God. He is personal. He knows us. He is NOT untouchable. He is NOT unapproachable. He cares about the everyday things.
5. We are HIS people. This is the miraculous part. He knows about my van-neglect and loves me anyway. He calls me His own. He's not embarrassed to ride along with me in the Beehn Machine.
So, with a simple change in attitude, I can make my gas-guzzler a Holy Sanctuary. I believe that this would be better for everyone.
Where is this place for you? It could be your cubicle at work. Maybe it's the classroom at school. Possibly it is the doctor's office that you'd rather not have to visit so often. Wherever it is that you dread being, God's Word says that this place could be a sanctuary, if you'd just invite Him in.
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