Lynse Leanne

Apparently this is a big discussion/debate….i was unaware of this until this year.

I work at Starbucks as we all know….and we have the Christmas blend coffee. When someone is ordering a cup of our drip Christmas Blend it is easier to write “Xmas” on the cup so that people know it is our Christmas Blend and not Pike Place….pretty simple and makes sense….right?

A few days ago i had a customer come in who was very offended that i would put Xmas on her cup. They said that i was taking Jesus out of Christmas….I was rather dumbfounded at this point because after explaining my reason they were still offended…but clearly 4 letters is easier than 9 letters in a rush…and yes, i could have written “bold” since it is the bold…but xmas just works.

so this got the old wheels a turnin’

….does it really matter?

the more i thought about it….it is a rather religious practice….cause doesnt it matter what is in your heart? You can say Merry CHRISTmas all you want but if Christ is not an active player in your life and heart it doesnt matter how many times you say it it wont change whats truly in your heart….and in my case i can write “Xmas” and i do actively seek God and have a relationship with him and i dont personally feel convicted because it still reminds me of Christ….

so just out of curiosity and some friendly discussion….

Does it really matter? is Christmas better than Xmas?

And before the comment section fills up with questions like “are you pregnant?!?” and “when are you due?!?” I am going to say right here…

WE ARE NOT PREGNANT! (just have to clear that up before those rumor mills start turning)

But here is a video of our announcement…and you can see Chad, who you probably have never heard talk. so enjoy.

You can find more info about the church here.
You can read a little more about what we are doing and how you can help here.

ummmm….so…..ya, february.

You know when you are playing a team sport and you have a play called and you are talking about it and at the end everyone claps their hands and yells “BREAK!”

Well as you read this think of that tone.

cause i am yelling “BREAK!”

I have spent a few days realizing that i should take a break from this little thing called blogging, twitter and facebook.

The play is for me to take 2 weeks off to spend time focusing on me…through continued healing as i am on my journey. To spend some uninterrupted time with Chad as we plan our next steps as the Stevens’. and to refocus my love towards God and remove this little idol that keeps creeping its way into my life.

So from tomorrow AM until December 14th i will be M.I.A. But i will be available by email at lynseleanne[at]gmail.com , but i will not be checking it as often, but i will be checking it twice a day. :)

I would appreciate your thoughts and prayers during these 2 weeks… make sure i dont miss anything too HUGE…kthxbai.

In my life group we are reading Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennen Manning and y’all it is so good. It has so many take aways it’s crazy. If you have not read it i highly recommend it…it will mess with you and bring so much freedom and amazingness to your life.

anyways, in Chapter 7 called, Paste Jewelry and Sawdust Hot Dogs. The premise of this chapter is how we can be fake and put on religion as your protection but question everything and fake our way through this life and through our faith.

This is a quote from this chapter…it messed me up, made me think about my own life and my actions.

“The way we are with each other is the truest test of our faith. How I treat a brother or sister from day to day, how I react to the sin-scarred wino on the street, how I respond to interruptions from people I dislike, how I deal with normal people in their normal confusion on a normal day may be a better indication of my reverence for life than the antiabortion sticker on the bumper of my car.”

I would love to know your thoughts.

i did something that i didnt want to do. i did something that i had promised God that i wouldnt do again. Something that i knew i would regret the second after i did it.

I sinned. I messed up.

When i sin or mess up my first instinct is to isolate and hide….to keep it a secret.

But I know that is not healthy.

So i resisted the urge to hide and keep my sin a secret because i knew that if i did that it would continue to grow and grow and i would keep doing it…because it is in the dark and not in the light, and thats where it grows and festers….

So i confessed it…first to God and then to a few trusted friends that i knew would keep me accountable.

I chose to tear down the wall and share my secret…where i am weak.

as always it is scary. the thoughts running through my mind

they will think i am horrible
i let them down
i cant believe i did that
they are not going to be my friend anymore
they are going to tell everyone
they are going to judge me

but after i told the response on the other end was not at all what i anticipated….

her exact words were

“Love you. Messed up just means allow the rescue. Nothing you can do but allow it in.”

she didnt judge
but, she didnt approve of what i did
she didnt unfriend me
she didnt make me feel like i let them down
she didnt tell anyone

this person simply reminded me that God is my rescue….that i cant save or rescue myself. I cant do enough to rescue myself….only God can.

Rescue is defined as (n) an act of saving or being saved from danger or distress; or (v) save (someone) from a dangerous or distressing situation.

She couldnt rescue me.
I couldnt rescue me.
Chad couldnt rescue me.
You couldnt rescue me.

only God can rescue.

and in that moment of grace and love i felt the rescue of God. His plan to rescue me from where i was…the emotions, the anxiety, the shame, the darkness…he rescued me when His son died on the cross.

But it is our choice to allow the rescue…

The next time you mess up are you going to allow the rescue in? Or will you flounder on your own trying to rescue yourself?