Bear Jam!

Just two weeks ago, while in Colorado for a wedding, we took a drive in Rocky Mountain National Park. We had just gone a few miles when we came upon quite a traffic jam. Great. Just what you want on vacation. A traffic jam in the mountains. Not the typical San Antonio traffic jam. It was a real live bear jam! A bear jam is a traffic jam caused by tourists stopping to look at bears near the road. So, being the curious couple we are, we parked the car and joined the crowd. There, not so far away, cuddled up on a rock was a brown bear, taking an afternoon snooze. He was oblivious to 30 or so tourists vying to get a nice picture, while the female park ranger stood guard. Mr. Brown Bear could have made big honey money if he had a tip jar that day.

 

As I stood there, cozied up around other gawkers, I wondered the obvious question. What would happen if Mr. Brown Bear woke from his mid-afternoon nap? Well, I did some research and found out that brown bears distribute their weight toward their hind feet, which makes them lumbering as they walk. Don't be deceived, because they are still quite fast. They can reach 30 mph! So, let's just say, I'm glad Mr. Brown Bear was deep in sleep. Every one of us would have been running for our bear-loving lives.

It's funny how we can look so fearless and appear so put together. Yet, fear can overtake us in a second if threatened. Intimidated. Pressured. Our calm, cool, collected persona can change in a heartbeat when things go south. When road rage strikes on your drive home. When pressured to perform beyond what's possible. When anger at home erupts. Trying again after failure.  Risking vulnerability for fear of being judged. Did you ever consider saying "no" to fear? How has fear paralyzed you?

Anytime you sense a "spirit of fear" invading any part of your life, you can assume that it's not coming from God.  (Of course, there ARE things we should fear, like brown bears, etc....) As you spend time developing a relationship with God, however, you will discover that God is fearless.  Because he is fearless, we too, can be fearless as we live life with God.  Apart from him, not so much. Don't let fear narrow your world.  What do you fear?  What are you scared of? I have a number of things that I fear. I've asked the Lord to meet me in my deepest fears.  Guess what? He does. How about you?

"When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise. In God, I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?" Psalm 56:3-4

"God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Unfinished Summer Business

 

I didn't see it coming. Tax free weekend just slipped up on me like a bandit. Honestly...where did the summer go? It's a weird time of the year... I have to work hard to really enjoy South Texas in mid-August. OK... I guess I have to admit, hearing my father talk about the low 70's temperatures in Ohio has me drooling to get out of Dodge. Since I don't have kids, I've ignored the "back to school" advertisements. And being a bit of a sports addict, this time of year has me yawning. Waiting for football. Waiting for basketball. And the Pro Football Hall of Fame game? No interest.

It seems at this time of summer we can just get weary. Weary of the summer routine. Weary of the traffic. Weary of the heat. Weary of the sameness. As I find myself declaring a way on TV until football season, I need to up the ante on making my time count. Not frittering away the last of the summer of 2015.

 

 Do you have unfinished summer business? You know, those things that you planned to do, but just haven't gotten around to it yet? I've hoped to get to Schlitterbahn WaterPark, but haven't made it yet. I have a stack of books on my dresser that still need to be read. I have a goal of riding my bike to Boerne before the summer winds down, but haven't made it yet. Unfinished business that for whatever reason, hasn't happened.

 

I love how the Psalmist reminds us of how valuable our time really is.  He states in Psalm 90:12 "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." That verse strikes me as a powerful prayer for all of us! When I found myself guilty of wishing fall and cooler temps were here, I had to stop myself.  Why can't I appreciate THIS DAY? The Psalmist is praying to God to teach him HOW to number his days. The result? That he would gain a heart of wisdom. As I give thanks for the wonder of living each day, I don't find myself wishing for another season. I instead want to make the most of this season and this day. Seize it. Capture it. Enjoy it. Be thankful for it. Make the most of it.... hot weather and all.

What about you? What three things would you still like to accomplish this summer? What's keeping you from it? Since waking up this morning, have you given thanks for another day?  The gift of life itself? You are alive today by God's grace! Make it your best day. Take time for refreshment. Take time for soul care. Sometimes, the last person we take care of is ourselves. What's your unfinished summer business?

 

"Self-care is never a selfish act- it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others." Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak

 

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Honesty is the Best Policy

They say honesty is the best policy. I learned that as a kid. I also know that being honest is tough. Being honest requires courage. Being honest with others means you're willing to open your true self to others. Being honest with others demands humility. Being honest with others is often avoided, because we want to appear as good as our best facebook picture. Honestly, sometimes, we're not who we claim to be.

You probably consider yourself pretty honest compared to others, right? I know I've spent more time than I'd like to admit, trying to portray myself as someone that I'm not. I think many of us struggle to truly open our real selves up to people, for fear we will be rejected. Will others accept the real me? Will I be enough? It's so easy to cover ourselves with the masks of job titles, success, relationships, and toys. 

Here is an even harder question. How honest are you with God? For that, we all might need a reality check. I think some of us tend to avoid relating to God because it requires being honest with God. We would prefer to cover ourselves, just like Adam and Eve did! If we don't relate to God, then surely He doesn't know what's going on, right? Wrong.

Hebrews 4:13 says "And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." It's just amazing and overwhelming at the same time that God knows everything about me...the good, the bad, and the ugly. Just in case you think you're exempt, He knows your good, bad and ugly too. So, why hide from God?

God's love is stable. God's love will never fail you. God is kind, forgiving, gentle and always good. As I revel more and more in who God is, my futile attempts to hide the real me melt away. I want to be the real me with Him. Did you know that God waits for us to come to Him? He longs for us to come to Him open and honest, humble and repentant. Each one of us have open wounds and areas of our life that we would just as well keep hidden. God longs to heal and transform these dark places of our heart. If only we would let Him.

Honesty really is the best policy, with others and God. What can you do to pursue honesty before God? 1. Pray to God and tell Him you desire to be honest with Him. 2. Ask God to reveal any areas of your heart that have been hidden from Him. 3. Read Psalm 103 and make it your prayer today. Start this day with honesty toward God and others. 

"Would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart." Psalm 44:21

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Keep Calm and Carry On

You can't miss the popular phrase, often seen on T-shirts.  The first two words "Keep Calm" are followed by the phrase of choice. I did some research on the topic to find out where this phrase came from. Keep Calm and Carry On was a motivational poster produced by the British government in 1939 in preparation for the Second World War. The poster was designed to raise morale of the British public, threatened with predicted mass air attacks on major cities. Although they printed over 2.45 million copies, the poster was hardly ever publicly displayed. 

What would your "Keep Calm" logo say? Well, I did some research on this too and found quite a few variations! Keep Calm and Grandma on. Keep Calm and Be Yourself. Keep Calm and Eat Chocolate. Keep Calm and Enjoy Life. Keep Calm and Call the Doctor. Keep Calm and Have a Cupcake. Keep Spending and Carry on Shopping. Now Panic and Freak out... significant twists from the original.

Consider back when this phrase began...under the shadow of Nazi air strikes and bombings. Death and destruction. The British people knew that their people would need encouragement. Most of us will never face this kind of pain, trauma and tragedy in our own lives. However, we do know what it is like to worry. To fret. To be anxious. To fear the future. To fear the present.  

As much as I try to "Keep Calm," I must admit, I can get anxious or begin to start worrying if an occasion arises. Keeping calm is not enough. I can't honestly "carry on" in my own strength and do it well. I fail every time. I can't "will" myself to be calm. That only lasts for a while. When trouble comes, I have a choice.  I choose to place my confidence in God.  Oh, sometimes I'll worry for a while, but I finally realize that I need to take my worry to God.  I often turn to Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (NIV) Living a worry-free life is possible.  It's a choice and starts with trusting God.  Praying to God.  Thanking God.  Giving God your worries.  Will you do that today?

Keep calm.  Trust God. He will see you through. You only need ask.

"The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety." George Mueller

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Encounter with Three Bad Boy Dogs

It was just two weeks ago, amidst the on-again-off-again rain storms, I managed to squeeze in a walk prior to church. I can't remember what the Weather Channel had said about rain chances for that day, but I knew the quicker I got out on the pavement, the better. So, off I went.

It was just over a year ago, I had taken off for a run in the same neighborhood only to be chased and bitten by a pit bull/terrier mix. My lovely scar reminds me of that special encounter. It seems I have developed a new found fear with certain dogs. Multiple dogs enhance this fear.

I hadn't gone a mile on my walk when I was approached by three bad boy dogs, each claiming they were pretty hot stuff. One was a Dalmatian. One was a large brown mix. The third was a black vicious looking dude that could have been a distant relative of my former attacker. I'd heard all sorts of "if you're ever approached by a dog again" lectures, so this time, I was armed and ready. Well, not exactly armed, but ready.

I stood my ground. I yelled. I lunged a huge step toward each one of them as if to say "You don't scare me... you better get out of here..." All three dogs kept barking, all within a few feet of me. I continued using my deep voice, facing them, standing firm in my tracks. Slowly, as I kept yelling, I backed up. Step by step, I moved until I finally turned down another street. The rain started coming and the dogs seemed disinterested in me now that the sky was falling. I made my way down the road, hid under the cover of a tree, calling my husband for back up support. It wasn't the most peaceful of Sunday mornings.

Over the course of this year, I've had to name this new found enemy out loud.... FEAR. There are ALWAYS so many reasons for us to be afraid. Vicious dogs. Floods. Hurricanes. Theft. Accidents. Our future. Finances. For me, those three dogs were a real threat. They were dangerous.  But God says He doesn't want His people to be afraid. God doesn't want us to live in fear. Sadly, many of us do.

In this situation, God gave me the presence of mind not to fear and to do the right thing. I will continue to walk those same streets in peace and not avoid them due to fear. I am even more equipped and prepared as my husband ordered me three pink containers of mace, designed for the fashion conscious mace carrying woman. Now, I am armed and ready.

As you navigate day to day life, is there any way that fear still grips you?  Fear of being alone? Fear of people's opinions? Fear of what might happen? Fear of losing something valuable to you? Did you know that fear does not tell the truth? Being afraid doesn't keep hard things from happening. But, with God, we'll be able to face our fears with peace. Mastering fear instead of fear mastering you.

I love this promise from God's word "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8  Today, may you realize the reality of this verse for your life.

Nancy Abbott is Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Impasse on the Horse Path

We looked like a modern day version of Beverly Hillbillies. Well, not quite. Just over a week ago, we packed up our truck with kayaks, mountain bikes, luggage and Zoe, our dog. Destination? Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Not to be accused of frittering away our vacation, we packed each day with some kind of adventure.... day hikes to mountain lakes, fly fishing, kayaking beautiful lakes and mountain biking.

Usually during a Colorado vacation, I take one day to do a no-nonsense horseback ride in the mountains. Ben has no desire whatsoever to do this activity, so he and Zoe took off to Pearl Lake to fish.  Our horseback ride route was also to Pearl Lake. 12 miles by horse. Over the mountains and through the woods. When was the last time you sat in a saddle for 8 hours? Needless to say, this day was packed with adventure, surprise and a more than enough saddle sore moments.

The adventure began when we came up on a huge tree over waist high across the riding path.  The recent stormy weather in Colorado probably caused the downed tree. We three riders and the guide decided to dismount our horses and attempt to move the log off the path. It wasn't easy. Our leader would holler out "One, two, three, MOVE!" At that moment, we would lift the log and move it a few inches. This went on for quite some time. I never considered logging for a career, but felt like I got hands on experience that day.

Just when I thought there would be no future impasses along the way, I was wrong. Soon, we came up upon two different trees down. This time, we dismounted, and our leader tried to lead his horse over the logs. The horse refused. I suggested trying to lead Quails, my horse, across. Quails walked over the logs like a real champ. All the others followed like perfectly good trail horses.  I would like to say that we had no further issues, but we did. I think I counted three or four more times where we had to bushwhack our way around downed trees to keep on our path. When we finally got back to the ranch, (several hours late) our guide gave us overwhelming kudos for being such good sports.

On the ride, I started thinking more about these downed trees and the challenge they caused. It felt like we were stuck. At an impasse. A predicament that didn't appear to have a way of escape. Thankfully, in each impasse we encountered, we were able to make it through. Often, in our lives, we come at these same impasses. A person at work you can't get along with. A project that has been stymied. A relationship with the same issue over and over. How we handle these impasses matters. Do we push our way through, leaving people in the dust? Do we consider all aspects of the challenge? Have we shown respect and value towards others as we deal with the impasse? It would be wise to reflect on how we handle these impasses, in our work and personal life.

When I come to an impasse, I sometimes think I have to solve the problem and solve it now.  I just want the situation to be better. But even with our downed trees in the mountains, it took ALL of us to solve the problem. I've had plenty of different situations in life that I would call impasses. Or they felt like them at the time.  More than anything else, I have found God to be so there for me to aid me.  He gives wisdom, insight, understanding and even a clear path to follow when I come up against an impasse. I don't have to solve it all myself!  God is present and very willing to help.  All I do is ask. That's relationship. That's what God wants for each one of us. 

Are you in the midst of an impasse today? Stuck? No forward motion?  Don't blame it on the log or person in front of you. There's something you can do.  There's something God can do. 

"I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free." Psalm 119:32

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105

Nancy Abbott is Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Fresh Fruit

I can't get enough of the fresh fruit aisle at HEB. Blackberries. Blueberries. Watermelon. Peaches. Cantaloupe. Honeydew. Strawberries. Love this time of year! On our recent trip to Colorado, we even enjoyed a form of fresh fruit in Huckleberry Ice Cream at the Clark Store. I guess you can count that in the fruit and veggie column, right?

I crave good fresh fruit. The smell of a good fresh peach. The sweetness of a watermelon. The crunchiness of a blackberry. The juice of a honeydew melon. Yum. I can't help but turn to the Scriptures to find how Paul challenges us to have spiritual fruit in our lives. Spiritual fruit? What in the world is that? the concept of bearing spiritual fruit is often seen in scripture. One of the more popular verses is found in Galatians 5:22-23. :"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control." Can you think of anyone in your life that has ALL of these character traits in full measure? I only know one. Jesus Christ. So, what is bearing fruit? It's becoming more like Jesus. Spiritual fruit will become more recognizable in our life as we spend time with God, get to know him better and pray. Our character will begin to change for the better. We won't rely on ourselves alone, but recongize that walking with God brings a change life.

Sadly, many people today are fed up with modern day Christianity. Many of us have been judged or treated poorly by others Christians. Many of us have judged or treated other poorly. Mahatma Gandhi's quote comes to mind: "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." This is a challenge to you and I to live a different life. To walk as a Christian means resembling Christ more each day. It will have a powerful effect on your work, your home life, your relationships and your perspective on life.

How about starting your day by praying for more fruit? Spiritual fruit, that is... Dear Heavenly Father, I want my life to be marked more fully by the Spirit's fruit. I pray that these fruit will be more evident in my life through your Spirit's power....

Love- Help me remember how much Jesus loves me, and teach me to love all people deeply. Point out to me when I judge, criticize or withhold love from others.

Joy- No matter what the circumstance, difficult or wonderful, help me live with true joy. Joy that transcends my circumstances. Joy that only comes from you, God.

Peace- May your peace transcend my fear and worries, my unbelief and my desire to control things and people. 

Patience- Father, calm my hurried soul, my lack of flexibility and my impatience, which is ultimately pride.  Give me more tolerance when others goof up, knowing full well I goof up too.

Kindness- Help me be kind to all people.  Forgive me for being rude, obnoxious or overbearing.

Goodness- May I be on the lookout for those that need hope and help. Grant me your goodness, God.

Faithfulness- Forgive me when I'm a flake and fail to follow through with stuff. Your faithfulness is great, God. Make me more like you.

Gentleness- Lord, show me when I'm harsh or react quickly to things or people. Cultivate in me a spirit of gentleness.

Self-control-Lord, I need self-control! Whether it's exercise, eating, listening, talking too much, drinking, spending or something else, help me to take responsibility to change these areas that have gotten out of control.

May these fruit be alive and fresh in your life this day!  God bless you and refresh you with a beautiful character!

Nancy Abbott serves as Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.