Royalty: Part 3

This is slightly revised from something I wrote on May 1, 2011, after watching the royal wedding two days prior. 

Luke 15 is the parable of the Lost Son. For a long time, the son did his own thing. When he came to his senses, he decided to go beg to be a hired hand for his father. But his father had another plan. You see, the father didn't want his son to be a hired hand; he wanted his son to be his son.

I want to know the rest of the story...The next day and the days after that. The son was a son, with every right restored. But did he act as a son would act? Did he feel as a son would feel? Or did he continue to act as a hired hand? Is that how he saw himself? How did he walk out his renewed sonship? How did he shift his mind from pigslop-and-lucky-if-he-could-get-it to signet-ring-on-his-finger? How did he shift his mind from commoner to royalty?


The older son said, "I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends." And the father, in my imagination taking the son's face in his hands and looking deep into his eyes, said, "My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours." It's as if he were saying, "Son, my son. You never asked for a goat. And even more, you don't have to ask for a goat. It belongs to you. You have been slaving and following orders. Thank you. But stop slaving and start living. Work. Follow orders. But do it as my son. Celebrate. Work not for me, but with me. This land? This estate? It's not just mine; it's yours. So work. But live life and celebrate, too. Please don't be my slave. Be my son."

Which son was the Lost Son?

I think on that day two sons were restored to their father.

So my questions are: How do I walk out the truth of Royalty? How do I stop living life as a hired hand and start living as a daughter? Not a spoiled daughter, but one who knows her rightful place. One who is comfortable being set apart, who's not ashamed or afraid or secretive about her place. One who contributes not out of a sense of obligation or because a payment is coming, but out of who she is, who her Family is. One whose name - whose bloodline - makes available opportunities that otherwise would not be. One who acts out of authority...the whole kingdom is behind her. The King Himself carries her to His most intimate place and gives her His name, His authority, His very self.

Teach me, Lord, the how of a Life of belonging to You.

Royalty: Part 2

This is slightly revised from something I wrote on May 1, 2011, after watching the royal wedding two days prior.

The royal family are completely comfortable in their royalty. They aren't shy about it. They aren't awkward about it. They aren't haughty about it. Sure, they are just people - and you get a sense of that. But they are set apart and aren't ashamed of it. They are comfortable in their royalty.

Am I?

They know that with royalty come certain privileges - money, fame, power, status, adoration. But they also know they are royal for a purpose. Even though it is often all about them, it is never about them. The royal family is a symbol of hope and good things. They represent the life others want. The job of being royal requires a sacrifice of their own hopes and lives.

So does mine.

My Royal family is a symbol of hope and good things. We represent the Life others want. We are set apart for a purpose. And it is never about us.

I want to be comfortable in my Royalty.

More to come...

Royalty: Part 1

This is slightly revised from something I wrote on May 1, 2011, after watching the royal wedding two days prior. 

Being an American, I've never known much of royalty. After all, isn't that the point of being American? So to watch the wedding celebration was fascinating. It is giving me a new perspective on the Kingship of Jesus.

This wedding was particularly thought-provoking, being that it is the first time in 350 years that a commoner has married into the royal family. I've wondered what it must be like for Kate - now Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge - to go from common to fully royal in the matter of a few minutes. She had eight years to prepare for the change. But for it to really happen...for her to really become the princess...to, in every way, be in line for Queen. Queen. All because she and the prince fell in love and got married.

She met the Queen in December. Her first time to speak to the press was after the engagement. Her first post-wedding appearance was a carriage ride past a million admiring people on her way to the palace. Her second appearance was on the balcony overlooking thousands of adoring people. I can't imagine what must have been going through her head. She is now royalty, with ever right, privilege, and responsibility as if she had been born into the family.

But I wonder how long until she really believes that.

I am the bride of a king. Of the King. Do I really believe it? Do I really know the rights, privileges, and responsibilities I have as a member of the Royal family? Do I realize the incredibleness of walking on the arm of not just the one-day king, but the forever-reigning King?

Royals aren't royal because they are elected. They aren't royal because people like them. They aren't royal because they were the best for the job. They are royal just because they are members of the family. Because of a bloodline. And regardless of what they do or how they act, they are royalty. Catherine is royal because the prince chose her. That's the only way an outsider can become royal: marriage.

That's how I have been brought into the Family. As a bride...A bride to the King.

I don't understand it.

But I want to.

More to come...

Book Review: Secondhand Jesus

Month: February
Book: Secondhand Jesus: Trading Rumors of God for a Firsthand Faith
Author: Glenn Packiam
Length: 211
Start Date: February 14
End Date: February 27
Enjoyment: 5 out of 5
Value: 5 out of 5

When I began asking around about good non-fiction, I specified that I was not interested in self-help books. My plan for my year of reading was to learn some history, find out how strong leaders got to where they did, and read some interesting life stories. So I almost did not include Secondhand Jesus by Glenn Packiam, thinking it would go against my own rule. But it was my rule, so why couldn't I change it? Good news: this isn't a self-help book. It's a truth book.

I have known a little about Glenn Packiam for several years, but only in the music scene. Packiam is currently an Executive Pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, but before that he was one of the founding members of Desperation Band. He was one of the speakers at this year's Christ for the Nations Worship Conference, and because his plane was delayed and our schedule was changed, I ended up in his breakout session. After that, I knew I had to read one of his books. He is one of those speakers who is intelligent, articulate, and just enough of a nerd that the nerd inside of me identifies with him.

In Secondhand Jesus, Packiam identifies four rumors that we as Christians, many times subconsciously, agree with: God Will Give Me What I Want; God Can Be Added to My List of Loyalties; God Is Pleased With My Goodness; and God Prefers Specialists. Each rumor has one chapter to describe it and one chapter to address a question relating to the rumor.

One of my favorite aspects of the book is the way Packiam uses theology and various traditions to reveal truth. But he doesn't just throw theology out there and hope his readers understand it. He explains it in real language in a practical way. I realized that even though I don't love research and studying, I sure like people who do. Another aspect I really enjoyed is that Packiam weaves his personal experiences throughout the book. Packiam was part of the staff at New Life during both a nationally discussed sex scandal and a Sunday morning shooting that killed two young women. Those two events shook his world and revealed changes that needed to be made in his own life.

Secondhand Jesus was an incredible book for me. For some time I had been struggling with anger toward God because He had not yet sent along my husband. As I read the chapters about God giving me what I want, the Lord revealed my sin to me. Packiam writes, "Obedience is not a sort of magic code" (p. 60). And later, "Disappointment is an agent of the cross. [...] Disappointment can open our eyes to all the ways we were hoping to be the one in charge. [...] God is to be obeyed because that is the proper response to an Almighty God. Obedience reminds us that we are the servants and He is the master" (p. 79-80). Zing! I thought to myself, "How many times have I said, 'But, God, haven't I done everything right?!? Why isn't this working?'" Obedience is not a magic code. And so I repented and am not mad at God. That is why I recommend this book without reservation. It literally changed my life.

This book is theologically sound, full of truth, and interesting and easy to read. I give it a 5 out of 5 in the Enjoyment category and 5 out of 5 in the Value category. I need to read it again...

Book Review: Decision Points

Month: January
Book: Decision Points
Author: George W. Bush
Length: 512 pages
Start Date: January 7
End Date: February 14
Enjoyment*: 3.5 out of 5
Value: 5 out of 5

Being a hesitant reader of non-fiction, I began my 2011 year of non-fiction reading with some trepidation. But I have great respect for President George W. Bush and thought his new release Decision Points would be a good way to begin. I was right.

The first couple chapters were particularly enjoyable for me. President Bush writes the way he talks - just a good ol' boy from Texas telling stories while leaned against his truck in the middle of a pasture. There is nothing pretentious about Decision Points, and I like that. As I read about Bush's family and history, I laughed, I cried, and I became increasingly impressed by what he's made of. As it turns out, he's not just a good ol' boy from Texas. He's an incredible leader of great intelligence, wisdom, and compassion. He comes from a strong family. I was reminded that so often good leaders have a Peter personality, as I like to call it. They just go for it, and it gets them into trouble until they learn to harness their passions. But once they figure it out, they are unstoppable.

The book is not laid out in chronological order as many non-fiction books are. Rather chapters are grouped by topic. This was so helpful to me since so much happened in Bush's eight years in office. As the title indicates, this is a book about how President Bush made decisions. From choosing his staff to visiting New Orleans to sending troops to Iraq, he explains and analyzes his own decisions. One of my favorite aspects of the book is that while he does defend his choices and actions, he also willingly acknowledges when he was wrong.

After several chapters of Iraq, Afghanistan, Katrina, September 11, the financial crisis, and others, I grew weary. Although it was refreshing to hear Bush's side of the story without any media spin, it became a bit tedious and hard to finish just because of difficult topics. Throughout the book, though, Bush's love for people and country shines through, making it worth the effort of reading. And I just kept thinking that he lived this all day every day for eight years. If he did that, couldn't I make it through a few hundred pages of, in comparison, very light reading? My respect and appreciation for President Bush grew exponentially.

Overall I highly recommend the book. I may not have particularly enjoyed reading the second half of Decision Points; but truth and history, though not always easy, are always valuable. I give it a 3.5 out of 5 on my Enjoyment Scale and a 5 out of 5 on my Value Scale*.


*My rating scales aren't in the least bit scientific. It's just whatever I feel at the moment. So it is likely that my ratings of other books won't be consistent with this rating. As a matter of fact, I might make up completely different scales for other books.