If you were to be visiting Albania this week, you’d be sure to notice posters draping city buildings and dotting the sidewalks that advertise local elections to be held on May 8th.

Two campaign slogans have stood out to me:

• Slogan #1: “E vetmja rrugë për Tiranën, e vetmja rrugë për Shqipërinë.” Translation:
  “The only way for Tirana, the only way for Albania.”

• Slogan #2: “Ju jeni të parët. Tirana është e para.” Translation:
  “You are first. Tirana is first.”

Very bold declarations, don’t you think? Especially claiming to be “the only way” for Tirana.

And, it is a rare event in Albania to see Slogan #2 put into action. (“You are first, Tirana is first”).

In fact, if you ask most Albanians, they’d readily agree that politicians seem to have only one thing in mind—personal advancement resulting in material gain.

As Christians around the world reflect on the meaning of Easter this week, I too, remember the One who did not paint the city with gutsy campaign slogans or empty promises, but who demonstrated what it truly means to lead by serving and to love by sacrificing.

Jesus claimed in John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Those are radical words. Even for Jesus. Many people today balk at that statement.

Yet Jesus bodily and painfully demonstrated that He put:

You,
Me,
Tirana,
Albania,
and the whole world

FIRST

when He died on the cross in our place,

taking our sins upon Himself,

experiencing the worst kind of death,

so that we could fellowship with the Father

and experience eternal life.

The Apostle Paul describes this radical kind of ‘putting others first’ in Philippians 2:3-8:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!”

It wasn’t just a slogan for Jesus.

He embodied true humility, servanthood, unconditional love, & sacrifice. In doing so, Jesus became the only Way, the only Hope for our broken cities and our sin-marred lives.

I recently used the 360 Lite tool to get insight about areas of strengths and those areas where I need to grow. A dear friend who has known me for ages it seems (since I came to Albania) wrote a comment stating I seem to have lost my joy.

Hmmm…. ouch. What would lead her to think that about me? Am I exhibiting frustration, sadness or worry more frequently than happiness, joy, and peace? Her comment began brewing in my heart and mind so I decided to probe deeper to see if what she said had any validity.

Where do you go when you lose something? Most restaurants, activity centers, airports, movie theaters and offices have a Lost and Found box. So that’s where I decided to go hunting to see if my joy had somehow ended up there.

I opened the Lost and Found Box of my life and took a good a look to see what’s been hiding inside.

Not completely to my surprise, I did find some of the following items:

The biggest item I found in my lost and found box was: (Can you guess….???) Yep: 1. Worry– about the future, finances, our desire for children, family health issues, etc.

A second item I found, though somewhat reluctantly was: Selfishness– it seems that these past few years I’ve been much more self-consumed and preoccupied, as opposed to other-centered and servant-hearted. Stress and fear were among a few other items that were lurking inside my “found” compartment.

lost and found box of life

In the smaller corners of the box, I did see that JOY was there– it had simply been covered up by worry and fear. JOY was deeply connected to a PERSON– the person of Jesus. One of my favorite quotes about Jesus shows this vital relation between Jesus and joy:

“The Gospels show that Jesus quickly established intimacy with the people He met… He cut instantly to the heart of the matter, and after a few brief lines of conversation these people revealed to Jesus their innermost secrets… People liked being with Jesus; where He was, joy was.” Philip Yancey

Tucked under other items like material things and worldly concerns was thankfulness. How could I bring joy out of my Lost and Found Box to the center and surface of my life? Through Thankfulness– thankfulness is key to ridding my life of worry and fear.

A great quote I recently read states:

“The soul that gives thanks can find comfort in everything; the soul that complains can find comfort in nothing.” Hannah Whithall Smith

There’s been so much to be thankful about: good health, a great hubby, wonderful family, answered prayer, significance and impact through our ministry and the work God’s entrusted to us, etc.

Thus, I’ve decided to pull out of the Lost and Found Box those two most precious items to keep with me at all times: Joy and Thankfulness.

And I’ve also decided to empty my Lost and Found box by tossing in the trash those things that were bringing me down: worry, fear, selfishness, pride, and materialism.

It’s not always an easy choice– sometimes selfishness stubbornly shows up at the door and demands her way in– and mistakenly I’ve put aside precious time connecting to the Source of Joy, foolishly letting selfishness rule.

But I was extremely thankful for my friend’s profound feedback from my 360 Lite Review as it got me thinking– how do I come across to others? Are they seeing the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control grace my life? Or am I characterized by worry, fear, selfishness, discouragement or other undesirable characteristics?

As I’ve changed my focus these past few months to one of giving thanks and choosing joy, I’ve noticed my disposition and outlook have markedly changed and that peace has enveloped my heart on a daily basis.

What about you? What is lurking in your Lost & Found box that needs to be dusted off and embraced or thrown out in today’s trash?

For finding out more about using a 360 Lite for personal growth and development, click here.

I would love to pack these stores & restaurants and take them with me to Albania:

1. Costco
2. The Cheesecake Factory
3. Carson Pirie Scott
4. Panera Bread
5. The Arlington Heights Memorial Library (though not a store or restaurant, I would love to take this wonderful library back to Albania)
6. Barnes and Noble
7. Target
8. Trader Joe’s
9. Walker Brothers Original Pancake House
10. PF Chang’s

(P.S. They are not in any particular order)

(P.S.S. TCLH would include Best Buy)

Photo by: David Ruiz

Writing my first post seems a little daunting.

I feel like I’m modeling a new bathing suit, acutely aware of how my winter meals have chosen to hibernate on my body.

Vulnerable, exposed, self-conscious… as I show off this bathing suit for the whole world to see. But at some point, to get started in the blogging world, amidst all the experienced and well-versed bloggers out there, I need to take the plunge, right? Get my feet wet, so to speak?

Of course, if I looked like the woman in this picture, I don’t think I’d have such a hard time strutting proudly in my bathing suit for anyone and everyone to see!

But hey, it’s a step of faith, one I’ve been wanting to take for a few months now.

So here goes– Welcome to Juicy Pomegranate Bits– I hope you savor your stay!