Monday, April 16, 2012

The Whys of Not Worrying

     Time escapes you and my first instinct is to worry about it.   Worry about now, how you can’t even seem to get close to finishing your list of duties every day.  Worry about your future and wonder if I don’t find a way to nip this in the bud today, what will become of you?  Worry.   We were reading in the old testament and discussing why God wouldn't want the Israelites to eat certain foods.  I suggested that even though we are under the new covenant now and it's okay for us to eat those foods, maybe He was looking out for our health.  Even though we can eat them now, maybe it's not the best choice.  I believe He tells us a lot of things for our own good.  Something I have learned is why Jesus doesn’t want worry to be a part of my life.  I sat and prayed and thought of it today while trying to come up with a different way.




     When I worry about this, it causes fear.  The fear causes panic, which leads to stress.  The stress then causes me to take it to you in a way that you can’t possibly understand.  You have only lived thirteen years.  You don’t know what this problem will cause for you.  You don’t know enough to care.  This panic that takes over me, takes over my brain and heart, but more importantly it takes over my tongue and before I know it I’m saying it all again.  Stress is bad for our bodies and bad for our relationship.  It does no good.
     When God disciplines me, He doesn’t worry about me.  He knows what will happen to me.  I don’t know what will happen but I do know that I can trust Him with you.  Instead of worrying and reacting, I can take it to Him and trust Him.  I can quietly enforce discipline that will have an effect rather than words which only serve to frustrate both of us.  So, today I prayed for guidance, I prayed for wisdom, I prayed for more trust.  I prayed for less words.  I prayed for you.  I’m just a mom trying to do the best I can with what I have.  God gave me precious children and we are all so different from one another.  I’m glad for that.  He knew what He was doing.  There are things I’m supposed to be learning from the two of you.
     I acknowledge that I desperately need Him to help me.  Now, I will watch in humble expectation as I see how your lives unfold and how His way is better.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 
   neither are your ways my ways,” 
            declares the LORD. 
 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, 
   so are my ways higher than your ways 
   and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

Thursday, April 5, 2012

The Trouble With Stuff

     Today I was having some computer problems and I called my only resource, my husband, for some help. The problems actually started yesterday, so technology is not my BFF at this point. I'll admit I'm a tad frustrated with all of it. I suppose I sounded that way when I called him, actually I know I did. How do I know? He told me his frustrations too.
     People call him often with their computer woes. By the time they do, they are at the end of their rope and angry. Not at him, but with this little rectangular blob of information that doesn't want to give any of it up to them. They can't take it out on the blob, so my poor helping husband gets the brunt of it. Wow, did that open my eyes to what he goes through, and also to what all people go through sometimes.

     How many times have I been frustrated at some company and taken it out on the customer service person, the undeserving victim who answered my phone call? I don't remember doing it lately, but I have in the past and I feel bad about it now. It made me think of a video I watched last night from a series called "The Truth Project". The subject of this particular video was work and how that fits in with our spirituality. There are many small aspects involved in this subject with one being our material things. The professor teaching on the subject was saying what we all know: Everything belongs to God! He was pondering what the world would be like if every Christian REALLY believed that...if we lived it.
     What I'm doing when I get frustrated at my things is I'm letting things come before my relationships. My relationship with God and man. If the thing is causing me to stumble in that way, then it's time to stop and pray and reprioritize. Nothing should steal my joy or allow me to get so worked up that I call and steal someone else's joy too. Lesson learned. Next....

Monday, April 2, 2012

Like a Lion

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8


     It hurts when you argue with someone you love more than life itself.  Irrational words,  selfishness and pride fuel the fire and before you know it, anger and pain overtake you.  It happened to me recently and right in the midst of it, right when I could have gone on blaming, accusing….saying.  I stopped and quietly suggested that all of this wasn’t us.  It was the enemy trying to come between us.
     How that thought can turn things around for me.  Seeing all of it, like God probably does; looking upon us and shaking His head.  Wondering why we let this happen.  Seeing that we were giving our power over to the wrong entity somehow seemed to halt everything.  It turned into a war with him instead of the one that was erupting between us.  When you become alert, all of a sudden the lion is sitting right there laughing at you.  But I don’t lose heart.  That’s just it, when I become alert, I can make that lion disappear.
    That night I had a dream.  We were picnicking at a park with a playground.  The kids were happily playing and we were relaxing on a blanket in the lush grass.  There was an old farm,  smooth-wire fence held up by beaten wooden posts and just beyond it were animals of all kinds.  Among all of the harmless, frolicking animals I saw a lion walking slowly toward the fence.  I wondered, “Is the fence strong enough to hold him?”
     He began to get agitated and growl at us then he backed up several steps and ran toward the fence.  He hit the wire full force and bounced back ready to try again.  I stood and calmly suggested that we leave this place.  I awoke that morning and immediately knew that dream was powerful.  I will fear the enemy but I don’t have to panic.  All I have to do is be aware of what he does and know when to make my escape.