Thank You!!!!

The following is a re-post of one of the first blogs I ever wrote. Not sure why it came to mind today, but "Thank you" for reading....

Today, as I was on my break (those who are teachers will find that term laughable), I came upon one of our special needs students who was outside enjoying the beautiful sunshine with his teacher. As soon as he saw me, he called out "Thank you" and held out what could best be described as a broken weed. Of course, I went over to him to say good morning and he called out again, "Thank you." I reached to take the weed he offered and he gave it, then reached for it again all the while saying "Thank you." The smile on this child's face was so peaceful, I was quite captivated. His teacher smiled that loving smile I see so often on her face as she works with these little ones and she said, "That's all he knows how to say."

I watched as this angel dressed in everyday clothes walked back and forth between his teacher and me saying "thank you" and alternating between giving and receiving that broken weed. His teacher and I talked for a moment and he smiled and toddled tirelessly between the two of us. His teacher said, "He could do that all day." I'm sure he had no idea how much joy he was sharing with each "thank you."

As we ended our conversation, I laughingly commented that perhaps he could come and teach my 5th graders a thing or two...but as I turned to continue on my way to the office I thought perhaps it was ME that needed to be taught.

How often do I complain when life hands me less than what I think I deserve? How often have I grumbled to God and all those around me when life wasn't "fair"? How often have I spewed negative words into my situations because I had to wait longer than I wanted for my turn? And let's be honest...most of my grumbling and complaining isn't because of some great trial; it's because I've been inconvenienced in some way. When traffic doesn't go fast enough for me, (usually cause I'm running late), or someone does things differently than I think they should be done, or - let's be truthful - someone gets the credit for something that I feel like I should be noticed for....I go and throw myself a two year old fit! How dare life not go my way! How many times have I been unhappy with the broken weed I've been given... and how many times has the peace that this child had escaped me?

We all know that the Bible tells us to give thanks in all things - not for them mind you, but in them. We can do this because we know that God works all things for our good and His glory in those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. I know there will be times when I need to cry out to the Lord or to my brothers and sisters in Christ....there is no shame in being honest about our feelings, but I don't need to set up camp there. I need to take my broken weed, look up, and move on.

Lord, help me remember this child's face and the peace and joy he expressed each time he said "thank you." Help me to remember that life will hand me broken weeds at times, but I don't have to be bitter or grumble and complain. Help me to live each day able only to say two words....thank you.

Thank you, Lord....thank you. 

Colossians 3:15 - 17 (MSG)

^15-17 Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

Expecting....still

*This is a re-post of a blog from 2011...expecting and hoping today just like then. 

 

Today I passed a friend as she was buckling her son into his car seat. She turned around and smiled and I said what almost all her friends have said, "You haven't had that baby yet?"

Bless her heart, she is expecting her second child and that little boy inside her is still resting and taking his own sweet time about making his debut. She is definitely "expecting."

That word, "expecting", it got me to thinking because lately I've been feeling something inside - a renewed sense of expectation. I've had this feeling since the end of last year, but lately it's been increasing. Then looking at my friend, I started thinking about the similarities between what goes on in the spirit realm and the physical one.

Now, I'm not one to write about "expecting" since I've never been pregnant myself; however, I am surrounded by women who are! At my school I'm convinced there must be something in the water because it seems like every hall I go down I see pregnant women! 

I noticed that when a woman first discovers she is pregnant, she can be a bit, well - moody. I understand the hormones are going crazy. Sometimes she feels sick, sometimes elated, sometimes overwhelmed. That's a lot like the way a person feels when they first start to realize that God has something in store for them. 

Some women tell everyone; some keep it to themselves - they just aren't quite sure what to do with that news. It's the same with those who begin to hear from God...some shout it out and others just tuck the ideas down into their heart and wait.

After a while, it starts to become obvious that God is doing something - you can no longer "hide" what is growing inside. The excitement turns to preparation....and waiting. 

The waiting is the hardest part. People ask dumb questions like, "Haven't you had that baby yet?" and like my friend you do everything you can to hurry things up so the day you've waited for so long will finally come. But birth will not be rushed....all you can do is wait. I thinking is "expecting" at its finest!

(This, by the way, is kind of where I find myself - knowing something is near but there is nothing I can do to speed up the process!)

Bless their hearts, women in the final weeks of pregnancy look so uncomfortable. They walk around rubbing their "tummy" in anticipation and yet they can barely move. They do everything they know to do, and probably wonder, "Won't this baby ever come?" Sometimes they look so tired, but always they have that beautiful look of "expectation" about them.

Finally come the birth pains. I won't even attempt to talk about those since I have NO idea what that must be like...I've heard that some women didn't even realize that they were in labor, and I've heard of women who made sure EVERYONE knew they were in labor! Either way, this baby is on his/her way!

I once had a birthing coach share an interesting fact about the birth process and the word "transition." Transition is the point that is the most difficult. It's usually the point when women decide that they don't want to go through with this after all...they'll just stay pregnant forever. I've had times when I was waiting on the birth of a dream from God and things got tough....really tough. I wondered if I REALLY wanted to go through with all this after all....

Then finally comes the joy of the arrival. All the pain is forgotten....and the real work begins.

Yes, I can feel the stirrings of expectation. God is up to something good. I've been through the moodiness, the excitement, the fear, the preparation....now comes the waiting. You can't rush God - after all, He's God!

I know that something is coming - something wonderful that will bring great joy. Every minute of waiting will be worth it. I also know one more thing....once the expecting becomes reality, that's when the real work begins...so for now, I'm expecting!

Romans 8: 22- 25 (MSG)

^22-25All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.

Romans 12:12 (NLT)

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

God doesn't move as fast as me.

* The following is a re-post from 2011. As always, thank you for reading.

I admit, I tend to move quickly most of the time. I don't really think of it as being in a hurry, I just have things to do and don't like wasting time in between. That's probably why running appeals to me - I can hurry up and get it over with and be done! It's not that I'm really a very fast runner, actually I'm pretty slow compared to "real" runners...still I try. My son once asked me why I walk so fast and yet run so slow. I guess it's because walking is usually what I'm doing in between something else.
I tend to do most everything quickly - eat, read, work, talk, even sleep! My husband, on the other hand, doesn't get in a hurry about anything. He moves slow and steady. We always manage to be at about the same "place" however because while he moves in a straight line, I'm bouncing back and forth like a pinball in a machine. My "movement" isn't necessarily moving me forward!
Today I had a random thought - God just isn't as "fast" as me. Now, granted, He managed to make everything there is in only 6 days and I can't even seem to bake a cake without ruining it. (I either keep opening the oven to see if it's done or go off and completely forget about it until someone mutters, "Is something burning?") What I mean is that He's just not in as much of a hurry as I am.
I'm thinking, "Okay God, tell me what to do and I'll get 'er done!" God seems to be content to just wait. Maybe that's one reason why He doesn't reveal too much to me. If He showed me everything I was to do, I'd either become completely overwhelmed or I'd hear half the instructions and be off like a light...making mistakes every step of the way. I have students like that. They are so quick to start their work, they forget to wait for instructions! They wind up making mistakes simply because they didn't listen!
Today we had a guest pastor at our church, Pastor Charles Simpson, and one of his main points was that we don't know how to listen! He brought up Isaiah 55:3 where it says "Hear and you shall live." Listening will save you. It's not what I say to God that makes the difference, it's what HE says to me! The key here is hearing (and that means stopping long enough to do just that) and then taking the steps He tells you to take.
See what I mean? God just isn't moving as fast as me...or at least that's how things appear to one who is bound to this earth and cannot see exactly what God is up to.
I had a friend who once taught on Moses crossing the Red Sea. He told the story in a way I'd never heard before. It seems that in the scripture the parting is described in detail in a way that I usually just skim over. (See, I told you I read quickly.) According to my friend, it tells of how the sea began to part on a certain side - and that was NOT the side they were standing on. The sea started to part and all Moses and the children of Israel could see was water. To make things even more interesting, it was probably dark. They couldn't even see the miracle until it was right in front of them and it was time to do the crossing.
Okay, I get it. It's not like I ACTUALLY thought I was faster than God...I just act that way. God is doing things in His perfect timing. He is moving in ways I cannot see and when the time is right, I get to join in. I'm just having to learn to wait on His timing. I once heard that God isn't in a hurry because He controls time. If you're feeling pushed and rushed, it's probably the enemy of your soul because he's the only one running out of time!
Since I know it's hard for some of us to just sit, I find encouragement in knowing that waiting does not mean just doing nothing. I can praise, I can worship, I can serve with whatever God has placed before me...and I can work on my listening skills.
That should be enough to keep me busy till He tells me to move. In the words of Betty Robison, "Don't get in a hurry to settle for less."
The following is copied from my friend, Courtney's, facebook page. I thought it was a perfect fit for the blog: "If you are going through a wilderness period today, know that God has not forgotten you. He is trying to accomplish something important (usually to change us), and when the timing is perfect He will deliver you...He promises. He works ALL things for the good of those that love Him (Romans 8:28). There is a time and a season for everything (Ecclesiastes 3). Hold on a little longer...He is faithful."
2 Peter 3:9, 15  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.

That's how muscles grow!

*The following is a repost from 3 years ago...some lessons I'm getting better at, and some I'm still in the process of learning!

Most who have read my blog for any length of time know that I am pretty honest about the struggles and mishaps in my life. Today's blog may be too honest, but I felt led to write so here goes. I am hearing God speak to my heart in some uncomfortable ways lately. Now, I realize the uncomfortable is something that a Christian should get used to because, to paraphrase the words of Gen. Jeff Hammond, God isn't interested in my comfort as much as He is in my character. Evidently my character is undergoing a major overhaul lately.
All this shouldn't really surprise me. While I am not a fitness professional by any means, I have learned a few things about how muscles get stronger. In weight training, I am prompted to push myself to the point when I feel I cannot possibly do one more rep. My muscles burn and I think I cannot move those weights even one more time. To be honest, I am tearing those muscles down....then comes the rest. It is in the day of rest that the muscles build back up, but they can only do that after being pushed to exhaustion. This is why a good trainer will never let you work the same muscle group two days in a row.
Anyway, back to the blog.
It started with hearing God tell me to trust Him...then the prompting that I still wasn't trusting enough...then a prompting to make some changes in my life....then in a prompting to give...
Now, the first two weren't all that scary - okay, so maybe they were - but compared to the next two they were a breeze!
Prompting me to make changes - how could it be possible that God is leading me into an area that means I'll have to deal with something I truly hate? Still, I keep hearing Him say "Trust me." I know I can trust Him so much more than my feelings. For example, the last thing I EVER wanted to be was a teacher...yet He led me into teaching and there I have found the greatest joy and growth! While there are times I want to pull the covers over my head, most days I look forward to reaching, teaching and laughing with my students as we grow together. Oh, sure I sometimes mentally "quit" my job at 3:30p.m. - but by 7:00 a..m. the next day I'm ready to start again. So, it shouldn't surprise me when God leads me into an area of my "discomfort" and says to me "TRUST ME."
Then came the prompting to give. It seems like everywhere I turn, I am hearing devotions and messages on giving. This is NOT the message I want to hear. Money is tight right now! That isn't quite accurate....it's almost non-existent! The cost of food and gas just keeps climbing and my paycheck just stays the same - or thanks to things like insurance, it even goes down! God, haven't you noticed what's going on down here? That's usually about the time I hear something that reminds me compared to the rest of the world I am filthy rich.
Okay, so I'd give if I had something to give....I'll start next month. Then I heard God remind me of the money I'd deposited in savings this month. I was so proud of myself for finally doing that, surely God didn't want that small amount. But yes, it did seem that He wanted me to give that. So I immediately wrote out a check and placed it in the offering plate as it went past. Well, to be honest, I argued with myself for a few minutes first; but I knew I'd have no peace unless I took this step of obedience and trusted Him.
Now comes the part of the story where I tell you that I came home and there was a check in the mail...only that's not what happened. Instead, I had to take BOTH kids to the doctor this week. I did get something in the mail but it wasn't money; it was another bill. I still see one more week staring me in the face until the relief of payday eases the stare. This is NOT what I expected to happen.
Yet still I hear God say, "Trust Me."
Then I hear yet another report of the economy getting worse and there is no relief in sight for at least the next year - and this was from a Christian perspective! Yet still I hear God say, "Trust Me." Really God? Have you been paying attention?
Oh, He's paying attention all right. His unfailing love nevers ceases. He sees every penny that passes through my fingers...and every one that I hold in my clenched fist. And He loves me.
God is not interested in my comfort - He is constantly pushing me out of my comfort zone. I finally get it. At 52, when many are thinking of retirement (or the lack thereof), God is prompting me toward doing more. Now that I finally get myself at least somewhat in shape physically, I discover I am diabetic and find that I have yet another level of fitness to consider. I am learning new disciplines so that I can keep moving and serving until the day God says it's time to come home. I think I understand now - life isn't supposed to be easy or fair.
So now what? What do I do with all this stretching? I guess I grow....for I do trust that He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it. Muscles never grow unless they are first worked to the point of exhaustion. The good news is that in between the exhaustion, God will make sure I have times of rest - because that's how muscles grow.

Lamentations 3:22-24 (NIV)

²² Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him

Philippians 1:6 (NIV)

⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:2

The Message (MSG)

Discipline in a Long-Distance Race

^1-3Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

Matthew 11:29

The Message (MSG)

^28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

I know that story!

Today in children's church, we had a really great time. We almost always do! But today I noticed something new...actually, it wasn't something new, I just finally caught what God was showing me.

We were using a familiar story - Moses and God's plan for his life. As often happens when we tell a story the children know, the hands start shooting up to "help" me tell the story. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but as every teacher knows, when the hands shoot up, the mind often shuts down. Kids got so excited to tell what they knew, they stopped listening...and in this case stopped learning simply because they "thought" they knew the story.

In fact, many wanted to tell the story themselves, but it wasn't the story from the Bible, but the one from the movie - a story that wasn't quite the same. I managed to steer them back to our story and finish the lesson, but those hands have been on my mind all afternoon.

Tonight I was listening to a sermon online and I was struck with how the pastor was helping me see things in a familiar story that I had skipped over before. I love how rich God's Word is and how I seem to learn new things from it every time I read. It was then that I got that "nudge" I get sometimes. That little pause that helps me hear.

How many times have I been just like the kids in children's church, thinking I know what the Bible says and not listening to what God is trying to show me? And how many times do I THINK I know the story, only to realize I've heard it wrong. I've listened to someone's version of the story but not stopped long enough to read it for myself?

I admit it. I read my Bible sometimes because I'm "supposed to" read it, but I don't really listen. I'm not much different from my students who wave their hands wildly in the air because they THINK they know what I'm about to ask...but I'm trying to show them something more. God is trying to show ME something more.

So once again, I learned something new in children's church. Isn't it funny how that happens, just when I think I'm there to teach the students, they teach me instead.

Psalm 32:8 (NIV)

⁸ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

John 14:26 (NIV)

²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

John 16:13 (NIV)

¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Have I mentioned that I hate hills?

This is a repost of a blog from 2010.

Okay, I know that as a runner I'm supposed to love hills. I've participated in races where the course was described as having "gentle, rolling hills" and let me tell you whoever wrote that lied! There was absolutely nothing gentle about those hills. They went on forever! And even though the race doubled back to the start, I still haven't figured out how I wound up running uphill both ways! I live in South Mississippi for crying out loud! Where are all these hills coming from?!?

I hate hills. I'm not exactly what you'd call poetry in motion when I run anyway, but when I encounter hills, things gets downright ugly! My heart starts beating out of my chest, my face gets flushed, I start sweating so hard I look like I got caught in a sudden cloud burst, and I run SLOW!!! I hate hills...have I mentioned that before?

I can't be the only one who struggles with hills. Why, even the writer of Psalms 121 said, "I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?" The King James version says, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help." I used to think that verse meant I looked up to God in some sort of spiritual utopia. Then I read the verse in other versions and realized the author was calling out for help! Seems that he wasn't looking forward to having to take that hill either!

Still, I am coming to realize what most runners already know, hills build strength. Seasoned runners look at hills as an opportunity to become stronger and therefore, faster. They know those hills will eventually benefit them and allow them to win the race!

Life is full of hills, chances to become stronger than what we are. The question is, will I look at those hills/trials as a good thing? Will I choose to remember during the battle uphill that somehow God is going to use this for my good and His glory? As my heart is pounding and every part of me hurts feeling as though this trial will never end, can I keep going? Will I look back at hills past and remember that God is faithful and never leaves me nor forsakes me? Will I look at this trial as yet another chance for God to make me stronger so that I can run the race set before me? Will I learn to give thanks even for those "hills"? If so, it could really change the way I look at life! Those hills serve a purpose!

In Romans 5: 3-5, this is described for us. "There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"

The rest of Psalm 121 tells me how I will be able to do all this: "My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.  He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;  indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep." I'm not running up this hill alone. He is there to hold me up, even to the point that I can almost feel his hand on my back gently encouraging me to go on. He does not ask me to do anything that He is unwilling to do with me. He's taken this hill before and He came back to help me do the same.

Can't say I'll ever learn to love hills, but maybe I'll learn to not dread them quite so much from now on. Perhaps the urge to quit and sit down won't seem quite so attractive now. After all, I've got a race to run, and I want to run it well....for I'm running for the prize! I want to hear "Well done" when my race is through.

More encouragement for the "Hills of Life".....

Hebrews 12: 1-3 (Message translation): "Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!"

Isa 40:31 (NIV) But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Phil. 3:12 - 14 "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Acts 20:24 "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

Matthew 25:21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

Everything was in black and white...

Post for 2010...still makes me laugh when I think about it.

I remember where I was standing the day my class and I discussed what life was like 100 years ago. The students were naming things that they used everyday which did not exist 100 years ago. I hated to admit that they didn't even exist when I was in college, but I digress. Finally came the statement, "Everything was in black and white." I paused...."Do you mean the pictures were in black and white?" I asked. No, they thought the world was black and white. 

I had to laugh and shake my head in disbelief. At first I wondered how could an 11 year old be so naive'? Then it happened again during a similar discussion...this time the students were two years older! That's when it hit me. These students were basing their conclusion on what they could see, on what they thought they "knew". In both classes, these students were assuming that since the pictures from long ago had no color, evidently the world had no color either. Yes, I know you're laughing, but these kids were sincere in their confusion. They could operate a complex computer and do advanced math, yet in that one area, their understanding was definitely flawed.

As I got to thinking more about it, I remembered that when my sister was a little girl, she got very excited that The Wizard of Oz was going to be coming on TV! She had heard that once Dorothy landed in Oz, everything turned to color! That of course must mean that our old black and white TV would be suddenly transformed and we'd have a color TV at last! Yes, the confusion existed even in my own family....because it is normal.

As an educator, we learn that children are not really capable of abstract thought up to a certain age. Oh, we may think they understand the difference in pretend and real, but probably less than we realize. Some concepts, such as spiritual ones, are very difficult for them to grasp. As children grow and mature, they reach a stage when they can make the connection....understand the "color" of the situation as it were.

What strikes me is, as adults we think we have matured past all that. We think we now understand...but do we? In the 1 Corinthians 13:12 (Message translation), it says, "We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!"  

We think that we understand so much about God and about the Christian walk, but do we really? We are basing what we know on our ability to understand....just as my 5th graders based their understanding on life 100 years ago based on the pictures they had seen. But God is so much beyond our comprehension!

To think that I have the audacity to try and tell God how He should go about "fixing" things. I am basing all that I know on what I can understand, and the older I get the more I realize how little I really understand!  "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." Isaiah 55:8-9
 
All this makes me wonder how many times have I said something that makes God want to just shake His head in disbelief. In my limited knowledge, am I spouting off something that is the equivalent of thinking life used to be all in black and white? Right now, I'm feeling a bit like a five year old trying to figure out the world....and discovering, guess what - it's in color!

Still trusting Him....

Recently I've been re-posting some older blogs. I find I need to be reminded of what God has patiently shown me over the years. As always, thank you for reading. Your encouragement means so much more than you could possibly know!

Lately I've been coming across the same theme in my devotions - trusting God with EVERYTHING! 

It all started one day as I was leaving the gym...I had one of those thoughts come into my head. You know the ones...those that are unmistakably God speaking to you. This one had to do with my giving and I felt like I heard my Father say, "You aren't trusting me enough." I mentioned it to my son as we drove home and just sort of tucked it away for later thought.
Then, for the next few days, everywhere I turned I came across devotions and stories of people who had trusted God with everything and I was getting more and more convicted. This wasn't some sort of "You aren't doing what you should" kind of conviction...it was more of a "Trust me to take care of everything" kind of conviction. I could feel God tugging at my heart to let go of the worry and just trust that He would take care of it all.
My family is like a lot of other families out there right now. Money is tight...okay, that's an understatement. Let's put it this way, if my money were a pair of jeans, we'd be lying on our back, gasping for air trying to get them zipped! There just never seems to be enough. I always run out of money long before I run out of month! And God is telling me to trust Him more? That can't be right - still, there was no doubt in my mind that is just what He was saying to me.
Then, as if to make sure I got the picture, God did something that spoke to me with a shout. He put it on a dear friend's heart to buy my husband and I tickets to see my favorite band. I just mentioned on facebook that I'd like to see them for my anniversary and the next thing I knew tickets were provided...and more! God was not only providing for my needs, He was adding extra! He was blessing me with a want!
Now, trust me, I'm not some "Name it and claim it" sort of believer; and I don't believe in giving to get. Still, I know when God is showing me something. This time, I'm pretty sure He's showing me that I don't have to worry. The economy may be bad, but He still has His eye on me. I have been blessed with so much more than I realize, and yet He wants me to trust Him for even more....and He wants me to live with an open heart and an open hand. Not sure I know quite how to do that yet, but I'm excited about what God will do as I learn to listen and obey.
We have been blessed with so much more than we deserve...yet we feel like we are poor. How ridiculous is that? I want to walk in the knowledge that if God leads me to give, He's got it all under control.
In all this, I am also having to learn something else that for me is even harder. I'm having to learn to receive. You see, I'm pretty much a "do it myself" kind of girl. I don't like to depend on others...I can handle things just fine, thank you. But God has a different plan it seems. He is MAKING me depend on others...from the person who makes sure I take care of my health by FORCING me to go to the doctor (love you Cheryl!) to the person who provided for a MUCH needed evening with my husband (love you too Candace!!!), God is knitting me into His family. He is teaching me how to receive. I'm not really very good at that...but I'm learning.
So, there you have it. God is working on this old girl teaching her something new. I'm a bit apprehensive about how this will look as I walk it out, but I'm excited too. God is doing a new thing in me. I'd love to hear what God is speaking to you, too. Feel free to comment and share with others. We can all be encouraged together!
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks unto the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us"

Luke 21

^1-4Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, "The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford—she gave her all!"


Matthew 6: 25 - 34
^25-26"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
^27-29"Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
^30-33"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
³⁴"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Did I just yell at Jesus??

*The following is a repost from 2011. 
Thank you for reading and for sharing with others.

Today was one of those really cool days in Children's Church. I walked in without a lesson, planning on just using the video lesson that was provided. I don't like doing this since I know there is something "fresh" that God wants to say to the children. But this had been a hectic week and I had nothing. Zip. Nada. Nothing. Then it happened.
One of the younger children came over to me to tell me another older child and her friend had been "mean" to her, so I went to investigate. What happened next was...well, I just sat and listened as God guided me on what to say.
I sat down and told the little girls I didn't know what had just happened, but I had a question for them. I wondered would they have just done or said whatever it was if they had been talking to Jesus instead of the other little girl. Big blue eyes stared back at me as they shook their heads "no." I said, "Well, you know that when you are mean to someone else, it's just like being mean to Jesus." There is was - today's lesson.
A little while later, as I stood to teach, I talked to the children about the things we say and do. When we are mean to the kid in school that smells bad, we're being mean to Jesus. When we talk about someone and say unkind things, it's like saying unkind things about Jesus. When we only play with our friends and won't let others in, it's like shutting out Jesus. When we are disrespectful to our parents or a teacher, it's like being disrespectful to Jesus. Even when we fight with our brother or sister, it's like fighting with Jesus! Eyes were big as each child sat soaking it in...I know they were because they were actually quiet for a change.
That's when God started speaking to my heart as well...He never just lets me share without stepping on my toes a bit in the process. When I get angry at the driver in front of me and yell, "What an idiot!", it's like calling Jesus an idiot! Whoa! Yelling at that crazy driver is like yelling at Jesus? Pretty much.... and when I get frustrated with a co-worker and come home complaining to my husband, it's like complaining about Jesus. When I judge others - it's like judging Jesus. Okay, I'm stopping now because I know you have the idea and I'm afraid I may reveal a bit too much about my character!
Then came my favorite part of any message - the part that brings hope. I asked how many had just realized they had done something that week that was unkind and now realized they had done that to Jesus. Hands went up everywhere, including mine. I told the children that no matter what we had done, God has promised to forgive us and cast our sin into the sea of forgetfulness. The analogy I used was that it was like taking a penny and tossing it over the side of a cruise ship that was in the deepest ocean. I asked if they thought they could find that penny. Of course they couldn't...and God has promised that He won't even look for it again. It is gone. One of the children asked, "But what if we do it again?" Of course the answer is, He will forgive us again and hopefully we'll learn and we'll find that we are "doing it again" less and less.
With that, we prayed and asked forgiveness, saying we were sorry for sinning against God and thanked Him for His forgiveness. It was such a simple lesson, but one that I truly believe will make a difference in their lives....I know it will make a difference in mine.
I've thought about that lesson all day because I have a feeling it's one that I will have ample opportunity to practice this week. Like the kids, I may mess up again, but I know that my Father forgives me and I can start over once again. Oh, and once again I am so thankful that God provided the "meal" when I came up empty handed.
Hope you have a blessed week...and remember - don't yell at Jesus.

Matthew 25:40

The Message (MSG)

^37-40"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.'

Football cleats, manure piles, and life...

*I just discovered that one of my devotionals will appear in the upcoming book Run For God Devotionals, due out in November. Thank you for your constant encouragement and thank you for reading!!!
*The following is a re-post from 2011.

I walked into the kitchen this morning to be greeted by the unmistakeable stench of my son's football cleats. We had put them into the washroom, but the smell had crept out under the door and now was working to permeate the rest of the house. Ugh! This is an aroma that I think must be a mix between Pepe' Le Peu and a dead rodent. Think of how bad they said "Sweet Feet's" shoes (from the movie Holes) must have smelled. Yeah, that bad.
Honestly, I'm beginning to wonder if they are out there playing on grass at all. It really smells more like they have wading in manure as opposed to walking in green pastures! (Maybe they have been doing a lot of fertilizing lately....but that's a random thought for another time.) Still, even though the smell is awful, it's not about to stop my son from playing the game he loves....and there we find today's random thought.
I've decided that life is full of manure piles, things that just stink up the place. I'm not talking about major difficulties, but those daily difficulties that you find yourself stepping right in and then having to deal with the stench for the rest of the day. The smell follows you, and you may try to rub it off, but the fragrance remains. The question is, what are you gonna do about it?
I know what WON'T happen....there is no way my son will quit playing what he loves because of some stupid smell. He will tie those shoes right back on the next day, even if they do smell like a dead animal has been stored there overnight. He will play each play with the fury and enthusiasm of a professional whose life depends on the next win. And, since he plays with lots of others, he'll probably ignore the smell from his own feet but notice that on the feet of those around him. After all, he's gotten used to HIS shoes.
Thankfully, my son has the good sense to look to me for help. I'm learning how to clean up the stinks of life, at least in the shoe department. We'll take those shoes and wash them, air them out, and do whatever it takes so that he can have "sweet feet" out there on the field. I'm learning too and as life hands me those "manure piles" I take them to my Father who washes my feet so that they can once again carry the good news WITHOUT the stench of life's manure piles.
There are lots of things in life that qualify as major tackles - something that takes you off your feet for a while, but most things really do qualify more as manure piles. We run right through them, sometimes even without realizing it, and keep on playing. Of course we do...we love life and we're not about to let something minor sideline us...but after a while the stench just becomes too much. Some people try changing cleats (churches) hoping that will fix their problems but before long they find that things stink there as well. Some try to "wipe off" the smell onto someone else, like that's going to work! They just manage to make ANOTHER stinky problem, not solve the one they have! Some, sadly, just take off their cleats and leave the game completely deciding that there is no other way to handle the "piles" the devil keeps throwing their way.
I'm still learning to go to my Father QUICKLY....after every practice and game, but thankfully I am learning. There are times when I "step in it" early on in the day and then can't seem to find the time to "clean things off" before having to go on and deal with people. I don't want to carry that with me into each day. I want people to say, "Blessed at the feet of those who bring good news", not "Here comes old stinky feet again." The faster I go to Him, the better off I'll be - and maybe that smell won't seep into every crevice of my life. (Okay, I admit that yesterday I ran through a BIG pile and managed to spred it to a few others instead of first taking it to God....I did say I was LEARNING!!)
I know that in this life I WILL face difficulties...it will happen whether I serve God or not...but those "piles" will not cause me to quit serving the One I love. 
So there you have it....football cleats, manure piles (even if they do look like grass), and the game of life. I plan to get the stink out and get back into the game!

John 16:33 (NIV)

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

John 13 - Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

^{1  1} It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

(I encourage you to read the entire passage of John 13...you may never look at feet the same again!)

I am a football mom...

*The following is a re-post from this time last year. In case you wonder, I'm still a "clueless" football mom...but I yell just the same. When I watch my son play, I feel JOY because I know he loves this game!

It is my favorite time of the year because, simply put, I am a football mom. 

Maybe a more accurate description would be that I am a CLUELESS football mom. Try as I will, I cannot seem to understand the game. The other day my son was chattering away after practice trying to tell me that Willie wasn't working or something and they'd had to redo some plays. After about 5 minutes he looked at me and said, "You haven't got a clue what I'm talking about, do you?"

"Well, once I figured out that Willie wasn't some new kid on the team, I started to sift through the information a bit." Yeah, I'm clueless. (I now know that is the weak-side linebacker...I'm learning.)

Being clueless doesn't keep me from enjoying the game, however. In fact, my son told me he met a friend's mom and she said she knew me. I said, "She does?" 

"Yeah, she asked weren't you that mom that yells at the games. I told her, yeah...that was you." 
I guess I stand out.

I do love watching my son and his friends play. In fact, we went to see my son's team versus one of his best friends' this past Friday night. Later on they were spending time together. During the evening, his buddy asked if I'd enjoyed the game. I paused and answered truthfully, "I'd have enjoyed it more if you two had gotten to play more."

You see, we had won 38-0, but since both boys are only sophomores, they didn't play all that much this weekend. It was fun to jump up and yell, but not nearly as much fun as it would have been if I had been yelling for them. It occurred to me at that moment that I don't love winning nearly as much as I enjoy watching them play the game they love.

That's when it hit me. I wonder if that's not a little how God feels when He watches us doing what we love....what He created us to do. It doesn't matter if we're the best there ever was, or even if we make mistakes. He doesn't really care who wins or loses the game, He simply loves watching the joy on our faces when we are doing what He created us to do. God delights in us.

Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”

It says that God delights over us and sings....or maybe, just maybe, He yells like this mom shouting "GO! GO! GO! That's MY tiny baby boy out there!" It doesn't matter if we "win" or "lose", He just loves watching us doing what He created us to do. God delights in YOU. 

If that doesn't make you want to go out there and "play" your best, I don't know what else will. 

Have a blessed week, my friends....and occasionally take a moment to stop and realize, you are loved by God. He's cheering for you!

 

*Note: While I do not believe we should take our relationship with God too casually, I do think He delights in seeing His children operating in the gifts He gives them. We are created for a purpose, God's purpose, and in that we will find true joy!

looking for a word of comfort and got an uncomfortable word...

*The following is a repost from 2010. (Sometimes I need to remind myself of what God shows me....and this is no exception.) 
I often get a picture of the life or results I want, but I'm not really willing to put the time into making this happen.
 

If you read yesterday's blog you know I went to a race today determined to "leave it all on the field" so to speak. Well, I didn't leave it ALL on the field, but I almost left my breakfast at a couple of the hills. I'd love to brag and say I ran a good race, but the truth is I did not. I was passed by quite a few people, including one who was walking the course! 

As a matter of fact, some of those who passed me I knew for a fact had only been running a few months! I was so mad at myself and I looked to God for some comfort. You know what I mean...I wanted to feel that encouragement that comes when you remember a verse or two that helps lift you up. Instead, I kept remembering the story of Cain and Abel from Genesis 4. In case you don't have your Bible handy, here's the text: Abel was a herdsman and Cain a farmer. 3-5 Time passed. Cain brought an offering to God from the produce of his farm. Abel also brought an offering, but from the firstborn animals of his herd, choice cuts of meat. God liked Abel and his offering, but Cain and his offering didn't get his approval. Cain lost his temper and went into a sulk. 6-7 God spoke to Cain: "Why this tantrum? Why the sulking? If you do well, won't you be accepted? And if you don't do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it's out to get you, you've got to master it."
Okay, I wanted an "It's okay, you did your best..." and what I got was a "Don't go pouting because they worked harder than you!" 

The truth is, I haven't been putting the work into my running like I once did. Those who passed me, some had only just started running, but they were faithfully training. They were prepared for the race. I simply was not. I could try to find excuses, but it really boils down to the fact that I just had not done the work necessary to do well in this race. When they were training, I was complaining...too hot, too tired, too busy.

I find I do this in life as well. People who have been Christians less time than me, or who are younger than me - it's tempting to sulk and cry out that they seem to be walking more in faith than me...that they seem to have an excitement about the things of God that has grown cold inside me. I can almost hear God saying to me, "Why the sulking? If you do well, won't you be accepted?" 

I'm not saying anything about salvation by works by the way. What I'm talking about is realizing that as long as I'm on this earth, I've got to be training. It's easy to let my Bible study slide because of a heavy work load. It's easy to not take the time for prayer and praise because I'm tired. Yes, I can do that and I'll get pretty much the same kind of result I got in today's race - pitiful. Or, I can prepare so that when the races come, I am ready to run.
So now what? Well, I guess I can keep making excuses and finding reasons NOT to train. I can quit running races....neither of these sound like an option I really want. Instead, I think I'll take to heart the second part of that verse: "Why the sulking? If you do well, won't you be accepted? And if you don't do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it's out to get you, you've got to master it." 
 
I can keep making excuses and hope to get a "that's okay", or I can do well and find the victory I'm looking for. I may have been looking for a word of comfort, but I got an uncomfortable word....and that may make the difference in the future.

I love a sappy movie....

*The following is a repost from 2010...and for some reason it fits today just like it did 4 years ago. God doesn't call us to do more than we can, just more than we think we can.

I admit it. I'm a sucker for a happy ending, for a feel good story that makes me tear up and believe in something more. I want to be inspired. I think most of us do.

Tonight I sat down and looked for something to watch on tv before going to bed and Facing the Giants was on. I just happened to turn it on at the part where Brock is carrying the kid on his back to what he thinks is the 50 yard line. Those who've seen the movie know he doesn't just make it to the 50....he makes it all the way to the end zone. He'd not only done what he thought he could do....he'd done more than he ever thought he could.

I remember the first time I saw this movie...it was the night before a race and the next day as I ran, I thought about that scene over and over again. I was determined to leave nothing on the field but to give it all I had. I ran one of my fastest times that day....faster than I'd ever imagined I would run and it felt good!

Funny thing is, I have a race tomorrow, too. I know that physically it is in me to run, but my mind doesn't always believe. It quits long before my legs give out....and I wonder how many of life's other races I've quit in because I don't think I have it in me.

It occurs to me that God never calls us to do more than we can...simply more than we think we can. When we are weak, then He is strong. We are surrounded by such a great crowd of witnesses yelling for us and cheering and telling us we can go on...we just have to keep going on.

Yes, it's a sappy movie, but I like sappy movies. I like to be inspired. I like to be reminded that greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world. I like to be encouraged to give it everything I've got and leave nothing on the field.

Don't know if I'll run fast in tomorrow's race, but I will give it all I've got. God hasn't called me to do anything more than I can....simply more than I think I can. And if it takes a sappy movie to remind me of that, that's not such a bad thing.

He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our own accomplishments, but according to his own purpose and the grace that was given to us in the Messiah Jesus before time began. 2 Tim. 1:9

Run to God.....

Note: The following is a repost from September 4, 2011.

Today was a different sort of Sunday. Tornado warning sirens kept me from jumping in the shower and then a fresh wave of rain dumped on me when I finally did manage to get ready and brave the elements to get to church. Once there, we had a shortened service due to the incoming storm. Simply worship and communion - but that was enough for God to speak something to my heart.

As we worshipped, I got this mental image of Jesus standing there and me running to Him - knowing I had done wrong but wanting nothing more than to bury my face in His robes and feel him wrap His arms around me in a loving embrace. I was overwhelmed with the desire to confess to Him all that I had done wrong, knowing it was against Him that I had sinned...and yet He still forgives. My desire to be close to Him was so much greater than my guilt and fear - I wanted nothing to stand in my way of being with Him.

I got to thinking about how much I want to discipline and correct my children the same way Christ disciplines me. It is natural to want to run and hide from authority when we know we have done wrong. You only have to look at Adam and Eve to find an example of this, yet running away and hiding is exactly what we do NOT need to do. When we run TO Christ, we find forgiveness and a new start....AGAIN! I emphasize "again" because I find I have to do this over and over. ( I wonder what would have happened if instead of playing the blame game, Adam and Eve would have run to their Father God for forgiveness?)

I want to not only remember to run to Christ, I want to learn to walk in forgiveness LIKE Christ. Even if the person who has wronged me doesn't ask or receive the forgiveness, it is there...waiting for them. Change me, Lord, to be more like You.

I also want to instill in my children this picture of forgiveness. I want to help them realize that when they run to me, they can FEEL the release. I want them to crave that more than they fear the consequences of their actions. Knowing that I am just the parent God has placed here on earth, I want them to run not just to me, but to Christ. There they will find complete forgiveness and freedom.

For my children and myself, I want to remember that when I run to Him, He can calm the storm that rages inside of me. I do not need to cower or be afraid - He is waiting with open arms to welcome me and heal the damage I have done.

Not bad for a short service.

Genesis 3:8 - 13 (Message translation)
"When they heard the sound of God strolling in the garden in the evening breeze, the Man and his Wife hid in the trees of the garden, hid from God.
⁹ God called to the Man: "Where are you?"
¹⁰ He said, "I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. And I hid."
¹¹ God said, "Who told you you were naked? Did you eat from that tree I told you not to eat from?"
¹² The Man said, "The Woman you gave me as a companion, she gave me fruit from the tree, and, yes, I ate it."
God said to the Woman, "What is this that you've done?"
¹³ "The serpent seduced me," she said, "and I ate."

Psalm 37:39-40
³⁹ The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
⁴⁰ The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.