In Luke 14 Jesus said don't even begin to be my disciple until you are willing to give up everything. If you are not willing to give up everything, you run the risk of only building a foundation that you will never build a building on and everyone will laugh at you. "They will say, 'There is the person who started that building and couldn't finish it.'" Luke 14:30
"But don't begin until you count the cost." Luke 14: 28
If a king determines he can not defeat the enemy with his count, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. Are you sending a delegation or giving up everything? The enemy is near.
Do you have other things to attend to? Did you start out as salt but lost your flavor? Do you love your father and mother, your spouse and children, and yes, even your own life more by comparison?
"Come, the banquet is ready."
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Together as a People
We have often debated over the need to assemble with believers. I mean afterall God is everywhere and if you are a believer then you can worship God anywhere so why worry about whether you go to church on Sunday morning or fellowship with other believers during the week. Often we defend church attendance by Paul's word in the new testament to come together to encourage each other and of course to follow the commandment to observe the Sabbath and make it Holy. Holy means to set something apart and Sabbath means to cease from work or labor.
Today in my readinmg of the word in Deuteronomy 33 a few passages stood out that seem to add weight to the blessing and priviledge to assemble with other believers. I'll just share them here as they are written and you can ponder them.
"The Lord became king in Israel-- when the leaders of the people assembled, when the tribes of Israel gathered as one." Deut 33:5
"Bring them together as a people. Give them strength to defend their cause; help them against their enemies." Deut 33:7
"Indeed he loves his people; all his holy ones are in his hands. They follow in his steps and accept his teachings." Deut 33: 3
Today in my readinmg of the word in Deuteronomy 33 a few passages stood out that seem to add weight to the blessing and priviledge to assemble with other believers. I'll just share them here as they are written and you can ponder them.
"The Lord became king in Israel-- when the leaders of the people assembled, when the tribes of Israel gathered as one." Deut 33:5
"Bring them together as a people. Give them strength to defend their cause; help them against their enemies." Deut 33:7
"Indeed he loves his people; all his holy ones are in his hands. They follow in his steps and accept his teachings." Deut 33: 3
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
What Prayer is Worth . . .
In accordance with the Holy Scriptures, the prayers of the righteous;
- are answered.
- give courage.
- give mercy.
- invoke God's presence.
- get God's attention.
- are pleas which produce the knowledge of afflictions in our own hearts.
- cause heaven to hear our hearts.
- cause heaven to uphold our causes.
- are heard by God, who hears them and responds.
- open God's eyes and attentiveness.
- reach heaven.
- move God.
- are answered petitions.
- are accepted by God.
- listened to by the Lord.
- give back the love which the God of Life gives to us by day and turns into songs in us at night.
- cause God to hear our voices.
- cause God to turn an ear to our cries.
- come before God.
- are set before God like incense.
- go against evil.
- please God.
- add years to our life.
- in faith, cause receipt of whatever we ask for.
- are the only way to cause some demons to come out.
- for the poor and destitute are considered by the heavens to be memorial offerings to God.
- cause favor to be granted.
- are not for Show.
- open the way to help others.
- perfect the saints.
- cause God to remember us.
- abound in love and increase our knowledge and insight.
- relieve anxiety.
- are consecrated.
- make sick people well.
- are powerful and effective.
- cause the Lord's ears to be attentive and His eyes to be open.
- are saved in Golden Bowls on heavenly altars.
- Are hand delivered to God by angels.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Better is ONE Day!
A coyote crossed my path this morning. Not sure what that means but things went down hill from there. Sure is Monday!
A smiley face appeared on my system computer this morning in the who is in control box. I know what that means; I don't have control of the system and neither does anyone on the link.
A call from the elementary school came in while I was working to solve the smiley face problem, "Your son is balled up on the floor and won't respond to anyone because he can not be allowed to take a metal bat to the cookout." I can't believe I sent my son to school with a weapon, either.
A message appeared while I tried to email the system log files to the technical support engineer, "You're locked out."
Another message appeared when I tried another computer, "Error... access denied." I concluded it would probably be best not to touch anything that has its own brain (CPU) today.
A phone call came in but every phone I picked up went dead. Whose idea was it to give phones a brain anyway?
After this I finally admitted to myself, "You're really not having a very good day."
A call came in from my boss who said things have gotten worse but I just said, if you need me it would probably be best to call me tomorrow.
Yesterday was so drastically different:
My teenager went kicking and screaming to church telling me it wasn't right to force him to go to church. He was priviledged to sit through the preacher's sermon on the importance of observing the Sabbath. God's perfect timing!
My youngest son got an excellent report from his Sunday school teacher, he was in love in Jesus. He said, "I sang to God and you know what, you were right, it made me feel so good."
My afternoon was awesome, productive, and God was so near.
My son got some one on one time with his baseball coach in the batting cages and afterwards told him know how much he appreciated a great coach. A great parenting day afterall.
Today, fighting the smiley face demon, I understand these worship lyrics more intimately, "Better is One Day in your House, Better is One Day in your Courts, Better is One Day in your house than a thousand elsewhere."
Better is ONE DAY!
A smiley face appeared on my system computer this morning in the who is in control box. I know what that means; I don't have control of the system and neither does anyone on the link.
A call from the elementary school came in while I was working to solve the smiley face problem, "Your son is balled up on the floor and won't respond to anyone because he can not be allowed to take a metal bat to the cookout." I can't believe I sent my son to school with a weapon, either.
A message appeared while I tried to email the system log files to the technical support engineer, "You're locked out."
Another message appeared when I tried another computer, "Error... access denied." I concluded it would probably be best not to touch anything that has its own brain (CPU) today.
A phone call came in but every phone I picked up went dead. Whose idea was it to give phones a brain anyway?
After this I finally admitted to myself, "You're really not having a very good day."
A call came in from my boss who said things have gotten worse but I just said, if you need me it would probably be best to call me tomorrow.
Yesterday was so drastically different:
My teenager went kicking and screaming to church telling me it wasn't right to force him to go to church. He was priviledged to sit through the preacher's sermon on the importance of observing the Sabbath. God's perfect timing!
My youngest son got an excellent report from his Sunday school teacher, he was in love in Jesus. He said, "I sang to God and you know what, you were right, it made me feel so good."
My afternoon was awesome, productive, and God was so near.
My son got some one on one time with his baseball coach in the batting cages and afterwards told him know how much he appreciated a great coach. A great parenting day afterall.
Today, fighting the smiley face demon, I understand these worship lyrics more intimately, "Better is One Day in your House, Better is One Day in your Courts, Better is One Day in your house than a thousand elsewhere."
Better is ONE DAY!
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Arrival
We tend to live our lives as if we expect to arrive somewhere. You might think you will have arrived when you have more money, get a better job, find love, or build that dream home. Most of us discover that when we do make more money we just want even more. A better job can add stress or increase our desire for a better job. A new love is soon discovered to have human faults just like all the others and that dream home, well, it comes with its share of pitfalls to. Soon after we have reached what we set out to achieve we discover we haven't arrived at all and must set out for a new destination. If we can't achieve what we thought we would, we become depressed or give up on achieving anything at all.
Where is the final arrival? What is it then that we are truly searching for? If not in this world then what are we doing here?
To truly be satisfied in our daily lives we must discover that life is a journey not a destination. Arrival doesn't happen until the end when we meet our Creator face to face for the first time. But that doesn't mean we should disregard the thrill of the journey. I have noticed that this is precisely what many young people try to do. They want the destination instead of the journey-- more money, a better job, and true love, NOW. Right out of high school, at 18, they can't understand why they can't just get a career. Why shouldn't they be hired for the good paying jobs? Somehow they want to skip the gaining of experience and blink onto the destination.
As I look back on my life, those moments of striving toward a new arrival place were the most thrilling and enjoyable times in my life. Although I remember feeling frustrated, often inadequate, and even hopeless. But these times gave me the experience to really appreciate the achievements, to be prepared for pitfalls that came with them, and to share the journey with others.
I believe that is what the journey in this life is all about--- it is the time between arrivals that will help us appreciate the new life we will have with the creator. Joy in life is understanding and finding peace with the perpetual cycle of the journey knowing the true arrival is yet to come.
Where is the final arrival? What is it then that we are truly searching for? If not in this world then what are we doing here?
To truly be satisfied in our daily lives we must discover that life is a journey not a destination. Arrival doesn't happen until the end when we meet our Creator face to face for the first time. But that doesn't mean we should disregard the thrill of the journey. I have noticed that this is precisely what many young people try to do. They want the destination instead of the journey-- more money, a better job, and true love, NOW. Right out of high school, at 18, they can't understand why they can't just get a career. Why shouldn't they be hired for the good paying jobs? Somehow they want to skip the gaining of experience and blink onto the destination.
As I look back on my life, those moments of striving toward a new arrival place were the most thrilling and enjoyable times in my life. Although I remember feeling frustrated, often inadequate, and even hopeless. But these times gave me the experience to really appreciate the achievements, to be prepared for pitfalls that came with them, and to share the journey with others.
I believe that is what the journey in this life is all about--- it is the time between arrivals that will help us appreciate the new life we will have with the creator. Joy in life is understanding and finding peace with the perpetual cycle of the journey knowing the true arrival is yet to come.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
My Answer
Do I know anything you don't know? Do I feel anything you don't feel? Are any of my thoughts unknown to you?
Do I see anything you do not see? Do I hear anything you do not hear? Are any of my days unknown to you?
Do you feel my heartbreak? Do you know my joy? Are any of my tears not counted by you?
Is there a prayer I've prayed you haven't heard? Have you missed even a word that crossed my lips? Is there a moment of my life you have not witnessed?
You've come to me with open arms and yet I can not touch you. I always know that you are there although I can not see you. And yet, I feel an emptiness that can not be filled, an unquenchable thirst.
What is this longing that this world can not fulfill? This great divide that comes between me and heaven and all that is under heaven. You are my every breath and my life is in your hands.
Do I see anything you do not see? Do I hear anything you do not hear? Are any of my days unknown to you?
Do you feel my heartbreak? Do you know my joy? Are any of my tears not counted by you?
Is there a prayer I've prayed you haven't heard? Have you missed even a word that crossed my lips? Is there a moment of my life you have not witnessed?
You've come to me with open arms and yet I can not touch you. I always know that you are there although I can not see you. And yet, I feel an emptiness that can not be filled, an unquenchable thirst.
What is this longing that this world can not fulfill? This great divide that comes between me and heaven and all that is under heaven. You are my every breath and my life is in your hands.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
The Donut
Isn't it exciting that God wants to be in the little stuff too? After kind of a rough start getting out of the shoot this morning, my 8 yo son and I were at the quick store picking out breakfast items. He was hoping to get a creme filled long john and asked the clerk which ones were filled. She said the ones that have a frosting dot on them were filled. But none of the long john's had dots. She came by and peeked and said, "I'm sorry we are out of the creme filled."
My son examined the donut bin and then announced that he was just going to take a chance and pick one and hope that it had creme in it. I put my arm on his shoulder and whispered, "God please let this be a creme filled day!" My son smiled, "Amen." As we walked out of the store, he said he wasn't going to worry about whether the donut had creme or not he was just going to enjoy it however it came.
A few minutes after we pulled out he shouted, "God does care about my donut!" And he held up the donut to show me the yellow creme dripping out of his donut.
"Thankyou God" I replied, "Thankyou for being here in the little things."
It means so much to know that God cares about the little things in our lives, the things that seem insignificant to bystanders but like creme in a donut can make our days a little brighter.
My son replied, "Well at least God can get creme into a donut even if they can't."
"With God all things are possible."
My son examined the donut bin and then announced that he was just going to take a chance and pick one and hope that it had creme in it. I put my arm on his shoulder and whispered, "God please let this be a creme filled day!" My son smiled, "Amen." As we walked out of the store, he said he wasn't going to worry about whether the donut had creme or not he was just going to enjoy it however it came.
A few minutes after we pulled out he shouted, "God does care about my donut!" And he held up the donut to show me the yellow creme dripping out of his donut.
"Thankyou God" I replied, "Thankyou for being here in the little things."
It means so much to know that God cares about the little things in our lives, the things that seem insignificant to bystanders but like creme in a donut can make our days a little brighter.
My son replied, "Well at least God can get creme into a donut even if they can't."
"With God all things are possible."
Monday, March 27, 2006
Spring Drizzle
It won't rain and it won't shine... it just drizzles. Ever felt that way in your daily living? Sometimes I feel like God is putting a passion or drive in my life and I get motivated to put the plan into motion but it doesn't pan out. He drives me toward it and then holds me back. What is with that? Everything seems to be going well in my life and I can't complain but nothing is going super, it's kind of drizzling with moments of partly sunny.
This weekend I went down to the army base to visit my son before he shipped out. We played the old hurry up and wait game. I had to be there by a certain time so we could wait together to hurry up and get to the next place on time so we could wait together again. We got to places on time to wait for practices and ceremonies to start, we hurried to appointments and waited for office personnel, and then we sat on base waiting hours for the next scheduled event. We hurried up to be at the bus station so we could check in on time to wait an hour for the bus. We had to be at the shuttle station on time to wait 20 minutes for the shuttle. Is life just the wait between hurry ups?
When I sense God calling I get excited about the plan, I hurry up and get started only lately it seems to be told to wait. It bears a striking resemblance to drizzle. Everything is wet but nothing is dramatically drinched like in a thunderstorm. I can feel God's presence in a subtle way but nothing dramatic like a miracle or sign. Held back by the lack of sunshine I sit at the window and wait.
This weekend I went down to the army base to visit my son before he shipped out. We played the old hurry up and wait game. I had to be there by a certain time so we could wait together to hurry up and get to the next place on time so we could wait together again. We got to places on time to wait for practices and ceremonies to start, we hurried to appointments and waited for office personnel, and then we sat on base waiting hours for the next scheduled event. We hurried up to be at the bus station so we could check in on time to wait an hour for the bus. We had to be at the shuttle station on time to wait 20 minutes for the shuttle. Is life just the wait between hurry ups?
When I sense God calling I get excited about the plan, I hurry up and get started only lately it seems to be told to wait. It bears a striking resemblance to drizzle. Everything is wet but nothing is dramatically drinched like in a thunderstorm. I can feel God's presence in a subtle way but nothing dramatic like a miracle or sign. Held back by the lack of sunshine I sit at the window and wait.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Ready Yet?
"Romans 8:19 The created world itself can hardly wait for what's coming next. 20Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in 21until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens."
I read this passage to my 8 year old last night and ask him how God will know when creation and the created are ready. What do we need to do to be ready?
He replied, "My theory is that God is watching us. He isn't worried about our sin because Jesus took care of that so our sin doesn't count. But God is seeing how many times we could have sinned but chose to do good instead. When he counts up enough of those, we are ready."
I read this passage to my 8 year old last night and ask him how God will know when creation and the created are ready. What do we need to do to be ready?
He replied, "My theory is that God is watching us. He isn't worried about our sin because Jesus took care of that so our sin doesn't count. But God is seeing how many times we could have sinned but chose to do good instead. When he counts up enough of those, we are ready."
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Check the Fruit
Ever wonder if something is from God. Check the fruit.
- Love
- Joy
- Peace
- Patience
- Goodness
- Kindness
- Faithfulness
- Gentleness
- Self-control
The Holy Spirit produces fruit in everything that is from God. (Gal 5:22)
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Life After the Fall
We have all experienced a personal encounter with "life after the fall" when we first realized the fairy-tale was over. Are you afraid to think about yours or is yours all too real to you? Is it a divorce, the loss of a loved one, a chronic illness, or a job that you despise going to? Maybe your fairy-tale ended much earlier in life with the divorce of your parents, death of a sibling or parent, or a chronic illness in childhood.
Did you give up on paradise after the fall or search for it in all the wrong places? Are you angry at the angel keeping you out of the garden of eden or battling God to let you back in? Did you build up a wall around your heart and choose to never let it reveal it's desire for paradise again?
I was listening to John Lennon's "Imagine" yesterday and I realized for the first time how wrong he was. He posits if there were no heaven and no hell we would all live as one and everything would be wonderful. I thought if there were no heaven above us and no hell below us then heaven and hell would be trying to co-exist on earth; sound familiar?
I used to get frustrated reading the scripture that instructs us to focus on the eternal and not worry about worldly things. How God? I would ask. I have to live here. I have eat, breath, and experience this world because you put me here. "Imagine." Imagine heaven on earth. The instruction is not to quit living but to imagine heaven on earth. Put our sights on heavenly things and consider eternal consequences of our actions. God didn't want to us limit our vision but to expand it. He wants us to see through the hell on earth and to find the heavenly things.
Did you give up on paradise after the fall or search for it in all the wrong places? Are you angry at the angel keeping you out of the garden of eden or battling God to let you back in? Did you build up a wall around your heart and choose to never let it reveal it's desire for paradise again?
I was listening to John Lennon's "Imagine" yesterday and I realized for the first time how wrong he was. He posits if there were no heaven and no hell we would all live as one and everything would be wonderful. I thought if there were no heaven above us and no hell below us then heaven and hell would be trying to co-exist on earth; sound familiar?
I used to get frustrated reading the scripture that instructs us to focus on the eternal and not worry about worldly things. How God? I would ask. I have to live here. I have eat, breath, and experience this world because you put me here. "Imagine." Imagine heaven on earth. The instruction is not to quit living but to imagine heaven on earth. Put our sights on heavenly things and consider eternal consequences of our actions. God didn't want to us limit our vision but to expand it. He wants us to see through the hell on earth and to find the heavenly things.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Great Expectations
John Eldredge wrote in his book, The Journey of Desire, "Now what if I told you that this is how it will always be, that this life as you now experience it will go on forever just as it is, without improvement of any kind? Your health will stay as it is, your finances will stay as they are, your relationships, your work, all of it will remain the same forever." Are you disappointed?
Most of us would be because God has put a longing in our hearts for more than anything thing life on this earth can offer us. We try to get it right, we even see glimpses of it but they are fleeting and often unnoticed. God has put in our hearts a great desire for more than we can even imagine. And although it will not be filled in this life--- God calls us to him with it. He wants us to keep searching for it and keep asking for it and keep longing for it. Do not be discouraged but let God keep drawing your heart toward it, toward the perfect life He has prepared for you?
In the meantime as we learned in our Sunday's teaching this week, we should expect great things from God. The woman who reached to touch Jesus' robe expected that touch to heal her and she was not disappointed. God is revealing to us the secret life he has placed in our hearts. We should expect it to be filled "On earth as it is in heaven." It is the Great Expectation--- that God can and will fulfill the longing in our hearts for LIFE--- the LIFE Jesus already claimed victory for us. Do not let the search discourage you--- move from one glimpse to the next glimpse, take note of the glimpses with great Joy, and in between anticipate the next glimpse with GREAT EXPECTATION!
Most of us would be because God has put a longing in our hearts for more than anything thing life on this earth can offer us. We try to get it right, we even see glimpses of it but they are fleeting and often unnoticed. God has put in our hearts a great desire for more than we can even imagine. And although it will not be filled in this life--- God calls us to him with it. He wants us to keep searching for it and keep asking for it and keep longing for it. Do not be discouraged but let God keep drawing your heart toward it, toward the perfect life He has prepared for you?
In the meantime as we learned in our Sunday's teaching this week, we should expect great things from God. The woman who reached to touch Jesus' robe expected that touch to heal her and she was not disappointed. God is revealing to us the secret life he has placed in our hearts. We should expect it to be filled "On earth as it is in heaven." It is the Great Expectation--- that God can and will fulfill the longing in our hearts for LIFE--- the LIFE Jesus already claimed victory for us. Do not let the search discourage you--- move from one glimpse to the next glimpse, take note of the glimpses with great Joy, and in between anticipate the next glimpse with GREAT EXPECTATION!
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
A Great Day to Be Alive!
I decided it was time to move past my anger management post. That post has served me well and I have to say we are all better now. There is an air of peace over our home which is such a blessing. It could be the weather... isn't it awesome! 60 degrees right in the middle of Kansas in February. I am talking about the weather, LOL! As you can see I have a touch of topic-block. That is similar to writer's block but in the blogging world it means not finding the inspiration for a well-defined subject.
It could have to do with the fact that I just completed the first and very rough draft of my book. It was over three years in the making. The procrasination was all mine and the grace of the Lord kept pushing me to the finish line. I am well ahead of my May deadline and taking a breather to finish up my taxes. After the taxes are filed I will be putting the final touches on the book and sending it off to publishers for their final rejections! Not really. I am going to pray about the publisher and let the Lord lead me to the one he is preparing for my query letter right now! Amen.
I feel the need to stop and breath in and breath out. Why is that? I suppose it is the sigh of relief and the breath of a new beginning. What will I do without that unfinished book staring at me from all the corners of my life and home? One guess... it probably has to do with manual labor.
Yes.. I suppose I'll be pounding in tee-posts, building fences. Did I mention the electric fence kicked my butt the other day? Wow, that packs a punch. I am certain my heart stopped. It didn't help that I had my other hand resting on the tee post. Right across the chest! My muscles are still requivering but I feel good. "It's a great day to be alive!" Praise God!
It could have to do with the fact that I just completed the first and very rough draft of my book. It was over three years in the making. The procrasination was all mine and the grace of the Lord kept pushing me to the finish line. I am well ahead of my May deadline and taking a breather to finish up my taxes. After the taxes are filed I will be putting the final touches on the book and sending it off to publishers for their final rejections! Not really. I am going to pray about the publisher and let the Lord lead me to the one he is preparing for my query letter right now! Amen.
I feel the need to stop and breath in and breath out. Why is that? I suppose it is the sigh of relief and the breath of a new beginning. What will I do without that unfinished book staring at me from all the corners of my life and home? One guess... it probably has to do with manual labor.
Yes.. I suppose I'll be pounding in tee-posts, building fences. Did I mention the electric fence kicked my butt the other day? Wow, that packs a punch. I am certain my heart stopped. It didn't help that I had my other hand resting on the tee post. Right across the chest! My muscles are still requivering but I feel good. "It's a great day to be alive!" Praise God!
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Anger Management 101
Today I got an interesting lesson in anger management. After throwing a little fit with the kids this morning, God dealt with me directly in my morning bible reading. If you know me really well, you may know that I have a tendency to once in awhile lose my temper, which doesn't mean I can't find it. I find Webster's definition of temper 3a-- just fine. 3a. A tendency to become easily angry or upset. However, it is definition 2 that I tend to lose. 2. Calmness of mind or emotions: COMPOSURE.
Since I have been walking with the Spirit, this is one area I have truly been working on. No more 3b's that make your husband insist you go out and wait in the car while he let's the repair shop walk all over us. 3b. An outburst of rage. It's not like I was making it up, they were going on an Easter egg hunt and we were paying for the eggs!
I have been doing a lot better since I got churched too. Not only was God convicting me of my 3a. temper but he was putting in place ways to help me control my fits of rage. We were just getting to know too many people to have a good knock down drag out argument in the middle of Walmart. But still when you feel you are being wronged, it's hard to keep that emotion down inside where things tend to be bubbling up and want to come out.
My kids are quick to tell me that what I thought I said politely was a little harsh. So last time I was getting upset at the Best Buy Geek Counter where the geek was explaining that my warranty may not cover the repairs because there was a dent on the front right corner of my laptop even though it had nothing to do with the power cord not working on the back left corner, I took a deep breath. I asked God for mercy, and blurted out, "I am trying not to get upset here but you are making me very upset." Then I forced a smile on my face and waited. The geek replied, "I am not trying to make you upset, mam. But I will write down that although there is a dent it is booting up. I just wanted you to know they may label it abuse which is not covered under the warranty. They will call before you incur any charges." With the deep breath I was holding in, I let out a "Thanks," and thought to myself, "It's your money Lord so I am just going to leave it in your hands."
The whole point of Anger Management is changing what we are telling ourselves in the middle of an emotional crisis. My morning's bible reading of Psalm 39 captured it so eloquently in these words of the Psalmist:
"I said to myself, 'I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say.
I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.'
But as I stood there in silence--- not even speaking of good things--
the turmoil within me grew worse.
The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, IGNITING A FIRE OF WORDS."
Ever had that happen to you? You try not get angry but the harder you try the hotter you get and then the pressure builds up until it just pops the top and spews out your mouth.
I think there is a key phrase in this Psalm that could easily go unnoticed, "not even speaking of good things." Trying not to say anything just lets all that pressure build up but if we start thinking of something good to say it can really diffuse the emotions around the situation. Coming up with something good to say can keep your mind productive and off of the thoughts that make you hotter than you already are. I tried that when I said, "I don't want to be upset but your upsetting me." Its the best I came up but it was better than some of the things I was thinking about saying like, "You people are always trying to find ways to get out of paying for repairs under that warranty!" I thought it; didn't say it; Praise God!
Another helpful anger management tool comes right out of Psalm 39 as well.
"Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me my days are numbered--- how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath."
We don't have time to rebuild the relationships that fits of rage destroy. Our time is fleeting and we need to use it wisely, building up the people we love, not tearing them down. Our days are numbered and we need to use them to encourage and build up every person we meet and interact with.
So, if you're like me, you'll need the tools from Psalm 39 to find that 2. temper. 2. Calmness of mind or emotions: COMPOSURE.
Here they are again:
#1 Speak out Good Things to defuse your inner turmoil.
#2 Be reminded how brief your time on earth will be, how fleeting your life is.
#3 Be reminded how your days are numbered and make each day and every interaction count.
Since I have been walking with the Spirit, this is one area I have truly been working on. No more 3b's that make your husband insist you go out and wait in the car while he let's the repair shop walk all over us. 3b. An outburst of rage. It's not like I was making it up, they were going on an Easter egg hunt and we were paying for the eggs!
I have been doing a lot better since I got churched too. Not only was God convicting me of my 3a. temper but he was putting in place ways to help me control my fits of rage. We were just getting to know too many people to have a good knock down drag out argument in the middle of Walmart. But still when you feel you are being wronged, it's hard to keep that emotion down inside where things tend to be bubbling up and want to come out.
My kids are quick to tell me that what I thought I said politely was a little harsh. So last time I was getting upset at the Best Buy Geek Counter where the geek was explaining that my warranty may not cover the repairs because there was a dent on the front right corner of my laptop even though it had nothing to do with the power cord not working on the back left corner, I took a deep breath. I asked God for mercy, and blurted out, "I am trying not to get upset here but you are making me very upset." Then I forced a smile on my face and waited. The geek replied, "I am not trying to make you upset, mam. But I will write down that although there is a dent it is booting up. I just wanted you to know they may label it abuse which is not covered under the warranty. They will call before you incur any charges." With the deep breath I was holding in, I let out a "Thanks," and thought to myself, "It's your money Lord so I am just going to leave it in your hands."
The whole point of Anger Management is changing what we are telling ourselves in the middle of an emotional crisis. My morning's bible reading of Psalm 39 captured it so eloquently in these words of the Psalmist:
"I said to myself, 'I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say.
I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.'
But as I stood there in silence--- not even speaking of good things--
the turmoil within me grew worse.
The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, IGNITING A FIRE OF WORDS."
Ever had that happen to you? You try not get angry but the harder you try the hotter you get and then the pressure builds up until it just pops the top and spews out your mouth.
I think there is a key phrase in this Psalm that could easily go unnoticed, "not even speaking of good things." Trying not to say anything just lets all that pressure build up but if we start thinking of something good to say it can really diffuse the emotions around the situation. Coming up with something good to say can keep your mind productive and off of the thoughts that make you hotter than you already are. I tried that when I said, "I don't want to be upset but your upsetting me." Its the best I came up but it was better than some of the things I was thinking about saying like, "You people are always trying to find ways to get out of paying for repairs under that warranty!" I thought it; didn't say it; Praise God!
Another helpful anger management tool comes right out of Psalm 39 as well.
"Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me my days are numbered--- how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath."
We don't have time to rebuild the relationships that fits of rage destroy. Our time is fleeting and we need to use it wisely, building up the people we love, not tearing them down. Our days are numbered and we need to use them to encourage and build up every person we meet and interact with.
So, if you're like me, you'll need the tools from Psalm 39 to find that 2. temper. 2. Calmness of mind or emotions: COMPOSURE.
Here they are again:
#1 Speak out Good Things to defuse your inner turmoil.
#2 Be reminded how brief your time on earth will be, how fleeting your life is.
#3 Be reminded how your days are numbered and make each day and every interaction count.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Unforgiveness and Silly Putty
Unforgivness is like silly putty. You hide your silly putty in your pocket and it gets into the cloth of your jacket. You forget all about hiding it in your pocket until one day you stick your hand in your pocket and the silly putty gets stuck on your glove. You don't realize it is out of your pocket, no longer where you hid it but now on your glove. You reach out to hug your child and it gets stuck on the back of his coat. He sits down next to you at church and the silly putty gets stuck on the back of the chair. When he gets up and leaves for children's church, there it is. A large neon green blob is sticking on the back of the chair he was sitting in and you wonder... how the heck did that darn silly putty get out of my pocket onto that chair. So you sit in church trying to pick the putty out of the seat so it doesn't rub off on anyone's clothes.
The truth about silly putty is it gets in between the fibers of every peice of clothing it touches. You can remove the bulk of it but it leaves behind a slick surface where the putty is down in between each fiber ruining the fabric and transferring itself to every peice of fabric that touches it there after.
Unforgiveness is like silly putty. You hide an offense against someone in your heart thinking it is out of sight of out of mind. You forget all about hiding it in your heart until one day you open up your heart to someone else entirely and either can't love them or trust them and you don't really understand why. You don't realize it is an old offense that got stuck onto your new relationship. Even the way you love your children can be effected by the old offense and a little rubs off on them and the way they treat others. You don't even know this is happening until one day while you are sitting in church the Holy Spirit brings this person who long ago offended you to your mind. You think, "Why the heck am I thinking about that person?" And slowly the Spirit begins to pick at your heart removing the bits and peices of offenses and unforgiveness from deep down into the fibers of your very soul. Because offenses slime their way in between the hidden fibers of our heart, our soul, and our mind.
The only way to get rid of them is to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your unforgiveness to you and start picking it out. I have also heard coating it with peanut butter before washing helps too!
The truth about silly putty is it gets in between the fibers of every peice of clothing it touches. You can remove the bulk of it but it leaves behind a slick surface where the putty is down in between each fiber ruining the fabric and transferring itself to every peice of fabric that touches it there after.
Unforgiveness is like silly putty. You hide an offense against someone in your heart thinking it is out of sight of out of mind. You forget all about hiding it in your heart until one day you open up your heart to someone else entirely and either can't love them or trust them and you don't really understand why. You don't realize it is an old offense that got stuck onto your new relationship. Even the way you love your children can be effected by the old offense and a little rubs off on them and the way they treat others. You don't even know this is happening until one day while you are sitting in church the Holy Spirit brings this person who long ago offended you to your mind. You think, "Why the heck am I thinking about that person?" And slowly the Spirit begins to pick at your heart removing the bits and peices of offenses and unforgiveness from deep down into the fibers of your very soul. Because offenses slime their way in between the hidden fibers of our heart, our soul, and our mind.
The only way to get rid of them is to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your unforgiveness to you and start picking it out. I have also heard coating it with peanut butter before washing helps too!
Sunday, February 19, 2006
To Delete or Forward, that is the Question!
I knew I wasn't going to buy into forwarding the email because of the threatening comment at the end that said if I didn't send it to ten people in 10 seconds bad things would happen. But it was a really good poem and I truly do have people on my email list I love and want to let them know I love them so possibly I could forward it on for that reason. Yet, I had already sent loving emails to much of my email list just prior to reading this email. So no pressure, I decided not to pass it on.
However, the dilemna I faced was do I reply to the sender and let them know that I don't believe in threatening emails of a superstitious nature. Or better yet, could I figure out who the originator of the email was and let them know that I believe superstition is the work of the deciever and God doesn't need schemes or threats to get his emails passed on. Was this a moment to instruct the sender in proper Christian behavior which was above superstition and good luck charms but rather a Christian should be walking victoriously in Christ without fearing threats of bad luck and doom on you chants?
HMMMM.....better 'DELETE.'
Now why would I delete such an opportunity to disciple a fellow Christian or evangelize an unbelieve? Although I felt I passed the first test immediately, walking in faith and not letting the fear of bad luck pressure me into forwarding the email, the decision to delete was simple. A house divided can not stand. The deciever wanted me to make a big deal out of the email and divide me and my family member on the good luck issue. Whether there was or was not good luck and therefore persuade me to engage in an argument and sever the relationship we were building. But this time, God had the victory... delete that scheme right off the page.
If I want to evangelize, I can just send out my own beautiful, loving email to the sender without any threats attached.
However, the dilemna I faced was do I reply to the sender and let them know that I don't believe in threatening emails of a superstitious nature. Or better yet, could I figure out who the originator of the email was and let them know that I believe superstition is the work of the deciever and God doesn't need schemes or threats to get his emails passed on. Was this a moment to instruct the sender in proper Christian behavior which was above superstition and good luck charms but rather a Christian should be walking victoriously in Christ without fearing threats of bad luck and doom on you chants?
HMMMM.....better 'DELETE.'
Now why would I delete such an opportunity to disciple a fellow Christian or evangelize an unbelieve? Although I felt I passed the first test immediately, walking in faith and not letting the fear of bad luck pressure me into forwarding the email, the decision to delete was simple. A house divided can not stand. The deciever wanted me to make a big deal out of the email and divide me and my family member on the good luck issue. Whether there was or was not good luck and therefore persuade me to engage in an argument and sever the relationship we were building. But this time, God had the victory... delete that scheme right off the page.
If I want to evangelize, I can just send out my own beautiful, loving email to the sender without any threats attached.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Grace and Truth
We all need grace and truth and boy, did we need it this morning. Well, I really need the grace part. We had an awesome teaching about grace and truth yesterday. At least that is the part that really caught my attention. I was unable to focus a lot while he was teaching about peace because I had a headache and was very irritable all morning.
Seems to be a theme this week, I was irritable this morning too and luckily remembered the message about grace and truth. You can not just get God's peace right in the middle of a heated argument with your son. Yes, I remembered that part of the teaching. You must build peace. The seed is planted and by God's grace it grows until you have peace before you even enter the situation which caused the heated argument.
The truth is we need to look at this situation that caused the heated argument, which actually wasn't an argument but was more about me complaining so much that the cashier at the gas station smiled and said, "Have a great day, mom!" To which I replied, "Thank you so much for listening. I feel a lot a better now." And we all, including my son, laughed on the way out. That was God's grace for sure.
So how do we build a foundation of peace for the next situation that arises out of the sheer frustration I have been having with this boy. I realized that is the problem. He is still a boy but the trickery comes into play because he looks like a man so it throws you for a loop when he acts like a boy. However, I know my job as a parent is to expect him to act like a responsible man and yet, offer grace when he blows it by recognizing he is learning to perfect that role and not very experienced at it.
I have no idea what my excuse is. This is my third child that has been in this phase and I still can't seem to get it right. Some parents just give up and shrink back from the truth. God gave us the responsibility to train up our children in the way they should go. I will not quit trying to do that, I embrace the truth, though I feel so unqualified for the task. Thank God for his grace.
Seems to be a theme this week, I was irritable this morning too and luckily remembered the message about grace and truth. You can not just get God's peace right in the middle of a heated argument with your son. Yes, I remembered that part of the teaching. You must build peace. The seed is planted and by God's grace it grows until you have peace before you even enter the situation which caused the heated argument.
The truth is we need to look at this situation that caused the heated argument, which actually wasn't an argument but was more about me complaining so much that the cashier at the gas station smiled and said, "Have a great day, mom!" To which I replied, "Thank you so much for listening. I feel a lot a better now." And we all, including my son, laughed on the way out. That was God's grace for sure.
So how do we build a foundation of peace for the next situation that arises out of the sheer frustration I have been having with this boy. I realized that is the problem. He is still a boy but the trickery comes into play because he looks like a man so it throws you for a loop when he acts like a boy. However, I know my job as a parent is to expect him to act like a responsible man and yet, offer grace when he blows it by recognizing he is learning to perfect that role and not very experienced at it.
I have no idea what my excuse is. This is my third child that has been in this phase and I still can't seem to get it right. Some parents just give up and shrink back from the truth. God gave us the responsibility to train up our children in the way they should go. I will not quit trying to do that, I embrace the truth, though I feel so unqualified for the task. Thank God for his grace.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Thanks, Mom
My mom read my blog!! I can't explain how cool that is. Possibly the feeling may be captured by reading my post called, "The Blog!". But my mom read my blog! I think it could be funny, or possibly an entry in the DSM-IV, how at 45 years old parental approval means so much. Of course, she didn't evaluate the blog, good or bad, but my mom read my blog!
I am struggling with my own children's need of my approval. I always thought they knew how great I thought each of them were but for some reason none of them think I think they are good enough. And a few of the braver ones have been letting me know this lately. It is very sad because they are each so dear to me. They are my life as much as they at least say they wish I would get my own life. So now I am in this bind, because if I start telling them how great they are now they just think I am saying it because they said I never do. And when I do tell them they think I am just saying it cause I am their mom. Now if a dad tells their kid they are great, kids believe it, but when moms say it they are just saying it because they are a mom and that is what moms do. That was explained to me by more than one of my children. No wonder my kids are struggling with a need of my approval.
I guess we never outlive that need for parental approval. Although I am finding that it is not necessarily approval I seek from my parents but rather just that they notice my life. That they take time to listen to my heart, read my blog (hee, hee), see what is happening, and not fix it but just know if things are good or bad. And to take the time to say something as simple as, "Mike's [my late husband's] birthday is Monday." Well, that means so much. It means they noticed.
Life is good, cause hey, my mom read my blog! Thanks, Mom.
I am struggling with my own children's need of my approval. I always thought they knew how great I thought each of them were but for some reason none of them think I think they are good enough. And a few of the braver ones have been letting me know this lately. It is very sad because they are each so dear to me. They are my life as much as they at least say they wish I would get my own life. So now I am in this bind, because if I start telling them how great they are now they just think I am saying it because they said I never do. And when I do tell them they think I am just saying it cause I am their mom. Now if a dad tells their kid they are great, kids believe it, but when moms say it they are just saying it because they are a mom and that is what moms do. That was explained to me by more than one of my children. No wonder my kids are struggling with a need of my approval.
I guess we never outlive that need for parental approval. Although I am finding that it is not necessarily approval I seek from my parents but rather just that they notice my life. That they take time to listen to my heart, read my blog (hee, hee), see what is happening, and not fix it but just know if things are good or bad. And to take the time to say something as simple as, "Mike's [my late husband's] birthday is Monday." Well, that means so much. It means they noticed.
Life is good, cause hey, my mom read my blog! Thanks, Mom.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Angels
He will send his angels with a mighty blast of the trumpet and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world and from the farthest ends of heaven (Matthew 24:31)
Two men will be working in a field; one will be taken, the other left.
Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. (Matthew 24:40)
Send an angel before me to protect me on my journey and lead me safely to the place your have prepared for me. Amen.
Two men will be working in a field; one will be taken, the other left.
Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. (Matthew 24:40)
Send an angel before me to protect me on my journey and lead me safely to the place your have prepared for me. Amen.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Songs of Joy Anchor Each Day
"Where morning dawns and evening fades, You call forth songs of joy!" Psalm 65:8
God really laid this scripture on my heart one evening as I watched the sunset off my father-in-law's deck. I was in the middle of growing out of the darkness of grief and my days were emotional rollercoaster rides. The sunrise and the sunset became the anchors on my day. My refuge where I knew that no matter how my day was going I could go stand in the Joy of the Lord as the morning dawned and evening faded. I decided then that I didn't want to miss one of them on my life's journey, not one sunrise or one sunset, not one of God's songs of Joy!
God really laid this scripture on my heart one evening as I watched the sunset off my father-in-law's deck. I was in the middle of growing out of the darkness of grief and my days were emotional rollercoaster rides. The sunrise and the sunset became the anchors on my day. My refuge where I knew that no matter how my day was going I could go stand in the Joy of the Lord as the morning dawned and evening faded. I decided then that I didn't want to miss one of them on my life's journey, not one sunrise or one sunset, not one of God's songs of Joy!
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