Slow Down and Look Around

  I was listening to a morning devotion on iDisciple as I got ready for work this morning.  The broadcast was only 10 minutes long and called A Wife’s Top Priority, by Gary and Barb Rosberg.  They were talking about a letter or call they had received from a woman who gave her husband a list and asked him to rank in order of importance the things on the list that she could do.  The list included things like, make sure there are snacks around, lunches made with fresh homemade bread, and a spotless home.  She wanted to know what would make him happy.  His reply of what he wanted included things like: always know that he loves her, be kind and happy when dealing with the kids and himself, and that he doesn’t mind a when things are left undone so she can be rested and happy.  The list was more precise and very sweet.  Apparently, she had herself so busy doing things for her family, that she forgot to be there FOR her family.  She was worn out and tired and snappy with the very people she was trying to show love too.

And it hit me.

I have my self so busy with all the ‘need to dos’ that I am not taking the time to relax and enjoy the life and blessings God has given me.  Jesus is the bridegroom of the church.  Yes, we need to serve Him, and honor God in our works.  But one of his works is creating this beautiful world, blessing me with these beautiful children.  Ever since I began writing the Our Legacy series, I get up early and I write.  I am always thinking about getting in the writing time and what needs done for the book.  I want to serve God.  I am thinking about what needs done for my job, this blog, the house, my family, our finances.  But what I have left out is myself, and focused time with my family.  My life is so full of the ‘have tos’, that there is little time for the ‘want tos’.  Have you ever considered that part of serving God is to be still, listen to him, enjoy the life he has blessed you with, enjoy the world He has created, and enjoy the blessings he has given you?  How would you feel if you gave your child this amazing gift, and he was so busy doing chores for you or homework that he never got to play with it?  He really, really wanted to enjoy the gift, but he just didn’t have time.  It would break your heart.  You would appreciate the child’s responsibility and dedication, but what we really want is for our kids to be happy and enjoy their lives and their gifts!  What do you think God wants?  Yes he appreciates my dedication in spreading His word, but I am saddening him by not enjoying the wonderful gifts He has given me!

The broadcast was about a husband wanting his wife to slow down, have sometime for her own sanity, and know that he loves her unconditionally.  While listening to it, God made me realize that he wants us to slow down, take some time for our own sanity, listen to Him, and know that He loves us unconditionally.

Matthew 11: 28-30

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Ecclesiaties 8:15

So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.

 

Proverbs 17:22

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Ecclesiastes 2:24

There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God,

Ignore the 'wind and the waves'

The bible says to pray for our enemies.

Who is your enemy?

Anyone or anything that causes your gaze to switch to the wind and the waves rather than staying steady on Jesus is your enemy.

Anyone or anything that causes you to veer out of what is pleasing and right to the Lord is your enemy.

What happens when you allow your gaze to stray away from Jesus and focus on the wind and the waves?   

You sink.

The waves surround you,

 they block out the light,

 and the love 

of Jesus.

                The wind blasts into you, knocking you down again and again,

 you don’t see the rock steady hand of Jesus reaching for you.

You begin to sink into the dark abyss.

                Pray for all the things that threaten to shift your gaze or change your focus.

 Cry out to the Lord for your enemies

and He will hear your cry.

                                                                                                                                                              

He will turn to you.

 His light will shine on you.

 His love will surround you.

  His hand will reach for you.

He will pull you from the muck and the mire.

  He will set your feet on solid ground.

He will steady you as you regain your footing.

He will hold you.

He will love you.

He will adore you.

Jesus is always there to hold, love, and adore you.

                You just have to notice Him waiting patiently at your side.

Not later, Now!

Good morning!

Do you have a dream, an aspiration, a wish?  I am going to teach a lesson to one of my classes that involves bringing long term goals down to short term goals – one step at a time.  (It is a study skills class, hopefully motivation to want to learn to study well.)  It got me thinking.  What are your goals, or dreams, or aspirations?  What do you find brought back into your mind again and again?  You are thinking it right now, I know you are.  That’s the way it works, those dreams and aspirations, those… callings….  Yes, callings.  Have you ever heard the song with the lines in it that say “…listen God is calling…”?  Do your dreams and goals line up with scripture?  Then listen, God is calling.   Sometimes, many times, it seems too, big.  You find yourself saying ‘Really God?  Me?  I can’t do that.’  Well, no, you can’t, BUT GOD CAN!  Scripture states, “Nothing is impossible with God!”!  Here is my lesson.  Break it down.  Draw a set of stairs, write your calling on the top (you may need to change the numbers of stairs in your staircase periodically).  Now what goes on the bottom step?  The bottom step is ‘pray’, talk to God about it!  What about the second step?  You may be surprised, on that second step write, ‘tell someone’.  Tell someone your calling, acknowledge it!  Do you know how long I felt the nagging, yes it felt like nagging, to write?  About 15 to 20 years!  I didn’t acknowledge it, I felt embarrassed, because I thought I would fail, I thought I wasn’t good enough!  Listen to me now!  God decides who is good enough, not you!  If He is calling you to do something, he will MAKE you good enough!  Now, tell someone – leave it in the comments if you want – then tell someone else.  Fill in the first few steps to your goal, think of the now, the today, the this week.  Ask yourself what the steps are, if you don’t know, then your third step is to find out.  I chose this blog as my third step to being a writer, hey and do you know what?  Today, today, is the release date for my first book!  I have not reached the top of my staircase yet, but I am on my way, and God is here, helping me to that next step whenever I get tired.

So, get up, and get going!  What are you waiting for?  Start now!