This inspiration for today's writing, is the mushroom and swiss burger I just devoured for lunch. As I was ordering I thought about the half-hearted resolution that I didn't really ever commit to Jan. 1, 2015. I have aspirations of losing weight but more than that, I would like to get back to the fitness level that I was not so many years ago. No one would look at me now and think, oh, she could definitely be a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. I miss the regular exercise. I miss running up a flight of stairs without having to catch my breath.
I read a blog today about how unhealthy it is to compare ourselves with others. This particular writer focused on the observations of most women and that we all aspire to be better than we are in certain areas. I will admit, I wish I was more organized. As much as I enjoy cooking, I have no desire to make everything from scratch but I wish I did. I wish I was better at managing finances. Today when I paid for said delicious burger, when she asked if I needed a receipt, I said yes, please and shoved it onto the pile of receipts yet to be tracked in my checking account. Some days, I just pray that I didn't overspend my balance, but honestly, since I don't keep track very well, it happens. That's when my husband's level of grace is tested but that's for another day. There was a flip side to this blog, however and she went on to mention some of the things she was good at that other's may envy. I have my strengths. Some days they tend to shine more than others depending on my attitude (see yesterday's post). Her bottom line was, we all have strengths and weaknesses, don't compare. Good lesson, right?
I spoke with an old friend this morning about her grandson. He is eight and already dealing with some major self-image issues. She said, "he's just so sensitive". My first reaction is that sensitivity can be a great gift! To have a tender heart and be sensitive to the way that others are feeling around you can be one of those things others aspire to have! HOWEVER, when that sensitivity transpires into questioning your value, it can make each day feel like walking through almost hardened cement. It is extremely draining. You have no energy to serve, teach, give any part of yourself because you can only focus on getting yourself through the day.
So, as a beautiful, healthy and active eight year old boy or as an over-weight, middle aged, former Tae Kwon Do instructor, how should either of us feel about ourselves? I don't look just like I want to look. Am I supposed to I believe that I am beautiful? Is it enough to find my strengths and just understand that we all have our areas of giftedness? Here is an even more important question: who's opinion matters?
There is a book that my oh so wise mother has been reading to her grandchildren as early on and as often as possible. It is You Are Special by Max Lucado. The lesson is in the book is that the value of each person (or Wimmick) is determined by our creator. What a beautiful lesson. I heard an illustration by Jennie Allen, who's Bible studies I have grown to love and find myself going back to over and over. She talked about the artwork of her small child. She was guessing, was it a giraffe? Was it a horse? She could have guessed a thousand different things, but who gets to decide what was on that priceless piece of notebook paper? The artist of course!
So, what does my maker say about me? I am loved!
Romans 8:35-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So, what does my maker say about me? I am His child!
Galatians 4:6-7
Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
The list of how He feels about you is pretty amazing. He goes on and on like a gushing grandparent that doesn't care that you can't sing or play sports or balance your checkbook. He loves us just the way we are!
Does that mean that I should eat a cheeseburger every day and not exercise? Nope. What it means is that if I decide to take that detrimental route that His love for me will not change in the slightest bit! Has your child ever made a bad decision and all you wanted to do was to keep them from having to deal with the consequences of it....but you know that in the long run, it would be beneficial for them to experience the consequences? It still makes your heart sad that they made the decision in the first place. That's how He feels about my consistent poor eating choices. He knows my life would be easier lived if I treated my body like the gift that it is, but there is nothing, absolutely nothing that I can do that will change his love for me!
I don't know about you, but that makes me want to eat a salad for supper!
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Monday, January 26, 2015
The Umbrella that Plugs My Ears
Did you ever have one of those days? Today was the kind of Monday that defines the groaning "Monday" that society has accepted as the norm. In my line of work, Mondays are typically very busy days that don't leave time to think about whether or not my Monday is dreary. Many of my Monday tasks revolve around collecting information and passing it along to ministry leaders that are waiting to pray and process what's been collected. Today, my bad attitude had me beat before any tasks could begin. I chocked it up to an extra weekend meeting for work and regretfully did not deal with the heart situation that had begun. Somewhere mid morning, God sent me a text from a friend who I try to meet with on a regular basis just for fellowship. Did I want to do lunch on Monday instead of Tuesday this week? Yes! Please! Get me out of this office! We didn't even get to our destination before I started in on everything that was wrong with my day. We visited through lunch and ended in her vehicle outside of my place of work when she asked the inevitable question. "So, what went so wrong that you're having such a bad day?" Hmm... good question..... Well, yesterday the meeting...no, actually the meeting went quite well. This morning....no, today went as well, if not better than other days. Where HAD things gone wrong? I woke up, things were fine, dropped my son off at school in a better than typical mood and on time, which is not a daily occurance. Then, I received a text. After that, things went south. What was the fateful text you might ask? "Praying you can look forward to serving your God today."
I once gave a message at a Vacation Bible School. It was on the Ten Commandments. I told the kids, the ten commandments are not what we need to follow in order to go to heaven. They are basically a mirror used to look at ourselves in light of God's righteousness. We have a dire need for God's grace. It is not an occasional need. It is an every second of every day kind of need. So, what happens when we break a commandment? That is sin. Romans 3:23 says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". I told the kids that sin is like an umbrella that we open up over ourselves, blocking our ability to communicate effectively with God. This umbrella does NOT block the love and grace available from our Heavenly Father. However, it puts our ear plugs in. That same sin, if not dealt with can begin to harden our hearts making the umbrella a thick cement wall. Cement is not impenetrable, just very tough to get through. The hardest part of removing the umbrella or the cement wall is the same. It is to realize that we've put it up.
I do believe that we have an enemy. I believe Satan looks for easy targets. Today, I was that easy target. My thought process when I got the loving and thoughtful text from my mom was that she needn't worry. I could continue the sour attitude that she had seen displayed the day before and have no problem going to work and serving my God today. I thought I could compartmentalize my frustration. However, my self-righteousness proved to be the sin that sprung open the party size umbrella over my heart today.
Thank you Lord for a mom that not only cares enough to pray but believes it makes a difference. Thank you for amazing friends that will listen without judgement and then offer to pray not just for me but with me in the heat of the moment. Most of all, thank you for grace. The moment I went to you in prayer was the moment I realized that I had popped up the umbrella and also the moment that you helped me remove it. Thank you for your unending love. I will need it tomorrow too.
I once gave a message at a Vacation Bible School. It was on the Ten Commandments. I told the kids, the ten commandments are not what we need to follow in order to go to heaven. They are basically a mirror used to look at ourselves in light of God's righteousness. We have a dire need for God's grace. It is not an occasional need. It is an every second of every day kind of need. So, what happens when we break a commandment? That is sin. Romans 3:23 says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". I told the kids that sin is like an umbrella that we open up over ourselves, blocking our ability to communicate effectively with God. This umbrella does NOT block the love and grace available from our Heavenly Father. However, it puts our ear plugs in. That same sin, if not dealt with can begin to harden our hearts making the umbrella a thick cement wall. Cement is not impenetrable, just very tough to get through. The hardest part of removing the umbrella or the cement wall is the same. It is to realize that we've put it up.
I do believe that we have an enemy. I believe Satan looks for easy targets. Today, I was that easy target. My thought process when I got the loving and thoughtful text from my mom was that she needn't worry. I could continue the sour attitude that she had seen displayed the day before and have no problem going to work and serving my God today. I thought I could compartmentalize my frustration. However, my self-righteousness proved to be the sin that sprung open the party size umbrella over my heart today.
Thank you Lord for a mom that not only cares enough to pray but believes it makes a difference. Thank you for amazing friends that will listen without judgement and then offer to pray not just for me but with me in the heat of the moment. Most of all, thank you for grace. The moment I went to you in prayer was the moment I realized that I had popped up the umbrella and also the moment that you helped me remove it. Thank you for your unending love. I will need it tomorrow too.
Grace of Joy
Grace of Joy...
Imperfection is perhaps the greatest gift I have been given. A strange thought, perhaps. Perfection would most surely produce pride. Pride would absolutely lead to other varieties of arrogance and self-righteousness. Therefore, I have deduced that it is much healthier to be imperfect. It intensifies my need for grace and illuminates my vulnerability. I make mistakes, sometimes big icky ones. My insatiable desire to be comfortable, successful, and happy supersedes my desire to make other people comfortable, successful and happy. Therefore, I have the ability to hurt people and probably do often without even knowing it. Add to that my tendency to be self-conscious, people pleasing and insecure and I'm a whole lotta trouble. If that was all I knew to be true, I would be terribly unhappy. Here is where the good part begins. Jesus came to earth and chose to die and pay the penalty for all of my poor choices.
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He sent His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."
He may have come a long time ago but His death paid for all my past, present, and future mistakes, including those made because of my insecurities. I have chosen to accept His gift of forgiveness. I have chosen to allow Jesus into my heart. What does that mean? It means I want Jesus to be my motivation for all my actions.
1 Samuel 16:7b
"The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
I want desperately for my motivation to be simply to bring glory to God. The best part? When I continually screw up there is grace. Realizing that grace will take more than a lifetime. Each day I find new grace.
Lamentations 3:22-23 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
None of my mistakes are outside of the grace of God. Today I will accept that I am not perfect and strive to get to know this God that loves me more than I can fathom.
Imperfection is perhaps the greatest gift I have been given. A strange thought, perhaps. Perfection would most surely produce pride. Pride would absolutely lead to other varieties of arrogance and self-righteousness. Therefore, I have deduced that it is much healthier to be imperfect. It intensifies my need for grace and illuminates my vulnerability. I make mistakes, sometimes big icky ones. My insatiable desire to be comfortable, successful, and happy supersedes my desire to make other people comfortable, successful and happy. Therefore, I have the ability to hurt people and probably do often without even knowing it. Add to that my tendency to be self-conscious, people pleasing and insecure and I'm a whole lotta trouble. If that was all I knew to be true, I would be terribly unhappy. Here is where the good part begins. Jesus came to earth and chose to die and pay the penalty for all of my poor choices.
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He sent His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."
He may have come a long time ago but His death paid for all my past, present, and future mistakes, including those made because of my insecurities. I have chosen to accept His gift of forgiveness. I have chosen to allow Jesus into my heart. What does that mean? It means I want Jesus to be my motivation for all my actions.
1 Samuel 16:7b
"The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
I want desperately for my motivation to be simply to bring glory to God. The best part? When I continually screw up there is grace. Realizing that grace will take more than a lifetime. Each day I find new grace.
Lamentations 3:22-23 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
None of my mistakes are outside of the grace of God. Today I will accept that I am not perfect and strive to get to know this God that loves me more than I can fathom.
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