Waiting

Waiting.  Waiting is not something I am good at.  In fact  you could say I hate to wait.  I can be very impatient.  Sometimes I jump into things before really checking them out or seeking God's counsel.   But, waiting is something that God asks us to do at times.  He says in Isaiah 40:31, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not grow weary; and they shall walk and not grow faint."  This verse has popped into my head a lot lately as I have been seeking God for guidance in my job. 

Well, I have left my job, so the waiting is over.  Now there is a new waiting period.  A period or rest and seeking and growing.  I know God has something for me, I'm just waiting to find out what it is. That is the hard part, waiting.  It is weird not having to get up every morning and go to work.  To have nothing to prepare for the kiddos to do.  Instead I wake up and get into God's Word and find direction for my day.  I exercise my faith that He will show me the next step as I am stepping forward in the dark.  

I find it interesting how God has interwoven everything.  Listening, doing, waiting, having faith to go and do what He asks, even if we don't have the whole picture.  Trusting that He won't let us fall off the mountain into the abyss.  There are times during the day the thoughts in my head turn to worry and fretting about the drop in our budget and God will put a song in my mind:

Be not dismayed whate’er betide,

God will take care of you!

Beneath His wings of love abide,

God will take care of you!

God will take care of you,

Through every day o’er all the way;

He will take care of you;

God will take care of you!

Through days of toil when heart doth fail,

God will take care of you!

When dangers fierce your path assail,

God will take care of you!

All you may need He will provide,

God will take care of you!

Trust Him, and you will be satisfied,

God will take care of you!

Lonely and sad, from friends apart,

God will take care of you!

He will give peace to your aching heart,

God will take care of you!

No matter what may be the test,

God will take care of you!

Lean, weary one, upon His breast,

God will take care of you!

(by Civilla Durfee Martin)

I particularly like verse three, 

"All you may need He will provide,

God will take care of you!

Trust Him, and you will be satisfied,

God will take care of you!"

And this involves waiting.  Waiting for the new adventure, wondering what it will be.  Will it be in ministry again?  Children or adults?  Will I be waiting long or is something just around the corner.  It is exciting and scary at the same time.  But, I'm working on my listening skills and my waiting skills and my doing skills. They all work together.  I just need to remember that it is in God's time, not mine.  

Here is a video of a beautiful version of "God Will Take Care of You" performed by the Oakridge Boys.

Father,

Thank you for Your patience with me, for guiding me, and teaching me.  

In Jesus Name

Amen

Hearers and Doers

While I was teaching preschool, we would always say, "Use your listening ears" or "You need to be a good listener".  Well one day, as I was talking to one of the children, it dawned on me that they were listening, they just weren't doing what we were asking them to do.  So, I started saying be a good listener and a doer.  It helped, somewhat, but as teachers we would still see the same thing happening day after day from the same child(ren).  Why won't they learn?  Why do they keep doing the same thing, over and over, even after we have talked to them?

One day at school as I was pondering this while talking to the same child for the upteenth time, a thought popped into my head, why do I constantly mess up and not do what God wants me to do. Hmmm...James tells us in chapter 1 verses 22 to 25, "But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  (23) For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: (24) For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.  (25) But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

How many times have I sat and had my devotions, read God's word, heard what He has to say to me and I say, "Yes LORD, I will do that" and then I get up and go about my day, sometimes without a second thought as to what God has directed me to do.  Or, I repent of something, like mismanagement of my finances, and ask for help and take the Dave Ramsey workshop, but time and time again, I spend money on frivolous things that I don't need or really want.  Makes me feel a bit of a hypocrite when I am not being a doer but expecting the children to.  But God is patient and merciful and continues to give me opportunities to be a doer.

While teaching preschool I probably learned more than what the children did.  God would show me things every day.  Mostly how much like a preschooler we all are.  We are His children after all, and we do not always act like "adult" children, but like little children.  Which would be good if it were in the faith department and we had the faith of a child.  But we tend to be good listeners but poor doers. I know I'm that way.

But I'm learning, and I'm growing, just like my preschoolers.  They eventually learn what they are supposed to, how to treat their friends, sit in group time, and walk down the hall.  They become better doers.  Now, I need to work on me.  I need to do more than spend time reading and studying God's Word and praying.  I need to be a doer.  I need to forgive the person who hurt me and move on, I need to guide my children, who are adults, in a way that respects their adulthood and the right to make their own choices and shows them God's love, but show them His Word as well.  I need to keep walking in faith, like God has been showing me He wants me to do, even if I can only take one step at a time.

Father,
Thank you for your grace and mercy.  Thank you for your forgiveness when I mess up, when I'm not a good doer.  Please help me to learn and grow and do in You.

In Jesus Name
Amen

Journaling

I have always been a journaler.  I like writing my thoughts down, getting them out of my head, getting rid of the ugly in a safe way.  That is probably why I like to blog, I get to share what is on my mind.  I'm an introvert so it is hard to get those thoughts out of my mouth at times.  Although I have found as I get older some of those thoughts come out of my mouth even when I don't want them to.  James 3 tells us a lot about that tongue.

But I digress, this is about journaling, we will discuss the tongue in another post.  As I was saying, I like to journal.  Right now I have three journals going.  They all have a purpose.  I have my Bible study journal, my creative journal, and my whiner journal.

My Bible Study Journal (the green one):  This journal is where I record what I am gleaning from my Bible study.  It is usually not fancy, just a way to record my thoughts on the passage and anything that the LORD has shown me.

 I have discovered journal art and I would like to add that in as well.  If you are not familiar with it, check out this blog.  I used to doodle in my notes but sometimes life gets in my way and I get boring.  I don't like to be boring so I think I'm going to spice it up a bit.  I sometimes journal in my Bible as well.  There are always notes and insights and what God is speaking to me.  I love looking through my old Bibles and finding all my notes and reading them.  I enjoy looking back and seeing how much I've learned and grown.

My Creative Journal (the blue one):  This is where I keep ideas for projects, designs for projects, plans for my projects, pictures.  I like to keep it handy in case inspiration strikes.  If I don't write it down, I will forget about it.

My Whiner Journal (the floral one):  This is my private journal where I get everything off my chest.  I have found if I don't get the ugly out I get depressed, grumpy, and very hard to live with.  I write my feelings here.  When I'm having a hard time I journal to process what is going on.  I also use it as a sort of prayer journal.  I write out my prayers as I pray them.  This seems to help me focus on God.  These are the journals I destroy after they are full.

Do you journal?  What does it look like?  Do you use art?  Share your techniques and ideas with me, I would love to see them.

Father,
I pray you will continue to guide me as go through YOUR word.  Help me to understand what You want for me.  Father, as I go through this life lead me step by step.  I lift up my readers to you.  Bless them and protect them.

In Jesus Name,
Amen

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there.  I pray you have a blessed day and that your children will rise up and call YOU blessed.

Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies,
The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands;
She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
She considers a field and buys it:
From her profits she plants a vineyard.
She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens ehr arms.
She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her;
"Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all."
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:10-31

Father,
Thank you for creating the family.  I thank you for my family.  I ask, Father, that you bless each mom who reads this with the words from YOUR word.

In Jesus Name,
Amen

Strength

I will love thee, O LORD, my STRENGTH

The LORD is my ROCK and my FORTRESS, and my DELIVERER;

My God, my STRENGTH, in whom I will trust;

My BUCKLER, and the horn of my SALVATION, and my high tower.

I will call upon the LORD, who is WORTHY to be PRAISED: so shall I be saved from my enemies.

Psalm 18:1-3

Father,

Thank you for Your strength and protection.  I praise You for Your mighty works, for Your protection, for Your love, for Salvation.

In Jesus Name,

Amen.

Sunshine in My Soul

There is Sunshine in my Soul today,

more glorious and bright

than glows in any earthly sky,

for Jesus is my light.

O, there's Sunshine, blessed Sunshine,

While the Peaceful, Happy moments roll;

When Jesus shows His smiling face

there is Sunshine in my soul.

There is music in my Soul today,

A Carol to my King;

And Jesus, listening, can hear

the Song I cannot sing.

There is Springtime in my Soul today,

for when the LORD is near

the Dove of Peace sings in my heart,

the Flowers of Grace appear.

There is Gladness in my Soul today,

and Hope, and Praise, and Love,

for Blessings which He gives me now,

for Joys laid up above.
Eliza E. Hewitt

Father,

Your mercy and grace are bountiful and I thank you for them.  Thank you for all you have done.  Thank you for showering me with Your love.  

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Faithfulness

Therefore know that the LORD your God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love and keep His commandments; Deuteronomy 7: 9.

I am so blessed.  Blessed by God's faithfulness. I am amazed at His love and care for me. Even though sometimes it seems like He is so far away, He is faithfully waiting for me to go to Him with everything that is going on in my life. He just wants us to make the choice to leave all our cares, wants, and desires with Him. I tend to try to take care of things on my own, which usually doesn't turn out well.  I don't know why I try to do things on my own, you would think I would have learned by now.

But, even though I try to take control God is ever faithful.  Even though I mess up it tells me in 1 John 1:9 that "If we confess our sins HE is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness".  How awesome is that.  Not that we should go out and sin because we are forgiven, that isn't right.  But we aren't perfect and do mess up on occasion and it is comforting to know that if we admit we did something wrong and confess it to God, He will forgive us.  My God is so awesome.

Psalm 36:5 says, "Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds".  To know that God loves me is amazing, but to know that He loves me to the heavens...WOW.  I get all warm and fuzzy inside just thinking about it.  He not only loves me but is faithful to the clouds.  I have had a desire that I have been praying about.  I have been wanting my daughter to come back and live closer, especially now that she has blessed with a grandson.  Well, after it not working out for her and her husband to come here, the doors have opened and they are here.  God has blessed me beyond measure.

I so love having them here, holding my grandson, spending time with my daughter and son-in-law.  I am looking forward to sharing my God with my grandson.  My daughter and I are going to do a Bible study together.  There are people in our church who are looking forward to meeting them and getting to know them, to bless them.  It is exciting to to see all this happening.

Father,
I thank you so much for all that you have blessed me with, for my family and friends.  Father, I pray that you will bless them abundantly and draw them closer to You.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.