What to write, what to write. The best advice I ever received about writing addressed the issue of writer's block. Basically, if you'll allow me to paraphrase, it goes something like this. 'If you're having a difficult time coming up with things to write about, lower your standards and keep on writing.' Very sensible, valuable advice. So without further ado . . . here is today's blog entry. (Standards lowered, but hoping it still comes out all right.)
A fly has been hanging around our kitchen for quite some time. Well, I guess it could be a number of different flies. I HATE flies - hate them. My biggest problem with them? I'm never able to kill them. I have terrible aim when it comes to fly swatters. Maybe I overthink it - make it a bigger deal than it has to be. Wham, missed again. Doggone flies.
So writing that, I just thought of a different sort of fly in my ointment. The worry kind. I worry about this, worry about that. Pretty soon my worries are buzzing around inside my head. And, there are so many of them I don't know which one to tackle first. Consequently, when I aim to get rid of one - wham, missed again.
Is anyone out there as much of a worrier as I am? Seems like I'm constantly up in arms about something. Did I make the kids brush their teeth this morning? Oh no, I forgot. Wham, missed it. Is that guy behind me unhappy with this minivan driving mama? Wham! Yup, he probably is because I'm driving too slow. Wham, my desk is too messy. Wham, I forgot to get the mail today. Wham, I yelled at the kids when I should have been more patient.
See what I'm getting at? Worry, upon worry, upon worry builds up in my head until I'm practically paralyzed. And for what? Did a single worry make anything better? Did the worries buzzing around inside my brain fix anything? No, they didn't. It was like swatting aimlessly at flies - missed one after the other after the other. What's more, if anything, the worry kept me from being productive 'cause all I could concentrate on was how bad everything was.
Jesus addressed the issue of worrying when talking to a crowd of people up on a hill;
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Matthew 6:25 NIV)
I guess I paraphrased what Jesus already taught. No, my worries can not add a single hour to my life. In fact, what they do is they take the joy out of my days. I'm so focused on what can go wrong that I forget about everything that's right.
Uh oh, here comes another one of those pesky worries . . . Are the kids really still sleeping? Maybe something's wrong. I should go check on them. On second thought . . . nope not gonna go there, not gonna worry. Wham! Got it. See ya, you pesky thing!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
It's been ten days or so since I've written an entry. A lot has happened since then. Last week I spent some time visiting my mom up in my hometown. I was planning on coming back Wednesday morning. Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned.
Monday night, Mom and I went to a movie. When the movie was over and the credits were rolling, we got up to leave the theater. Unfortunately, mom lost her sense of balance in the dark, and, before I knew it, she had fallen to the floor. The fall was pretty hard, and I was almost certain she had broken a bone, maybe even her hip. The next morning I took her to the ER. After a couple of x-rays it was determined that she had not broken a single bone. What a relief.
I relate this story as I'm thinking about something that I struggle with in my life - surviving the bad days. When I was in my late teens/early twenties I used to dread having a good day. I know that sounds strange. But if I was having a good day, there was a part of me that figured the next day would certainly be bad. I spent half my day worrying about what bad thing was lurking just around the corner. Prediagnosis there were, of course, many bad days. And if I would have known what bad thing was coming, I would have pulled the covers over my head to avoid whatever catastrophe was imminent.
I have noticed that as I've gotten older, this fear of the future has become less crippling. In fact, I rarely dread the unknown. Of course, it doesn't hurt that many of my days are more good than bad. A verse that has meant a lot to me when it comes to facing an uncertain future is written in the front cover of my bible. Proverbs 31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs with no fear of the future.(NLT)
Did you catch that? In case you didn't I'll write it again, "she laughs with no fear of the future." That's the kind of gal I want to be, one who can laugh at the unknown - even the scary unknown. I don't know the future, but I do know the One who holds my future in his hands. So I guess ultimately I need to trust him.
I'll sign off with a second quote I have written on the same cover, "Lead kindly light . . . Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step enough for me."
I know that, at any moment a bad thing could arrive, but it's not so scary when I think about facing it. I know that I'm not alone and that everything, even the worst of days, are worked together for my good. (Romans 8:28)
Monday night, Mom and I went to a movie. When the movie was over and the credits were rolling, we got up to leave the theater. Unfortunately, mom lost her sense of balance in the dark, and, before I knew it, she had fallen to the floor. The fall was pretty hard, and I was almost certain she had broken a bone, maybe even her hip. The next morning I took her to the ER. After a couple of x-rays it was determined that she had not broken a single bone. What a relief.
I relate this story as I'm thinking about something that I struggle with in my life - surviving the bad days. When I was in my late teens/early twenties I used to dread having a good day. I know that sounds strange. But if I was having a good day, there was a part of me that figured the next day would certainly be bad. I spent half my day worrying about what bad thing was lurking just around the corner. Prediagnosis there were, of course, many bad days. And if I would have known what bad thing was coming, I would have pulled the covers over my head to avoid whatever catastrophe was imminent.
I have noticed that as I've gotten older, this fear of the future has become less crippling. In fact, I rarely dread the unknown. Of course, it doesn't hurt that many of my days are more good than bad. A verse that has meant a lot to me when it comes to facing an uncertain future is written in the front cover of my bible. Proverbs 31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs with no fear of the future.(NLT)
Did you catch that? In case you didn't I'll write it again, "she laughs with no fear of the future." That's the kind of gal I want to be, one who can laugh at the unknown - even the scary unknown. I don't know the future, but I do know the One who holds my future in his hands. So I guess ultimately I need to trust him.
I'll sign off with a second quote I have written on the same cover, "Lead kindly light . . . Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step enough for me."
I know that, at any moment a bad thing could arrive, but it's not so scary when I think about facing it. I know that I'm not alone and that everything, even the worst of days, are worked together for my good. (Romans 8:28)
Friday, July 8, 2011
Found out some disheartening news today. Mom, who has done well with a kidney transplanted 12 or more years ago, has learned that the kidney is failing. My heart is breaking for her. And I guess this is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak. All the things that I've written about - they're easy to write, but now I need to put into action what I've often told others to do.
Mom's been a champion of faith as I've written about before. But now I see her struggling with this news -afraid, unsure. I know that she's questioning, 'Why me? Haven't I been through enough? What have I done to deserve this?' It's extremely difficult to watch and wait and wonder about what's going to happen next.
My heart is breaking - don't even know what to write. So, I'll share something I've written before and hope that I can put into practice what I preach.
Finishing the Race
Your heart is pounding.
Sweat is pouring down your face.
Your legs feel like stones and
You still have the last stretch to go.
The roar of the crowd is like
Distant thunder to you.
All you can focus on,
Think about,
Is how badly you want to stop.
The pain is immense.
But stopping now would mean
You didn't finish the race.
What victory would there be in that?
A race is worth nothing
If you don't cross the finish line.
Then all of that pain that you've endured
Would be wasted.
So, you know you must press on to finish.
Crossing the line becomes
Your utimate goal.
With all you have left in you,
You strive to make that goal a reality.
Our Lord calls us to that kind of race today.
'Finish the race,' he urges us on.
Young, old, rich, poor,
Fast, slow, beginner, or veteran.
We all have races to run,
Everyday,
Every single moment of our lives.
We are called to press on
To finish the race we have begun.
But there are moments
When the pain becomes unbearable
And we wonder, how we can go on?
Our legs feel like stones.
Sweat is pouring down our faces,
Dripping into our eyes,
And we still have the last stretch to go.
We can't hear the roar of the crowd,
Because pain dulls our senses.
But if we will strain with our eyes
To look to the Finish Line
We will see the Master there, calling to us
Urging us on.
And if we strain to listen,
We will hear his voice
Shouting encouragement,
'Press on. Press on.'
And if we only will,
We will find ourselves at last in his arms.
Being gathered together, held up, and spoken to
More tenderly than we could have ever imagined.
And we will find that crossing the Finish Line
was, indeed,
Worth all of the pain that we endured
in this race we call life.
Mom's been a champion of faith as I've written about before. But now I see her struggling with this news -afraid, unsure. I know that she's questioning, 'Why me? Haven't I been through enough? What have I done to deserve this?' It's extremely difficult to watch and wait and wonder about what's going to happen next.
My heart is breaking - don't even know what to write. So, I'll share something I've written before and hope that I can put into practice what I preach.
Finishing the Race
Your heart is pounding.
Sweat is pouring down your face.
Your legs feel like stones and
You still have the last stretch to go.
The roar of the crowd is like
Distant thunder to you.
All you can focus on,
Think about,
Is how badly you want to stop.
The pain is immense.
But stopping now would mean
You didn't finish the race.
What victory would there be in that?
A race is worth nothing
If you don't cross the finish line.
Then all of that pain that you've endured
Would be wasted.
So, you know you must press on to finish.
Crossing the line becomes
Your utimate goal.
With all you have left in you,
You strive to make that goal a reality.
Our Lord calls us to that kind of race today.
'Finish the race,' he urges us on.
Young, old, rich, poor,
Fast, slow, beginner, or veteran.
We all have races to run,
Everyday,
Every single moment of our lives.
We are called to press on
To finish the race we have begun.
But there are moments
When the pain becomes unbearable
And we wonder, how we can go on?
Our legs feel like stones.
Sweat is pouring down our faces,
Dripping into our eyes,
And we still have the last stretch to go.
We can't hear the roar of the crowd,
Because pain dulls our senses.
But if we will strain with our eyes
To look to the Finish Line
We will see the Master there, calling to us
Urging us on.
And if we strain to listen,
We will hear his voice
Shouting encouragement,
'Press on. Press on.'
And if we only will,
We will find ourselves at last in his arms.
Being gathered together, held up, and spoken to
More tenderly than we could have ever imagined.
And we will find that crossing the Finish Line
was, indeed,
Worth all of the pain that we endured
in this race we call life.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Waiting on God
I have to admit that having been on vacation this last week, it is hard to get back into the groove, so to speak. So, if this entry is a dud, please forgive. My brain is just getting back from vacation, too.
Wanted to share a verse that has been very encouraging to me over the years. One that I hope will encourage you too, as you wait on God.
Psalm 123 1:2 - I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven. We look to the Lord our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.
I don't know why, but those verses always get me. It's really about faith, about waiting on God. We as believers seem to do a lot of waiting, don't we? And it's hard to understand, why can't we have what we want NOW. Why does it seem like we are constantly waiting for something? Why must we always be waiting on God to make that something happen?
Well, for one thing, it's disastrous when someone tries to force God's hand. I mean, look at Abraham and Sarah. They had a promise from God that even in their old age they would have a child, a son specifically. It was a wonderful promise - one that God being God, you could take to the bank. But they did what we so often are apt to do; when things weren't moving fast enough for them, they took matters into their own hands. Abraham slept with Sarah's servant, and, lo and behold, she became pregnant. This was God's answer, right? This child would be Abraham's heir. Well, that's not exactly the way it ended up. As a matter of fact, they got themselves into quite a situation. (Genesis 16:1-6) a situation which could have been avoided if only they'd waited on God to fulfill his purposes, his promises.
I have a book of quotes that I keep and often refer to for some wisdom or reflection. Here's a quote I love from a commentary on the life of Queen Esther:
Thus God works out His own high purposes, SLOWLY as it seems oftentimes, but surely and with unerring wisdom, until all things being done, the end is sudden, dramatic, complete.
This is probably my favorite quote of all time. I love the idea that, behind the scenes, God is making a masterpiece out of my life. I've never quilted, but I kinda think that there's a correlation here. God is painstakingly weaving something beautiful together. And, although the days seem to drag on with nothing ever changing, there will come a time when the end is "sudden, dramatic, and complete".
Every day is important, because, even though I can't see it, there is going to be an end to this story. I don't know what you're waiting for in your life, and how long you've had to wait. But, maybe the above psalm and quote will give you some encouragement. Yes, God seems a little on the slow side sometimes. But he's faithful to keep each and every promise he's ever made. Our job is to sit back and enjoy the ride. And, when we come to the end, we will find the masterpiece we've been waiting for - our own life story, unfolded and beautifully pieced together by the Master himself.
Wanted to share a verse that has been very encouraging to me over the years. One that I hope will encourage you too, as you wait on God.
Psalm 123 1:2 - I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven. We look to the Lord our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.
I don't know why, but those verses always get me. It's really about faith, about waiting on God. We as believers seem to do a lot of waiting, don't we? And it's hard to understand, why can't we have what we want NOW. Why does it seem like we are constantly waiting for something? Why must we always be waiting on God to make that something happen?
Well, for one thing, it's disastrous when someone tries to force God's hand. I mean, look at Abraham and Sarah. They had a promise from God that even in their old age they would have a child, a son specifically. It was a wonderful promise - one that God being God, you could take to the bank. But they did what we so often are apt to do; when things weren't moving fast enough for them, they took matters into their own hands. Abraham slept with Sarah's servant, and, lo and behold, she became pregnant. This was God's answer, right? This child would be Abraham's heir. Well, that's not exactly the way it ended up. As a matter of fact, they got themselves into quite a situation. (Genesis 16:1-6) a situation which could have been avoided if only they'd waited on God to fulfill his purposes, his promises.
I have a book of quotes that I keep and often refer to for some wisdom or reflection. Here's a quote I love from a commentary on the life of Queen Esther:
Thus God works out His own high purposes, SLOWLY as it seems oftentimes, but surely and with unerring wisdom, until all things being done, the end is sudden, dramatic, complete.
This is probably my favorite quote of all time. I love the idea that, behind the scenes, God is making a masterpiece out of my life. I've never quilted, but I kinda think that there's a correlation here. God is painstakingly weaving something beautiful together. And, although the days seem to drag on with nothing ever changing, there will come a time when the end is "sudden, dramatic, and complete".
Every day is important, because, even though I can't see it, there is going to be an end to this story. I don't know what you're waiting for in your life, and how long you've had to wait. But, maybe the above psalm and quote will give you some encouragement. Yes, God seems a little on the slow side sometimes. But he's faithful to keep each and every promise he's ever made. Our job is to sit back and enjoy the ride. And, when we come to the end, we will find the masterpiece we've been waiting for - our own life story, unfolded and beautifully pieced together by the Master himself.
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