Hold My Hand, My Child.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

 

What do you do when you get devastating news?  What do you do when things don't go as planned?  

 

We lash out!  We lash out at anyone who is close. We lash out at God because, after all, how could HE let this happen!

 

A few things to ponder:

1.  First, it's okay to be mad at God for a while. When we get mad with God and lash out at Him, His love is big enough to take it.  Nothing we say to Him will change the fact that we are His children and He loves us.  Read through the Psalms and see how David, the Beloved of God, let God know exactly what he thought of all that was happening to him.
2. Talk to God about EVERYTHING that is on your heart and mind! Everything that happens to us, God can use for our good and His glory.  And He WILL use it.  Just because we think of our situation as devastating, doesn't mean God's plans for us are finished or have become unraveled.
3. Be flexible! God's plan may include having to learn to let go of some things that might have become our focus in place of Him.  The Apostle Paul reminds us: "I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little" - Philippians 4:12
4. Don't Give Up!  Remember that God is not through with you yet!  Not by any stretch of the imagination. As long as we draw breath, God's got something for us to do.
5. Change Your Perspective!  God may have allowed this situation to happen to shake us out of our comfort zone.  Perhaps God needs to get our attention.  Perhaps He saw fit to take you out of a miserable situation.  Look at your situation from more angles than just through the eyes of hurt.

 

Struggles are never easy!  EVER!  But they come into our lives when we least need then, want them, or expect them.  We have a choice of drowning in our own depression and sorrow, or we can keep moving and let God deal with the matter.  God promised to always love us!  Even when we don't think He does. 

 

Being In Control Begins With YOU!

God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

1 Timothy 1:7 

 

I can't say that I'm smart or wise, but I do have a Principle.  It's called the "HEHOO Principle" and I fail quite often in its practice.  It goes like this: "HEHOO can harsh your mellow owns you!"  And guess what?  It's true!

 

Think about the person who said something about you that you didn't like.  You steamed over it, pondered it, and relived it over and over and over.  Well...that person OWNS you because they are controlling your thoughts and you attitudes!  And here's the sad truth of it all, we are VERY quick to let other people own us!

 

Here's a nugget of wisdom I heard many years ago: "You cannot control what others say or do. You can only control YOUR reaction to them."   Want to stop people from owning you?  Then consciously decide that their words and actions are their problem for which they will eventually have to answer.  

 

People are going to say and do things we don't like.  That's a given.  But since we KNOW that they will, it becomes OUR responsibility to begin training ourselves to deal with it properly, and this is where I struggle too.  Instead of a knee jerk, sharp tongued response, I should respond with kindness and courtesy.  Even if that means distancing myself from that person and being only professional and courteous should we have to interact with each other.

 

God gives us that strength but it's up to us to exercise it and use it.  Like any muscle, if it is not exercised it will be useless and weak. 

Words Words Words....Time to GROW UP!

It’s just the same with our tongues! It’s a small muscle, capable of great eloquence.  And do you know how many forest fires begin with a single ember from a small campfire? The tongue is a blazing fire seeking to ignite an entire world of vices. The tongue is unique among all parts of the body because it is capable of corrupting the whole body. If that were not enough, it ignites and consumes the course of creation with a fuel that originates in hell itself. James 3:5-6 

Ever had someone say something about you that really hurt?  When I was a child, I was almost always the smallest person in my class.  And, thus, almost always the target of the comments and insults children are prone so fire as a "joke."  I was told to just remember, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."  

May I share a bitter truth?  That little quip I was told to remember was, and is, a LIE!  I would rather have been beaten senseless with sticks and stones than have to endure the bitter, sharp, cruel words.

Did you know that what we say can not only hurt someone's feelings, but can also damage or destroy their reputation, or worse, destroy the person's life?  Enter the internet's Social Media sites.  People take things posted on Social Media WAY too seriously.  I have to shake my head when I see some of the cruel and hurtful things posted.  I have to wonder why.  Why was it SO important to air your drama?  Was it to seek support from others who don't know (or care to know) ALL the facts?  Was it to try to get others to feel sorry for the poster (oh you poor thing)? 

My Gramma once told me, "If you wouldn't want it said about you then don't say it about anyone else."  Wise advice!  

We must be careful of what we say and to whom we say it.  Ecclesiastes 5:2 reminds us "Don’t shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think.
Don’t be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear.
God’s in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better."

Speak less, speak truth, speak only in love! 

 

Is Your House In Order?

Be careful what you think,
    because your thoughts run your life.

Proverbs 4:23 

I discovered a new television show that I enjoy watching, because it causes me to think and evaluate. The show is called "House" and Hugh Laurie is a fantastic actor.  The character he portrays, Dr. Gregory House, has, through the course of his life experiences, become very jaded, cynical, and callous.  This tends to push people away, keep them at arm's distance, and leaves him with very few people who he will actually be open with.

The more I thought about this character description, the more I began to evaluate my own life.  When I was younger (and had hair), life fascinated me and I embraced each day with enthusiasm.  I loved getting out with my friends and enjoyed spending time together.  And then "life" happened.  I honestly cannot put my finger on exactly when I began to become jaded.  I cannot tell you when I began pushing people away.  I cannot tell you when I began to feel apathetic toward others.  But it happened!  Not all at once, but slowly over time.

When you face the worst in people every day, and try to make sense of it in your own mind, the layers of cynicism will encase your heart and mind.  We think it is to protect ourselves from "them."  In reality, we let it happen so we don't have to care or show concern or feel.

God has a way of peeling back the layers of our steel wrapped hearts.  When He does, we feel things we have not felt (or wanted to feel) in a long LONG time and that is not a comfortable feeling.  But God does that for a reason, even though His timing may not be convenient for us, so we will remember we are still human with needs, wants, and feelings.

We must pay attention to what we are thinking because what we think will direct our actions, attitudes, and our perspective.  If we become so cynical that everything becomes just another irritation, it's past time to re-evaluate our thoughts.  Here's the point: When we focus on God and remember that we are His child, just like everyone else we meet, we will begin to see the layers of cynicism strip away.

We must get OUR house in order (our thoughts, our perceptions, our actions) before we become jaded and cynical. 

Shins Are For WHAT?

I praise you, Lord,
    for being my guide.
Even in the darkest night,
    your teachings fill my mind. 

I will always look to you,
    as you stand beside me
    and protect me from fear.

Psalm 16:7-8

I think I have told you before, but my mind is more of a crayon instead of a tack nowadays, that I have discovered why God gave us shins....to help us locate the corners of furniture in the dark.  I can't tell you how many times I have been in a darkened room and, sure enough, my shins are the ones that find everything there is to bang into.

It's no fun being in the dark.  And, quite honestly, I don't know how people live in the areas where night lasts for 6 months.  

I know I have told you about some of the darkest times of my life.  We all have such times when wonder if we will ever know happiness again; where we doubt we will ever be able to face others again; where we know our lives no longer have purpose...those are some of the darkest times.  Yet, even in the darkest times, God has a way of reminding us that He is with us.  Whether it is through a person, a quote, a book, a movie, a pet...God always has a way of reminding us.  And in those times, when we accept His offering of caring, it's like a light begins to glow in the darkness.  And eventually, that glow will grow until we see that our darkness was of our own making and the light of life really is within our grasp because God has brought us to it.  

Why Are You Afraid To Try?

“Don’t be afraid, Daniel, for from the very first day you applied your mind to 

understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard."

Daniel 10:12 

I used to tell people that I was not afraid of anything...and I was lying through my teeth. My First Sergeant asked me what I feared, and I said "Nothing First Sergeant."  He looked right into my eyes and said, "Then you are dead and I have not use for you."  And he was absolutely correct.  If we truly fear nothing, then we are already dead.

I get to work with the greatest bunch of misfits, clowns, and awesomeness all rolled into one.  Some of them would have me believe that they fear nothing, thinking I can't see behind their facade.  But these same people who are so tough they make Chuck Norris weep and whimper really ARE afraid!  They are afraid to let anyone know they are human!

Being human does not mean you are weak, it means that you accept that:

* you hurt (just like the rest of us), 

* you crave friendship and love (just like the rest of us), 

* you get sick (just like the rest of us), 

* you have dreams (just like the rest of us), 

* when those dreams crash it hurts (just like the rest of us),

* when a two year old hands you their toy phone you're going to answer it (just like the rest of us),

* you get tired (just like the rest of us),

* you need to laugh (just like the rest of us)

Being human is accepting that you are normal....well, as normal as "normal" goes for you.

But it also means that God knows you (all about you) and loves you anyway.  It means that if you are willing to talk to God, He will not only listen to you, but He will answer you!  And THAT can be scary, because some of us aren't sure we want to hear what God will say.  Here's what God is telling you right this very minute: "Don't be afraid.  I have called you by name and you are Mine! I have incredible plans for you, so trust My love for you and let's get this journey started." 

I Should See Clearly Now!

 I’ve blotted out your sins; they are gone like morning mist at noon! 

Return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.

Isaiah 44:22

 

For some reason, I can't remember why, I was up before the sun.  I got my coffee and sat outside and listened to the predawn sounds of the animals beginning to awaken and begin their day. It's truly amazing the sounds of the world that are just out of sight.

 

As the sun crept into dawn, the world seemed to be shrouded in a mist, which kept the scene before my eyes hidden.  The sounds were still there, but I still couldn't see what was making the sounds because all the activity was taking place under the cover of the morning mist.

 

As the sun rose higher, and the mist began to burn away, I saw the squirrels seeking the acorns they had buried.  I saw the birds seeking the bugs and other favorite delicacies.  I saw a rabbit who had found its way into the garden, munching happily on some vegetable I had no intention of eating anyway.  And right at the tree line, I saw a doe with her fawn watching me as they munched whatever it was they had found.

 

There was a whole world taking place, yet I was blinded by the mist. 

 

This is true of our own lives.  There's a whole world of incredible life taking place, yet we are blinded by our own selfishness, greed, politics, prejudices, lies, and various other sins.  Yet God reminds us that HE has wiped away our sins like the morning mist at noon.  HE gives us another chance each day.  HE has paid the price and has bought our freedom from slavery to sin....and He asks us to return to Him.

 

I fail at this regularly.  I fail because I take for granted that I will still be here tomorrow.  I fail because I fall right back into the routine that is comfortable.  The time has come to stop taking life for granted and to step out of my comfort zone and to live the life God has for me beyond the mist.  

Lord Take The Wheel!

The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.

Jeremiah 18:1-4 

 

It's never fun when we have to endure change.  It's not comfortable and it's usually not going to happen at the most opportune time....according to us.  Therein lies the key: God brings change, but we are never ready for the change God brings into our lives.

 

Have you ever watched a true potter working a potter's wheel?  They make it look SO easy, that I find myself envious of their skill.  But I got to talk with one potter who was making a cup.  He was almost finished making the cup when he stopped, took the clay, wadded it back into a blob, and started over.  I asked him later why he did that.  He said, "The cup needed to be changed."  No other explanation was given, and for him, no other explanation was required.  He made the cup into the cup HE needed to serve the purpose HE had planned.

 

Time for me to get preachy, so either get some coffee or go wander through Facebook.  God does the exact same thing with us.  God has a plan for us (Jeremiah 29:11) and HIS job is to fulfill that plan. 

 

Paul tells us in Philippians 1:6 - "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."  

 

God's ultimate plan for us comes in stages.  Just as an infant must grow in stages to toddler then child to awkward adolescent to young adult to middle aged to senior adult to wizened elder.  Each stage requires change!  If I had my choice, I would have stopped the process when I was 21 years old, I felt like I could conquer the world and nothing could stand in my way because I had ALL the answers.  And boy was I an IDIOT!   With each change in life come challenges which, hopefully, prepare us for the next stage.  But in ALL these changes, God is fulfilling His plan for our lives.

 

It's way past time for me to tell God to "PLEASE TAKE THE WHEEL!" I don't want God to be my co-pilot, I need Him to be the PILOT! 

Follow!

Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.

John 12:26

 

This one will be brief, so grab some coffee and try not to doze off.

 

 I like Monty Python's "Holy Grail" movie (don't judge me!) because it's funny, yet it has some good imagery in it that I can use for these devotions.  One of the things that struck me about the movie is that the servants of the nights followed closely behind their knight everywhere they went (the coconut clopping "horse" was absolute genius). 

 

During Jesus' time, the main job of a servant was to follow the one to whom they belonged to do whatever they were told, carry whatever needed carrying, and so forth.  Wherever the master went, the servant was to follow.

 

If we claim to be Christians, we serve Jesus Christ.  And if we serve Him then we are His servants.  And as His servants, we follow Him so that we are where He is.  And God has promised to honor the servants of Christ.  Following can be difficult, but it is ultimately rewarding. 

RESCUED!!!

Though the tide of battle runs strongly against me, for so many are fighting me, yet he will rescue me.

Psalm 55:18

 

 Ever have one of those days (weeks) where is seemed like you were the target of everyone else?  No matter how hard you work and try, it never seems to be enough or correct?  There have been days when I wanted to throw up my hands and go for coffee. 

 

Let me ask you:

1.  Has it ever seemed like you were living the life of Job in that "while one boss was telling you what you did wrong, here came another boss"?
2. Have you ever felt like your health was, in reality, against you?
3. Have you ever wondered if continuing the struggle was worth it?

I have, and it felt like I was one tired old soldier facing the entire invading Viking horde.  That's the downside.  There's an upside.  No, really there IS an upside!

 

When I reach the point where I am ready to give up and walk away, I realize that I need to stop struggling and follow God's leading.  I can beat my head against the wall until I am unconscious, but God can make a door (or simply remove the wall).  

 

One would think that after all these years on this blue marble, I would have learned that God is still in the Helping and Miracle business and that His business also has an Another Chance department.  Those who truly know me, know that I have made some seriously huge blunders in my time on Earth so far, and will likely make a few more before my time here is completed, but God has always picked me up, dusted me off, loved me, reminded me that I am His and I am to follow Him, and sent me back into the fray of life.

 

No matter what we are facing; no matter what life throws at us; no matter what...we are God's child!  Child of the King of Kings! Child of the one who SPOKE creation into being, yet remembers my name and even how many hairs I have (left).  Hang not your head in weariness or shame, raise it to God's face and let His radiant love fill you! 

Ya'll Watch This!

I honestly expect and hope that I will never do anything to be ashamed of. Whether I live or die, I always want to be as brave as I am now and bring honor to Christ.

Philippians 1:20

If you've ever wondered whether or not God has a sense of humor, look at the actions of some of humanity.  Humans aren't exactly noted for being the brightest or the sharpest.  We may have conquered travel to the Moon, but I've seen these same brilliant people bang their face while pushing the door clearly marked "Pull."

I had a professor in college who would fill eager minds with knowledge and when each class ended he would always remind us, "You reflect what you've learned here...don't embarrass me!"  

The Apostle Paul was a very proud man.  And, by all intents and purposes, had every right to be proud.  He was a Roman Citizen. He was born into the Tribe of Benjamin which was a HUGE deal.  He was a "Hebrew among Hebrews" which meant he and his family were pretty big muckety-mucks in their society.  Paul was also circumcised on the eighth day (as prescribed by Jewish Law), notice it wasn't the 7th day or the 9th day but Paul emphasizes the 8th day!  Paul had studied the Law of Moses and because of his strict adherence to the Law, he was made a Pharisee.  All these great things, yet he wanted to make trouble for the church so off he went to destroy the church of Christ.  God had to put a stop to this less than brilliant strategy.

Now look at the Apostle Peter.  Peter was a proud man.  He had the base education required of all Jewish boys.  Peter was a fisherman by trade.  He was wise in that it takes much wisdom to know where to throw your nets in order to catch the fish you need to survive.  But Peter was also among the "Ya'll Watch This" group.  Peter fell all over himself trying to impress Jesus or trying to avoid punishment.  Read about the exploits of Peter and if you don't chuckle a few times, you're not reading it right.

We don't like being an embarrassment to those we care about.  We don't want to bring shame on our family or group of friends.  But do we bring shame to the family of Christ by our words or actions or thoughts or intentions?  Worth a think?

 

And We Wonder Why We're Lost?

The Lord is good and does what is right;
    He shows the proper path to those who go astray.
He leads the humble in doing right,
    teaching them His way.

Psalm 25:8-9

When did we reach the point in life where we know everything?  When did we become so unteachable?  

Here's an observation, we are willing to learn as long as it follows the way we already think.  If learning something "new" is from another perspective, we tend to be wary of learning.

Notice that the Psalmist reminds us that "The Lord is good and does what is right."  God has never done wrong!  He has kept His promises to do what is good FOR us.  The fact that we don't like His methods doesn't bother God in the least, because, like a loving Father, God knows that what is best for us isn't always what we consider pleasant.

Next, the Psalmist tells us that "He shows the proper path to those who go astray." Hmmmm....let us ponder this for a moment.  Have you ever been shown the proper path to take, perhaps by GPS, and you decide you know a "shortcut" which took you way out of the way or even got you lost?  if you don't want to admit it, that's okay, just claim you know someone who has done just that.  You see, God shows us the proper path to get back to the path He has designed just for us.  But just because He's shown us the path to take, doesn't mean we are willing to take it.  

There have been times when I have messed up so badly that I could not figure out how to get back to where I needed to be.  God's way was to be completely honest, take the reprimand, and lesson learned.  Sometimes I followed that.......and then there were the other times.  Did my decision to follow my own way shut God up?  No a chance. Just sayin'.

Finally, the Psalmist tells us that "He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them His way."  The word "humble" here does not mean a person who is willing to get trampled by others.  The word, quite literally, can be translated "teachable."  Why?  Because only the teachable can be taught.  In order to be teachable, we must be humble enough to realize we don't have all the answers and understand that we aren't that smart or God wouldn't need to teach us His ways.

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor." - James 4:10

We must learn to be teachable!

Get Out Of The Way!

'For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.'

Jeremiah 29:11 

I hate rush hour traffic.  Don't judge! I am openly declaring a weakness of mine.  I ALWAYS manage to get stuck behind that one person who is bound and determined to keep 20 car lengths between them and the next car, and absolutely refuse to move over.  I daydream sometimes about being able to move them along or move them over whether they like it or not.  I just don't get it.  They don't seem to understand or care that there are places I need to be and behind them is NOT on my list of destinations. No matter how much I may rant, no matter how much I cuss (in my mind mostly), no matter what I do.....they ain't movin'.

To say I was frustrated and angry would have been a complete understatement.  I was stuck in a "ministry" job, hating every breath of life, having to smile and be nice to the "church folk" who seemed to take great pleasure in stabbing me in the back at every turn.  I felt as though I had more holes in my back than a spaghetti strainer.  I prayed and prayed and prayed that God would remember His promise that He has plans for me that will prosper me, not harm me, yet I felt like harm was being heaped on my with a backhoe.

Then...a very wise, Yoda-esque friend, who had patiently listened to be rant and spew, told me that when I was through trying to do God's job he would like to give me something to think about.  At first, I was offended that this person thought I was trying to do God's job.  Finally, I agreed to hear him out.  He said, "See those plants over there?  Go make them bloom."  I admit I thought he had been drinking, and told him that was not possible.  He said, "YOU can't do God's job because it's God's job and not yours.  God DOES have plans for you that will prosper you and not harm you.  Getting you there is HIS job, not yours!  YOUR job is to keep breathing, keep going, and keep alert for the door to open."

I went home even more frustrated, adding to that was the fact that I got stuck behind another "go nowhere" drivers.  Come to think of it, I could not even see the head of anyone driving...just some hands on the steering wheel.  But as I tossed and turned later on trying to make sense of it all, it dawned on me.  I really had been trying to push God out of the way and show Him how my life was supposed to go (according to MY plan).  

I got up, fixed some coffee, and started talking to God at 1:39am.  That conversation is still going on, but my perspective has changed from wanting to be completely in charge, to only having sporadic moments where I think I know better.  And have no fear, God is very quick to remind me that I need to remember who really is in control.  Good news is I'm still learning.  Best news is God really does have plans to prosper us and not harm us, because I have the best job because I got out of God's way.

How about you?

Buck Up Buttercup!

My child, do not despise discipline from the Lord,
and do not loathe his rebuke.
For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.

~Proverbs 3:11-12

 

We see it every single day.  In fact, we may even be experiencing it first hand.  

 

• A child doesn't get what they want when they want it, so a meltdown ensues.  Parent(s) are embarrassed so much they give the child what they want.  Child learns THEY are in control of the household and the "parents" are merely there to provide every desire.

•  Child makes bad decisions throughout their years of growing.  Instead of holding the child accountable, parent(s) just make excuses and let their child "grow up" believing the world owes them and refuses to ever leave home because parent(s) still provide without any expectation and without any accountability and parent(s) continue to make excuses for their child.  Child learns if parents will buy their excuses there will be no accountability and someone else will always provide for them without the child ever having to provide for themselves. 

 Let's face facts, God can be a God of Tough Love!  And it's going to be uncomfortable when it happens, but God has a plan for each of us and will do WHATEVER it takes to accomplish that plan through you.

• God told Jonah to go preach repentance to the city of Nineveh.  Jonah decided that HIS vacation plans to Tarshish were more important and refused God's instruction.  Do you think God wrung His hands with worry and wept and made excuses and begged Jonah to "behave"?  NOPE!  God sent a storm to destroy Jonah's Cruise Boat!  Jonah guiltily admitted that he had refused God's instruction and was thrown overboard.  As if being thrown overboard into the sea was not bad enough, God sent a big fish to swallow Jonah and hold him inside for THREE days.  And if THAT weren't bad enough, after three days of smelling nothing but fish insides, the fish vomits Jonah out onto the beach.  Now, covered with fish yak and now sand, God tells Jonah to do what he was told in the first place.  God's Tough Love is tough but God's focus is NOT our comfort, but getting His message out.
• God got Pharoah to set the Israelites free from slavery, and the Israelites followed Moses through the desert.  Yet for some reason, after they had seen and experienced ALL that God had done from them (from bringing water to them in the desert, to providing food for them each day, to saving them from the bites of serpents), the Israelites decided they weren't happy with God's plans and made their own "god" to help them and guide them.  So God let the Israelites wander in the desert for 40 years (until that generation had died) before letting them into the Promised Land.

My point is this, God loves us beyond any measure we could ever conceive, yet He will use Tough Love on us.  Maybe it's time we learn from Him and love through guiding, discipline, accountability, and Tough Love, instead of listening to excuses, lies, whines, fake tears, and being fearful of our children getting upset or angry.  God is our Father and He disciplines those HE loves.  Who are we to declare God's way is "too harsh" for our children?

 

Parrot It Back!

And so the Lord says,
    “These people say they are mine.
They honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
And their worship of me
    is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.

Because of this, I will once again astound these hypocrites
    with amazing wonders.
The wisdom of the wise will pass away,
    and the intelligence of the intelligent will disappear.”

Isaiah 29:13-14 

 

I'm rather unorthodox, in case you haven't figured that out by now.  And I also am guilty of having pet peeves (shocking, I realize).  One of the practices that absolutely drives me up the wall is when I hear people mechanically parrot back verses or prayers they have learned with the monotonous deadpan delivery of a dying robot.  

 

I hear people read or recite the Lord's Prayer with all the enthusiasm of rock, and I wonder if these same people have actually read (and understand) what they are parroting back or are they just saying words they have memorized.  

 

Let me ask you something, if you spoke to your friends with the same monotonous tone that your recite scripture, would they still be your friends?  Scripture is full of LIFE and Passion!  

 

On the other side of this coin are the people who claim to be believers, but the choose to act like anything but.  Take tithing, for example, according to the Law we are to give the first part of what we receive.  Yet we have people who will calculate to the exact cent how much tithe to give (if they give at all).  Giving should be with a cheerful heart, not because we just HAVE to give.  Let's put it this way, we HAVE to pay taxes, we should WANT to give our offerings.

 

When you stand before God, will you be welcomed because you followed the rules or because you lived life as God intended...with passion!  Is church dull and boring for you, think about why?

But I'm NOT A Workaholic!

Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich.
    Be wise enough to know when to quit.

~Proverbs 23:4

I love my job! There's just no other way I can say it. God has finally shown me a niche where I not only fit, but love fitting into it.  I get to talk with people, offer counsel or perhaps a perspective.  I get to share with them from my lifetime of doing life wrong.  I get to build friendships.  I get to help others who might be struggling.  And I get to drink a LOT of coffee!

In my previous jobs, I could not wait to get home and leave work behind for a few brief hours before having to go "back to the salt mines."  Because I saw my job as just a means to get a paycheck, advancement was neither available nor encouraged.  In short, most every job I have ever held has been a job I dreamed of doing something else. Yet my job now is not a job because it is a joy!  I cannot even dream of doing anything else!

With having a joy instead of a job does have a downside (I heard you gasp).  When you love what you do, the risk of wanting to do it ALL the time is very real!  

One of the things I get to do is teach the New Hires about Law Enforcement Stress Awareness.  And one of the items we discuss is the fact that, while many Deputies work extra duty to make ends meet or for some extra money, no one can work ALL the time without burning out.  And I am having to learn to example the whole "don't-work-all-the-time" point.  You see, even when I am officially off-the-clock, I am still working, thinking about work, learning ways to do more and do it better, reading books about work, talking about work.  In short, I get paid to work X number of hours, but I have this habit of working well beyond the X and pushing more toward the Z.  

I have heard many times before that "the bosses notice when you put in extra hours."  I am slowly realizing that if I am doing my job to the best of my ability, then I will also set aside time to rest and recharge.  Let me give you the practical example that smacked me between the eyes: Your cellphone (and most people have them) works as it is supposed to when the battery is fully charged.  What happens when the battery drains?  You either have to recharge it or it will cease to function.  And we are no different!  We NEED to take time away to rest and recharge or we will cease to function effectively.

Think about it this way: God took a day off from creating this Earth and commanded us to take a day off as well.  Who are we to tell God we're too busy to rest?

Feeling A Bit Prickly?

The path of lazy people is overgrown with briers;
    the diligent walk down a smooth road.

Proverbs 15:19 

 

Ever know anyone who was better at making excuses than they were at actually accomplishing something?  What excuses have you heard?

• "I can't do this job because they just don't like me."
• "I got fired because the boss had it in for me."
• "I can't get my reports done because I just don't have time."
• "I can't......."

 

Let me give you a little piece of wisdom I had to learn first hand....excuses are like growing a hedge of thorns around yourself. At some point, people are going to accept that the thorns are no longer worth the effort of crossing to try to help you.

 

Want an easy life? Then just lay down and stop breathing, because God NEVER promised us an easy life on Earth!  Our time on this spinning orb is going to be dangerous, difficult, and a right royal pain in the back pocket.  So we can try to hide from the world behind our excuses, apathy, and prickly personality, OR we can take down the hedge, change our perspective (and our attitude) and get on with our job of living.  It's our choice.

 

Remember, when Jesus came, He loves us so much that He took away our excuses!  He healed lepers, which took away their excuses for keeping themselves separate and expecting others to take care of them.  He forgave sinners, which took away the excuse that "I'm not good enough."  He befriended the misfits and outcasts, which took away their excuse that no one wants to be around them.  He loved the broken hearted, taking away their excuses of being afraid of being hurt.  He promised us that on this Earth we WILL have troubles, but He also promised us that He would ALWAYS be with us, help us, guide us, love us, and already has a plan in place to get us through any trouble we may face.

 

Hiding behind the hedge of thorny excuses only proves that you have not met Christ and haven't taken the time to get to know Him!