How Do You Work?

Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

Ephesians 6:7

I've mentioned before, once or twice, that I have the honor and privilege of serving some of the weirdest, stubborn, collection of oddballs God brought together under the banner of the Richland County Sheriff's Department.  I have watched this family come together to support one another in times of grief and pain, and I have been part of this same family praying for each other. 

One of the things that stands out about those who are part of this family, is the enthusiasm with which they go about their duties!  True, every single one will have those "wilderness" times when things just get all out of whack, and these are the times we need to step back and regroup.

I always look forward to Fridays to see the photos of the Deputies giving the children High-Fives as they enter the schools.  The smiles and enthusiasm are addictive and contagious!  

Let me put a different perspective on this: When I am enthusiastic about a what I get to do, my day FLIES by!  When I am not so enthused (having to sit in endless meetings, classes, etc.) then my day drags!  Two options to the same 9 hours each day.  

What good is it to try to impress enough to get another certificate or trophy or some trinket?  They only represent moments in time.  When we remember that we work for God then it's His reward we will receive which will represent our entire life's work for all eternity!  Which would you prefer?

 

Change of Focus

This is the day the Lord has made.
    We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24 

 

We don't like change.  Because that means we will have to change our routine.  And our routine is our comfort zone, we can go through our routine without thinking.  Yet God gave us a brain in order that we may think.  So you can begin to see the vicious circular pattern here.  And when we get stuck in that cycle of just muddling through, we become irritable, cranky, frustrated about everything and everyone, we become negative people because changing our negative view of the world and its inhabitants means......(dun, dun, dahhhh) CHANGE!

 

Now, refill your coffee and brace yourself.  I challenge each and every one of you to make a positive change in your perspective!  Consider this:  God made today.  He didn't have to, but he chose to.  You get to be part of this day. because God loves you enough that He wants you to share in today.  He didn't have to, but He did.  So.....if you still want to be crabby, irritated, hateful, and just cranky about life and everyone in it, you have just taken God's gift to you, stomped on it, and have thrown it back in His face! 

 

TODAY is the day the Lord has made for us!  Yesterday is NOT today!  Tomorrow is NOT today!  Only TODAY is today!  Celebrate and thank God for TODAY! 

Load Too Heavy Yet?

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.”

Matthew 11:28-30 

 

 Way back when I was in the Army, our diabolical Drill Sergeants had pounded into us that when one wins ALL are winners and when one fails ALL pay the price.  And guess what we finally figured out?  When one of us won, that meant the rest of us had failed and we had to bare the punishment.  I told you they were diabolical!

 

In order to teach us teamwork, they had a telephone pole which we were expected to pick up and carry with us throughout the "Day of Punishment."  When it was chow time, we had to either eat in shifts or learn to eat one handed, because our friend the Pole was not permitted to touch the ground.  Thankfully, our platoon happened to be quick studies and it didn't take us long to learn to work together as a single unit.

 

There are no words which could possibly express the relief when we finally got to "Put The Pole To Bed." Nor are there words which can accurate describe the aching muscles we experienced for the following three days.  I found it rather odd that our Chaplain chose the Sunday of after we put the pole to bed to share with us Matthew 11:28-30.

 

Here I am, years later, remembering that enormous burden we carried and remembering the burden of the sins I carry (my past, my present, my actions, my words, my thoughts), that pole cannot compare to the burden of sin.  Yet, Jesus invites us to "Put The Pole To Bed" and take his lightweight yoke (love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; Love your neighbor as yourself).  Which would be easier to carry?

Tired Of Coming Up Short?

²³ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. ²⁴ Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
Romans 3:20-24 

 If you were anything like me, when I reached that age of "awareness" I wanted to be like everyone else.  Why? Because I wanted to fit in!  What 12 year old (and above) wants to be that kid that's "weird" or "different" or "odd"?  Not THIS kid!  But try though I might, I never really seemed to fit in.  I just wanted to be like everyone else (as I perceived them).

Well, here's a nugget of news I learned years later:  We are ALL alike!  We are ALL in the same clique, and there are NO outsiders!  Why? Because we are ALL sinners and have fallen short of God's standard! Yep....every last one of us.  We are all piled up along the track of life, never quite reaching God's standard.  How sad is that?

However, God loves us SO much that he has provided a way for us to meet His standard!  Through Jesus Christ, God freed us from the penalty of not being good enough!  Jesus paved the way for us to finally be good enough in God's eyes (the only eyes that matter).  God made this available free to us.  Such a free gift is beyond value, yet many simply refuse to accept it.  

But I will simply tell you this from my experience, once you have experienced the true love and forgiveness of God through Christ, you will crave it forever! 

Teach The Children Well

Teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up. 

Deuteronomy 11:19 

Guess whose job it is to teach children?  Who gets to teach them respect for others?  Who is supposed to teach them about love for others?  Who is the teacher of conflict resolution to children?  Are you sitting down?  WE ARE!!!!  

I can hear it now: "I don't have kids!"  "My children are grown with children of their own." "Those aren't MY children."

I was in an electronics store recently to purchase a charger for my phone when I noticed a child about the age of 8 or 9 demanding that his father buy him a new iPad.  The father told his son that the iPad he already had was only 6 months old, to which the child screeched that this new iPad did more than his "old" one and Dad better buy it for him.  Sadly, I watched this defeated man use four credit cards to find enough credit to purchase this item his child had demanded. 

Guess what?  God didn't ask whose child they are because WE are ALL God's children!  Therefore, those who are older should teach those who are younger.  And guess what is the best teaching method for most children?  They follow the example of others!  Therefore, WE are ALL to teach children about respect for others; WE are ALL to teach children about love for others; WE are ALL to teach children about getting along with each other; WE are ALL to teach children about conflict resolution....WE are ALL to teach children!

Why?  Because if WE refuse to teach children, guess who will?  Want a hint? Turn on the television where children are in charge and parents are idiots with an open wallet. 

Why Choose To Hate?

So God created human beings in His own image

In the image of God He created them

male and female He created them.

Genesis 1:27

Question: Given that we have been made in the image of God, why do we insist on hating someone else?  What is it about others that generates so much hatred and anger?  I have heard a number of answers (because they are crooks, because their ancestors may or may not have harmed my ancestors, because of their job, because they won't let me do whatever I want whenever I want even if it's illegal, etc.), yet the real underlying cause for pretty much all of us....because they are different from us.  That's the bottom line!  We hate because of our differences while ignoring our commonalities!

The Apostle Paul jumped right into this scrape by reminding the Galatians, "There is NO LONGER Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female.  FOR YOU ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESUS!"(Galatians 3:28).  That pretty much takes the wind out of our hatred sails, doesn't it?  We are more alike than we are different!

As a matter of fact, just how alike are we?  Take a look at Isaiah 53:6 - "We ALL like sheep have gone astray; WE ALL have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him [Christ] the iniquity of US ALL."  You see, the thing we have in common is far greater than the differences in our complexion or hair color or ancestry or any other physical attribute!  Our commonality is that we are ALL equally guilty of sin!  As such, we are ALL equally going to die.  And guess what?  The grave holds saint and sinner alike until Jesus' return!

Imagine a world where we focused on such things as loving others as we love ourselves and treating others like we want to be treated.  Sound impossible?  It starts with one person....YOU! 

I Just Couldn't Help Myself

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. 
And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

 

How many times have we said, "I just couldn't help myself"?  I know I'm don't need to snack, but the pie was RIGHT THERE and (say it with me) "I just couldn't help myself."  Let's face it, if we didn't like sin then temptation would not be a problem.  However, sin feels good temporarily and it's fun temporarily, therefore we give in again and again.

 

Think about it this way, if every time you gave into temptation broke your pinky toe...it wouldn't take long to learn not to give in to temptation. But we are a stubborn species, are we not?  We are willing to endure consequence after consequence in order to have a few fleeting moments of pleasure.  Let me be blunt, how many marriages have failed because one spouse gave into temptation and for a few brief moments of pleasure destroyed the bonds of marriage?

 

But look at today's passage, there is NO temptation that is brand new!  There is NO temptation that has never been experienced before!  As the writer of Ecclesiastes points out, "there is nothing new under the sun."  AND God always has an exit strategy available to us!  So we lost any excuse we could offer! Sometimes that exit strategy is as simple as following the example of Joseph in Genesis 39 when he literally ran away from the temptation.

 

God helps us by taking away our excuses because He provides a way for us to resist.  Therefore, focus on Him and let the temptations of this world fade away!

Start Small

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 

2 Peter 1:3 

How would you like to be able to live a life of excellence? One of our flaws is called impatience.  You see, we want all the good stuff NOW!  Not yesterday, not tomorrow, not an hour from now......we want it NOW!

Let me ask you a question: if you want to build muscles...does this happen with a single trip to the gym?  If you want to lose weight, does that happen after your first bite of vegetables?  If you wish to become proficient with firearms, does that happen the first time you pull the trigger?

You see, in order to live a life of excellence, we my use all that God has given us!  We have to begin our life of excellence by working on the small things.  The life of excellence is a culmination of excellence in all the smaller aspects of life!  Start with telling the truth; being courteous; forgiving; do what you know is the right thing to do....in so doing, you will begin to build the life of excellence.  

But it starts by showing excellence in the small things. 

KWITCHA GRYPIN

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.

Philippians 2:14-16 NLT

 

We all know someone (or sometimes a group of them, as they tend to flock together) who cannot say anything positive.  They spend their days complaining about everything.  Nothing seems to be able to meet their standard.  I have even asked a few of these complainers how they were able to find a spouse that met their standard of perfection, to which the response was given "they were the closest so I settled."  

 

Did you know that if you hear something enough times, you will begin to believe it too?  So be careful when dealing with chronic complainers or you may find yourself among their number.  Chronic complainers are like ticks in that they will suck the joy right out of you.

 

Why do we like to complain so much?  Could it be that we are simply naturally negative critters who find no joy in anything?  That can't be true....I find joy in lots of things and complaining isn't one of them.  Could it be that we feel superior when we point out the perceived deficiencies in the world around us?  Quite probably!  We do like to feel superior and if we can point out someone else's deficiencies then we have struck gold!

 

But what does GOD tell us to do?  Do EVERYTHING without arguing or complaining!  WOW!  Some folks are likely to explode from not being able to argue and complain.  So let me put it this way, WE example life for others (especially our children).  How do you think they will grow up if we give them the example of complaining and arguing all the time?

 

Just planting that seed for thought right there.  

OH (expletive)!

The Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”“I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”
Genesis 4:9

Have you ever had one of those moments where you thought "OH (expletive)!"?  Yeah, me too.  It's rather like looking out of the airplane window and seeing a skydiver with a sign reminding you that he used to be the pilot.  It's that moment of panic where your stomach churns and threatens to create other issues.

I believe Cain had one of those moments when, after he had killed his brother, God came to him and asked "Where is your brother?  Where is Abel?".  You can almost feel Cain's pucker get tighter!  Almost as puckered as Adam and Eve were when God came to visit with them and asked Adam why he was covering himself.  

I remember taking some cookies off the plate at my Gramma's house.  Grampa asked me if I had taken any of his cookies.  In my young mind, I was astounded that he could have any indication that I had done such a thing, so in all my quick-witted thoughts I told him, "No SIR!"  That's when I got the "Run for your life" look from my Grampa!  It wasn't until I became a parent that I understand how he knew it was me.  Something about the crumbs on my face and the chocolate chips stuck to my teeth, and a few more clues (he had seen me while pretending to nap in his recliner).  You see, Grampa really didn't HAVE to ask the question because he already knew the answer.

God is the same way, when He asks us a question, He already knows the answer.  So what are we to do with those moments when our stomachs drop?  Tell God the truth!  He already knows anyway.  It's better to tell the truth.....ALWAYS!

OUTSTANDING!!!

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:2 

 

Remember when you were the "new kid in class"?  You didn't know anyone and the LAST thing you wanted to do was be that one kid who was "different."  We like fitting in.  We like feeling as though we belong.  But sometimes we are tempted to change who we are just so we can "fit in."  And those changes are draining, fake, and will eventually crumble.

Think about this: if we, as Christians, were meant to "fit in" why would God instill within us a need, drive, desire to be different?  Why would the actions of the world bother us?  Why would we care about anyone else?

On the other hand, I have been part of (and worked for) churches who were far from welcoming to visitors or anyone new who joined the church.  As a matter of fact, Christians can be the most arrogant, self-centered, judgemental people ever!  Why?  Because we want to belong to the exclusive cliques and the only way to be exclusive is to exclude those who don't measure up to our standards.

What is God's standard for us?  To love each other in the same way He loves us!  THAT makes us different!  We love because God first loves us!  Ponder that for a moment.

I'm Supposed To Do WHAT?

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32 

Is there ANYONE among us who has not done or said something so boneheaded that we wished we could disappear?  How many of us have blurted out something in a moment of anger that we wish we could take back?  How many of us have done something we wish we could undo?  If you have never made a blunder, then I'd truly like to shake your hand.

How many of us would you think are carrying some sort of grudge because of something that was said or done?  Here's a nugget of information: More people that will admit are carrying around a grudge because of something someone has done or said, and we have carried it for so long that we don't realize the way it slowly changes us into cynics.  That cynicism will seep into every aspect of life and can ruin relationships once held dear.

We sometimes choose to hang on to the anger and hurt rather than risk forgiving, because we want the person who caused our pain and anger to suffer!  WE want THEM to suffer!  Why?  Who made us their judge, jury and executioner?  And, if we are wanting them to suffer for what they did to us, doesn't that make us....just.....like....them?  You see, revenge is NOT forgiveness.  Revenge is not a prerequisite to forgiveness!  Revenge has no part in the forgiveness process.

I've said it before and I will say it again, "Forgiveness isn't true forgiveness unless it costs YOU something!  It will cost you the perceived right of revenge.  It will cost you the bruises of the pain caused to you.  It will cost you!"  Having said that, forgiveness does not mean we forget what has happened.  Forgiveness quite literally means: "To send away."  In truth, when we forgive, we are sending away the pain and anger.  When we forgive, we no longer hold their words or deeds against them (even if they never apologize), because we are sending the situation to God to deal with.

As a matter of fact, next time you are tempted to be unforgiving, as this question: "If that were me, how would I want to be treated?"  Let's be honest, we are ALL guilty and we ALL want to be forgiven, so if God forgives us because of Christ Jesus who are we to do any less?

Am I The Only One?

What exists now is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing truly new on earth.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 

 

Have you ever had to endure a situation where you felt as though you were the only one going through this?  It's a HUGELY frustrating feeling, isn't it?  After living through the stress and struggle for so long, we begin to wonder how anyone could possibly have an inkling of what we are enduring, much less care that we are slowly sinking and there's nothing we can do about it.

 

To be honest, we, as humans, aren't usually ones to come rushing to someone who is enduring a hardship, difficult time, or struggling.  Why?  Perhaps it's because they hide it well and we don't realize there's an issue.  Perhaps we prefer not to notice because we want to stay in the "no-sad zone."  Perhaps we feel drained from having just reached out to someone else struggling and we aren't ready to do that again just yet.

 

Whatever our reason, the person enduring the struggle eventually will begin to believe that they are the only one who has, is, or ever will face such a challenge as theirs.  That feeling can lead to despair!  However....God reminds us that we are NOT alone in our struggles.  Notice today's verse: "...there is nothing truly new on the earth."  Did you catch that? Our struggles may be new to us, but they are not new and they are most certainly not new to God.  Nothing surprises God!  And, as a matter of fact, God allows struggles in our lives to teach us how to help others later on who may be facing a similar struggle.

 

Yes, we will encounter situations where we slump down and wonder "Why me?" and we will begin to believe the whisperer from the pit who tells us no one cares, no one understands, no one has ever faced this, and the whisperer LIES!

 

One of the things I try to remind the Deputies and employees of the Sheriff's Department: "If I don't know what's going on with you, I can't help you or find help for you."  And it's true!  But start with God, He has more resources at His immediate disposal.  But understand YOU are NEVER alone!

Life.....Driving Me Crazy!!!!

When my heart is overwhelmed, 

lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 61:2 

 

If we were to look at all that is going on in your life, job, and mind...what would we discover?  I'm willing we would discover many who are either on the verge of, or already, overwhelmed by everything.  We have quite the balancing act to perform while we are on this Earth.  

 

We have family issues (finances, activities, juggling childcare, clothing, housing, food, transportation, where to we go first for Christmas/Thanksgiving, what do we need to do not to offend the family members, and on and on); 

 

We have job issues (am I doing a good job, will I be able to get promoted, how do I stay out of the gossip/politics, how am I going to afford the new insurance rates, what mood is the boss in today, how can I find time for vacation when I have projects that need my input, does my family come first or does the job, and on and on and on);

 

We have relationship issues (Does he/she like me, have I messed up, he/she ticks me off with her actions/words/inaction/silence, how can we have a relationship with my crazy schedule,  how do I deal with the people who insist on criticizing my very existence, how do I repair this broken relationship or do I even want to, is this relationship good for me or is it creating more stress than it's worth, and on and on);

 

Toss into the mix the daily items of which we have no control (traffic, engine trouble, weather, etc.) and it is amazing that we haven't crawled into a cave to wait it out.  We feel the stress and anxiety mounting with unrelenting progress and the faster we try to keep juggling everything the more frantic we become until we finally just can't take it anymore.

 

What happens when we become overwhelmed?  We begin to doubt our worth.  We begin to feel as though we are a failure.  We lash out at others because they seem to be able to handle the pressure better than we can. Our neck and back muscles  begin to knot and even the chiropractor can't unknot our knots.  Our sleep gets disrupted because our mind won't shut down, OR we can't seem to get enough sleep because we don't want to face the world any longer. Our health begins to decline. And finally, we begin to shut down.

 

So what do we do? Allow me to offer some helps, please note this is not a complete list by any stretch, but hopefully something will offer a bit of relief:

1. TAKE TIME OFF!  I know, you don't believe you have the time to get away, but you do.  So what if the project moves forward without you.  It your health declines because you won't take time to recharge, the project will still move forward without you.
2. FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANT! If your home life is in turmoil, it will bleed into your work which will cause your work to suffer.  God provided you a family for a reason, embrace them.  Make them your place of refuge!  If you are dating, your relationship status will take a toll on your performance in every other aspect of your life.  Therefore, if the relationship is building you up and making your WHOLE life better, good.  If you are left constantly wondering if this is going to work out....walk away.
3.  Take Care of YOU!  God only gave the universe ONE you!  You are the only you EVER!  Therefore, take care of you...your health, your sleep, your life, your everything.  Remember, the same God who keeps the seas from enveloping the world is the same God who holds you in His hand and knows how many hairs you have.
4. Learn To Let Go! "Life is simple, it is we who complicate it."  I love The Big Bang Theory!  There are many wonderful quotes from that program, but my favorite is from Sheldon "Life is simply the breathing, taking in nourishment, and expelling waste.  The rest is unnecessary."  If you have more activities than you can keep track of, eliminate some of them.  And, at the risk of offending parents, children do NOT need to have so many activities that you are merely a taxi!
5. Rely on the ONE Who is in Control!  God is God.....we are not.  God loves us beyond our ability to comprehend.  God is the one who should be our primary focus because He is the one with the plan for each of us.  Talk with Him.  Talk with Him a LOT!  Talk with Him about EVERYTHING! 

What If?

Why am I anxious?
Why am I restless?
    I trust you!
And I will praise you again
    because you help me,
    and you are my God.

Psalm 42:11

 

"What if?" is a question I hear quite a lot.  Do we ask this because we want to be certain?  Or could it be that we are fearful of making a decision?  Or could it be that we are just bad at relying on the love of God for us? 

 

We like to have all the answers before we decide and we like to have all the pieces in place before we move.  You have probably heard the question, whether or not you have pondered it, "What would you do if you could not fail?"  Go ahead....ponder that for a moment.

 

Now...think of how much time and energy we waste by doubting and filling the air with "What If?" questions.  Have you ever heard the song "Blessed Assurance"?  God has promised us in Romans 8:28 that we cannot fail.  Granted, there will be times when the outcome will be much different than we expected, but God will not allow us to fail.  

 

What if I encourage someone and they bite my head off?  Do it anyway and let God deal with the other person.

 

What if I offer someone guidance from my own experience and they don't take it?  Do it anyway.  And let God do with it what He will with the other person.  

 

What if I reach out to someone and they reject my offer?  Do it anyway and let God deal with them.

 

I may have mentioned this before, and then again I may not have, I crochet afghans.  They are called BUBBAs (Butt Ugly But Big Afghans) and I give them away.  I crochet them while I have quiet time and when I am contemplating.  The very first one I made I gave to my Bride as a wedding gift 18 years ago.  She enjoyed it for a while and gave it to a lady who was starting her life over after spending time in SisterCare.  Now, either of them could have laughed and rejected the BUBBA.  But they didn't.  Over time, this has become a ministry project (with a Facebook Page too).  

 

When I came to the Sheriff's Department, I kept making them.  I was terrified to give away the first one.  People would think I was weird or something (and I am weird, so there).  One of our retired Deputies was in the hospital dying, I gave his wife the first one.  Last year when Sheriff Lott took his Oath of Office, this dear lady came up to me after the ceremony to thank me for that BUBBA and to let me know that she still finds comfort in it.

 

What if I had ignored God's prompting and not given that BUBBA away?  But God promised that He would make sure I did not fail, and He was absolutely right.  Here it is 11 years and some 50+ BUBBAs later and God is still proving Himself true to His Word!   

When Should We Give Thanks?

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

 

 Have you ever found yourself in a rather sticky situation that you REALLY wish you didn't have to endure?  I have found, from experience, that pretty much all such situations in which I find myself are the result of my own actions, inactions, decisions, and just my own lack of thinking.  And when I am in the midst of such a situation, my first thought is to find a way out FAST!

 

It's not easy when we realize that we are the ones who messed up.  Honestly, even thought I KNOW God is fully aware of my situation, I have this habit of not talking with Him about it.  Why?  Because I am too stubborn, too embarrassed, too angry, too something other than thankful.  Consider this: How do we learn? Usually from experience...and Experience is a cruel teacher.  

 

Think about it...how did you discover that cookies right out of the oven were hot?  By grabbing one and feeling the heat.  How did you figure out that there's a difference between suntan and sunburn? By getting sunburned.  We learn usually by doing it wrong, but that is one of the things we should thank God for, He didn't have to give us a mind that is capable of learning.

 

But think about this: When we are grateful and thankful to God in EVERY situation we remind ourselves that God is in control and will work everything to our good and His glory when we learn to turn loose of it. 

It's In Your DNA

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

John 1:12-13 

 

As a Christmas gift to myself, I decided to get one of those kits where you can have your DNA analyzed and find out about your history.  I sent the kit off today with excitement and more than a little apprehension.  What happens if my DNA comes back to inform me that my family tree doesn't fork?  What happens if I find out that my ancestry was filled with "folks of ill repute"?  What would people think if they discovered that they were related to me?  What if my ethnicities all point to "Other"?  

 

I find it amazing that scientists can find something that God created us with and use it to find out all sorts of information about us.  And we have just, in the last few years, figured out how helpful DNA can be, and God has filled us with this information since the dawn of time.

 

While I await the results, I am confident of one fact...my true family DNA is God's.  You see, as believers we have been given the right to claim our place as children of God!  God has so constructed our spiritual DNA so that it will always come back to Him. 

 

David was not kidding that we are fearfully and wonderfully made and that before anyone saw us, God saw us as He was knitting our bits and pieces together to form us into the child He would include in His plans.  Take just a moment and thank God for the families He has included us in and celebrate His plans for us.

Sleepless? Is It My Bloodshot Eyes?

In peace I will lie down and sleep,
    for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

Psalm 4:8 

 

Have you ever had trouble sleeping at night because you have so much on your mind that it's like having a jolt of electricity flowing through you?  Yep....me too.  And I admit that I have relied on sleep meds to deal with this issue.  Guess what?  They were a "hit or miss" when it came to sleep (they only seemed to work when I was so exhausted that I kept dozing off in my recliner).

 

God has a rather unique sense of humor.  There were times I would toss and turn for hours, then have the uncontrollable need to get up and chat with God around 2am.  First, I did all the talking and little listening.  I would unload everything that was on my mind.  Some times the more I unloaded, the more I discovered to be unloaded.  Finally when I finished unloading, I would begin to feel sleepy again and I can't prove I heard it, but I can't prove I didn't; I could swear I heard God chuckle and remind me that He's got me in His care.

 

Then, I would toddle off to bed and the next 4 hours were the best sleep ever.  You see, when we learn to START by letting God know exactly what is on our minds and hearts we will be amazed what a relief it is to turn everything over to the ONE who can take care of everything and us too!

 

Let's try it together.  That's right, I'm still learning too. 

Run? Are You Kidding Me?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us.

Hebrews 12:1 

If you've ever watch the Track and Field Events in the Olympics, you've probably noticed that the none of the athletes are carrying heavy weights when they run.  You'll probably notice that they seldom, if ever, look back.  Why?  Because these would hinder their running.

Now...notice that we are being told to "run with endurance."  Why is that?  Well, because life is not a sprint!  When we sprint, we expend a lot of energy and focus needlessly.  Life is a GIFT which God has given each of us.  We are expected to be in it for the long haul, so that we can receive the help we need and give the help others need; so we can be a blessing and we can be blessed; so that we can learn to let go of the things that hinder our running.

"Get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely" the writer is not kidding.  We carry around too much.  When we are finally able to surrender our "baggage" to God through Christ, we will feel the weight come off our hearts!  But that means we have to be brutally honest with ourselves, because God already knows all our secrets.

Run the race with endurance!

Whose Time Is It Anyway?

But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength;
they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings,
they run without growing weary,
they walk without getting tired.

Isaiah 40:31 

I like to watch birds fly.  To see such majesty as a hawk or an eagle is breathtaking.  And it reminds me of the words of Isaiah "they rise up as if they had eagles' wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired."  Such promises are encouraging and uplifting, when we read them we feel out hearts begin the ascent into the skies of joy...and then reality hits and we come crashing back into our trials and struggles.  We tend to blame God for not answering our prayers immediately and solving all our struggles without any effort on our part because, after all, He is God and we are not.

We tend to miss the important part of this passage found in the first line: "But those who WAIT for the Lord's help..."  We must learn that God works on HIS schedule, not ours, and we must learn to wait.  Now....this doesn't mean we sit back on the sofa and wait for God to decide to do something.  Far from it!  God reminds that none of our impatience will get Him to work any faster, just like continually pushing the elevator button does not bring the elevator to you any faster!  When God tells us to "Wait" and "Be Still" He expects us to focus on Him and listen for Him.

Why are we to wait and be still?  Let's think about a couple of possible reasons...could it be that we are still struggling to get past our past?  Could it be that God is putting all the pieces in place for His perfect plan for you which might include someone else gaining experience to help us?  Could it be that God wants us to slow down and realize the incredible gift He has given us in the nature which is all around us?  Could it be God is simply reminding us who is the one who is really in control of everything (time, situations, plans, details)?

As we wait on the Lord let's not be idle!  Take the time to reflect and THINK.  God is God and we are not!