I live on a very busy road. Very busy. Vehicles speed up and down this road day and night ... seemingly non stop. The thing is, my home is close to this road ... which means that I hear each and every car or truck. My husband can even pick out the make of a truck going by based on the sound of the engine! Ha!
Yesterday afternoon a wintery mix of precipitation began to fall in our area. By midnight I was lying awake in my bed listening to heavy sleet fall. When I awoke at 7 am, the sleet had stopped.
And so had everything else.
I listened ... to nothing. No sleet. And most notably, no vehicles. At one of the busiest times of day, there was nothing ... but silence. No roar of engines. No whir of tires on wet pavement. No horns.
Silence.
If you live off the beaten path then a moment like this is most likely lost on you. But for me, the silence, it was amazing. Even as I sit in my living room typing right now I am listening to a plethora of vehicles ... oh wait, there went a truck with a snow plow, they are especially loud. The noise seems never to cease. Oh -- did I forget to mention there is a train track on the other side of this very busy road? And did I forget to mention that a train goes up and down this track multiple times daily? Yep. Noise. Always.
Of course I have become very accustomed to the cadence of my home environment. I almost don't even notice it anymore.
But I did notice the silence.
I laid in bed as still as I could. I listened as hard as I could ... my husband cleared his throat from the next room. "Shhh" I said. Silence. I didn't want anything to break it. Who knew how long it would last? I soaked it in ... the silence. I listened to it ... to the silence.
I reflected on that silence throughout the morning. It was not the first time that God had laid the weight of silence on my heart in these past seven days. But earlier in the week He brought before me the value of silence in my speech life.
You see, I like to talk. It's probably one of my favorite pastimes. I cultivate and grow friendships through talking. I work out my problems through talking. I share joy and pain with my loved ones through talking. I pray to and praise God through talking. I believe I can honor God in all those ways and that God honors them too. But this week He has reminded me that silence is also honored, and honoring.
Let's consider this further. James chapter 3 tells us of the power the tongue has. "Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." (James 3:5-6)
Wow ... I can do a lot of honorable things with my tongue. But the Bible reminds me that my tongue also has power to do evil. Not just any evil ... evil from the fires of hell itself. Exactly what kind of evil? Lies. Cursing. Slander. Gossip. Blasphemy.
I am called to do many things with my tongue ... first and foremost to share the Gospel to the glory of the God of all creation. But if I don't allow God to have control of my tongue it can do so much damage, just like a rapidly spreading wildfire. And lest I ever think my words are "no big deal", my Savior Jesus Christ says "I tell you, on the day of judgement people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:36-37) Justification and condemnation ... the paradox of the tongue.
This week, I've been pondering how my tongue can best be used by God. I want to speak wisdom and truth into situations that need it desperately. Biblically, I am instructed to do this. I need to speak and I've prayed for God to show me exactly how to do this. And yet God gave me silence. Silence. Silence has its place too.
It hit me this morning. As I deeply relished the silence around my home, I realized that the sound of nothing, is still a sound. And it can be revitalizing to the soul. It can be treasured. It can be honored. Habakkuk 2:20 says "But the Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him." He's holy ... keep silent. Silence, from the earth and from my mouth, can acknowledge the holiness of the Lord Almighty.
Silence, just as much as spoken word, bears weight. Now, I will not fail to acknowledge that silence can do damage too, just like my tongue. If I am silent too long, if I am silent at the time the Holy Spirit urges me to speak truth, then I am disobedient in my silence. There is a time to speak. "To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!" (Proverbs 15:23) A word, a wise and truthful word, in season, is good. Silence, in its proper season, is good. May God grant me the grace and wisdom to know those seasons ...
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
This house is not my home!
So, most who know me know that I have been on a journey of late ... a journey to find where I live.
Huh? Let me explain.
My husband and I put our house on the market in early January of this year. It sold in early March. That was great! But ... we didn't have another house waiting on us. So, we moved all of our belongings into storage at my aunt's house and we moved ourselves into my mom's house! Nothing like "going back home" at age 34! But what a blessing it was to have a roof over our heads and love abounding.
Two months after moving in with my mom we were able to purchase my husband's great-grandmother's house. Again - what a blessing! The house was very well built in 1931 ... but ... it needed some repairs and, eh hem, updates. So, the process of remodeling began. Dare I leave out the blessing of having a talented husband who works in this line of construction business. He can do just about anything. I mean, how many women out there say to their husbands, "Honey I trust you to make it look good and do it right. You can pick out the colors in the kitchen." I hope you were sitting down for that one. If you are picking any part of you off the floor now, I apologize for not giving any prior warning.
The timeline continues.
Four months after remodeling begins, we are ready to move out of my mom's house and into our house. It's mostly finished ... mostly. There are a few things in each room that need to be completed, but it's not really anything that keeps us from living.
But I keep feeling out of place. Actually, I've felt sort of out of place for 6 months now. Most of my "stuff" has been stored away. Many of my clothes and shoes, my books, my dishes and cooking supplies, my .... well, most everything. At my mom's house our space was limited and with 3 kids in the house along with 3 adults we made do with the personal belongings we had to have. Now that I've moved into the house I will call home, I'm trying to find a place for everything ... but I can't find everything I thought I had. Where did those finger nail clippers go? And where is my hair dryer? (Thanks mom for letting me borrow your travel one!) And didn't I have a can opener? Or did we get rid of that before we moved? And what is this? I don't remember that at all! Where am I going to put those things??? Why can't I find my underwear?!? Honestly, people, I have stuff all over the place! Still in storage, still at my mom's house, somewhere in a box, in a barn under some tarps, I'm not even kidding it's spread out everywhere!
Moving is stressful, y'all.
But God is teaching me, like always. As I was reflecting today on how this house does not yet feel like "home" simply because all the "comforts" are not in place yet, God brought a thought to my mind -- this house is not your home; furthermore, this world is not your home.
You see, I've realized over the last 6 months that I can actually live with a lot less that I ever thought I could. Now don't get me wrong. I enjoy all the things that make this life more comfortable and more pleasant. And I do not think it is wrong to have these things. Many of them can be wonderful blessings from above. However, sometimes my focus gets a little out of whack. I start to think that these things are more important than they really are. Or that they are more necessary than they really are. Or, the trap I've fallen into this week, that the stuff is what will make me happy and comfortable and finally feel at home where I am.
This house is where I live, where I raise my family and where I rest when my body is tired. And I am grateful to have this house. And yes all my "stuff" in the house makes the day to day living easier. But God reminded me this week that my home is with Him. Home is, after all, where the heart is, right? So if my heart is with Him, then with Him is when I will truly be at home. And all this stuff? Well ... maybe I should find a way to ship it to my REAL home, in a proverbial sense. Store up some treasures in heaven, you know? I've lived without some "stuff" for 6 months and I'm doing just fine ... perhaps there is a struggling single mom down the road who needs it more than I do. Perhaps, rather than thinking I need to go out and buy something new to replace what was damaged in moving I could simply live with less and find a use for that money in Christ's kingdom. There are so many ways to send my treasures on ahead of me, where moth and rust will not destroy.
The last 6 months have been quite the roller coaster ride - fast with lots of ups and downs, twists and turns, ins and outs. But God has remained quietly constant in my life, choosing to remind me of where I call home in the midst of trying to find and set up a "house" here on earth. One day, all this here on earth will pass away, but my home in heaven is eternal. I pray that God continues to remind and teach me how to live here, while setting up my real home with Him.
Friday, September 5, 2014
After all ... You are sovereign
Hello, long lost readers. Oh, wait - I am the long lost writer. Where have I been? Oh, you know the answer to that ... it's an answer we all know how to give - "I've been busy."
The odd thing, though, is that I have thought about this blog and have had things to share. Many times I wanted to sit down to write, but couldn't figure out which words to use. Truthfully, the post I wanted to write but never began was to be titled "A New Normal." I had the title, but not the words. Or, should I say I had the words inside me but couldn't come to put them on the virtual paper. Why was that? Because my last written post was about my dad. And about 5 weeks after writing that post, my dad entered into the presence of his Savior. Then, the new normal began.
But I didn't know how to get the words out. Life goes on, it's not like normal before my dad passed. But it's normal ... a new normal. I don't really like the new normal. The reason is simple - I miss my dad, and that is part of the new normal. Yet, at the same time I love living this life with which God has blessed me. But, how can I enjoy things without my dad here? It's an odd paradox. Happiness in the midst of sorrow. Pleasure mingled with pain. Joy punctuated with sadness. So, I avoided writing most days because I didn't know how to put those feelings into words. It seems now, though, that I just did.
What is different about today, I wonder? I can't pin point it for sure, although I have some idea. All I know is I've been meditating for many months on God's sovereignty. Do I "like" His sovereign plan? No, not always. But does my like or dislike change Him or His plan? No, never. And who is God? He is I AM. The only one in this universe who can be named and described with no boundary of time or space. So rightfully, sovereignty belongs to Him.
There is a song by Meredith Andrews titled "Not for a Moment (After All)". I've heard this song on the radio for a while now. However, a couple of months ago I heard it afresh while working in the house my husband and I have been remodeling (okay, really he's been remodeling it and I've had the chance to help every now and then). As the song played on the radio the lyrics struck me differently. I guess it's because I had been studying and meditating on God's sovereignty for quite some time. The chorus goes like this: "After all, You are constant. After all, You are only good. After all, You are sovereign. Not for a moment will You forsake me." I sang out loud with the radio, meaning those words in a way I never had understood before. The past year's experiences and the lessons God had been teaching me poured out of me like water being squeezed from soaked sponge. I sang those words fervently and fully to my Constant, only Good, Sovereign God who never has and never will forsake me, even when His ways hurt for a time here on this earth. I planned to sing them in my church as well the next opportunity I had to do so.
Fast forward just a bit to this present week. Shocking, saddening news met me at my classroom door on Wednesday as one of my principals delivered news to me that our Children's Pastor at Faith Church had suffered an apparent massive heart attack. My heart broke for his wife and three children. He was so young. He had so much more life to live and work to do ... at least, in our plans he did. But in God's plan ... His constant, only good, sovereign plan, Randy Gray's work was complete here.
Not for a moment will You forsake me. After all, You are sovereign.
The words from the song I had planned to sing in just another couple of weeks rang out over and over in my head. The Gray family will have a new normal. They will feel the paradox of emotions that losing a loved one brings, especially when we are believers who know our loved one is a believer now home in the arms of Jesus. They will need each other and the rest of us as they wrestle with God's sovereign plan. They will not like it, but God will not change. He is constant and He is only good. And He will not forsake them. He did not forsake me and will never do so. Randy Gray, like my father, now understands that in full. Here on earth we continue to walk day by day, trusting in His plan until our day comes, when we, too, will see face to face our Savior and Lord. Do you know that peace? Do not wait another day to make certain. Remember that your plan is most likely not God's plan, but His way is perfect. After all, He is sovereign.
The odd thing, though, is that I have thought about this blog and have had things to share. Many times I wanted to sit down to write, but couldn't figure out which words to use. Truthfully, the post I wanted to write but never began was to be titled "A New Normal." I had the title, but not the words. Or, should I say I had the words inside me but couldn't come to put them on the virtual paper. Why was that? Because my last written post was about my dad. And about 5 weeks after writing that post, my dad entered into the presence of his Savior. Then, the new normal began.
But I didn't know how to get the words out. Life goes on, it's not like normal before my dad passed. But it's normal ... a new normal. I don't really like the new normal. The reason is simple - I miss my dad, and that is part of the new normal. Yet, at the same time I love living this life with which God has blessed me. But, how can I enjoy things without my dad here? It's an odd paradox. Happiness in the midst of sorrow. Pleasure mingled with pain. Joy punctuated with sadness. So, I avoided writing most days because I didn't know how to put those feelings into words. It seems now, though, that I just did.
What is different about today, I wonder? I can't pin point it for sure, although I have some idea. All I know is I've been meditating for many months on God's sovereignty. Do I "like" His sovereign plan? No, not always. But does my like or dislike change Him or His plan? No, never. And who is God? He is I AM. The only one in this universe who can be named and described with no boundary of time or space. So rightfully, sovereignty belongs to Him.
There is a song by Meredith Andrews titled "Not for a Moment (After All)". I've heard this song on the radio for a while now. However, a couple of months ago I heard it afresh while working in the house my husband and I have been remodeling (okay, really he's been remodeling it and I've had the chance to help every now and then). As the song played on the radio the lyrics struck me differently. I guess it's because I had been studying and meditating on God's sovereignty for quite some time. The chorus goes like this: "After all, You are constant. After all, You are only good. After all, You are sovereign. Not for a moment will You forsake me." I sang out loud with the radio, meaning those words in a way I never had understood before. The past year's experiences and the lessons God had been teaching me poured out of me like water being squeezed from soaked sponge. I sang those words fervently and fully to my Constant, only Good, Sovereign God who never has and never will forsake me, even when His ways hurt for a time here on this earth. I planned to sing them in my church as well the next opportunity I had to do so.
Fast forward just a bit to this present week. Shocking, saddening news met me at my classroom door on Wednesday as one of my principals delivered news to me that our Children's Pastor at Faith Church had suffered an apparent massive heart attack. My heart broke for his wife and three children. He was so young. He had so much more life to live and work to do ... at least, in our plans he did. But in God's plan ... His constant, only good, sovereign plan, Randy Gray's work was complete here.
Not for a moment will You forsake me. After all, You are sovereign.
The words from the song I had planned to sing in just another couple of weeks rang out over and over in my head. The Gray family will have a new normal. They will feel the paradox of emotions that losing a loved one brings, especially when we are believers who know our loved one is a believer now home in the arms of Jesus. They will need each other and the rest of us as they wrestle with God's sovereign plan. They will not like it, but God will not change. He is constant and He is only good. And He will not forsake them. He did not forsake me and will never do so. Randy Gray, like my father, now understands that in full. Here on earth we continue to walk day by day, trusting in His plan until our day comes, when we, too, will see face to face our Savior and Lord. Do you know that peace? Do not wait another day to make certain. Remember that your plan is most likely not God's plan, but His way is perfect. After all, He is sovereign.
Monday, June 17, 2013
The BEST Dad
A year goes by fast, doesn't it? One year ago I was looking to celebrate my first anniversary with my husband; now I find myself saying "it's been almost 2 years!" One year ago I was hoping to soon be pregnant; now today my baby's due date is only 4 days away. One year ago I was blogging all the time, with so much to say I had to pace myself on what to write and share; now I find myself, still with plenty to say, but realizing that life, work, kids, responsibilities, and pregnancy took up a lot of my time!
And one year ago I was processing the news that my father may have cancer ... tests soon after confirmed it; now, a year later, I find myself still processing all the implications of the diagnosis.
Yesterday, June 16 2013, was Father's Day. I always reflect on my parents and how blessed I am to have them on these types of days, but yesterday was different. Just this past week we heard more news that the cancer continues to spread. The effects of the disease and the chemo that treats it are really starting to wear on my dad. And on Father's Day, a day when most children give token gifts of some sort, the only thing I wanted to give my dad was relief from pain and a good night's sleep - two things that I do not have the ability to give. Anything else I could have gifted to him felt silly.
Yesterday was not a typical Father's Day. Oh, usual things happened, of course ... we celebrated the night before with dinner and just being together, my favorite family activity of all ... we went to church and worshipped ... I gave hugs and "Happy Father's Day" wishes liberally ... I read all the Facebook posts in honor of dads and made my own ... but my heart was heavy with burden for my dad's health.
As I found myself reflecting and praying throughout the day, the Lord revealed several things to me. I want to share a couple of them with you and trust that God will use them in your life in the way that only He knows.
As I read through the hundreds of posts on Facebook I noticed how many people said something to the effect of "Happy Father's Day to the BEST dad ever!" Now, I love words and love to analyze and weigh them, and I found myself thinking a lot about the word 'best'.
'Best' is a superlative, the form of an adjective or adverb that expresses the greatest possible degree of that adjective or adverb. Also, the article typically used with the noun being describe by a superlative is the definite article. For all you out there who do not spend your days at work teaching grammar, let me show you what I'm talking about ... A good dad ... A better dad ... THE best dad. See the difference? "A" is an indefinite article ... could be talking about any dad. But "THE" is a definite article ... there is only one in mind. And each person who used that word "best" to describe their dad had just one in mind - their own - and he's undoubtedly the BEST - none other can reach a greater degree.
(I apologize now for leading you in to the scary part of my brain without warning and will unashamadly admit to you that yes, this is what I do on a regular basis ... you probably don't want to have access to any more of my thought bubbles, lest you be whisked back into the nightmarish portions of your high school grammar class.)
Back to business ... the BEST dad. I think I have him. You think you have him. How can this be? People, the word BEST is it - there is none greater! We must settle this now! Who has THE BEST DAD???
Perhaps you are reading this and thinking, 'I would never use that word to describe my father ... I would use a different superlative, WORST.' Which leads me to show you how God solved the issue at hand.
Our dads are human, each and every one of them. In my opinion, my dad is the best. He is the most generous, kind, loving, supportive, encouraging man I could ever ask for as a father ... yet he is human. And the Bible tells us that "there is none who does good, no, not one" (Romans 3:12) and that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). So as great as we may think our dads are, they are all human, do nothing good by the sinful human nature, and fall short of glory.
However, the one thing Terry Hines did throughout my life that, in my mind, sets him apart from so many others is lead me to the one true God. This one God, the great I AM, who is always good, in whom there is no shadow of turning, who saved me out of my sin through ultimate sacrifice, grafted me into his royal family and became my Heavenly Father. And let me tell you, HE IS THE BEST DAD EVER.
So, to my earthly father I say, "the greatest thing you ever did for me was care about me enough to introduce me to the BEST father, my Heavenly one." I hope all of you reading this know the Father I am talking about. He is Creator, Lord, Sustainer, Redeemer, Alpha and Omega, Everlasting. I wish we all had earthly fathers who led us to the BEST father, but I know that is not the case. But I pray, no matter what your situation with your dad may be, that your heart be softened and you let the BEST dad love you. He is "a father of the fatherless" (Psalm 68:5) and will not leave you orphans (John 14:18).
As I continued reflecting throughout the day about how blessed I am to have a father who led me to the BEST dad, the Lord revealed to me that the best gift I could give my dad was within my reach. It's nothing tangible. I did not have to wrap it, present it, and watch my dad open it. I still couldn't give pain relief or sleep as a gift, but I trust that God can and I continue to pray for it. But, the one gift I can give my dad that will honor him the most, is living each day of my life to serve the Lord he loves.
You see, my dad has placed his life in the hands of his Creator and Savior. I know this. And more special to him than any tie, gift card, tool, gadget or gizmo I could find on a shelf to present to him, choosing to follow Christ in my daily walk is of utmost importance. So, dad, to honor you every day, not just on Father's Day, and because you played a crucial part in my spiritual upbringing, I have placed my life in God's hands and I live only because of Him and for Him. May this be my gift of unending thanks.
Do you know the BEST dad? If so, are you choosing to follow him daily, even if the path leads you to the wilderness? I pray you can answer yes to both of these questions and trust that the comfort and peace surpassing all understanding comes your way every day.
And one year ago I was processing the news that my father may have cancer ... tests soon after confirmed it; now, a year later, I find myself still processing all the implications of the diagnosis.
Yesterday, June 16 2013, was Father's Day. I always reflect on my parents and how blessed I am to have them on these types of days, but yesterday was different. Just this past week we heard more news that the cancer continues to spread. The effects of the disease and the chemo that treats it are really starting to wear on my dad. And on Father's Day, a day when most children give token gifts of some sort, the only thing I wanted to give my dad was relief from pain and a good night's sleep - two things that I do not have the ability to give. Anything else I could have gifted to him felt silly.
Yesterday was not a typical Father's Day. Oh, usual things happened, of course ... we celebrated the night before with dinner and just being together, my favorite family activity of all ... we went to church and worshipped ... I gave hugs and "Happy Father's Day" wishes liberally ... I read all the Facebook posts in honor of dads and made my own ... but my heart was heavy with burden for my dad's health.
As I found myself reflecting and praying throughout the day, the Lord revealed several things to me. I want to share a couple of them with you and trust that God will use them in your life in the way that only He knows.
As I read through the hundreds of posts on Facebook I noticed how many people said something to the effect of "Happy Father's Day to the BEST dad ever!" Now, I love words and love to analyze and weigh them, and I found myself thinking a lot about the word 'best'.
'Best' is a superlative, the form of an adjective or adverb that expresses the greatest possible degree of that adjective or adverb. Also, the article typically used with the noun being describe by a superlative is the definite article. For all you out there who do not spend your days at work teaching grammar, let me show you what I'm talking about ... A good dad ... A better dad ... THE best dad. See the difference? "A" is an indefinite article ... could be talking about any dad. But "THE" is a definite article ... there is only one in mind. And each person who used that word "best" to describe their dad had just one in mind - their own - and he's undoubtedly the BEST - none other can reach a greater degree.
(I apologize now for leading you in to the scary part of my brain without warning and will unashamadly admit to you that yes, this is what I do on a regular basis ... you probably don't want to have access to any more of my thought bubbles, lest you be whisked back into the nightmarish portions of your high school grammar class.)
Back to business ... the BEST dad. I think I have him. You think you have him. How can this be? People, the word BEST is it - there is none greater! We must settle this now! Who has THE BEST DAD???
Perhaps you are reading this and thinking, 'I would never use that word to describe my father ... I would use a different superlative, WORST.' Which leads me to show you how God solved the issue at hand.
Our dads are human, each and every one of them. In my opinion, my dad is the best. He is the most generous, kind, loving, supportive, encouraging man I could ever ask for as a father ... yet he is human. And the Bible tells us that "there is none who does good, no, not one" (Romans 3:12) and that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). So as great as we may think our dads are, they are all human, do nothing good by the sinful human nature, and fall short of glory.
However, the one thing Terry Hines did throughout my life that, in my mind, sets him apart from so many others is lead me to the one true God. This one God, the great I AM, who is always good, in whom there is no shadow of turning, who saved me out of my sin through ultimate sacrifice, grafted me into his royal family and became my Heavenly Father. And let me tell you, HE IS THE BEST DAD EVER.
So, to my earthly father I say, "the greatest thing you ever did for me was care about me enough to introduce me to the BEST father, my Heavenly one." I hope all of you reading this know the Father I am talking about. He is Creator, Lord, Sustainer, Redeemer, Alpha and Omega, Everlasting. I wish we all had earthly fathers who led us to the BEST father, but I know that is not the case. But I pray, no matter what your situation with your dad may be, that your heart be softened and you let the BEST dad love you. He is "a father of the fatherless" (Psalm 68:5) and will not leave you orphans (John 14:18).
As I continued reflecting throughout the day about how blessed I am to have a father who led me to the BEST dad, the Lord revealed to me that the best gift I could give my dad was within my reach. It's nothing tangible. I did not have to wrap it, present it, and watch my dad open it. I still couldn't give pain relief or sleep as a gift, but I trust that God can and I continue to pray for it. But, the one gift I can give my dad that will honor him the most, is living each day of my life to serve the Lord he loves.
You see, my dad has placed his life in the hands of his Creator and Savior. I know this. And more special to him than any tie, gift card, tool, gadget or gizmo I could find on a shelf to present to him, choosing to follow Christ in my daily walk is of utmost importance. So, dad, to honor you every day, not just on Father's Day, and because you played a crucial part in my spiritual upbringing, I have placed my life in God's hands and I live only because of Him and for Him. May this be my gift of unending thanks.
Do you know the BEST dad? If so, are you choosing to follow him daily, even if the path leads you to the wilderness? I pray you can answer yes to both of these questions and trust that the comfort and peace surpassing all understanding comes your way every day.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
ALERT! I'm missing!
Well, hello there. Have you wondered where I've been???
I have.
Where did I go in the last month?
Let's just say - school began. Period.
Those of you who are teachers know exactly what I mean. August rolls around ... the hallowed halls of the grand institutions of learning bustle once again ... and teachers disappear into the black hole that is "work." Their friends wonder where they have gone ... families ask why there are piles of paper everywhere but mom is no where to be found ... oh wait, did that pile of paper move???
Yep. That's how I feel. Like I've disappeared. My school year has been incredibly busy thus far. New standards, new books, curriculum changes, higher expectations, more requirements. It seems as though I am a first year teacher again when in reality this is my ninth year. I thought it would get easier ... I thought I would feel like a pro by now! Well, okay, maybe on my way to being a semi-pro ... but let's just face it -- no matter how many years you've been teaching or doing whatever it is you may do, there is always room for improvement, advancement, sharpening of skills, learning new skills, and tweaking what may seem to work adequately.
But as I pondered how much time I've had to put into my school life in the last month, I've realized that I've failed to put a sufficient amount of effort in my spiritual life. I've gone missing.
Now don't get me wrong ... I still attend church every Sunday and Wednesday, I still pray, I still read my Bible. But has some of that, especially my study of the Word, slipped into the back seat because I've let my work (and resulting "busy-ness") take over lately? Yes, it has. Is it okay? No, it's not.
I'm tired, mentally and physically. I'm fighting off a cold. I feel overwhelmed with all I need to do. I get frustrated more and quite easily at times.
Are these symptoms of a crazy month at work? I venture to answer with a resounding "NO."
These are symptoms of trying to go it alone. Hear me out -- God is always with me. He walks with me each step of my day. He knows I have a lot on my shoulders. He knows I can't do it all alone. So why doesn't he just help me out with some of this? Because I keep telling Him, not out loud but in my actions and attitudes, that I can handle it.
When I fail to start my day in His Word ... when I think "I'm just too tired to get on my knees and pray, I'll pray while I'm laying down to sleep" ... when I hear Him speak to me and then I say "I'll have to explore that later, there is something else I must do now" ... all of those thoughts and attitudes are me trying to do it all alone. Now here's the amazing thing -- I KNOW BETTER! How so?
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
Jesus didn't say, "Go get all your work done, then come to me and I will give you rest." No. He said "Come." Are you tired? Weak? Weary? Heavy laden? Burdened? Overwhelmed? Frustrated? Sick? Then just go to Jesus, for He says "come" with all those troubles, and He "will give you rest." Not He might give you or He may try to give you ... He WILL give you rest.
How will He do that? Well, you have to follow the directions: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29) Read His word. Soak it in. Meditate on it. Don't give up the daily absorption of spiritual food. Put on the yoke of Christ and learn from Him. Follow Him. Study His teachings and realize that He doesn't add more burden --He lightens your load, giving your soul rest!
It doesn't get much deeper than the soul. And Jesus promises rest ... for my soul. I may still be physically tired at the end of the day, but when my SOUL is at rest, all is well. When I am sharing in the yoke of Christ my burdens are carried by the One who is able. I find gentleness in Him. I learn how to be more like Him in my daily life. I discover how a humble attitude, like His, is strength for my spirit. And I just happen to believe when we give God the first fruits of our day, just like with our tithe, He multiplies our time and we will have the chance for physical rest too. I praise Him now for providing that to me already this week as a work commitment I had was cancelled and I was freed to go home and rest. Thank you Lord!
Have you gone missing? Do you need to find yourself under the yoke of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and out from under the yoke of a job? If so, I pray that you, like me, will find yourself and take your tired bones immediately to the feet of the One who is waiting on you to just "come" and "find rest."
I have.
Where did I go in the last month?
Let's just say - school began. Period.
Those of you who are teachers know exactly what I mean. August rolls around ... the hallowed halls of the grand institutions of learning bustle once again ... and teachers disappear into the black hole that is "work." Their friends wonder where they have gone ... families ask why there are piles of paper everywhere but mom is no where to be found ... oh wait, did that pile of paper move???
Yep. That's how I feel. Like I've disappeared. My school year has been incredibly busy thus far. New standards, new books, curriculum changes, higher expectations, more requirements. It seems as though I am a first year teacher again when in reality this is my ninth year. I thought it would get easier ... I thought I would feel like a pro by now! Well, okay, maybe on my way to being a semi-pro ... but let's just face it -- no matter how many years you've been teaching or doing whatever it is you may do, there is always room for improvement, advancement, sharpening of skills, learning new skills, and tweaking what may seem to work adequately.
But as I pondered how much time I've had to put into my school life in the last month, I've realized that I've failed to put a sufficient amount of effort in my spiritual life. I've gone missing.
Now don't get me wrong ... I still attend church every Sunday and Wednesday, I still pray, I still read my Bible. But has some of that, especially my study of the Word, slipped into the back seat because I've let my work (and resulting "busy-ness") take over lately? Yes, it has. Is it okay? No, it's not.
I'm tired, mentally and physically. I'm fighting off a cold. I feel overwhelmed with all I need to do. I get frustrated more and quite easily at times.
Are these symptoms of a crazy month at work? I venture to answer with a resounding "NO."
These are symptoms of trying to go it alone. Hear me out -- God is always with me. He walks with me each step of my day. He knows I have a lot on my shoulders. He knows I can't do it all alone. So why doesn't he just help me out with some of this? Because I keep telling Him, not out loud but in my actions and attitudes, that I can handle it.
When I fail to start my day in His Word ... when I think "I'm just too tired to get on my knees and pray, I'll pray while I'm laying down to sleep" ... when I hear Him speak to me and then I say "I'll have to explore that later, there is something else I must do now" ... all of those thoughts and attitudes are me trying to do it all alone. Now here's the amazing thing -- I KNOW BETTER! How so?
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
Jesus didn't say, "Go get all your work done, then come to me and I will give you rest." No. He said "Come." Are you tired? Weak? Weary? Heavy laden? Burdened? Overwhelmed? Frustrated? Sick? Then just go to Jesus, for He says "come" with all those troubles, and He "will give you rest." Not He might give you or He may try to give you ... He WILL give you rest.
How will He do that? Well, you have to follow the directions: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29) Read His word. Soak it in. Meditate on it. Don't give up the daily absorption of spiritual food. Put on the yoke of Christ and learn from Him. Follow Him. Study His teachings and realize that He doesn't add more burden --He lightens your load, giving your soul rest!
It doesn't get much deeper than the soul. And Jesus promises rest ... for my soul. I may still be physically tired at the end of the day, but when my SOUL is at rest, all is well. When I am sharing in the yoke of Christ my burdens are carried by the One who is able. I find gentleness in Him. I learn how to be more like Him in my daily life. I discover how a humble attitude, like His, is strength for my spirit. And I just happen to believe when we give God the first fruits of our day, just like with our tithe, He multiplies our time and we will have the chance for physical rest too. I praise Him now for providing that to me already this week as a work commitment I had was cancelled and I was freed to go home and rest. Thank you Lord!
Have you gone missing? Do you need to find yourself under the yoke of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and out from under the yoke of a job? If so, I pray that you, like me, will find yourself and take your tired bones immediately to the feet of the One who is waiting on you to just "come" and "find rest."
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