Saturday, August 11, 2007

Doubt


It is hard to see clearly when doubt hangs overhead. I am best friends with doubt, and it really isn't a good thing. Seems like when something good comes my way, I immediately question that I am worthy of it. If something good comes my way, I doubt that it will last or that it is for real. I doubt that I have the ability to make it through the day, and somehow each day I do. God is teaching me that doubt ruins a perfectly good view. Apprehension can be healthy, but doubt robs the best intentions. God is working on me in this area, it is a process that leads to freedom. I thank God that He hasn't given up on me and continues on when I don't feel like I can.

Psalm 94:18-19

"I cried out, “I am slipping!”
but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.
When doubts filled my mind,
your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer."

Friday, August 10, 2007

Chaos


Our life is in chaos right now. Not that it is a bad thing. I have found that everytime I find myself in this situation, something BIG happens. Something I would not have been able to handle on its own. God knows that I need the distractions of a million different things so that nothing seems so big that it cannot be handled. I realized today that chaos can be a gift from God. I love Christmas morning, it so quiet in the early mornings and then a few hours later.......CHAOS! Paper everywhere, toys, clothes, you name it all around the room. But it is a good chaos, there is no other way to do Christmas. I am trying to find joy and comfort in the chaos, it won't always be there. For that I am thankful.

Psalm 46:5-7

"God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.
The nations are in chaos,
and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
and the earth melts!
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress."

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Ignorance


Brent and I traveled to Canada a few weeks ago. It really is beautiful. I am amazed at the open country and undeveloped areas. Coming from Florida, it is so nice to see land with nothing on it. One thing I didn't realize is that I would need math skills to navigate my way through this country. Everything is in meters and kilometers.

We kept joking that we got to our destination so quickly because of the 90mph speed limit. Of course we really did do the math and conviently the speedometer had km/h on it! But, isn't it nice to be ignorant? I was thinking yesterday how nice it is to tell someone, "I'm sorry, I had no idea. No one told me that was what I was supposed to do." It is so nice not having the responsibility or understanding of the right thing to do, isn't it?

The Christian walk is all about responsibility. It doesn't come all at once, but little by little. Looking back, I can see how much more I am responsible for now than when I first became a believer. We raise children that way. Just as we wouldn't ask our 2 year old to prepare a meal, it might be a reaonable chore for a 14 year old. God places new challenges on us that we are ready for, when we are ready for it. That's maturity. While ignorance might be bliss, it doesn't account for maturity. It doesn't bring growth and it isn't God's way to deal with things.

1 Corinthians 13:10-12

"But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless.

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child.
But when I grew up, I put away childish things.

Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see
everything with perfect clarity.

All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything
completely, just as God now knows me completely."

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Viewpoint


I love this picture. Brent took it while we were driving in Canada recently. We were winding down a country road and the view was spectacular. The horse serenely standing before the majestic mountain (which you can't see in the picture)definitely screamed "Kodak moment". I told Brent to quickly take the picture as we rolled down the road. It wasn't until I got home that I saw the picture. As you notice, the horse doesn't have his head! It still is a beautiful picture, isn't it? Or does the headless horse distract you from the beauty?

God's beauty is all around us. His grace is all around us. We stand in the most beautfiul scenery, yet get distracted by something as silly as a headless horse. He really is amazing and majestic. That will not change...ever. Our viewpoint will change, we will get distracted (and rightfully so), but He will be there.

Psalm 90:16-17

"Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it."

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Good News



Where were you when you received word last of good news? I will have to admit, I can't come up with any examples in my own life. Where were you when you received word last of bad news. I know exactly where I was! I can tell you what I was doing, eating, thinking and wearing. Why? I have asked myself this week why I disregard so much good in my life and focus on so much bad. Why do I strive to live in discomfort and throw away the good in my life to do so?

I once read an article that stated the top ten good moments in life that go unnoticed. One of the top moments was "the moment that your headache goes away". It is kind of funny that we can go along with a throbbing headache and then when it stops we don't even realize that it is gone.

I am challenged this week to bathe in the good moments, the good news and the good in my life. I don't want to disregard or even ignore the good that happens each day. I want to be able to break into the hallelujah chorus the minute my headache goes away! I want to notice the good news. I want to be able to tell you where I was, what I was doing, what I was wearing and what I was thinking when it happend. God is good!


1 Chronicles 16:23-24

" Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
Tell everyone about the amazing things he does."