Wrestling With Obedience

For me this post is not necessarily pertaining to outward beauty, but we each will have our own set of circumstances that this may put some meaning towards.  Lately, being the last several months really, I have felt a sort of wrestling with obedience in my life.  Not in a clear cut I know what I need to be doing sort of way, but rather an inkling, that is pushing me in a certain direction.  I always think that I struggle with these types of decisions because I am not really certain if that is what I am supposed to do.  But by chance could it be that instead,  it is not something that I want to do?

Letting go plays a huge role in these types of situations.  Why do we find it so hard to let go of control, when if we look back over past events in our life and of those in the Bible, the results though not necessarily immediately favorable, did in the long run work out for the better?  I, personally, do not enjoy the feeling of not being in control.....yet being in control is very tiring work!  Since this blog is more geared towards self image type things, I can do a little relating there.  During the years of my eating disorder, control was a chunk of the root of the problem.  It was a lot of work hanging on to the eating disorder, and there was a lot of fear and worry towards letting go!  I knew I needed to be obedient and let that behavior go, and I can not even put into words the freedom of being that came from being obedient and Letting Go!

As each day progresses and more time goes by, learning to be obedient even in the smallest detail, can heap immense amounts of blessings in our lives and into the lives of others.  Pray with me that we can let go and not be afraid of the impact that obedience will have in our lives!!

"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going."

Hebrews 11:8

It's That Time of Year Again

"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.  He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."  John 14:21

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, there are objects and thoughts representing love all around us.  Yet, as I was doing my Experiencing God study this week I came across a portion that really reminded me of all that encompasses God's love for us in all areas of our lives.  Here is a portion of that....

"When you come to know God by experience, you will be convinced of His love.  When you are assured of His love, you can believe Him and trust Him.  When you trust Him, you will obey Him.  Scripture indicates, "This is love for God:to obey his commands.  And His commands are not burdensome."(1John 5:3) 

God loves you deeply and profoundly.  Because He loves you, He has given you guidelines for living so you will not miss the full dimensions of the love relationship.  Life also has some land mines that can destroy you or harm your life.  God does not want to see you miss His best, and He does not want your life destroyed by foolish choices.

Suppose you had to cross a field full of land mines, and a person who knew exactly where each one was buried offered to take you through it.  Would you say to him, "I don't want you to tell me what to do.  I have free will!  I don't want you to impose your ways on me"?

I don't know about you, but I would stay as close to that person as I could.  I certainly would not wander off.  His directions to me would preserve my life.  He would say, "Don't go that way, because that way will kill you.  Go this way and you will live."

That is the purpose of God's commands.  He wants you to receive life and have it abundantly.  When the Lord gives you a command, He is trying to protect and preserve the best He has for you.  He does not want you to lose it.  When God gives a command He is not restricting you.  He is freeing you".

(Experiencing God pages76&77)

God's ways may sometimes seem wrong or impossible to us, yet truly they are, in the long run, what is best for us.  My prayer is that not only would we take the time to enjoy the romantic love that God has blessed us with if we are married, but also most importantly, that we would have such an intimate love relationship with God that we will joyfully obey all His commands, no questions asked!

"Obedience is the outward expression of my love for God"

(Experiencing God)

Mirror Reflection

"Mirror, mirror on the wall who's the fairest of them all?"  Mirrors are everywhere, in the bathroom, closet doors, walls, in your makeup, and even in the car!  How many times a day do you think that we come across a mirror?  And, how many times do we stop to take a look? I was saddened the other day by something that I heard.  A high school girl was standing by a mirror in a sporting area, getting prepared for the task at hand, when at once she realized that the mirror was giving her reflection, she gasped, turned away and said something along the lines of, "I just cannot look in a mirror!"  She went on to briefly say that she was very unhappy with what was reflected back at her, and she made great efforts to just not take a look!

What I guess surprised me most, was that upon my observations of this young lady, I have admired the smile that almost always graces her face.  I have thought to myself that she was someone that the world needs more of.  How ironic that the face she avoided was the very one that I admired!  Oh, how to often we let other people's preconceived ideas of beautifully acceptable make or break our thoughts towards the image we see in the mirror.  Where has this standard come from? Who is it that gets to decide what is and is not pleasant?  Is it always going to be the same, and is it even the same for everyone? It is a great tragedy that faces each and every one of us sometime along the way.

Look around you throughout the day, and see what it is that you think makes other people beautiful.  I know for me personally there is always something that I notice in everyone that makes them beautiful.  And more often than not, you will find that those you admire and desire to be around, are those whose inner qualities far exceed their outer reflection!

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Psalm 139:13,14

Blessings in Disguise

It is the day that begins a new year.  While I, myself, have never really been one to make New Year's resolutions, I know that there are many that are.  Strolling through an athletic section of a store today, I remarked to my husband that there sure is a lot more exercise apparatus out now versus before.  That of course, is due to the vast number of people who have vowed that this is the year for getting in some exercise and good eating!  Stores understand this concept thoroughly, and of course capitalize on it.  Needless to say, it did get me thinking about the past year and all that it entailed.

As I look back over the past year I am sure of one thing....God was really working on my heart and the ability to accept things as they are and try to see the blessing in it.  One way that blessing is defined is as a special favor, mercy or benefit.  I tried to keep in mind through all things or thoughts that came my way that there was something beneficial, or good to be seen in it.  There is a great measure of peace that fills your life when you gracefully take things as they come, and as they are. 

Don't be fooled, there were many a moments that acceptance and peace were not part of my day.  The times that the washer continually seemed to back up into the kitchen sink, mice were found leaving their mark in my kitchen, the kids were just a tad bit energetic, and the endless noise outside was just plain tiring.  We did like to joke in those rare moments when no traffic was driving by outside, that the end of the world must have come, because it was just plain odd!  All joking aside, through it all it was almost always on the forefront of my mind that I have so much to be thankful for.  So what if the washer was malfunctioning, I still had clean clothes to wear; who could blame the mice for wanting a part in my kitchen...praise God for mouse traps!!! And truly without the noise of children in my house, life would feel pretty empty!

I wonder what this year will bring?  Only God knows the number of my days and just exactly how things are going to play out.  But this I do know....seeing the blessings in each day and being able to focus on clinging to that which is good, brings about a great measure of peace in life.  My prayer for this year is that I will continue on this path seeking to experience all that God has for me, humbling accepting life along the way!

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:4-7

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

I wonder what the origins of that quote are?  It is a line we use and hear frequently, but rarely do I give it more than a passing thought.  It sounds easy enough, right?  In all honesty, if you stop and think about it, isn't it the small stuff that we sweat about the most?  Why is it so hard to let those things go?

Generally speaking we feel that we have the most control over the day to day, how you live your life stuff.  It is the BIG stuff like, illness, death, state of our country, lives of others... that we feel more of a loss of control over.  So it makes perfect sense that it is the small stuff that we fret about so. Yet worrying, fretting, obsessing, fearing, etc...is one and the same whether something is large or small!

My husband and I have been privileged with the role of caring for an elderly woman who was/is my husband's mother figure throughout his life.  When I first met her, she was strong, capable, and totally independent and always had been.  Slowly she sold her house, moved into an retiree apartment complex, and thus began the shift in her life.   In the last 10 months we have watched her lose more and more control over the "small stuff", and become dependent on those around her.  From moving into an assisted living facility, needing someone to remember to give her the necessary medication she requires, to needing help getting dressed and going to her meals.  The most recent shift this week was moving her to our area into a memory care facility where she will get all the love and care she needs, with plenty more visits from us.  Her memory is not all gone, but her needed level of care is high.  Through all of this, when I sit back and reflect, I see just how much energy is wasted sweating the "small stuff".  There is so much in this life that God has blessed us with to enjoy and partake in, that I do not want to be near the end of my time on this earth, and realize how much time I wasted worrying, fretting, and putting so much time into the things that do not matter much.  I can tell already that there is going to much learned by being in the company of the wise and aged people where she is living.  I do not think that they look back on their lives and think, "I am so glad that I spent a lot of time consumed with the size of my thighs, the latest trends, whether or not my kids are the smartest or best behaved."  But rather they will be at peace knowing that their life was lived filled with love, joy and appreciation for all that God had blessed them with, whether great or trying in their eyes.

Give it a try....Don't sweat the small stuff!

Finding Freedom

Finding freedom has been on my mind a lot lately.  Being in the company of others who are sharing real life events of people struggling with an addiction, that year in and year out just seems to be getting the best of them,one them ultimately taking their own life, has spurred on this thinking.  The complexities surrounding such life stories is almost mind boggling.  How do we end up there?  And what is it that makes some come out of it so much for the better, and others to never come out of it at all?  This thinking can be applied to a depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, pornography,abuse, and the like.

Another question that has been plaguing my mind, is for those that do come out of these trials completely free, how many, if any, were able to do it without the very person of Christ being a part of their life?  Maybe my sphere of influence is so limited, but every person or situation that I have heard of that has been able to walk out of a situation of the like, completely free and accepting of forgiveness, knows Christ and has made Him a significant part of their life.  I have known many that are able to "live" with these addictions, accepting that they will just make the best of it and get used to it.  I was told many times in my treatment for anorexia, that I would always struggle with it, but I would learn to cope and be pretty healthy.  That is not complete freedom to me.  That is coping/surviving, not freely living!  I know that Teen Challenge experiences around a 70% success rate of those that have completed their program, and secular treatment centers quote anywhere from 1-15% success rates.  I realize that these are just statistics, and change year by year and may not be the most accurate, but it does make you think. 

Personally, I know that without being able to cling to my personal relationship with Christ and the truths in the Bible, I would not be able to say that I have been completely free for almost 10 years now.  However, I know that there are many that cling to Christ and the truths in the Bible, that have not found complete freedom from the affliction at hand.  Complete freedom for me did not happen overnight by any means....it took a good 6 years!  There were many times I pleaded with God to take it away, but the answer did not come right away.  This discussion could really open up with many questions, but for tonight, the thought is... Do you know of anyone that has found complete freedom from an addiction, or something of the like, without Christ?

I would love to hear any thoughts that you might have on this.  Just click on comments below and leave me your words of wisdom =)  

How Great Thou Art

I love Christ and all that He has done, is, and always will be. My life may not always reflect this accurately, yet there is just something about this hymn, and her rendition of it that brings me to my knees in awe of the character and depth of love in God.  I wanted to just post the lyrics and have the song playing on the side bar, but that could not be done.  So here it is on a you tube clip, with the lyrics to follow.  All too often we forget to step back and remember just what has been done for us. Taking the time to enjoy this song is a simple way to do just that!  Enjoy!

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
      
     (chorus)
     Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
     How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
     Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
     How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
     (Chorus )

Verse 3.
When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"