Just Not Right

"Why, my soul, are you downcast?  Why so disturbed within me.  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.  Psalm 42:11

The holidays are upon us.  For many of us, this is the beginning of "crazy town".  Between the elevated events that we need to attend (or host), the gift shopping, the grocery store, the cooking, the cleaning, the . . .   do I need to go on?  I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired just thinking about it.  I absolutely love the holidays.  The preparation, the craziness of it all, yep - all of it.  Yet . . .

There are times throughout the holidays where something inside me is Just Not Right.  My heart is aching, my stomach is turning, there are sleepless nights.  I question that feeling when it happens.  I think, "This can't be me - not 'holiday happiness' me".  Have you ever felt like that?  When all should be sunshine, you feel like the clouds?

When I sit down and reflect, I realize it is a host of reasons that my soul can be downcast:

• Memories flood back of a different time when things were a bit easier
• I miss family members who are no longer with us or who won't be able to spend the holidays with us
• My "ideal" holiday doesn't seem to look like those Hallmark movies I love to watch
• I feel lost, as if I'm not sure where to go or what to do next

You?  Have you had moments like this during the holidays?  There are so many ways for us to try and soothe our souls.  We can eat too much, drink too much, spend too much, or if you are like me, start controlling things too much.  When "I" don't feel right, I start telling others how they should feel or what they should do.  Listen up!!  All of that is not worth our time - there is a way for us to move forward through the holidays with our souls lifted high!!

The Psalm says it all - put our hope and trust in God.  When I take things into my own hands, oh how wrong it goes!  The words coming out of my mouth aren't right.  My actions are not right.  MY downcast soul turns into others sad times.  All is Just Not Right!  

So I'm working on a few things - and I ask that you join me.  When I give it to God and stop wrestling with how I feel, the peace that only God can give us comes to light.  No, it may not be the Hallmark Christmas - but it's my Christmas with the people I love.  I may not have the perfect gift or the perfect outfit, but I have a perfect God who loves me and will guide me - as long as I let him lead the way.  I may feel lost and don't know what to do, but Jesus is walking each step with me.  I just need to let him hold my hand.  The holidays are upon us.  When it is "just not right", give it all to God and enjoy the peace that only He can give you.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

Dearest Lord, thank you for being with me when things are just not right.  Let me be reminded that with your guidance and love, my soul can be filled with your peace.  Please bring that joy to my life during this holiday season.  May I start my day in your word so I am focused on all that is good and right in the weeks ahead.  Thank you for all my blessings - most of all - your son Jesus.  AMEN!

Taking for Granted

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."  Colossians 3:17

It is November, and certainly a time for all of us to spend time reflecting on the many things that we are thankful for.  I remember, when the children were all home, we would make a paper chain of thanks.  Each night in November, each member of the family would write on a slip of paper what they were thankful for and we would make a chain that would run through the kitchen and into our eating area.  It was such a great way to see the many blessings we had.

Yet, the other day, another question was shared with me that really had me pondering.  A fellow colleague asked a group of people not what they were thankful for, but to name two things that they take for granted.  She shared that the answers were far reaching and really helped the team to see that there is so very much we take for granted.

The more I thought about this, the more I realized that my own thoughts of what I take for granted became a large list - a list of things that I don't typically give thanks for.  How about you?  Ponder on this question for a few minutes and think of all the things we truly do take for granted on a regular basis.  Yes, we may appreciate it more when we don't have it for a short period of time, but on a regular basis?  A few that came to my mind . . .

• Running water
• Electricity
• Farmers who provide us nutritious food
• Eyes to see with, ears to hear with, hands to create with, etc.
• Car that works

Although above are only a few things, when you really start to focus on what we take for granted, the list can be long.  Maybe there are even people in your life who you take for granted.  

• A neighbor who always helps you around the house
• The clerk that smiles each time you check out
• The crossing guard ensuring our children pass to school safely
• The nurse that gives an encouraging word
• A pastor who holds your hand during difficult times
• Could it even be your parent, your spouse or your child?

Taking for granted the things and people in our lives is an area where we all can be better.  I know there are many things and people that I may take for granted, and that this question will be at the forefront of my mind more often.  Unfortunately, the one that I take for granted often is our Dear Jesus.  My salvation depended upon him giving up his life for me and for my sins.  He thought about me and loved me so much that he gave up everything for me.  

There are days, when life gets busy, that I don't give him the attention he greatly deserves.  I have things on my mind so I don't do my devotion in the morning.  The day is busy and I don't chat with him about meetings and decisions I have.  I rush through grace at dinner because I'm tired.  Bedtime prayers?  Too exhausted . . .  All of these are excuses.  They also don't paint a great picture of gratitude and thanksgiving that my Heavenly Father deserves.  May I spend more time with my Jesus and may I NEVER take for granted all that he did for me and gave to me!!

Dearest Jesus, during this month where we focus on Thanksgiving, may I spend time reflecting on what I take for granted.  Help me to spend time giving thanks for those things that I have become complacent with.  May I always reach out to you with praise and thanksgiving - putting you first in all that I do.  Help me, Jesus, to show you the love that you so graciously showed me.  In your name I pray.  Amen!

Recognized Service

"No one service as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer."  2 Timothy 2:4

Veteran's Day - truly such a special day to remember and give thanks.  It is a time to honor those who gave service to our country and all that they sacrificed in order for us to have the many freedoms we have today.  There are so many reasons to honor these wonderful folks, but as our verse above shares, they all have left their families in order to serve their commanding officer and our country.  They gave up their comforts, their own freedoms, and their families so that we can have all of that and more.

Famous soldiers of the Bible.  I Googled that phrase as I thought about this week's post.  There were many names that I came across that were familiar names - David, Joshua, Gideon.  Yes, they were definitely great warriors - warriors for our Lord.  As I delved into each one, the familiar stories started to return, but there was certainly a larger picture.

David, yes the one that fought Goliath.  We see, from the early age that David took on this giant, that he was going to be a great warrior.  Time and time again, David led his men into battle.  He was certainly well respected as a military leader.  David, though, was defined as a military leader with compassion.  He looked upon his enemies with generosity and forgiveness.

Joshua had big shoes to fill.  He replaced Moses upon his passing to lead the Israelites, definitely not an easy task.  With all that they had gone through, to lose their beloved leader was certainly an impact.  Yet, in walks Joshua.  I'm sure you remember the story of the army walking around the walls of Jericho and the "walls came tumbling down".  In this battle, and many others, he was known to have a strong obedience to God.

Gideon's greatest battle showed us that "more is less".  With an army of 32,000 soldiers, he was still outnumbered by his opponent.  As God helped him to see the hearts of his soldiers, his army (that was already lacking in numbers), was whittled down to a mere 300!  Yet, with the power of our Lord, he defeated his enemy, showing us that big things can be done with small numbers.  As in our verse for today, they all served a higher commanding officer - God!

Each of these men gave us a picture of Jesus, the one who fought the greatest battle.  Jesus knew who his enemies were and always approached them with a sense of forgiveness.   He forgave them until the very end, "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do."  Jesus obeyed God in his walk on Earth, until the very end, "If this cup cannot pass by but I must drink it, Your will be done."  The ultimate picture that represents Gideon's battle is that Jesus, the sole man of God on Earth, took on all our sins (way too numerous to count) and the devil to die on the cross for our sins until the very end, "It is finished".   

On this Veteran's Day, I ask that you please pray for all of our veterans and the sacrifices that they have made.  Pray for the members of our military service, giving them strength, courage, safety, faith in God, and peace.  Just like the great warriors of the Bible, each one of these men and women have given of themselves to protect us.  May we always remember them in and show them our thanks.  Finally, may we also always give thanks to our great soldier, Jesus, who gave all for us.

Dearest Jesus, please help us to pray every day, for the members of our military.  Help us to recognize those who have given service to our country so that we may live with the freedoms we enjoy each day.  Our veterans dropped their civilian life to follow a commanding officer that helps to keep our country free.  Let us pray for peace and rest for these great people.  In your name we pray, Amen!

Falling Leaves

"Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge."

Psalm 62:8

I love the season of Autumn for many reasons:

• The cooler weather
• The comfy clothes
• The colors of the leaves
• The anticipation of the holidays

Yet, probably most of all, I love to watch the leaves blow in the wind.  As I write this post, I'm sitting on the deck (and it is a bit chilly out), watching the leaves dance through the sky and rest gently to the ground.  Yesterday, the ground was a blanket of green grass.  My husband worked diligently to pick up all the leaves that had covered the ground and it was so nice and neat.  Today, that green grass is beginning to get a covering of leaves again.  All that hard work to "clean up" and just like that, the leaves are winning the race.

As I watch the leaves come down, the Lord nudged me to talk about how leaves can seem like our troubles.  During a certain season of life, our troubles and tribulations seem to fall down around our "green grass", creating a blanket of difficult situations.  As hard as WE work to pick up and fix all our trials, and believe we have a "clean slate" of green grass, the leaves of trouble pick up a wind and find them on our clean slate - again.  I don't know about you, but having a clean slate of difficulties seems like an endless battle (much like picking up those leaves).

Yet, we need to remember that we need to trust in someone who can understand our trials and provide us peace.  Our Lord and Savior is there for us - our refuge.  Our trust needs to be in Him during our season of trouble.  It's not that, with a snap of a finger, it will all go away.  He specifically tells us that just because we are Christians doesn't mean we won't have troubles here on Earth. 

So why go to God?  Why pour our hearts out to Him?  He will bring us guidance and peace, 

"...a refuge for for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble."  God will be walking with us as we try to, once again, clean all the "leaves" and have a blanket of "green grass" underneath us.  By going to God, during the turbulent times of our lives, we know that He will be with us for us to lean on and gain strength.  As those leaves fall this autumn, say a small prayer to our Lord, thanking Him for always being with us as He showers us with peace.  Enjoy the rest of autumn~~

Heavenly Father, we thank you for being with us during our season of autumn as the leaves of trials and tribulations fall around us.  Please provide us peace and guidance as we navigate the wind and rest in your hands.  Amen~~