Saturday, February 6, 2016

Unproductive Habits

Papa has me doing a reassessment...
Of myself.

I try to keep short accounts.
Most often the Spirit lets me know when I have done something that needs correcting.
I keep Him pretty busy!

Yet, there are subtle things that He handles differently.
Those subtle things can be attitudes or perspectives that shift slowly or that lie under the surface.
They aren't often evident.
At least not to me. 

So from time to time He gently reveals to me that a little extra work is in order.
This morning was one of those times.

Currently I am working my way through a small book by Graham Cooke entitled "Coming into Alignment".
At the end of each chapter there are questions to answer and exercises to do.
Finishing a chapter I got ready to work my way through that last section but the first question is as far as I could go.
"What are your unproductive habits?

Unproductive in light of my desire to follow Jesus closely and please our Father.

To be honest I couldn't think of too much.  Yes, Words with Friends can be too enticing at times....
But what else?
I asked the Spirit to reveal anything that I needed to see and then decided to sit on it for a while and see what came to light.
I would never have come up on my own with what was revealed.

I like order.
No, actually I love order!!
Order means that things are easy to find and there is no problem keeping track of the schedule.
In other words I like to be in control and have things go MY WAY!

There there is reality....

No time to put everything where it belongs...
Resulting in some frustrated hunting being required on occasion.
A schedule that gets squeezed for one reason or other....
The result leaving one exhausted.

Note two telling words...

Frustrated
 
Exhausted

Both because this lady loves order and finds it challenging to go with the flow.
Oh, I appear to be going with it, but often there is turmoil under the surface.
Papa has been working with me to "be in the moment" for some time now and let Him order things.

Today He showed me that I am being unproductive when I resist.
Frustration and exhaustion are not productive.
Frustration is me out of step with the changes that are occurring around me.
This results in exhaustion.
Neither are from Papa.

Instead of internally stomping my feet and digging in how about letting it go trusting that Papa has the plan and He is in control?

By His grace I can do this.

One of my favorite verses comes to mind...
"You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind (both its inclination and its character) is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You."  Isaiah 26:3 The Amplified Bible.
So as I keep my eyes and heart fixed on Him, relying and trusting Him, confident that He is loving and faithful I will constantly experience that perfect peace that only He offers!
Isn't that so much better than having to have everything one's own way??











Saturday, January 23, 2016

Serendipity

Serendipity.
I love the sound of this word!
It sounds like what it means....
A fortunate happenstance or pleasant surprise.

Who doesn't enjoy serendipitous happenings?
They are always lovely, so what's not to enjoy?

Such happenings come in an infinite number of ways.

Maybe you check your mail and find an unexpected note or letter sent simply because someone was thinking of you. Of course, a text or email can bring the same welcome message, but for me part of the blessing is in knowing someone took the extra time to choose the card or stationery, write their message, address the envelope and then get it into the mail.  The extra time taken says I am especially valued.

How about...Discovering the just right gift for someone or spotting an item that will perfectly fill that spot in that particular room that needed a little something...of course, what makes it serendipitous is that we weren't even looking for it and it's marked down too!

Then there is the free time that is suddenly opened to us! The time to breathe deeply and take in the beauty around us. Beauty that often goes unnoticed.....

The quiet moments when we can hear the whisper of God.

I believe there are many more of these pleasant surprises that we can enjoy if we but choose to be watching for them.
Our lives are full and many voices vie for our attention, yet, if we learn to still ourselves we will find treasures that are much more worth our time than many of the extraneous things of the world.
Slow down...be in the moment...don't miss those gifts!
Every single one of them is Papa telling us He is especially fond of us!

It is my desire to follow the Spirit's promptings throughout my every day. When I do I enjoy quite a few pleasant surprises....

Just the other day I needed to pick up something I ordered at a store. I do not enjoy shopping so I had ordered the item on line, but to save shipping, I opted to pick it up. It was not my intention to do
anything but that, however, I felt prompted to go the circuitous route through the store.
I like daily calendars and missed having one with Bible verses on it. You see I save the pages once they are torn off and use them to collect prayer requests from my dear friends at the rehab where I volunteer.  It is not unusual for a particular verse to fall into the hands of someone who needs just those words.
The serendipity was in finding just such a calendar on the clearance rack! It was a gift from Papa! He loves those dear broken people and knows who will need to receive what and when!

That's not all! Upon getting home I began to remove the calendar pages that were past date with no plan to sit and read each verse...I read plenty of Scripture and like to read when I can reflect upon what I'm reading.
Well....I found myself reading verse after verse until I came to January 10th, which was my birthday.
As I read what I found on that page I knew it was from my beloved Lord, who is so tender in His
love.
"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

What was it about that verse that captured my attention so fully?  Simply that those were the words that captured my heart so many years ago. Finding them on that page, on that special date I sensed the loving Presence of the One I had fallen in love with so deeply. His reminder to me of how He treasures me and my love for Him.

Now that is one beautiful serendipity!


Saturday, January 2, 2016

Hope and Expectation

What do you know?  It has been exactly one year since I last sat in this place with my hands moving over the keyboard in an attempt to share my thoughts on this blog.  That is not to say that I haven't desired to do so before now, but somehow the urge passes before the opportunity presents itself!

I don't do resolutions these days, but if I were to it would be to find the time to visit here on a regular basis.  Writing is one of my joys and writing to share what Papa has shown me is my most favorite type of writing.  Really it is the only writing I give any serious attention.

So what hinders my writing?  Well, I do write every week, but it is an update focused on the precious people Papa has given me the privilege of ministering to with Him.  We are on a grand adventure, we two!
That writing takes a couple of hours of my time to put together, which means I have less time to do other writing, but it  has also allowed me an outlet for my desire to write. However, the desire to visit here has been building and I am seizing this moment to do something about it!

Whenever I write I imagine that we are in conversation.  I guess that is my style of writing...the conversational style!

Though I don't think the beginning of a new year is really that monumental, as it does not offer any more opportunity for change than any new day or hour or minute does, I have made it my habit to use it as an opportunity to do some self-evaluation with Papa.  I also look to Him for what He would have me focus on in praying for myself, my family and so many others.  He gives me Scripture to guide my prayer focus.

About a month ago my gracious God gave me one verse for this coming year and it is meant to encompass every detail of every life.

My children are all adults and live on their own.   We have regular contact and Papa always shows me what He would have me be praying for each one.
One never stops being a parent, but as our children mature our role change and our responsibilities grow to be much less.  The balance shifts.  Yet, our concern for their well being never wanes and there are always things we'd love to see change.  And that is just regarding family...Then there are many others, including those precious ones who Papa and I love, who so need to realize their infinite worth!

The verse I received is Psalm 39:7 Amplified
"And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect?  My hope and expectation are in You."
What Papa spoke to me regarding this verse was:
If I were to make a list of all the things I wait for, things I long to see happen, things I desire to change, it would be pretty long!  Most of which, if not all, I have no control over!
Instead of focusing on and worrying over any of those things I can turn them over to Him and wait for Him to work in His perfect time.
What freedom!!

The fact is that He never answers the way I expect.  No!  It is always so much better!!  Ephesians 3:20 Amplified says it beautifully!
"Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the (action of His) power that is at work within us, is able to (carry out His purpose and) do superabundantly, far over and above all that we (dare) ask or think-infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams,"
What joyful promise!!

Now this was not something totally new to me.  Papa has been so very gracious in my life and the lives of those around me.  But don't we all need fresh reminders along the way?
So consider this your reminder...A reminder of His faithfulness....His mercy and grace.....His power...And especially His great love!

A reminder to give all your hopes and expectations over to Him and wait...wait and watch the Sovereign Lord's way of making new everything!  After all He is the Redeemer of all things!