The day was finally here!!! Daddy went on a touring trip with some friends of ours and it was time to pick him up at the airport! We arrived on time and with each shadow peering around the gate, we stood on our toes for that shadow's face to appear and know if it was "someone's" Daddy, or our Daddy. One by one they filtered past and with each one, our shoulders dropped with a sigh, "Not him..." Until...it was him!! We had locked eyes on him and watched him come straight for us. If the railing had not been there, we would have jumped on him no doubt!! It was sooo good to see him. He hugged each of us and we rubbed on his new "fluffy face" (beard) and began to walk with him along the rail towards the exit when all of a sudden a friend popped up out of no where! What?!?! He said, "Yes, and there's the rest of thr group that just walked past." What?!? I was in a state of shock at first because I was completely focused on him, then the fact that I didn't even see our other friends with him. There's one of them right there in the picture!! How bizarre!
Although I knew he travelled with a group of friends, it was my understanding they had separate flights from my man's. So, I wasn't looking for anyone else and then when we saw them, it didn't compute right away. We were so focused on what we knew- that Daddy was on his way, and that our minds were set only on him. We didn't see our friends because we were not looking for our friends. We planned on Daddy, we were looking for Daddy, we only saw daddy and we grabbed onto Daddy when he arrived. Of course, once "he" pointed out our friends, it was a double joy to get to welcome them home too!!!
God used this experience to remind me of what it means to fix our eyes on Him. To set our hearts and minds on Him alone. Being so intently focused on Him, that the world around us fades, and it's all about Him. We can get so easily distracted in this connective and politically correct culture that our hearts and minds can stay busy trying to analyze every situation, every word, that we take our eyes off Him, our Daddy!
Because it is through Him, that the rest of our life matters. If we look for evil: fear and approval of others and gossip and money and worry and sinful lusts, quick fixes, we are sure to see them. And the opposite is also true, if we look for good, we will find it: peace, strength, purity, hope, kindness, patience, joy, etc. When we seek first, The Lord, who is above all and over all, and in Him all things hold together (Col 1), setting our eager anticipating hearts on Him, there we will find Him and walk along the rails of our life and live it in whole-hearted devotion and focus on Him, towards the final Exit, taking in everything else. We see what we are looking for.
I only love others well when I love my God well. I only live well and love well, when I live and love through Christ alone. God, help us to turn our eyes towards You. Click here for a 1 minute worship moment. Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.
Proverbs 4: 25-27 "Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. "
Matthew 6:21-23 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!"
Matthew 6:33-34 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
Welcome Home!!!
I find myself saying, "If I just didn't have to do this," "This is hard," "This is too much," "I feel so alone," "If I can just get it right and be done with it."
So, we look for ways to do "it" better, faster and easier. It doesn't matter what it is. If it's not Chocolate or Vacation (woohoo!!!), we want to know how to get past the moment of dread. And it can be anything from doing the dishes, facing the never-ending laundry, disciplining the sassy-mouthed child, picking up the 15th dirty sock today, struggling in prayer and finding words to say to that hurting friend, figure out what's for dinner every night for 365 days a year...every year!!! How do I get through this trial. How did I get here and how do I get out. Why do I have to deal with this...again!
I have journals of notes that represent all the sermons, marriage and parenting conferences I have attended over the years, filled with all the "how tos." My bookcases are filled with books for couples, parenting, organizing the home, dealing with conflict, being assertive, overcoming addictions...on and on.
BUT....the more I study in it, I am finding all I really need is My Bible. I find myself wanting only to have my husband or children, lost friends, saved friends, read it alone. There in it holds our hope for the future and our joy for the moment. It tells me "how to" do this thing called Life!
A few minutes ago I received a devotional in my Inbox that spoke to this same subject. Getting past the rules and how-tos and move to the Source, not the fixes. So true! Because we are more of an informational based society than relational, we just want answers to "get through." What about in the moment? Is it possible to enjoy the difficult or mundane or exhausting moment? I say YES!!! It's a matter of the HEART:)
Just this week my Mentor called me out my "grumblings." What if I asked God to turn my grumblings into thanksgiving. Was I doing "that" for myself, in my own strength, because I "had" to or was I taking care of God's stuff, meeting a need with a servant's heart? Dishes, laundry, conflicts, trials, traffic, even anxieties or attacks can be overcome with joy. These things must be done, (anything we know we need to do but don't want to...cuz I know some of you actually like doing some of those things!), can't avoid them, but I do not need to have a grumbling attitude about them?! If I am asked to do something I can respond with a huff and a grumble or I can with joy,
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men," (Colossians 3:23).
I get to choose my attitude. I personally do not like dusting, laundry, mopping, changing linens, picking up after other people's messes, but I know that God has called me to this season of Mothering, Being a Wife and Friend and Church Member, with certain trials and temptations in my life. Therefore, I must know there is a reason. Being rooted in the Word of God, it shapes my "how-tos." It shapes and molds my heart and mind. I may not always see the "why" but I will know "how."
"For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." Mark 7:21-23
There is a place for instruction outside of God's Word. I think what we are missing is where we should start...
Step 1 "How To" Know God Intimately: His Love and GIft of Salvation.
Step 2 Understand His Great Love for you and in that, "How To" be the You He created you to be.
Step 3 Walk in and Learn About His Amazing Grace
Step 4 Live in community, not forsaking fellowship with other Believers, receiving help with wisdom and encouragement and accountability
Step 5 Walk Through Each Moment in Grace, choosing a heart of Love
Step 6 Seek out the applications of Hearts of Grace through resources given
Being in The Word, we find help...
John 14:26-27 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."
Titus 2: 3-8 "Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled,pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us."
I Thessalonians 5: 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."
I Thessalonians 5: 14-18 "And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle,encourage the fainthearted,help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
THANK GOD we have help!!! Every moment has a reason, if it is simply doing what needs to be done. Rather than grumbling on the inside, won't we choose joy to serve the Lord instead. I will be the first to admit it's hard, but if I look forward to the ultimate goal, I will find that joy in purpose as I work for the Lord! I must choose it for myself. It's not a discipline I will learn, but a heart change that changes my mind, and thus changes my attitude and actions.
Laundry- never-ending and exhausting...but leads to clean clothes, praise God for clean clothes to place on my family.
Dishes- smelly and sticky but when they are clean, I can serve fresh food and serve my family, reminding me of my Daily Bread's provision.
Picking up other's stuff- learning the act of servanthood when not deserved or appreciated, showing me how Christ walked on this earth, humbled and with purpose
Cleaning bathrooms- keeps my family healthy and fresh, reminds me of how God washes me white as snow, cleansing me from my sins...every week after week.
Listening to the whiners- I get to show patience and practice self-control, giving gentle correction and turn their grumbling hearts to what God has purposed for them
My end goal is not "task accomplished" (although my husband might disagree-lol!). My end goal is to reflect the sacrifice and servanthood of Christ, serving with blessings and not bitterness.
Whatever I face, even amongst tears, I can work through it with joy. I'm never alone. I have my Helper and other tangible helpers to keep me focused on Christ, knowing in the end, my goal is to honor God. To love Him back. For my heart to be shaped into His even if it hurts for there is joy in the moment knowing I am protected and purposed for. There are no wastes in His economy.
God is my ultimate sweet-joy!! He makes me smile, fills me, satisfies my cravings and I so look forward to my times meeting with Him. He is the chocolate drizzle over all my life!!! I'm not different than my kids desiring a reward for the toil. I am learning which reward I am wanting...it's more of Him! "Better is one day in Your house than thousands elsewhere!!" I will spend my whole day with Him, making it a great day!!
For me, everything is sweeter and made better with Chocolate! Keeping my eyes on the outpouring of sweet joy for every moment!!!!
Precious are You Lord, the Joy of my Salvation!!!! My Saving Grace in the toil of Life!!!!!
I Love You Jesus!
