According to plan

Yesterday, I had quite the stressful few minutes… You know, the stress that makes your stomach turn and your heart start racing and makes you feel like bursting out into tears? Well, that was me early yesterday afternoon. There is a lot going for me this month… helping with work on our house, keeping up with everyday life things like making sure we have food to eat and clothes to wear, planning for the event at church at the end of the month, other things that I won’t bore you with … and then yesterday I found out that there is an event this Sunday that I had overlooked that needs to be taken care of! I thought through everything I have going on this weekend. And I staggered at the weight of it all. Where am I going to find time? How am I going to fit it in? My mind was racing a mile a minute – how am I going to be able to do this? That panicky feeling was in my stomach. “How can I do this, Lord? I can’t handle just one more thing! It’s too much!”

Then He brought peace. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” “He is with me always.” “Don’t worry about the things of tomorrow. Sufficient for today are its own troubles.”

Who am I doing all these things for?

Myself? Then I had better believe that my strength will run out. What do I have to rely on other than my own selfish ambition? I might get those things done but they will not be done well. And they will be full of regrets…

Do I believe that these are the good works that God has given me to do? Then I am doing them for Him, right? And His strength will never run out. I can trust that what God wants done – what He wants me to do – will get done. God is too big to have His tasks go undone.

And I thank Him for allowing me to be overwhelmed yesterday. Through it, I can see again that I need to be relying on Him in everything that I do. Sure, I can get things done, but without God’s grace, my deeds are sure to be done ringing with that empty brass tune that 1 Cor. 13 talks about. It is by His grace alone that these things I do are not only done but can be done in a manner pleasing to Him. And since pleasing Him and bringing Him honor are what I’m all about as a Christian, this lesson is something I need to keep in mind!

I will lift up my eyes to the hills– From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. -Psalm 12:1,2

What’s in YOUR cupboard?

This past Saturday, the demolition team gutted the kitchen.  I was painting the bedroom ceiling and all I heard from the kitchen was pounding and banging and wood cracking and good natured banter back and forth between the four guys working.  Then things got quite a bit quieter and I heard from my husband a “Honey, I think you need to come look at this…”.  I have learned in the past few weeks since we bought this house that those words don’t usually precede good news.  Reluctantly, I put down my roller and went into the kitchen to look.  Most of the old cabinets had been torn out and I could see that real progress had been made.  However, back in the corner of the kitchen where a cabinet had been, I saw a slope much resembling that of a rooftop.  From the looks of things, there had been no space in that bottom cabinet.  It seemed to have been an after thought that there would need to be enough clearance above the basement steps (directly below that corner) for the average person to be able to walk down them.  I was informed by the team, in an attempt at humor,that we could completely take out the corner slope (to fit the ordered lazy Susan corner cabinet) but that would leave just enough space for a person about 4 feet tall to be able to walk down the basement stairs. Thankfully, the team was able to figure out a way to remove Most of the slope without leaving the basement inaccessible and still, hopefully, leave enough room for the corner cabinet we had purchased.  Moral of the story?  Open the kitchen cabinets before you buy a house – you never know what might be in there…  I mean, who would have thought we would find a rooftop?Another moral to the story?  God is faithful to complete the work He has begun in me (Phil 1:6)…  This house and the various little snags that we have run into (the above would be an example of one such snag) have shown that my patience level is very much a work in progress!  It is a comfort that all these little mishaps and delays in our work – God is causing them to work together for good.  Even if that good is only that I grow in patience!   How glad I am for such a faithful Teacher… 

The praise of my life…

As I begin this blog and write my first entry, I want to share an idea that has been really sticking out in my mind lately…  In a Bible Study I am involved in, this week’s assignment had to do with worship and what it means to truly worship the Lord.  It struck me that when I think of praising God, I think of either singing or speaking greatly of Him.  Yes, those two things are definitely giving Him praise, but I can praise Him without saying a word.  My obedience to His commands is praising Him. 

When I forgive, I am praising God. 

When I quietly submit to my husband, that is praising God. 

When I serve with a glad heart, I’m praising God. 

When I am humble so another is exalted above me, that is praise to God. 

Why are all these things praising God?  Because in doing them, in being obedient to His Word, I am shouting how great He is!  He is so great that I am going to (by His grace) do what He says, even when it goes against everything the world and my flesh would say that I should do.  And when I think of how far-reaching in my life this praise would be – it touches everything! 

On the opposite side, too, if I choose to go with what my flesh or the world say to do, who am I giving praise to then?  Who am I exalting in getting angry instead of forgiving, in arguing with me husband until I get my way, in not looking out for others by trying to get glory for myself?  I’m saying the world is great, that my flesh is great instead of crucified with Christ!

And I am humbled and realize again how Much I need to rely on my Saviour for Everything in life…