Then I Realized...

Concerned about all the folks on the East Coast with Sandy having roared in with more water than belongs on land, my heart goes out to all involved. I was just listening to “My Hope” by Paul Baloche http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuKY8G9i64w and thought I’d share it on Facebook for anyone it could help.

Then, I realized that those who need it most, or that it could possibly mean the most to in the middle of this storm, may not have the power to hear it. Not sure how long your computer or iPod or phone battery works…

Then, I realized that is the case much of the time for any of us going through the storms of life.  When the storm is at its peak, our power goes out, and our ability to receive help is almost nil.  What do I mean by “our power is knocked out”?  That’s when we struggle the most with believing we will be rescued, or that we are not alone, or that God is who he says he is and does what he says he will do.

Then, I realized that the Holy Spirit who lives on the earth now, is here and ready to work. And, that’s his job!  He gives power, enabling us to receive – God’s love, God’s power, God’s mercy, God’s grace, God’s strength…basically everything we receive from God.

Then, I realized that my best thing to do for those I’m concerned for in the path of the storm “Sandy” is to pray. Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be theirs. Pray for the Holy Spirit to surround, invade, interrupt the fear, the doubt, the anguish, the sadness, the grief, the hurt, the loss, the pain they are experiencing. May you do just that Holy Spirit! Come and generate enough power for them to live on. Give them wisdom for the day, for the moment. Give them hope. For now, and for a lifetime. Give them provision, both physical and spiritual food. Bring your best game, today. Come in power, come in love. Come in your mercy and unending faithfulness.

Then, I realized that a verse I read yesterday has life for today. Yesterday I read a verse from Psalm 89: 8 which says “O Lord God Almighty! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, Lord? Faithfulness is your very character.” Holy Spirit, generate the power to believe that God is truly faithful. Generate the power to trust, to give over the fear, to accept Your peace today.

Then I realized that the little devotional book I picked up Sunday “The Same Love” by Paul Baloche (yes, you may see I’m on a roll here) had a verse from Mark 5 where Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid. Just trust me.” What a call during any storms we are in. Jesus knows that when things get bad, our own personal “fear factor” goes way up, and our power, or ability, or desire to trust is diminished. He’s ahead of all that. He already knew that. He realized a long time ago how we would struggle with today. Yet, he knows that “faithfulness is his very character” therefore he asks us to trust him.

Then I realized that I need the Holy Spirit to generate faith, and trust, and peace today as well.  One of my favorite passages is in Ephesians 3 where Paul (not Baloche) is praying for spiritual empowering…and he prays that the Holy Spirit would give “mighty inner strength” and that the Holy Spirit would “give the power to understand” how much God loves us…”power enabling us to experience God’s love”. May that be so today. May all of us in storms, physical or spiritual ones, have the power that can only be generated by the Holy Spirit to receive all God has for us.

Then I realized that the Holy Spirit is the generator who generates his own power, who never quits, who never needs repair, who can’t be stopped by sin, wind, or waves. Who is always on and is inviting us to plug in to him now. I’m pluggin’ in and prayin’ for you too. I’m just sayin’.

What’s My Measure of Success?

To-Do-Lists or the Golden Rule? 

So, you get to the end of your day and wonder what on earth you did ALL day. You check the to-do-list (if you can find it) ☺ and see there is really nothing to mark off. In fact, you jot down a couple of new things you now remember that are supposedly urgent. 

The books can tell you how to avoid this predicament. They can give you tips and advice and how-to's so you don't feel like piling up into a heap with a snack and some brain-dead TV show and quietly griping yourself out over and over.

Is there an alternative that actually sets us back on course?

Turn it over. Take that "condemnation riddled” to-do-list and flip it over and write down what you actually did throughout the day. Here’s mine for today.

-         Good visit with husband

-         Wrote out scripture prayer for teen, prepared note-card to mail

-         Bubble bath

-         Hair cut & color!!

-         Visit with friend/prayed for her friend

-         Mini-lunch date

-         Visted some family members

-         Shopped w/ husband (3 stores!!)

-         Good nap!

-         Sat with and listened to new ideas for business plan

-         Ate healthy supper

-         Played with the dog

-         Cleaned kitchen

-         Called 3 friends, sent letter to friend

-         Decided to agree there is NO condemnation for me…

Now that wasn’t so bad was it…the day I mean. So you had some meaningful conversations and did some heart-felt relating and really everything was pretty much good stuff done today.

The real problem is not in creating the list, or not doing what is on the list but the belief that if there is nothing marked off the list, it means “I have failed”. Before you know it, we actually believe that. Guess what’s next? Yep, if we stay there, then we’ve have just set ourselves up for an un-productive day or most certainly an un-fulfilled one tomorrow. Or, even if it is productive, we’ll tell ourselves we didn’t get anything done because there are no lines marking anything off!  Maybe we should throw that list away!

Or…what if we used it like it is meant to be used. A way to capture things we want to do while we’re being the person we want to be. What if we were able to get most everything on our list done, but had been real crabby all day- making everyone around us wish they had thrown the list away! Or left home. Or they piled up in a heap-checked out, so they didn’t get blasted with our “poor, me, to-do-spray”!

Measuring our success on how we treat those around us rather than how many things we can mark off the list seems to be a better guide.

Let’s try being a little more gentle with ourselves. When we encourage others to see a better perspective of their lives, we would profit if we listened to those words ourselves!

Here’s betting if I go to bed tonight with the flip side of that list in my heart and mind, I’ll be thankful for the good day I had, rest a little better, and actually turn it back over with a slight pep in my step ready to tackle something listed. At least I’ll remember that “being” trumps “doing” and my success is not based on lines drawn through lists. Besides, the list is perpetual and if I want to accomplish the most important of all assignments, the approach has to change. Now. 

Do unto others…Matthew 7:12

I’m just sayin’.

It ain't no quiet time!!

Psalm 46:10   “Be STILL and know that I am God.” 

This verse has helped guide me for years. When life gets out of balance, I somehow get reminded of this instruction. I used to have it up in beautiful scripted letters all across my bathroom mirror to remind me first thing each day.

But, you know how it is when you see something every day. You get where you don’t see it at all. Just like when I call a very intentional, much needed and desired visit with the LORD God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth…my “quiet time”.  I call it that. I say I have it. But ritual gives way to distraction so easily. I either begin to forget how much I need and desire it, or when I show up for it (set aside a few minutes) it just isn’t quiet.

Well, the verse really says to be still. J So, is it still?? I think currently the answer would have to be NO. I usually sit in a glider rocker in my multi-purpose room.  I have a quilt studio, an office, and a piano in here. Bringing in a cup of hot tea, gathering up my journal and bible, getting everything set should put me in….Oh, and finding my iPod, headset, and quilt...  a great place, atmosphere, and mood for worship, reading a verse or two, praying….oh, wait, I also need to turn on the extra little heater sometimes and get the Texas Rangers Snuggy my son gave me…. But for some reason it takes a basic aerobics session… Oh, sometimes it’s the ceiling fan that needs to be turned on…to get still, and yet I still can’t be still!

You would think the glider was an airplane not a rocking chair! I get the glider rockin’, the ottoman rockin’, my heart is beating fast, my mind is racing, and the last think going on is quiet, much less still.

Now to slow those rpm’s a tad.

For starters, drop the title. It ain’t no quiet time. It doesn’t need to be. Not at the moment. If this is me right now, my best bet is to put on some jumpin’ type worship music and shuffle a bit. Raise my arms and thank the LORD for giving me a day to start. Holler a bit about what’s got me riled up. Shout to the LORD some thankfulness. Give up a few Hallelujahs.  Cry a few honest tears about the fears I keep cussin’ and discussing throughout the day.

After all that, it’s time to grab my To Do List! What? During my “quiet time”?? Yep, because if I don’t, sure as I start to wind down and get a stillness coming over me, my mind will go into relax mode and that’s exactly when I’m going to remember that I need to make a trip to Walmart for this, Brookshires for that, and go by and say hi to… You too? You have just been declared normal and fully able to enter into the Holy of Holies intact, ready to converse with your Creator on an intimate basis!

Now, with some of my junk out of the way, the to-do-list by my chair, maybe a potty break, I’m ready to ask some sincere questions, read that verse, pray that verse, write a thank-you note to God, etc.

Is it any wonder we’ve been instructed to Be still - before, or so we’ll have the capacity to know that he is God? The order of our gyrations to get to the point of stillness is not important. It is only important that we eventually get still. And know that he is God.

I’m just sayin’.