Tuesday, January 03, 2012
Precious. Few. Help Me Love.
Tuesday, January 03, 2012 |
It is a short time now. Just a few more days. A matter of minutes or hours. How precious are these short times we have with those we love. How short a time we have with them. Our visits are so few. Our conversations minimal and trite.
I want to spend more time with these people that I love. How could I have missed what a big part they play in my life? How could I not appreciate their presence? I have been living out my life with blinders on. I have not seen these people here in my home or these people who care so much for me.
Who are these people? They are my friends. They are my acquaintances. They are my neighbors. They are my parents. They are my siblings. They are my children. They are my spouse. They are the people who surround my life with their presence. They are the people I love. They are the people God has sent into my life for me to love. They are those I have been meant to touch with my life.
But I have been so selfish and so self-centered. I could barely peek over the seeming mountains of my life to see beyond my own self. God forgive me for not seeing how precious these people are. Forgive me for not loving them the way I should have all along. Forgive my impatience to get on with my life and miss out on what my life is.
For these people I have missed, let them know how much you love them. For those people who have gone on without me, I know they know the joy of heaven. For those people that I have not reached out to, may they forgive me for not loving them the way God has provided.
Each moment of every day is precious. It is a time for me to remember how short life is. It is now that I should look and see the small joys in my life. I spend my time worrying about the cares of this life. God help me to spend my time enjoying the precious people in my path. Help me to enjoy the challenges before me. Help me to know that you are with me every step of the way. Help me to spread to others this joy, this peace, this love and this hope that you have given me.
When I feel tempted to wallow in discouragement or self-pity or anger or despair, help me instead to wallow in your joy. Whether that joy is sparked by the beautiful green of a leaf, the stark blue of the sky, the myriad of shapes of clouds, the stark beauty of a sunrise or sunset, or the soft smile of another human, let me wallow in that joy. You have gifted me with this life. Let me spread your joy.
And for those people who are now in your presence, I will miss them. But they are so happy and carefree. They are buoyant. Help us to comfort those left behind. Let us hold precious the moments we have left with our loved ones knowing that we will see them again.
Psalm 39:4 Show me, LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.
Revelation 21:3-5 I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: "Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They're his people, he's their God. He'll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone." The Enthroned continued, "Look! I'm making everything new. Write it all down—each word dependable and accurate."
Love Came Down by Brian Johnson
If my heart is overwhelmed and I cannot hear Your voice
I’ll hold on to what is true though I cannot see
If the storms of life they come and the road ahead gets steep
I will lift these hands in faith
I will believe
I remind myself of all that You’ve done
And the life I have because of Your Son
Love came down and rescued me
Love came down and set me free
I am Yours I am forever Yours
Mountain high or valley low
I sing out remind my soul
That I am Yours I am forever Yours
When my heart is filled with hope
and every promise comes my way
When I feel Your hands of grace rest upon me
Staying desperate for You God
Staying humbled at Your feet
I will lift these hands and praise
I will believe
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Wednesday, December 21, 2011
The Year of Change
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 |
This year is to be a year of change. On the outside things look fairly settled. My husband and I work and strive to provide a home for our family while paying off bills and saving for retirement. My son is working part time while he pursues a career in writing. My son-in-law is settled in his disability and plans for the future as he sees how this new medication will effect his MS. My daughter is settled into a full time job that while it is a very long commute is a blessing. My youngest is still looking for a job and working on her music trying to find what it is that God wants her to do.
And then I found the focus for the year in my devotions. It comes from the unlikely book of Jeremiah and not from my favorite passage in Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 46:27-28 "But you, dear Jacob my servant, you have nothing to fear. Israel, there's no need to worry.
Look up! I'll save you from that far country, I'll get your children out of the land of exile. Things are going to be normal again for Jacob, safe and secure, smooth sailing. Yes, dear Jacob my servant, you have nothing to fear.
Depend on it, I'm on your side. I'll finish off all the godless nations among which I've scattered you, But I won't finish you off. I have more work left to do on you. I'll punish you, but fairly. No, I'm not finished with you yet."
The first thing to note is that I have nothing to fear. There is no need to worry. My time and energy will be better spent in praying for my family. My mind should center around doing what God has set before me. And I will have time to do all that I need to do.
Please God, help me to spend my energy on praising you and doing what you have for me to do. Send me forward and organize my tasks and my time to accomplish your works in my life.
Secondly, my family will return from the land of exile, from that far country where they have been. God will provide a way for each member of my family to rejoin the family of God and our family in their hearts. They will be blessed this year in ways that were thought no longer possible. Joy and love will ring through our home. Life will become more integrated with each other and with our God. God's spirit of love and healing will fill our home.
Thank you God for this promise and we will hold you to it. You promised that we would come home to you completely and fully. We only need to put our trust in you, in your grace and your bounty. You long to fill us with your peace. You long to hold us in your hands and your heart. You want to keep us secure in your haven of rest. Thank you for your love and for bringing that to us this year.
Thank you God that you are on our side. You have more work left to do on us. You are not finished with us yet. We are yours. Help us to open our wills to your word. Help us to open our hearts to your love. We long to trust you with our whole lives. We long to believe that you will keep us safe and secure. We are trusting in you that you will provide for us everything that we need for this next year. And at the end of the year we will praise you for the journey of change you have brought us through.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Mowing the Lawn
Sunday, October 23, 2011 |
My life is very much like mowing my lawn. It isn't a very perfect lawn. There are some tiny ditches and holes here and there. The grass is uneven. Some of the grass grows fast and some areas of the lawn look kind of brown. There are different types of grass and even some weeks.
I like to mow in a pattern but sometimes I can't see where I have been. I also am not sure where I should be going. It seems pointless to mow over certain areas because it isn't clear whether is has been done before. I just have to mow in faith that this is the row. And if I some how got off and have to back track or mow some parts twice – then, oh well – I do it twice.
But I keep going and realize that I'm getting exercise and sunshine. I'm helping my husband. And when I get done I can see a nice lawn and have a drink.
The is the same with my life. I sometimes feel like my life is disjointed. It looks uneven. It seems pointless to go over some emotional or spiritual ground again because I'm not sure if it has been done before, or if it worked. I'm not sure if I need to keep going in the direction I'm going. But I do know that I need to keep going.
I have asked God to lead me and show me where to go. My life doesn't necessarily look like I'm doing anything in the right order. I might look like I am just going over the same things again. But maybe I didn't. Maybe I need to do it again. And maybe I need to trust that God knows what I am doing even if I don't.
So I mow over the grass. And sometimes I can tell that this hasn't been done yet. And I feel like I'm accomplishing something. But even if it feels like I'm doing the same things over and over again, then I know I am doing what God said to do. I know that God knows why I'm doing this even if I don't. And God knows what I will find tomorrow.
Psalm 119:1-8 You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That's right—you don't go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set.
You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I'd never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel.
I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. I'm going to do what you tell me to do; don't ever walk off and leave me.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Work in Me
Sunday, September 11, 2011 |
Jeremiah 18:3-10 So I went to the potter's house, and sure enough, the potter was there, working away at his wheel.
Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot.
Then God's Message came to me: "Can't I do just as this potter does, people of Israel?"
God's Decree! "Watch this potter. In the same way that this potter works his clay, I work on you, people of Israel.
At any moment I may decide to pull up a people or a country by the roots and get rid of them. But if they repent of their wicked lives, I will think twice and start over with them.
At another time I might decide to plant a people or country, but if they don't cooperate and won't listen to me, I will think again and give up on the plans I had for them.
These verses reminded me of the hymn “Have Thine Own Way Lord” by Adelaide A Pollard. This hymn was a poem written in 1902 in a time of personal discouragement.
Adelaide was a Bible teacher and a hymn writer who hoped to go to Africa as a missionary. She was unable to raise the money she needed for support while she was gone.
In her discouragement she went to a prayer service where she heard a woman praying next to her. The woman said “It really doesn't matter what you do with us. Lord, just have your own way with our lives.”
Pollard was inspired by the woman's words and studied the story of the potter in Jeremiah 18. From this she wrote the four stanzas for the hymn.
Have Thine Own Way, Lord by Adelaide A. Pollard. Music by George Stebbins.
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine.
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit ’till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.
Lord, forgive me of my sins this day. Pour out your grace and mercy into my heart. Wash me and make me whole.
Work on me Lord and make me the way you wish me to be. Bring your joy and comfort into my life. Help me to shine for you. Give me opportunities to spill your joy over into the lives of those around me.
For more information see Wikipedia
Friday, August 26, 2011
Help Me Hold the High Ground
Friday, August 26, 2011 |
I was once a slave. I was held hostage. Some days I still feel like a hostage. But you, Lord, you paid a ransom for me. Jesus died for my sins. He died and rose again to rescue me.
Protect me, Lord, from my bad habits. Guard my heart and my mind from temptation. Don't let my thoughts run away with me.
I am yours. I belongs to you. I listen to who you say I am. You are my comfort. You are my stronghold. Teach me to run to you and not run to do old habits.
Teach me to trust in you every day. Help me to stay where you called me to be. Help me to do what needs to be done. Give me patience and grace. Give me hope.
You are here with me today. Help me this day to hold the high ground. I can do it with you by my side.
I Corithians 7:23-24 All of you, slave and free both, were once held hostage in a sinful society. Then a huge sum was paid out for your ransom.
So please don't, out of old habit, slip back into being or doing what everyone else tells you.
Friends, stay where you were called to be. God is there. Hold the high ground with him at your side.
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About Me
- Anna
- Web Consultant, Writer, Blogger Anna is the author of Driving with Anna devotional books, including Surviving Life and In Search of Me. Anna also writes copy for small businesses and blogs. She specializes in topics on Christian living and working perspectives, parenting and education. Anna writes regularly on Examiner.com under Parenting and Education in Costa Mesa and Teen Parenting using experience from homeschooling her children over 6 years and volunteering in the local high school for 10 years. She also has volunteered with her church's 3 year olds and high school ministry at different times over the years. She maintains the two blogs Driving with Anna and Nourish Your Heart. Her other websites center around her passion for helping women re-enter the workforce and create a career for which they are passionate. The other websites include Helping Women Stay Home, Caring Industries and Templates 4 Small Biz and contain relevant how to articles. As an experienced web developer/designer she is always searching out new ways to market websites through design, content and social media.
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