The List

Matthew 5:44-45
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

⁴⁴But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. ⁴⁵Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong.

The reader may have noticed that my blog has been silent for a couple of months, I've lost track of exactly how long, actually.  This has not been for lack of inspiration or opinion.  (heavy on the opinion, I'm sure)  But for lack of time!  And I do believe that it has to do with the scripture above.

Forgiveness has long been a confusing thing to me.  Well, I did finally figure out what it is.  It is to not hold someone accountable for the wrong they have done.  But how does one do it? How does one feel it?  These questions have burdened me for some time.  There have been "things" that I have had a hard time moving past and letting go of.  And I've had a unsettling suspicion that this could mean there was not true forgiveness on my part. 

Through a couple of different people and some prayer, this portion of scripture was brought to my mind to the point of me finally being honest with God about it.  I can't pray for people/situations that I'd really rather not think about at all!  But if I am pushing something out of my mind and basically ignoring it, what is that?  Obviously, that it is not moving on, not letting go and certainly not allowing the healing power of God to take care of it. 

So, sparing the boring details, as I became honest with God about my feelings about praying for those who have mistreated me, the answers to my questions was right there in front of me.  Obedience.  Don't hold your "enemies" accountable for what they do.  (Don't worry, this doesn't mean they aren't accountable...just not to you)  And pray for those who have hurt you.  I realized that all this took was for me to obey it...sounds easy.  Not!  To phyically speak the names on The List took just about all the energy and intestinal fortitude I had! 

Since then I have not even had time to post on my blog.  Life has gotten very busy...with really good things.  I can't help but see that obedience to the Word of God is so important.  What will be released in your life when you obey?

Looking for the New

Isaiah 43:18-19

New Century Version (NCV)

¹⁸ The Lord says, "Forget what happened before,
and do not think about the past.
¹⁹ Look at the new thing I am going to do.
It is already happening. Don't you see it?
I will make a road in the desert
and rivers in the dry land.

The past.  Those words can be heavy sounding depending on how you view your own past.  Most everyone has a thing or two they'd either like to change or at least forget about...if you don't have anything like that, I'm surprised gravity is still holding you down. 

Well, I am well grounded by gravity...I would change a few things, for sure.  But because time goes on marching forward, we don't have the opportunity to go back and fix things. 

There is another aspect to "The Past".  In fact, the scriptures above aren't talking about the "bad" past, but the things that God has done already.  We can't live just on the past victories and miracles.  They are mile stones, but they become memories.  We need to live in the moment.

I think we should learn to look for the new things that God has for us.  The new ways He is making for us.  The new refreshing He is giving.  Moment by moment. 

So, my New Year's Resolution is just that.  Put the past...good and bad...where it is supposed to be, and look for the new things that God is doing every day.

What Stuff?

Psalm 27:13

21st Century King James Version (KJ21)

¹³I would have fainted, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

It's about faith.  Believing when the evidence can't be seen.  Without this intangible hope life would be pretty dim. 

Today I was thinking about how sometimes it is the people you feel you should be able to trust that end up being the ones that let you down.  And have you ever heard of "friendly fire"?  When dealing with things like that, I can always feel the pit in my stomach start to form.  In the past, I have wasted a lot of time and energy worrying about what someone was thinking or saying or doing.  Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm still 100% human, it's hard not to "care". 

But, I have found an antidote for that pit in the stomach.  It's called believing.  Believing in what the Word says.  And using that Word to remind myself of what is actually up and what is actually down.  It is very easy to get distracted by stuff.  But at the end of the day, it is stuff.  Stuff!  Not the Word.  Not the goodness of the Lord.  Just stuff. 

I freely admit, I would faint at times, if I did not believe that I will see His goodness.  I do believe it.  I believe in His goodness and that is all I need to know.  What stuff?!

Choose Peace

Colossians 3:15
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

¹⁵and let the peace of God rule in your hearts...and become thankful.

Peace sometimes seems elusive as we deal with day to day life. If we are not dealing with turmoil in our own lives, all we have to do is see the news, go downtown, wherever, and you sense the anxiety and unrest of people around you.

One thing I have learned through my experience with anxiety and worry is that it is a form of control. I know, right? That's ridiculous! If you had control, you wouldn't be worried! Well, think about it for a second, if you are worried are you telling God He can't take care of you? I believe that is exactly what we tell Him when we let worry and anxiety take over. Been there, done that, have the t-shirt.

I have also felt the peace that He gives when I let go of the worry and anxiety. Anxiety and peace just don't go together. They cannot co-exist and it is up to you and I to decide who is going to have the control. 

I choose peace. I am thankful!

The High Road

1 Peter 2:15-16

New Century Version (NCV)

¹⁵ It is God's desire that by doing good you should stop foolish people from saying stupid things about you.¹⁶ Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Live as servants of God.

At first glance, this may not seem like a post about thankfulness.  In fact, as I sat down to write, I did not think I was particularly thankful.  But, having typed a few lines and then back spaced, I realized that, actually, I am thankful.  I am thankful for my job.  And the inspiration for this post that I got today through a situation at work. 

I have been dealing with a rather petty person who was doing something rather petty.  Trying to analyze everything and everybody is one of my downfalls, however, I have been at a loss to try and figure out what this person's problem is.  And at a loss to figure out how to respond or deal with the situation. 

I definitely did not want to stoop to the level that pettiness is on.  (I don't like to do that because it compromises my invisible crown)  Yet, I knew that eventually I would have to deal with the issue.  Fortunately, for me, the person finally said something to the boss (as opposed to everyone else) and the boss approached me and I was able to explain the, uh, pettiness. 

To make a long story short, I ended up taking the "high road" (which is definitely not instinctive!) and apologized for any "confusion".  (Between you and me, the person was definitely not confused but, as I've mentioned, petty)  Anyway, on my drive home I had nothing to do other than contemplate this whole deal.  I admit that part of me wished I could of just given the what for.  (now that is instinctive)  I also know I wouldn't have felt any better and my invisible crown would've lost its perch on my head.  Then this scripture that I read a few days ago came to my mind and I thought -- exactly!!

Freedom's Choice

Romans 6:17-18

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁷ But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. ¹⁸ And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

Today is Veteran's Day.  A day that has been set aside to remember and thank those who have given and risked their lives for the freedom of America.  We are reminded, very clearly, that freedom comes with a cost. 

The same with the freedom we receive as believers.  The Word tells us that we are set free.  However, this doesn't mean that it's an anything goes type of freedom.  We are free...from sin and its dictates...but we become slaves to righteousness.  Because, see, we serve someone, something always.  There is freedom to choose who and what we serve, ourselves or God.  It's really one or the other. 

Freedom isn't free.  There is always a cost.  Our soldiers over the years have fought for and protected the freedom our country enjoys.  Some of them paid the ultimate price for the rest of us just as Jesus paid the ultimate price on the cross.  In the natural and the spiritual, lives were laid down so that others could enjoy freedom...to choose. 

Pieces of My Heart

1 Timothy 4:4

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁴ Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks.

My heart is thankful today for my children. Those boys are the part of my heart that walks around with everyone else. From the day they were each born, my focus and a lot, if not all, of my reason for living became them and their needs.

Anyone who has read this blog from the beginning knows that I have recently had to adjust to having one of those little pieces of my heart go off to college. I've been so thankful for the one still at home. I appreciate the hugs (and kisses!) a lot more these days.

So, I have been blessed with two perfect children. They were created by God. Everything He created is good. I'm not willing to tell Him that His good is just okay! 

And I will continue to receive them from God with thanks.