Are You Hitched to the Wrong Wagon?

This is a picture of a yoke. It is used to put two animals together so that the load that is being hauled will be lighter for the animals and easier to pull. It also keeps the two animals going in the same direction.

Matthew 11:29

 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

I used to dislike reading the first part of the above verse. I just wanted to find that rest for my weary soul. You too? I was hoping for an easy way to that rest.

As I started to read it more carefully I had to envision the yoke. I knew what it looked like with two oxen where the holes were and how they seemed to be plodding along in the field with some sort of wagon or plow behind them and that did not look too restful. Not something I wanted to get involved in to find that much needed rest.

But as I reread the first part again, Jesus is talking to us and he is in the one open hole, waiting for someone to join him in the other. {I was wondering what yoke He was in?} Then I pictured my head in the open hole with Jesus in the other one. Instead of trying to do life on my own with my own strength I was now paired with the King of kings and the Creator of all things as my partner!

He is now teaching me his ways of gentleness and humility and I am using His strength to walk through each day. It is  so amazing! How could I have missed this invitation to be hitched to Jesus and walk through the most difficult of days and never have to do life alone? Each morning I "hitch up" in the yoke with Jesus and we go through each day and His strength is all I seem to need. 

Are you doing life on your own? "Hitch" your life to the only one that has the strength to see  you through and never gets weary. Now this is something to be thankful for. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Trust

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

 

in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will make your paths straight.

This is a hard season in my life. Trust is as hard to come by as "hen's teeth" as my mom would have said. Have you been at this address? hmmm.

I needed to make sure that I understood the meaning of trust so I checked it out.

    a. reliance on the integrity, strength, and ability of a person

    b. confident expectation

Well, if I plug that into the verse in Proverbs it tells me to rely on the integrity, strength, and ability of the LORD with everything I have. Don't rely on what I am understanding of the situation. In every situation, every turn of events, I am to give it all to the LORD and he will make this crooked lane straight.

I need to start each day with confident expectations that the One that is leading me knows where we are going and He has the strength to get me there.

I can see the child on the edge of the pool and the father in the pool with outstretched arms gently telling her to jump he will catch her. The thoughts of that little girl rush across her face. Fear,great and scary thoughts of plunging into the water that is over her head and the thought of never coming up again. [shiver] But then in the next moment you see her little face staring into the eyes of her loving father with his hands outstretched and a new expression lights up her face just before she jumps into those strong waiting arms, TRUST!

I feel like that little girl on the edge of the pool. My Father has his strong arms open and he calls my name and says he will catch me. All I have to do is choose to trust him. I have a choice, stay here on the deck of the pool or jump with abandon and let those strong arms catch me and make this "path straight." I think I will jump, are you able to jump into his waiting arms also? 

Choose to trust!

Are you a planner? Do you have a daytime planner you faithful use? Is your calendar filled with places to go and people to see?

You aren’t alone in this endeavor to keep up with this fast paced world we live in. We don’t want to miss a doctor’s appointment or lunch with a friend, or your child’s holiday play.

Did you know that Jesus was a planner! Yep he had appointments that he kept. He had an appointment with a woman that was not a favorite in her town. But Jesus had the appointment in his “day planner” to meet the woman of Sychar at the well and tell her about living water that never runs out that is eternal life.

He also had an appointment with a guy that was living in a cemetery and was a little “off”. But Jesus had this guy in his plans and took a boat to where he was and healed him of the demons that held him captive. This was his plan for the day and he always keeps his promise to be there.

Did you know you are on Jesus’ “day planner”? He has left you word, did you get it? In Jeremiah he says,

“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Don’t miss what he has for you today. Check out his letters to you in the Bible. He has so much love waiting for you to find.

Is He on your planner for today?

Skunked

I am not sure where you live but here it is skunk season! That doesn't mean that you can hunt them and have  a skunk pelt hanging on your wall. No this is the time of year that these pesky critters are passing through town.

The other evening my husband and I were enjoying some quiet time when I gasped and he immediately put his hand on his face so he could catch his breath. We were inside, minding our own business when a skunk decided to either attack our home or make it his own territory. Doesn't matter which one the outcome is the same, smelly.

I am not sure if you have ever smelled a skunk that wasn't road kill [a lot of the smell is gone from these guys] but they will suck the breath right out of you and you pray you won't have to take another one anytime soon.

Somehow our dog didn't seem to get the memo to stay away from anywhere that a skunk has been and she rolled in the grass and was now covered in that awful smell. Well, we had just burnt scented candles and sprayed the inside of the house so we could breath and in comes the dog. It was like opening the door to the skunk to stroll into our home. We sent the dog packing and lite the candles and got out the spray bottle once again.

Our daughter gave a much needed treated bath to the dog and she smelled somewhat better but we didn't allow her into our little place again. Thinking the breeze outside would be the best ticket to chase away the rest of the smell.

Don't you know the very next day she rolled in the stink again! We were just getting to the place where we would allow her back in to our little abode and all over again the smell wafted in as she strutted into our home. We ushered her right outside and she stared at us as if to ask, "What's up?"

Repeat of the bath with vinegar and some other marvelous ingredients. She is now in the house in her usual place and all is well.

Got me to thinking about sin. We seem to get the "stink" of it all over us and need to be bathed in forgiveness. God tells us in Acts 10:43

 Everyone who believes in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name. All the prophets agree that this is true.”

We are told that he washes us clean and we are free from the "stink" of sin. The only thing we need to keep in mind is that we don't want to hang out where the "stink" of sin is and get covered again. However, just like our dog got that second bath God is able to forgive us again and help us turn around and head in a new direction. God is so good. Ask him to help  you to stay away from the "stink" of sin and he will gladly help you.

Don't let it be skunk season where you live!

This is Me Being Careful

My grand daughters like to come to our little place after school for a treat. I have just recently had surgery so I am like a pillow on the couch, stationary. I have this crazy giant Christmas ball made of ceramic that I won 4 years ago at one of those parties. It's not so much the ornament that has the attachment but the friends I remember that holds my sweet memories. So when my tiny [please never tell her I called her that] grand daughter comes to get her treat I always say,"Please be careful." to which she responds, "This is me being careful!' {what a trip? Right!}

Sometimes I feel like my grand daughter when I talk to God about forgiveness. "This is me God being very careful".  I am not having so much trouble forgiving others. I realize this is a choice and I choose to forgive. I know [from experience] that if I don't choose to forgive it really only hurts me. [you found that out also? Why didn't you share this?]

The part I am struggling with is to forgive me. Not forgiving is like being on a tread mill.  You can run till you drop but you will never get to the corner stop on that tread mill. I [and you too if you struggle with forgiving yourself.] need to stop reliving the past and let it go. Just like that tread mill trying to fix something that is in my past will never get me there. I need to start today and accept the forgiveness that God has already given me. [see I have already ask for forgiveness for this before.] Someone once told me it was like slapping God in the face when I didn't accept His forgiveness the first time.[that just added to my guilt didn't make it better!]

I just read in one of my devotions this morning that when I accept the forgiveness of God he separates me from this sin. I don't have to FEEL forgiven. My feelings are not important, my obedience, however, is. God supplies the forgiveness. If you don't take anything away from this blog today, please take this "Forgiveness is our greatest need and God's greatest gift." [this is from Girlfriends in God devotion today.]

I choose this day to live life with abandon and accept God at his word. I am jumping off the tread mill, and not telling God any more, "This is me being careful, God", instead " This is me choosing to accept your forgiveness God and living with abandon."

Care to join me?

I'm Losing my Appetite!

I just love the way my, just a day ago, 6 year old granddaughter has a way with words. She is now in Kindergarten and when she and her sister come home from school they are hungry. [School and all that work you know!]
My daughter picks them up from her job. They always race into the house. They go UP the stairs and get ready for their after school snack. My daughter made the mistake of coming  DOWN the stairs to check on me. [just had surgery last week] We were talking about our day when I hear this voice that is not very happy we are talking, tell her mom, " I'm losing my appetite.". I had to send my daughter UP the stairs to make sure that little girl didn't "lose her appetite." I was giggling and smiling all the way to bed. What a trip!

As I was doing my Bible study today in Luke 8:40-48 I started to think of people that were "losing their appetite" with Jesus. They had been waiting for him to return on his boat trip across the lake. There were so many people there that it says they almost crushed him. What had whet their appetite? Were they looking for that healing touch that he had done in so many towns before? Did they want him to personally touch them for something specific? All the crush and shove and he is asking about someone touching him. He is kidding right? It had to be like a rock concert at the entry way. Then he stops to talk to a WOMAN! Come on Jesus "I'm losing my appetite here".

Is this the way we approach Jesus? We have a need, job, financial, sickness, [put that need of yours here] and we start the crush. We need an answer right now and if not do we "lose our appetite"? Do we start to doubt? Do we decide we need to take care of things ourselves?

We need to remember what 2 Corinthians 9:8 tells us

"And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

God is making sure you have all you need so you don't "lose  your appetite". Keep your eyes on Him and not your situation, He is more than able. He adores you.

Just One of Those Days

Have you ever had one of those days? The Internet is flat line, your brain just won't kick in, your fingers have forgotten where the keys on your laptop reside. Do you just want to scream and throw things. This is how my day is going. I thought I knew what I wanted to write about here but with all this above happening I have completely forgotten.

Oh, yes it is to encourage others. Perhaps I am the one that needs the encouragement!

I turn to God's word and there is encouragement. Psalm :46:10 tells me to be still and know that He is God. Trying to g.t still.[knowing everyone else has already posted to Holley's blog] O,k not quite there yet.

Psalm 37:7 tells me to "Be still. Be patient.[doesn't God know I am way behind?] Wait for the Lord to act. Don't be upset when other people succeed. Are you talking about being the last to post Lord? {just so you know I just lost everything and am starting over.]

Have you ever been here? Were you frustrated to your last nerve? God is saying "Be still." I know we find that almost impossible. Our minds are running into tomorrow and beyond. But if you can just close you eyes and listen he is talking to you. Be still my daughter, it will all be there is a few more minutes. Take a deep breath and breathe me in. I am your rock, I am your shield, I am your Savior, I am the Good Shepherd, what more do you need.

Can you feel your shoulders relax? Do you feel your heart rate slowing down? Is what you are doing earth shattering? I thought so.

God never leaves you even on days like today, when all seems to go haywire. He is still in control and wants  you to lean in and allow him to still you and feel his love.

I am going to go and just be still. Looks like I do have a post after all. Let God be your Rock and Shield today.