IN THE SOCK DRAWER

So, the Mayan Apocalypse did not occur…

Shocking.

However, because I was counting on that asteroid to hit Earth and smash it to smithereens (not really), I didn't really think about any New Year's resolutions.

Go figure.

In fact, it's been hard even thinking about the New Year.  I've got that post-Christmas *blah* thing going on.  Not depressed, not sad – just blah.

I was talking to my sister-in-law the other day, and she was sharing with me her *blahness* too.  She said to me, "I'm in the sock drawer."

I laughed out loud.

"In the sock drawer?" I questioned.

"Yes."

Her explanation was adorable.  It went something like this: You know that sock drawer – where all the socks just get shoved in willy-nilly, often mismatched or unmatched, a jumbled mess – and then the door is just shut tight.  Dark and forgotten – just a sock stuffed away, laying around doing nothing.

An Urban Dictionary explains it this way: A term used to explain a type of day that you are having where nothing goes right.

I got it.

In the sock drawer.

Yup, I'm also feeling like a sock – a bit worn out and frazzled – (but can I at least be one of those striped fuzzy ones that I wear to bed??)

But, this is the time of year when we get that "fresh start" – a "do-over" – a "new beginning"…so I'd better get my act together.

'Cuz it's the time to make resolutions!

So, what kinds of things am I thinking about?

Diet?

Exercise?

Yes, I probably need to put those at the top of my list.  Just like last year…and the year before that…and before that…ahem.

But, that seems like such a sock-like cop-out.

I think the first step in making THIS year's resolutions should be getting a good grasp on the process of what I'm actually doing.

What does the word resolution even mean, I wonder?

Definition:  The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination; a resolving to do something; a course of action determined or decided on.

So I look up resolute, too:

Definition:  Admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering.  Firm, decided, resolved, decisive.

Hmmm.

I begin to see that I have not chosen to be very resolute about too many things in my life lately.  I've spent too much time in the sock drawer.

However, God doesn't want socks – at least not socks in a drawer.  He wants socks that are worn inside of shoes that go out and do HIS business.

He wants movers and shakers.

He wants people who are RESOLUTE.

So, that's my resolution for this year.  To become a more resolute person – admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering.

And as I thought about that, I also came up with my word for 2013.

It's interesting – in the last couple of years, the word that I've picked has somehow had a lot to do with the way the year played out.

2011 – Determined.  2012 – Overcome.

So, as I contemplated 2013, I thought about the words peace and hope. Great words, definitely things that I would love to influence my upcoming year.  But, I wanted to hear what God had to say.  I didn't want to "plan" my word – I wanted it to come from Him.

And I had a feeling that when I heard it, I would know it.

Yup, I did.

In a random conversation with a friend, as I was talking about my *sockness*, she said something along the lines that what I really needed in my life right now was – direction.

Bingo.

That is my Word for 2013 – DIRECTION.

(No, not bingo...)

It's what I want, what I hope for, what will give me peace – a firm word of direction from the Lord as to what He wants me to do with my life at this point.

Direction, Lord.

I pray that You will give me this – and then give me the power to be resolute about following Your directions!!

Take this sock OUT of the drawer, and direct me INTO Your purpose, and help me to OBEY!


******HAPPY NEW YEAR******


What are your resolutions for the New Year?


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Beginning

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: beginning

Are you making any resolutions for the beginning of the new year?  (What are they?!)

Is there any new work that God is beginning in your life?  (What is it?!)


Let me know what you think!!


"But forget all that—
it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."  (Isaiah 43:18-19, NLT)



"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

ANXIETY SANTA

I know, weird title.

But hang in there –  it will all make sense in the end.

Let me start off by telling you that I've had a rather nasty case of insomnia the last month or so.  My gift of insomnia comes in two different forms – (evidently it's an equal opportunity giver).  Sometimes I fall asleep quickly and easily, only to awake anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours later – and then I can't get back to sleep for hours.  Or, sometimes I just can't fall asleep for hours in the first place.

I try deep breathing.  I try watching television.  I try reading.

Sometimes I just lie there and play word games in my head.  

(In case you're interested, I play word games like try to think of a word for every letter in the alphabet that has double consonants in it – like apple, butter, copper, etc.  Or think of a word that has "v" in it, or "th" or ends in silent "e" – and so on. There are many variations to come up with on the alphabet theme. Sometimes just trying to think of another variation keeps me awake!!)

The idea is to tire my brain out so it will give up and fall asleep already! And to distract me from all the (worrisome) thoughts that go reeling through my head.

You see, if you think Satan is bad during the day, just wait 'til you experience his nocturnal attacks.

Ebenezer Scrooge didn't know how good he had it.  The Ghosts of Christmas Past and Christmas Future had NOTHING on the Ghost of What-If…

...just sayin'.

So, the other night, the one following a night when I was up until 3:30 AM, I fell asleep easily at 9:00 PM.  Glorious.  Until I woke up at 11:00 PM.

And I was terribly, terribly anxious.

I finally decided to call my mom at 11:30.  Now, before you get on my case about that, you have to know something about my mom.

She's a night owl.

And, she takes a big 'ol nap every afternoon.  She does it for three reasons I think:

1.  She's tired and needs the rest.
2.  She does it to escape my dad for a few hours.
3.  She does it so she can stay up late at night – probably so she can escape my dad for a few hours.


I understand.

Sometimes I CHOOSE to stay up for the same reasons.  (Sorry, "Hub")

So, I know my mom's going to be up until at least midnight.  So I call.

She's used to my late-night phone calls, so she doesn't panic when she hears the phone ring.  (Unlike my panic the other night at my 10:45 PM call – you know, the whole Marty coffee shenanigan – I knew that call was NOT good news).

I let the phone ring – and I can just picture her on the other end.  She puts aside the newspaper or magazine she's reading, she slowly gets up from the recliner, and she makes her way to the kitchen to answer.  I'm pretty sure she knows it's me.

I wait.

And soon I hear her dear, sweet voice – the one that's so familiar to me I can hear it in my head…

"Hello?"

"Hi Mom, it's me."

If my mom had a nickel for every time I've started a conversation with those words, she'd be a millionaire.  As long as I can remember, I've been reaching out to her late at night for reassurance about something.

You see, I've been plagued by "what if" pondering all my life.

I can remember going into my parents' room as a child, a teenager, a young woman, kneeling by her side, and whispering gently, "Hi Mom.  It's me."

And she always said this, just like she always says it now:

"Oh Sharon, my sweet Sharon."

Yes, I do know how incredibly lucky I am to have her.

So, the other night I tell her that I can't fall asleep because I'm so nervous. And I tell her I've just got so many cares and worries in my head. And this is what she says:

"Climb up into my lap and tell me all about it."

I tell her, "Thanks, Mom.  You're my Anxiety Santa."

And so I do – I climb up into her phone lap, and pour out my woes – for about an hour.

I hang up, so much calmer than before, and quickly fall asleep.

Yes, she is my Anxiety Santa – a warm and inviting soul who beckons me to crawl up into her lap, and tell her my deepest, darkest secrets.  The one who lets me tell her my wildest wishes, and my biggest dreams.  The one who always, always makes my fears subside…

Today, the day before Christmas, I got to pondering.

I've got a bigger Anxiety Santa.

He's the One who came to this earth for all those anxious souls who had no peace.  For all those fearful souls who couldn't find rest.  For all those hopeless souls who thought they had no future…

He's the One who came.

I can’t tell you the number of times that I've come to Him…

"Hi Jesus, it's me."

Only to hear Him say…

"Oh Sharon, my sweet Sharon.  Climb up into My lap and tell Me all about it."

But Jesus doesn't stop there.  Yes, He is the One who beckons me to crawl up into His lap, and tell Him my deepest, darkest secrets.  The One who lets me tell Him my wildest wishes, and my biggest dreams.   The One who always, always make my fears subside…

But you know what else He does?  

He adds these words…

"Climb up into My lap and tell Me all about it…and then let Me tell you what I did about it!"

Yes, to me, that's what Christmas is all about.

It's all about a Savior – a Savior who did something about it.  About all the pain and suffering and futility of the world.  About all the disease and death.  About every single sin that man had found a way to commit.  About every fear and every possible "what if" scenario…

HE. DID. SOMETHING. ABOUT. IT.

He came – to us, for us – forever.


Here's something I shared two years ago about all that:


It came upon a midnight clear…

A beautiful, cloudless, starlit night –

Angels we have heard on high…

What's that?  Can you hear it?  It sounds like heavenly music –

Hark, the herald angels sing…

It IS music – it's a heavenly choir!  Oh my heart, be still.  What are they saying?

O little town of Bethlehem.  Away in a manger, round yon virgin mother and child…

Oh, look!  A young mother who has just given birth to her first child.  And it's – it's a boy!

What child is this…

She and her husband have called him Emmanuel – God with us.  His name is Jesus –

For unto us a child is born…

Oh my, this is THE CHILD.  The One prophesied from centuries ago.  This is HIM – the Messiah!

Holy infant, so tender and mild…

Look at His sweet baby face.  His tiny hands and feet, His soft cheeks, His precious mouth, His shining eyes –

I have no gift to bring…

I have nothing – I am poor, lowly in spirit.  But He should have something from me – there must be something I can give Him.

O come, all ye faithful.  Joyful and triumphant…

Yes!  I can give Him my heart!  I can be faithful and joyful.  He is bringing my victory!

Joy to the world.  The Lord is come...

The Lord of lords and King of kings has come to earth!  He has brought Light to the darkness, and Life to the dying!  He has brought redemption –

Oh come, let us adore Him!

Oh Lord Jesus, how I adore You.  Thank you for loving me before the world began.  Thank you for coming to earth, to live as one of us.  Thank you for understanding what it means to be human.  Thank you for dying, for sacrificing Your life – for me.  Thank you, Lord – for everything –

O Holy Night...


Yes, the biggest Anxiety Santa of them all came to earth, to each one of us – and He brought GIFTS!

The Gift of Himself.

The Gift of Forgiveness.

The Gift of Life.

The Gift of Forever…


Ho, Ho, Ho…HOLY!


"And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."  (Isaiah 9:6, KJV)


MERRY CHRISTMAS to all – and to all a good night!


What are you doing to celebrate the birth of our Savior?


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Messiah

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: Messiah

What does the word Messiah mean to you?

How was Jesus different than the Messiah expected by the Jews?

In your life, what is the most surprising thing about Jesus, the Messiah?


Let me know what you think!!


"The woman said, 'I know the Messiah is coming--the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.'  Then Jesus told her, 'I Am the Messiah!'"  (John 4:25-26)


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

MARTY GETS GROUNDED

It's not what you think.

Marty did not get put in *time out* for being a bad beagle.  He is an adorable beagle…but he is a beagle.

Which means that he loves to smell, and he eats like a garbage disposer.

That accounts for the little *drama* that happened a couple of weeks ago.

Youngest son fell asleep one night, sound asleep – and evidently when the human's away, the beagle will play.

Marty found his way into a wastebasket and indulged himself in some used coffee grounds.

I'm sure he loved the taste of them, but they did not love him.

Son woke up to find Marty asleep next to…well, let's just say "recycled" coffee grounds and some dinner.

One quick call to the veterinary emergency room – and they were on their way.

***A piece of advice to all you dog owners out there:  Coffee and coffee grounds are very dangerous for dogs.  Just like chocolate.  And ingesting them should be treated like an emergency situation.***

So, guess who got the call at 10:45 PM – and guess who woke up out of a dead sleep to pray for one precious granddog…

Fortunately, the vet said Marty should be OK – after another round of induced "recycling" – and a dose of charcoal to soak up any remnants.

My son said that Marty returned home with a black snout.  And around 3 AM, he had another "recycling" episode, which he stepped in, and there were little charcoal Marty footprints all over the blankets on the couch.

Just like a toddler, huh?!

The next day, I called early in the morning to check on little Mr. Folger's.  My son said he didn't think it was possible for a beagle to look disheveled – but that was the best word to describe Marty.

A bit dazed, and disheveled.

I'm not sure what Marty was thinking – though I know what he was smelling.

Mmm, good to the last drop.

Maybe he was pondering the idea of starting a Pawbuck's – and wanted to sample the wares.  Or maybe he thought Canine Café au Lait sounded like a good idea at midnight.  (Furry frappuccino, perhaps?) 

Or maybe he wasn't thinking – he was just smelling.  A dog impelled by instinct to do something potentially dangerous.

Hmmm.

I'm wondering about the things that impel me to act in certain ways.

Like having to have the last word in arguments.  Or putting someone down because I'm secretly envious of them.  Or buying that something that I don't really need.  Or fibbing just a little to save face.

This list could go on and on – but then I'd be way too embarrassed.

The plain fact of the matter is that I am often compelled by my sin nature to do certain things.  And often, those things are not good for me.  Downright dangerous sometimes.

Paul understood:

"The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.  I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate.  But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.  So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  I want to do what is right, but I can't.  I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.  But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.  I love God's law with all my heart.  But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.  Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?" 
(from Romans 7)


I don't think I'm far off in saying that sin is my natural instinct – the thing that seems to impel me toward sinning.

I am attracted to the coffee grounds of life – even when they're not good for me – even when I know they're harmful.  I just can't help myself…

What a horrible dilemma!

Is there no hope?

Of course not!

"Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord." (from Romans 7) 


Yes, there is Someone who took me to the emergency room.

Someone who shed His blood so I could "recycle" all the bad stuff out – and then gave me a dose of Holy Spirit to deal with all the remnants.

Yeah, I might make some little black footprints here and there – but the threat has been taken care of.

The poison has been removed.  My life is no longer in danger.  

I have been surely rescued.

Now, if I could just learn to keep my snout out of the garbage!


Do you ever feel like a spiritual "split personality"?


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Yield

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: yield

What does the word yield mean to you?

Do you think there's a difference between giving something up and yielding it over?

What is the hardest thing for you to yield to God?


Let me know what you think!!


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

(OLD) LADY SINGS THE BLUES

OK, is it just me?

Or is anybody else out there sick and tired of a body that gets sick and tired??

(And achy, and creaky, and wrinkled, and saggy, and gray…)

I was reminded of my bodily dismay just a few days ago.  "The Hub" and I were at a pharmacy picking up a prescription for an infection I have.  (I rest my case on the aggravation issue…)

There were a few people in line ahead of us, and a few sitting on chairs.  Not wanting to butt into line, we asked if any of the "sitters" were actually "waiters".

One gentleman told us that he was ahead of us, but his recent knee replacement made it difficult to stand for any length of time.

He was roughly our age, and we began a conversation about his motorcycle accident and torn ACL.  It reminded me of the various aches and pains that we're experiencing.  "The Hub's" shoulder surgery and broken ankle – my magical menopause mystery tour…

At some point, though I didn't say it out loud, I thought of that old adage: "Well, at least it's better than the alternative."  

When I got home, I got to thinking.

I think maybe I've got it all wrong.  Actually, this life ISN'T better than the alternative.


So, I want to explore three questions:

Why am I fighting aging so much?

Why do I think that aging means a diminishing state of existence?

How does God view aging?

Hmmm.


First of all, why am I fighting aging so much?  

I think there's several reasons.  One is the youth-obsessed society that we live in.  Our culture is myopically fixated on the body – how it works, how it looks, how it ages (or doesn't).  I'm all for doing everything we can to take care of our bodies – in fact, I think that God directs us to do that.  We are His temple, after all.

But this single-minded pursuit of youthfulness, and the intolerance toward any sign of aging – I don't think that comes from God.

So, at some level, I am influenced by my culture.

That's the bad news.

But the other reason that I think I fight aging is spiritual.  I believe that God created us with eternity in our hearts (He does say that!) – and at some level, I think our spirits know that this mortal state is not what we were created for.

We were created for eternal life.  We were created perfect.

Sin has messed that all up.

Some of my fight against aging is not good – but the part of me that rebels against Satan's weapons of sin, disease, and death – I believe that is understandable and commendable.

"Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself…" 
(1 Corinthians 6:19, NLT)

"He has planted eternity in the human heart…" (Ecclesiastes 3:11, NLT)


Second, why do I think that aging is a diminishing state of existence?

Again, I think culture plays a role in that.  

The elderly are often abused, marginalized, discriminated against.  In a youth-oriented culture, old people are often considered refuse, baggage – useless.

This wasn't always the case.  

Not so long ago, the elderly were revered and honored.  Their advice and counsel was sought out.  Their wisdom was esteemed, and their knowledge and experience were admired.

I vividly remember my grandparents, and some of my great-grandparents.  I thought they were the most wonderful people on the planet.

And older believers always bless me.

They have a sense of peace about them – a peace that I think comes from walking many steps with the Lord.  I want to know what their faith is like – I want them to teach me.  And some day, if God chooses to bless me with old age, I want to be like them.

The diminishing is really just a physical thing.  As my body ages, my spirit has the opportunity to soar.

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." (2 Corinthians 4:16, ESV)

"Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him." (Colossians 3:10, NLT)


Finally, how does God view aging?

Fortunately, He is a lot more gracious than we are!

I found these wonderful verses on a website:

"Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life." 
(Proverbs 16:31, NLT)

"The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old." (Proverbs 20:29, NLT)

"I will be your God throughout your lifetime -- until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you.  I will carry you along and save you." (Isaiah 46:4, NLT)

"Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged…" (Proverbs 17:6, NLT)

"Show your fear of God by standing up in the presence of elderly people and showing respect for the aged. I am the LORD." (Leviticus 19:32, NLT)


And this next one is my personal favorite.  Especially in view of my post last week – when I was bemoaning some *shelf sitting* in my life…

"The godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted into the LORD's own house.  They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green." (Psalm 92:12-14, NLT)

God's values are a far cry from our own.  

He does not look at the elderly as disposable.  NO!  In fact, the elderly are promised God's continuing concern.  He does not look at the elderly as worthless and useless.  NO!  In fact, the elderly are important fruit-producers in the Body of Christ.

Vital and green.  (I like the sound of that!)

YES!  God loves every one of my (dyed) gray hairs.  He loves my wrinkles and sags.  And though He doesn't enjoy my aches and pains, and though He understands what it feels like to be sick and tired… 

HE. DID. SOMETHING. ABOUT. IT.

He entered into our world.  He became a human.  And though He didn't grow into old age, He still felt the pain of aging – He suffered the horror of dying…

He understood the *disconnect* between eternity and earthly mortality.

And He did it so we could have LIFE!

Life now on earth until His work in and through us is done – and life everlasting in the glory of His presence.

From birth until forever, He is my God…


"He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control." (Philippians 3:21, NLT)


SIGN ME UP!


Are you aging gracefully?  Why or why not?


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Contentment

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: contentment

How would you define contentment?

Do you think that contentment is important in your faith journey?

What are some of the barriers to your sense of contentment?


"...godliness with contentment is great gain."  (1 Timothy 6:6, NIV)


Let me know what you think!!


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

ON A SHELF

Yup, that's how I feel lately.

Shelved.

Like a book that God enjoyed reading, but when He was done with me, He put me on the shelf.

Before I moved, I had a nice little corner of ministry going.  A few speaking engagements.  A consistent blog voice.  An active leadership role in my Bible Study.

I had hopes of God opening the door into the Christian *big-time* at any moment.  It seemed imminent, around the corner – just waiting for me.

Then I moved.

And everything came to a screeching halt.

No one's ringing my doorbell to have me come and share my pearls of wisdom with their group.  My blog muse – let's call her Verbosia – has left the building.  And though I am in a new Bible Study group full of wonderful women, I am still the "new kid on the block."

I feel dismayed about this.

Yes, I know all about the *seasons* that God calls us to walk through – but when did He decide that this was a good time for winter?

I do want you to know – that I do see the irony of ME saying that I don't have MY ministry.  I do see the self-interest in that statement.

But there's still a part of me – a part of every believer, I think – that really does want to be used by the Lord for HIS purposes.

So why am I sitting on a couch bemoaning my sitting?


I decided to visit some of my friends.

I texted Joseph, whose brothers had abandoned him, then he was rescued, only to be thrown into jail for a false accusation.

"Hey Jo, Y am I doing nothing here?"

"Know what u mean," he answered.  "I had some ?'s myself in that jail cell.  ☹"

"Did u think that God had forgotten u?"

"There were moments, 4 sure.  But God saw the end.  BTW, what others meant 4 evil, He meant 4 good.  ☺"

I emailed Moses, who was treated as the son of Pharaoh, only to kill a man and run away to spend 40 years (count 'em, 40) in the wilderness with a bunch of sheep.

"Hey Moses, I'm kinda struggling here on my mountain top.  I can't stand the feeling that I've been sidelined.  Know what I mean?"

"Why of course!  Can you imagine what it felt like to be a shepherd for 40 years?  Why was I wasting my time with sheep, I often wondered.  Of course, God knew the plan He had for me – to shepherd a nation out of slavery into their Promised Land."

"But Moses, I'm no spring chicken here.  Time is ticking."

"Hey, I really started making a difference when I was 80.  Hang in there!"

I finally decided to call David, a man whom Samuel anointed as the future king of Israel, only to spend a great deal of time running for his life.

BRIIINGG…BRIIINGG.

"Hello?"

"David?  This is Sharon."

"Oh hi, Sharon.  What's up?"

"I'm just wondering if you ever felt like God had forgotten you.  As if He had called you to this big old purpose, only to send you off on a wild goose chase. Did you ever feel shelved?"

There was a pause on the other end…

"David, you still there?"

"Yes," he said quietly.  "Actually, I felt like that quite often.  I think you can tell by the words I said in my poems.  So often I felt lost, neglected, forgotten,…so very far from the God I loved."

"Yeah, I have always found your honesty to be quite comforting."

"Thank you for that.  But here's the thing I learned.  That even when I cried out to God in despair, even when it felt like He wasn't there and didn't care – He still called me a man after His own heart.  I find that incredible, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Somehow in my deep discouragement, I still sought His presence.  Are you doing that?"

"As best as I can, I am."

"Then don't look back.  I found that it was very difficult to think about my Goliath triumph when I was sitting in a dark cave running away from Saul. Was this the behavior or the position of a king?  I thought God was making some pretty big mistakes."

"Yeah, I wonder sometimes too.  A lot lately."

"It's OK.  He has a plan.  Don't give up the Story just because you don't know the ending.  He's a good Author – trust Him."

I spent a lot of time thinking about my conversations with these men.  Men who had been called for an important spiritual destiny.  And yet, they had each spent a lot of time in seemingly wasted inactivity.

But God was working…all the time.

I turn the page in my Bible and Joseph is out of prison – but he was there for 2 years.  I turn the page in my Bible and Moses returns from the wilderness – but he was there for 40 years.  I turn the page in my Bible and David is king of the entire nation of Israel – but he ran for many years before he wore that crown.

I turn the page in my Bible and Jesus begins His ministry.  But He spent 30 years waiting for the moment when God would tell Him, "NOW!"

I guess I'm in good company here.

On a shelf doesn't mean forgotten.  It doesn't mean unimportant.  It certainly doesn't mean useless.

Those are enemy lies – propaganda from the parrot constantly squawking on my shoulder – meant to deter me from becoming more like Jesus.


Lord, give me patience for this time in my life.  Please relieve the discouragement that I feel right now.  Make Your presence more real to me so I don't feel forgotten.  Grant me comfort when I am sad.  Give me peace when I feel turmoil.  Fill me with strength to withstand the onslaught of pity.  Let me understand that inside work is just as important to You as outside service.

Maybe more important.

Teach me that all that matters is that I am a woman after Your own heart.

And if You wouldn’t mind, please show me a sign of Your favor.



God is working his purpose out
as year succeeds to year:
God is working his purpose out,
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled 
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.

- From a hymn, words written by Arthur Campbell Aigner


"Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother's womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things." (Ecclesiastes 11:5)

"You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." 
(Psalm 139:16)


Has God ever *placed you on the sidelines* for a time in your life? What did you do?


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Serenity

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: serenity

What does the word serenity mean to you?

Is serenity more than just an absence of anxiety or worry?

What brings you serenity - in nature, in life, in the Word?


Let me know what you think!!


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

FLAWED

Ooooo…

How I hate that word.

A little background.

When "The Hub" and I moved up to our new mountain home, it wasn't quite new.  It definitely needed a little TLC.  The house had stood empty for almost two years.  Notice I said empty – not unoccupied.  Nope, the three little mice – and about a thousand of their closest personal friends – had had quite a heyday on the property.

We found *remnants* of their occupation all over.

I learned three things about mice:

1.  They are not particular about their bathroom habits.
2.  They like to chew and scratch and gnaw.
3.  They leave their mummified carcasses in the most disturbing places.

We had quite a time convincing them that the house was too small for them and us.  We insisted, they complied.

Oh, I also learned that moths enjoy an empty house, too.  And they lose their wings and body parts faster than I am losing brain cells.  I just want to know how they got in???

But I digress.

When we moved in, there was definitely work to be done.  New carpet, new paint, new tile, and a new kitchen.

We had done some remodeling on our *older* home down the hill – just to help the resale value of a 36-year old tract home.  But, whenever something wasn't perfect, I was able to let it go – knowing that this wasn’t the "final place."

Not so up here.

Every change we make is permanent.  This is THE house we're going to live in.  So, the changes loom a little (a lot) more serious.

Well, let me just say this – though we have had very, very good craftsmen doing the work on our house, there are mistakes.

The work is flawed.

I find that I go into "Incessant Inspector" mode rather quickly…and easily.

"The Hub" says I'm negative.

I say I'm particular, with an eye for detail.

So, as I've made my rounds, checking out the finished product, I've asked myself these questions:

Why can't painters make a clean line on baseboard?  Or ceilings?  Or corners?

Why would you put the same tile so close to one just like it?  How hard would it be to spin it to make it look like a different tile with a different design?

Why put so many plain tiles, or patterned tiles, so close together?  Can't you mix it up?

Why do carpets have to have weird little bumps in them?

Why can't cabinets "take the stain" in an even pattern?

Don't get me wrong, the finished work is really good.  And I have had some input throughout the ongoing process.  However, one cannot stand over a contractor and tell him how to do his work every step of the way.  (I'd love to – but "The Hub" did not allow me to do so…)

"The Hub" tries to be helpful with these endearing sentiments:

"At least it's done."

"It looks good to me."

“You can't do anything about it now."

"You want to do it yourself?"  (Though he's being facetious, the thought has crossed my mind).

Here's the rub – we're not done yet.

So I have visions of mismatched granite, appliances that won't fit into their respective spaces, chipped sinks, leaky faucets, etc.

Grrr…

Now, I admit to being a perfectionist…(particular, eye for detail).

But still.

It really, really bugs me.

Do you know that I've actually *corrected* a few tile flaws with colored pencil???

Yes I have – reminiscent of my cigar store Indian escapade (here).

Flawed.

The word just keeps ruminating in my mind.

Dictionary definition:  Blemished, damaged, or imperfect in some way. Containing a mistake, weakness, or fault.

Sharon's Acrostic Dictionary definition:

F aulty
L acking
A wry
W rong
E rrant
D efective

Flawed.

Yup, how I hate that word.

But, the other night I got to thinking.  (It was all I could do as I lay sleepless, pondering the mismatched tile…)

I don't think I'm alone in my quest for perfection.  Nor in my sorrow when it doesn't happen.

I wonder about God.  I wonder how He feels.  Here He created this perfect world, these perfect creatures, these perfect humans.  It was all good…

Actually better than good – it was flawless.

I wonder how He felt when we messed it all up.

I can only imagine how His heart broke when we ruined His work.  When He watched us make mistakes.  When we painted outside of the lines.  When we messed up the pattern.  When the smooth path of obedience got bumpy.  When our hearts became stained with sin.

I think He mourned…deeply.

God, the Ultimate Perfectionist, the Flawless Potter, looked at His sin-filled lumps of clay…and cried.

I'm convinced of it.

He understands the dismay, the discouragement of imperfection.

How could He bear it?

The Holy One feeling the pain of unholiness invade His work…

I began to see how foolish it was for me to be so focused on temporal imperfections.  There are bigger things at stake here.

And then I thought of something else…

There is someone who comes before the throne of God every day and points to me and shouts his accusation:

"FLAWED!"

Oh, Lord.

Though You have every right to look at me and called me flawed, You do not. You did something miraculous to make me perfect in Your sight.

You sent Your Son.

And because of Him, I am no longer defined by my imperfections.

Evidently God has an acrostic dictionary, too.  And He defines flawed this way:

F ully
L oved
A nd
W orthwhile…
E ternally
D elightful

(I like His definitions better than mine, by the way…)


Lord, thank You for the lessons I am learning in patience and acceptance. Thank You for teaching me that only You are holy and complete.  Thank You for the gracious gift of Your righteousness, so that even though I am flawed, You see me as perfect.  Thank You that the enemy does not define me.  Thank You that the Story wasn't ruined in Eden – it just took a plot twist.  Thank You that even then, before the beginning of the world, You had a perfect plan – a plan for restoration.  Thank You for the promise of hope – that one day all will be perfect again – for we will live in Your light, and gaze on Your face.


"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:10)


How do you think God looks at you?


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY- Feast

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: feast

How is a feast different than a meal?

What are your favorite things to eat at a holiday feast?

How might you describe the Wedding Feast of the Lamb?


Let me know what you think!!


"When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, 'Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.'" 
(Luke 14:15, NIV)

"And the angel said to me, 'Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.'" (Revelation 19:9, NLT)


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Some verses to help you sing praises to our Almighty God, our Gracious Savior, and our Comforting Holy Spirit:


"Yours, O Lord,
is the greatness, the power,
the glory, the victory,
and the majesty.
Everything in the heavens
and on earth is Yours,
O Lord,
and this is Your kingdom.
We adore You
as the One who is over all things.
Wealth and honor come from You alone,
for You rule over everything.
Power and might are in Your hand,
and at Your discretion
people are made great and given strength.
O our God,
we thank You
and praise Your glorious name!"
(1 Chronicles 29:11-13, NLT)


"You have turned my mourning into dancing for me;
You have put off my sackcloth
and girded me with gladness,
To the end that my tongue
and my heart
and everything glorious within me
may sing praise to You
and not be silent.
O Lord my God,
I will give thanks to You forever."
(Psalm 30:11-12, AMP)


"He who offers
a sacrifice of thanksgiving
honors Me;
And to him who orders his way aright
I shall show the salvation of God."
(Psalm 50:23, NASB)


"It is good to praise the Lord
and make music to your name,
O Most High,
to proclaim Your love in the morning
and Your faithfulness at night,
to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
and the melody of the harp.
For You make me glad by your deeds, O Lord;
I sing for joy at the works of Your hands.
How great are Your works, O Lord,
how profound Your thoughts!"
(Psalm 92:1-5, NIV)


"O come, let us sing unto the LORD: 
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, 
and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 
For the LORD is a great God, 
and a great King above all gods. 
In his hand are the deep places of the earth: 
the strength of the hills is his also. 
The sea is his, and he made it: 
and his hands formed the dry land. 
O come, let us worship and bow down: 
let us kneel before the LORD our maker." 
(Psalm 95:1-6, KJV)


"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,
all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness:
come before His presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord
He is God:
it is He that hath made us,
and not we ourselves;
we are His people,
and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
and into His courts with praise:
be thankful unto Him,
and bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting;
and His truth endureth to all generations."
(Psalm 100, KJV)


"Because of the Lord's great love
we are not consumed,
for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness.
I say to myself,
'The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for Him.'
The Lord is good
to those whose hope is in Him,
to the one who seeks Him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord."
(Lamentations 3:22-26, NIV)


"Each one of you is part of the body of Christ,
and you were chosen to live together in peace.
So let the peace that comes from Christ
control your thoughts.
And be grateful.
Let the message about Christ
completely fill your lives,
while you use all your wisdom
to teach and instruct each other.
With thankful hearts,
sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
Whatever you say or do
should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus,
as you give thanks to God the Father
because of Him."
(Colossians 3:15-17, CEV)


"Give thanks no matter what happens.
God wants you to thank Him
because you believe in Christ Jesus."
(1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV)


"Everything God created is good,
and to be received with thanks.
Nothing is to be sneered at and thrown out.
God's Word and our prayers
make every item in creation holy."
(1 Timothy 4:4-5, MSG)


I wanna hear a JOYFUL noise out there, my dear brothers and sisters!  We have so much to be grateful for - and we must never tire of offering thanksgiving and praise to the God of our salvation!

(Oh, and let's enjoy eating some of His bountiful feast, too!!!)


How and where are you celebrating THANKSGIVING today?


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY...

…sting like a bee.

For those of you who aren't sports fans, this is a quote from heavyweight boxer, Muhammad Ali.

However, it's rather an apt sentiment for this post.  

Let me start at the beginning – (kinda logical, huh?!)

Last week, I decided to go outside to do my daily Bible reading/devotional time.  It was just so beautiful, sunny and warm – an appropriate setting to meditate on the Lord.

Shortly after I arrived, I saw the most wonderful sight – a butterfly.

Now some of you know that I have attached a sort of spiritual meaning to butterflies.  Every time I see them, I think of them as a sign of the Lord's presence.  A way for Him to say to me, "I'm here!"

And these appearances always seem to happen in the most *coincidental* ways.   (You can read about that here).

I smiled.

"Hello, Lord," I thought to myself.  "Good to have You here."

I felt a peace.

God was here, with me…

Of course, less than 10 minutes later, my bliss was disturbed.

You see, I was thoughtfully joined by a rather annoying pest – (no, not "The Hub") – it was a yellow jacket.  

He kept buzzing around, dive-bombing my head.  I swatted him away with my journal, and he landed on the ground beside me.  I could tell that he was stunned, and I contemplated stomping him and killing him and eliminating his aggravating buzz-business.

But, I hate killing things – so I demurred.

I went inside for a few minutes, and when I returned I was no longer joined by my nectar-nibbling varmint.  

Yay, I thought – he's gone.

A few minutes later, it started to get cooler, and so I decided to put my flannel shirt back on.

All of a sudden…

OUCH!

Do you know that that (stupid) yellow jacket was hiding (lurking) in my sleeve and had the (unabashed) audacity to sting me???

Bliss ended.

Ice packs, ibuprofen, pain, and then incessant itching followed.  Yes, itching.  Though I am not anaphylactically allergic (is that a word?  It is now…) – I am evidently fairly allergic to the venom.  I have not itched that much since I had chicken pox.

Later that evening, as I pondered – 'cuz you know I’m gonna ponder – I was reminded of a good lesson.

Yes, the Lord is with me all the time.  My dear little butterfly reminded me of that wonderfully comforting Truth.

But, Mr. Yellow Jacket reminded me of another truth – that someone else is always with me too.  

That old enemy is always looking to bring me down.  And sometimes he isn't a devouring lion – sometimes he doesn't roar like that.  Sometimes he's just looking to sting – he knows that buzzing can be quite effective too.

Sure, he delights in the *big* Christian attack and the ensuing meltdown.  But sometimes he's also happy just to ruin a peaceful moment.


Two truths for us, fellow believers.  

God is with us, and the enemy hunts us.

And let's make sure that while we're looking for the lion, we don't miss the yellow jacket.


(Note to self:  Given the chance to stomp and eliminate a threat – take it!)


Have you gotten "stung" lately?


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Family

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: family

What are some of the blessings of being part of a family?

What things do you love most about your own family?

How does the Body of Christ reflect the idea of family?


Let me know what you think!!


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Respect

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: respect

What does the word respect mean to you?

Do you think respect is different than honor?  If so, how?

How can we balance having respect for our earthly leaders, while still honoring God?


Let me know what you think!!

(Is anyone else getting in touch with their inner Aretha Franklin???)


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

GOD SPEAKS...A "GOOD" WORD

Sometimes God speaks to me…

…in a Voice that cannot be mistaken.

It's Him.

Often He speaks a good word of comfort or encouragement.  And I am consoled by His presence.  Ah, I sigh to myself, He cares about me.

Sometimes He speaks another word.

Like last week.

I was fretting about a particular situation – (I know, totally out of character…ahem) – and feeling completely overwhelmed at my inability to do anything about it.  I was nervous about the people involved (my sons), and how things were going to turn out.  I wanted to say or do something that would influence it all.

And then, God spoke to me:

"Trust Me, and get out of the way."

Now, if someone said that to me in real life, I think I would be highly offended.  I'd probably have some *pithy words* to say back.

But, when Someone said them to me, I felt comforted and encouraged.

I felt consoled by His presence.

Ah, I sighed to myself, He cares about me.

And then I started to ponder the words that He had said.  

He's right, I thought.  I do need to trust Him.  I need to release to Him all these situations that trouble me so.

And yes, I thought, He's right.  I do need to get out of His way.  He doesn't need my help.  (I offered, He said He had it covered…)

Sometimes in my anxiety – which is so often just lack of trust in disguise – I scramble to influence situations and people and circumstances.  Most of the time, I do it to avoid my anxiety.

Anxiety is a terrible taskmaster.  It often makes me feel like a rat in a maze.  Chasing down nameless fears, running away from horrifying "what if" scenarios, banging into wall after wall of senseless worrying.

How often does God watch me do this and say to Himself...

"Oh, if she would only trust Me…

…and get out of the way."

Lord, you know how hard this is for me.

You know how difficult it is to let go – especially when the situations and circumstances involve people that I love.  

I hate watching (helplessly) their confusion, their discontent, their misunderstandings…their anxiety.

I want to DO SOMETHING.

I guess God needed to remind me (yet again) that He is in charge of it all. And He needs no help in taking care of His children…even if they happen to also be my children.

I have begun to know that God's love for me is perfect love.  And sometimes, perfect love has to speak a word of reprimand.

Kindly, gently – get out of the way.

I'm wondering…in my efforts to "help out" – do I sometimes impede God's work?  Do I slow Him down?  

Obviously, I do not have the power to ultimately thwart His purposes – (and oh, thank goodness for that!)  But do I unconsciously work against His ways?

I am thinking specifically about the times when He wants to do some pruning or refining work in the lives of my sons.  I hate seeing their pain.  It makes me anxious.

But if I try to insert myself by trying to help, am I unintentionally interfering with God?

Maybe…just maybe.

I can just see myself in Scripture…

What if I had tried to run away with Moses instead of trusting him to God and the bulrushes?  What if I had come along and helped Joseph out of that cistern?  What if I had counseled David to give up his anointed kingship to save his life instead of obeying God?

I think sometimes I'm a bit like Peter.

He didn't want the Lord to die…

"But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. 'Heaven forbid, Lord,' he said. 'This will never happen to you!'" 
(Matthew 16:22)

Of course, that wasn't what God had in mind.  

"Peter, trust Me…and get out of the way."

Or how about that little scene in the Garden of Gethsemane?  You know, the whole cutting-off-the-ear confrontation.  I'm sure Peter thought he was doing the right thing by "helping out" – trying to save the Savior.

"Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest's slave.  But Jesus said to Peter, 'Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?''' (John 18:10-11)

"Peter, trust Me…and get out of the way."

Yes, I am very grateful that God speaks to me.  And I am glad that He loves me enough to be honest.


"Trust Me, Sharon.  Trust My ways, My wisdom, My timing.  And yes, you can trust Me enough to get out of the way, for I will work My purposes perfectly."

Love you, Lord.

Stepping aside…



"'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD." (Isaiah 55:8, NIV)

"The LORD of Heaven's Armies has sworn this oath: 'It will all happen as I have planned. It will be as I have decided.'" (Isaiah 14:24, NLT)

"But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations." (Psalm 33:11, NIV)

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28, NLT)


What has God said to you lately?  Is He asking you to step aside in some situation, and let Him work?


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Hope

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: hope

What does hope feel like?

What things do you hope for in this life?

What is one thing that you long for with hope in eternity?


Let me know what you think!!


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Light

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: light

Of all the things that give off light, what is your favorite and why?

Jesus said, "I am the Light of the world."  What do you think He meant?

How can we show our *light* to the world in a more effective way?


Let me know what you think!!


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

LIZARD HIDE-N-SEEK

Yes, it's what it sounds like.

Makes for a good story, though.

Wanna hear it?

It started off innocently enough.  "The Hub" was outside working in the backyard, and I thought I'd go keep him company.

Things were fine when I was outside.  It was when I decided to come back in the house that the shenanigans started.

We have a door from the backyard that enters into our main room.  And in the mountains, there's no "demilitarized zone" between yard and house – no safe patio break.  It goes from outside yard (mountain wildness) right into house (domesticated abode).

As soon as I opened the door, I noticed a tiny little lizard run over the door jamb – right into the main room of our house.

OK, yes, I did say tiny – he was only about 2 inches long.  So, he didn't really warrant an *eek* from me.  (A totally different scenario than the time I chased a HUGE foot-long lizard out of my house down the hill…)

So, I wasn't scared of Tiny Mr. Lizard.  Just more panicky about how we were going to get him back outside.  We, of course, meaning "The Hub".

My big brave Reptile Hunter walked into the house to give chase.  I stayed outside and looked at the safari through a window.  Man, that little guy could move!

"The Hub" gave a valiant effort trying to trap him.  He scooted away fast, but then promptly reversed direction when cornered.  I saw "The Hub" chase him into the corner…

Oh no, I thought…

I came in and "The Hub" said to me, "I don't know where he went."

I did.

"Uh, hon, I think he went down through the heat register into the heat duct."

Yeah.

"Well, he'll probably come out later."

That was the Great Herpetologist's assessment of the situation (as he went back outside).  It wasn't good enough for me.

So, I waited a minute or two, then went over and looked at the register. There, peeking back at me from inside the grate, were two tiny little beady eyes.  I ran outside again to get "The Hub"…

"I see him," I said.  "He's in the register."

Of course, just as we came back inside, the little guy was poking his head out of the register, preparing to make a hasty exit.  And, of course, when he saw us, he ran back into the duct.  This time, I couldn't see him.

Oh, but I could hear him.

Scratchy, scratchy.

We took the register off the duct, and Tiny Mr. Lizard was nowhere to be seen.

"The Hub" wasn't particularly worried.

I conjured up several dire outcomes:

The tiny lizard would grow up into a big lizard and crawl over me in my sleep some night.

The tiny lizard would grow up into a big lizard and chew through the brand-new ducting.

The tiny lizard would NOT grow up into a big lizard because he would die in the brand-new ducting.

The tiny lizard would NOT grow up into a big lizard because we would fry him when we turned on the heating next time.  (Does fried lizard smell anything like frogs' legs???)

Sigh.

"The Hub" figured that he was too small to climb out by himself – the ducting was too slippery.  So he put a towel down the *chute* in case the little guy needed something to grab on to.

We waited…no show.

Then I had the brilliant idea to turn the fan on.  Maybe we could "blow" him out, I reasoned.

So, we turned on the fan and waited.

"The Hub" went back outside.  I waited some more, and then went over to check the towel.  Nope, didn't see him.  But then…

AHA!

Almost completely camouflaged in the rug was Tiny Mr. Lizard clinging to the side of the opening in the floor.

I rushed back outside (yet again) to get the Reptile Wrangler.  This time he gently poked the little guy with a stick, and kindly prodded him out into the open.  The lizard was cold because of the air from the fan, so he moved very slowly.

"The Hub" successfully caught the tiny little booger.  I have to admit, up close and personal he was really cute.

We re-released him into the wild, where I'm sure he'll grow up into a big lizard.  Maybe he'll come back and say "Hi" someday.

You gotta know there's a lesson in this, don't you?

I pondered later how much effort we had put into chasing down one tiny little lizard.  We did an exhaustive search, capture, and re-locate mission. Why?  Well, because we knew that though he was very, very small, Mr. Tiny Lizard could potentially cause some big problems.

Isn't it like that with sin?

Especially those tiny sins, that don't seem very threatening.  

Little doubts.

Small white lies.

A tidbit of gossip.

Harmless flirtations.

You know what I'm talking about…

We just don't think they're that big a deal.  We figure that they'll work themselves out sooner or later.  No harm, no foul.  So often, we don't even bother chasing them down.

But small sins can eventually cause some big problems.

Tiny lizards are pests – potential home-wreckers.

Tiny sins are potential heart-wreckers.  They can wreak havoc on our spiritual ducting.

So we do well to hunt them down and capture them and re-locate them outside!


Do you have any *tiny sin* that needs to be hunted down and removed from your life?


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Birthday

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: birthday

Do you like or dislike your birthday?  Why?

What would you love to do for a perfect birthday celebration?

Do you remember your *second* birthday, when you were born again?

If you feel like it, I would love to hear your story!


(The word this week was inspired by my youngest son's 26th birthday.  How did that happen?  I'm only 29...ahem, times two!)  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Son!  


Let me know what you think!!


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

RE-LEASING MY BURDEN

I was reading the other day.

Seems like I'm doing a lot of reading lately.

Learning, listening, lounging –

And I read something that a friend wrote that really triggered something in my heart.  She was talking about *letting go* of a particularly difficult situation in her life.  About how hard it is for her to do that.  How relinquishing control is often a moment-by-moment process.

How well I relate.

A tired mom, wanting and waiting to release the burden of care that she is carrying.

Yes, I get it.

Those of us who are mothers will totally understand the weight of love and concern that we have for our children.  (By the way, those of you who aren't mothers still care for other people deeply – you will also understand what I'm talking about).

And we should care.

If we ever took that job of mothering seriously, we will care…deeply.

But sometimes we can get overburdened, overwhelmed, overcome by the things we care about.  Especially when we face the ugly fact that we have little control over another person's circumstances, decisions, feelings.

I often find myself being the "emotional burro" of the family.

Might I just say in my defense that I come by that role naturally.

I am the first-born child, and oldest daughter of a first-born son and an only child (my parents).  I am also the first-born granddaughter of two first-born sons – and the oldest cousin in my family.  (Might I just add that both of my parents were also the oldest grandchildren and oldest cousins on one side of their families).

Yup.

Overly responsible.
Overly conscientious.
Overly…everything.

(Sign me up for the counseling couch)

The weight I carry for others – especially for my children – heavy, heavy at times.

Now, as a believer and a follower of Jesus, I know that I am not in charge. (I'm not, right?  Funny how I keep having to check on that…)

The Lord is in infinite control of all things, and all people.

So, I know that my spiritual mandate is to allow Him to have that control. To exhibit my yielding to His sovereignty by trusting and obeying Him.

I really, really try to do that.

But I am struck by the spiritual irony that I am now actually striving to rest.

Silly, huh?

As I pondered what my friend wrote, I thought about that word *release*.

The definition of lease is this (taking out the specific legal stuff so it makes sense emotionally!):

A contract by which one party conveys [something or someone] to another...

In that sense, God is asking me, inviting me to do just that.  To make a contract with Him to convey all my *stuff* to Him.

When I thought about that, releasing my burden actually becomes...

RE-leasing.

Stopping once again to hand over to Him all those things that burden me.

To once again move into that place where I abide with Him.  Where I allow the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to comfort and calm me.  

I re-lease in order to once again find peace.

It's not easy for this crazy first-born.  

Very often I find myself *taking back* all the people and situations that I thought I had given to the Lord.  Evidently, some of the things that I think I "nail to the cross" are actually just thumb-tacked…or loosely held on with Post-It notes…

Just sayin'…

But, God is calling this overly responsible, overly conscientious mother to give it ALL to Him.

Yes.

Today, though with a troubled heart and an anxious spirit, I will re-lease it all to Him who loves me.

Hope you can, too.


Is there a burden that God is asking you to re-lease to Him?  


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"