A BREAK IN THE ACTION

I've been MIA in Blog Land for a couple of weeks.

I feel like I need to give some explanation.

I've been blogging for 6½ years now, and over that time, many people have come and gone in the blogging community.  I've known and been close to several of them, and built a relationship, only to have them "disappear."

Often I've wondered what happened…

Why did they quit blogging?

Was it burnout or something else?

Are they OK?

With that in mind, I wanted to at least explain my absence.


First of all, I'm OK.

Except that illness has come to roost in my body…again…GRRR!

After three weeks of some respiratory illness, and a five-day round of antibiotics, I managed to feel better for about two weeks.  And then, I got hit with something else last week.

Flu.

This time I have had a fever, aches, chills, cough…blah, blah, blah.

I don't know what's going on with me, except I've been around family a lot more lately, and it's that time of year…

I think we're ping-ponging illnesses.

Evidently my family is a "giving" family?!

So, missing my regular Monday posting one week, easily became two weeks, and here we are.


I'll be honest, the time off has been nice.

I have been struggling with my writing lately.  Feeling uninspired and burned out.  Questioning my place in Blog Land, and wondering if it's time to hang it all up.

I don't have the answers yet.

Part of me wants to stop, but I don't have peace about that.

And knowing that the enemy has a vested interest in silencing God's voice speaking through me, I don't want to make a hasty decision.  And I certainly don't want to make a decision based on my current physical and emotional weariness.

Feelings must not dictate.


So, dear friends, I am taking a break for now.  

Using some much-needed time off to reflect, refresh, restore, and renew.

Praying for God's clear direction as to what HE wants me to do with my blog.

Seeking renewed fervor and inspiration if He leads me to continue.

I'd appreciate your prayers.


I will try to do some visiting in Blog Land this week.

I miss reading the wonderful things that all of you contribute to the blogging community in general, and to my heart specifically.

I am always inspired, encouraged, challenged, convicted, uplifted when I visit.

So, forgive my absentee presence (oxymoron!!) lately.  I'll do my best to rectify that as soon as I'm feeling a bit better.

And I hope that I will return to my writing and posting soon…if God so leads me in that direction.


In the meantime, keep the faith!!



What have you been up to lately?  Would love to hear all about it in a comment!

Ah yes, this is the question!! 

I just googled "God restores the weary" and the first entry referred to Jeremiah 31:25.  I have read the whole chapter, and wonder if it isn't God speaking to me.  I share the portions that spoke to me, personalized:


"Thus says the LORD:
Sharon…found grace in the wilderness;
when she sought for rest,
the LORD appeared to her from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
Again I will build you, and you shall be built,
O Sharon!
Again you shall adorn yourself with tambourines
and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.
Again you shall plant vineyards…
the planters shall plant
and shall enjoy the fruit…

With weeping Sharon shall come,
and with pleas for mercy I will lead her back,
I will make her walk by brooks of water,
in a straight path in which she shall not stumble,
for I am a father to her…

He who scattered Sharon will gather her,
and will keep her as a shepherd keeps his flock.
For the LORD has ransomed Sharon
and has redeemed her from hands too strong for her...

She shall come and sing aloud…
and she shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD…
her life shall be like a watered garden,
and she shall languish no more…
I will turn her mourning into joy;
I will comfort her, and give her gladness for sorrow…
and she shall be satisfied with my goodness,
declares the LORD.

Keep your voice from weeping,
and your eyes from tears,
for there is a reward for your work,
declares the LORD,
and you shall come back from the land of the enemy.
There is hope for your future,
declares the LORD…

Set up road markers for yourself;
make yourself guideposts;
consider well the highway,
the road by which you went.

Return, O Sharon…

Once more you shall use these words in the land…

For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish…

I will watch over you to build and to plant, declares the LORD…

You shall not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever."


Yes, Lord, may it be so!



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

GRIN AND BEAR IT

Yes, I am still sick.

And not feeling up to writing anything *new* this week.

So, I'm posting some words written by John Charles Ryle (1816-1900), who was the first Anglican bishop of Liverpool.  He was a writer, pastor and an evangelical preacher.  Ryle was described as having a commanding presence and vigorous in advocating his principles albeit with a warm disposition.

His words fit nicely into a series I used to feature on my blog called "Quaint Words."

And they are most encouraging to my weak and ailing body, and my flagging spirit...

Might this also encourage you!



Welcome to "Quaint Words!"

These posts will contain thoughts, poems, and prayers from old books that I have found at antique stores, flea markets, and garage sales (with an occasional treasure from a bookstore).

I love the rhythm and sound of the older English language, and am blessed by other believers who have gone before me!


"There may be much weakness and infirmity, even in a true Christian.

You have striking proof of this in the conduct of the disciples...when the waves broke over the ship.  They awoke Jesus in haste.  They said to Him, "Master, care You not that we perish?"

There was impatience.  They might have waited until their Lord thought fit to arise from His sleep.

There was unbelief.  They forgot that they were in the keeping of the One who had all power in His hand.

There was distrust.  They spoke as if they doubted their Lord's care and thoughtfulness for their safety and well-being...

But, after all, let us understand this is only a picture of what is constantly going on among believers in every age....Many of God's children get on very well so long as they have no trials.  They follow Christ very tolerably in the time of fair weather.  They fancy they are trusting Him entirely.  They flatter themselves they have cast every care on Him...But suddenly some unlooked-for trial assails them...Fear and doubt and distress and anxiety break in upon them like a flood, and they seem at their wits' end...

The plain truth is that there is no literal and absolute perfection among true Christians, so long as they are in the body.  The best and brightest of God's saints is but a poor mixed being.  Converted, renewed and sanctified though he be, he is still compassed with infirmity...

I want [you] to see that [you] may have true faith and grace, in spite of all the devil's whispers to the contrary, though [you] may feel within many doubts and fears...so long as [you] are in the body, [you] must not expect faith to be above the reach of fear...

I beseech every reader of this message to remember this.  It is a lesson worth attention.  The apostles believed in Christ, loved Christ and gave up all to follow Christ.  And yet you see in this storm the apostles were afraid.  Learn to be charitable in your judgment of them.  Learn to be moderate in your expectations from your own heart...

Let us learn, in the last place, how tenderly and patiently the Lord Jesus deals with weak believers...The whole of our Lord's conduct towards His disciples on earth deserves close consideration.  It throws a beautiful light on the compassion and patience that there is in Him...

Let all the world know that the Lord Jesus will not cast away His believing people because of shortcomings and infirmities..."


(From "Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties and Roots" by John Charles Ryle, c. 1877, enlarged 1879)




How does the compassion of Jesus console you in times of infirmity?

Still trying to grin
and
"bear" it!! 

 
"Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.  Instead, be very glad -- for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world." 
(1 Peter 4:12-13, NLT)

"And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.  So be truly glad.  There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.  These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold -- though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.  So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." (1 Peter 1:5-7, NLT)

"Dear brothers and sisters,a when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." 

(James 1:2-4, NLT)

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." (Romans 5:3-5, NLT)

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.  To him be the dominion forever and ever.  Amen." 

(1 Peter 5:10-11, ESV)

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

CAN'T I JUST STAY IN BED?

I have been sick, folks.

For a week.

With some stupid runny nose, clogged sinuses, sore throat, dry cough, headache, no energy, huge BLAH thing.

I don't know how you *do* sick.

Some people are like grumpy old bears, and just want to be left alone.

Me?

I turn into a toddler, wanting constant attention and company, and special things to eat.

I've been known to whine.


Being sick isn't fun, is it?

We've all had times when we just get knocked out by the "latest bug" touring the human population we're exposed to.

I guess it's my turn.

I’d like to write about how wonderfully God made our bodies.

How He created them to instantly come to our defenses.  (This is the reason for multiple symptoms – it's our body's way of warding off the "bad guys.")

And that is true.

But, the thing that bothers me the most about being sick is how it affects me emotionally.

I get discouraged really easily.

And sad, and fearful, and overwhelmed.

I become a *bed potato* – (a close cousin of a couch potato).

Yes, when we get sick, bed rest is a good idea.  It allows our immune system to gear up for the fight.

But after a while, bed rest can become bed stuck…


No, I am still not feeling well.

But I also know that I'm sliding into that place where I just want to roll over and never get up.

*That place…*

The place where I realize that a local flock of blue jays have nested in the knot of hair that has evolved on the top of my head – (when did I last brush it out??)

The place where I realize that my mouth aroma might closely resemble "morning mouth" – at 7 o'clock in the evening – on the second or third day.

The place where I realize that I have been putting deodorant on the outside of my shirt – instead of changing clothes, or, for pete's sake, taking a shower!

The place where my face without makeup is beyond frightening – (hey, who needs a Halloween mask?  I'm just practicing…)

Yup.

That place.

The place where "The Hub"s" encouraging words to maybe get up and walk around a little bit is greeted with my moaning…

"Can't I just stay in bed?"


If you can get past feeling awful, being sick is kinda cool.  It gives you a built-in excuse to do nothing for a few days.  To just ignore life, and put *all that important stuff* on hold.

Bills, phone calls, housework, grocery shopping, etc – POOF!

Back in the day, it also bought me a free ticket to stay home from school or work.

Nope, whatever it is, I can't do it – I'm SICK.

The problem is that I get discouraged, and then I am tempted to crawl under the covers and forget life.

Don't you have days when you wake up and just want to say:

"Can't I just stay in bed?"


Life is tough.

Facing it is tougher.

And I am convinced that the enemy of our souls does everything in his power to keep us *out of the game.*

He loves when we figuratively crawl under the covers.

Because, you see, a bunch of spiritual *bed potatoes* are no threat.

And this is his mission – to make God's followers weak and ineffectual.

To make us spiritually sick.

It is this realization that made me force myself out of bed this morning, to actually face the day.

The germs are still fighting, and I'm still fighting back – and yes, I'm still feeling lousy.

But, I cannot give up.

You see, I heard the Lord calling me this morning, and I answered:

"Can't I just stay in bed?"

His gentle reply?

"No, I've got things for you to do."


That's the mission, the challenge – to face life.  

To pursue God and His purposes at all costs, even when we don't feel like it.  

To walk when we want to crumble.  

To rise when we stumble.

Because, like that familiar saying, I want the enemy of my soul to mutter:

"Uh oh, she's up."




Have you been *spiritually sick* lately?  Are you ready to get up?!

We are pressed on every side by troubles,
but we are not crushed.
We are perplexed,
but not driven to despair.
We are hunted down,
but never abandoned by God.
We get knocked down,
but we are not destroyed.
Through suffering,
our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus
so that the life of Jesus
may also be seen in our bodies.

(2 Corinthians 4:8-10, NLT)

(NOTE: Per the suggestion of a very faithful reader, I have changed the color of all Scripture references, hoping to make them easier to read – another shade of red, to set them apart from my own words.  May God bless you with His Word!)


"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all." (Psalm 34:19, ESV)

"…for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again…" 
(Proverbs 24:16, NIV)

"You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up…" (Psalm 71:20, NLT)

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life.  You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me." (Psalm 138:17, NIV)

"'LORD, help!' they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.  He sent out his word and healed them…" (Psalm 107:19-20, NLT)

"'I will give you back your health and heal your wounds,' says the LORD." (Jeremiah 30:17, NLT)

"'For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.'" (Jeremiah 31:25, ESV)

"O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health." 
(Psalm 30:2, NLT)

"Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you.  He will not permit the godly to slip and fall." (Psalm 55:22, NLT)

“Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.” (Psalm 37:24, NLT)

"Do not gloat over me, my enemy!  Though I have fallen, I will rise.  Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light." (Micah 7:8, NIV)

"'…I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you.'" (Exodus 23:22, NIV)

"When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid.  The LORD your God…is with you! When you prepare for battle, the priest must come forward to speak to the troops. He will say to them, 'Listen to me…Do not be afraid as you go out to fight your enemies today!  Do not lose heart or panic or tremble before them.  For the LORD your God is going with you!  He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!'" (Deuteronomy 20:1-4, NLT)

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BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

NOT A FAN OF PAIN

Nope.

I am a pain wimp.

Last week I had gum surgery.

I was so nervous that I had "The Hub" come into the room with me.

At some point, trying to be encouraging, he said to me, "Just think of it like a vacation."

To which I retorted, "Perhaps a vacation to Death Valley in the middle of the summer, with no water, and a cactus to sleep on."

Later, he also asked if it was possible to put some Novocain into my head so I wouldn't think and worry so much.

To which I (jokingly?!) replied, "I changed my mind.  You can leave the room now."

How I appreciate "The Hub" – he always finds a way to make me laugh in a tough situation!


Let me tell you, the whole procedure was nothing like I expected.  It took a long time, it was very uncomfortable (even with the fun pain-killing shots), and there was so much tugging and pulling and grinding.  A lot of pressure was applied to my teeth and gums – which I realized was a LOT of pressure when the dental assistant placed her hand under my chin and pushed it up to counteract what the dentist was doing.

I kept my eyes closed the entire time.

When it was (finally) over, I breathed the biggest sigh of relief.

So, I'm four days into recovery.  

For the next two weeks, I can only eat soft food, and only chew on one side of my mouth.  Which requires a lot of mental concentration, and an inordinate amount of time to eat, as it's such a habit to chew on BOTH sides. And my mouth doesn't open very wide.  (Maybe I'll lose some weight??)  

Pain, yes, but thankfully it's manageable with some ibuprofen.


But, I tell you what, the whole experience has me thinking about pain.

I know many of your stories out there in Blog Land, and I know that many of you are physically suffering.  Some of you are dealing with chronic pain and life-sapping conditions that refuse to go away.  Some of you are fighting cancer or another debilitating disease.

Some of you are going through painful emotional loss – either through grieving the death of a loved one, or the awful ache of a prodigal child, or the despair of a broken marriage.

Some of you struggle with the agony of unremitting anxiety, or the dark cloud of depression, or some sort of other daunting mental struggle. 

Pain – it takes such a toll.

And, for the believer, there is additional pain – that terrible underlying thought that crosses every honest mind:

"Why does God allow suffering?"

It's a question that's been asked since man was cast out of the Garden.  And it will be asked until all things are made new.  It is a mighty stumbling block for those who do not believe in our Savior.

But it trips us up, too.

I have no real answer – I struggle with it.

I've thrown that question – WHY? – at heaven on more than one occasion.

Haven't you?

But, have you ever thought of pain being a protective mechanism?


Many years ago, I read a wonderful book on this issue of suffering – Philip Yancey's "Where Is God When It Hurts?"

I was particularly impressed with the beginning, when Yancey discusses his time spent with Dr. Paul Brand.

Dr. Brand was a great medical missionary.  And most of his work was concentrated on helping people plagued with leprosy.  He was the first physician to understand that the disease of leprosy did not actually cause the rotting away of tissues.  Rather, he discovered that it was the loss of the sensation of pain that made sufferers susceptible to injury.

He once said,  "If I had the power to eliminate human pain, I would not exercise that right.  Pain's value is too great."

(Dr. Brand also co-authored with Yancey, "Pain: The Gift Nobody Wants" (1993), republished in 1997 as "The Gift of Pain.")


I remember how I used to think that God banishing Adam and Eve from Eden was cruel, mean, heartless – that it was a great punishment.  It took me a long time to finally understand that it was, instead, salvation.

Pain is a sign of God's love. 

(Yes, even as I write that, I am cringing.  It sounds wrong.  But I believe that it is the toughest and best kind of Truth).

You see, pain tells us something is wrong.

C.S. Lewis, in his great treatise on the issue of suffering, "The Problem of Pain," says this:

"Pain insists upon being attended to.  God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains.  It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world."


Yes, perhaps the toughest lesson of all is this – 

God allows pain to accomplish a greater good.

And one of the *greater goods* is knowing that something is, indeed, wrong in our lives.  And this *wrong* can only be made right by the righteousness of a Savior.

Tough love – but Love still the same.


However, and this is my opinion, I think it's all right to tell Him the truth when we communicate with Him about our pain.

I think it's OK to be angry, or disappointed, or frustrated, or sad, or afraid, or disillusioned, or even crushed and broken.

Recently I was part of a Bible Study that studied the life of David.  And I was particularly moved by the whole passage when Uzzah was killed for touching the Ark.

I know all the "biblically correct" reasons that this happened.

But what I found most interesting was David's reaction.  The Bible states it this way:

"David was angry because the LORD's anger had burst out against Uzzah…David was now afraid of the LORD, and he asked, 'How can I ever bring the Ark of the LORD back into my care?'"  (2 Samuel 6:8-9)


David, who thought he was doing a good thing, and who was praising the Lord for His goodness, stunningly encountered pain.

And he reacted with anger and fear.

But at this moment, David was presented with a choice.  He was at a crossroads in his faith journey.

Would he turn away from, or would he turn toward God?

Would he abandon the Lord, or would he instead abandon his preconceived notions about the issue of suffering?

David had to move beyond devastation.


When we are confronted with blazing pain and suffering, we need to do the same thing.

We need to understand that there is something far more important than having a feel-good life.

God wants us to BE good.

Like His Son.

Who, thankfully, also struggled with pain.

And questioned it…twice.

(I have a feeling that His conversation with God was much longer than this. But Scripture records Him asking twice for God to change His mind.  I love that.  It gives me permission to question, too – more than once!)

"And going a little farther, He threw Himself upon the ground on His face and prayed saying, 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will [not what I desire], but as You will and desire'...Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, 'My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.'" 
(Matthew 26:39, 42,  AMP)


Questioning, yes – turning away, no.

Begging for relief, yes – spurning the purpose, no.

Pleading for another way, yes – disobedience, never.


So, in our dearest Savior Jesus we have the example of how to deal with our pain.

I believe we are allowed to not like it, to wrestle against it, to struggle with accepting it.  

I think we are invited to be completely honest with our Creator.  Not disrespectful, but straightforward…

"Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with fullest confidence…" (Hebrews 4:16, PHILLIPS)


Other translations say "boldly approach."

And why can we do that?

Because of Jesus.

The word "therefore" means "for that reason; consequently."

Example – This is true, therefore we can do this other thing.

And the beginning *true* is this:

We have Jesus – our High Priest – who understands it all – who has passed through the worst sort of pain – and entered into glorious reward.

We can follow His humble example through suffering – (not liking one single moment) –  for a greater good – (our transformation) – and one day enter into our eternal reward.


Pain hurts so bad, Lord.

Help us, we pray, through the struggle.

Tools of the Trade 

"Then the LORD God said, 'Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil.  What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it?  Then they will live forever!'  So the LORD God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made." (Genesis 3:22-23, NLT)

But man was only sent to till the ground out of which he was taken.  He was sent to a place of toil, not to a place of torment.  Our first parents were shut out from the privileges of their state of innocency, yet they were not left to despair.  The way to the tree of life was shut.  It was henceforward in vain for him and his to expect righteousness, life, and happiness, by the covenant of works; for the command of that covenant being broken, the curse of it is in full force: we are all undone, if we are judged by that covenant.  God revealed this to Adam, not to drive him to despair, but to quicken him to look for life and happiness in the promised Seed, by whom a new and living way into the holiest is laid open for us." -- (From Matthew Henry's Commentary)

"...he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them." (Isaiah 19:20, NIV)

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11, ESV)

"For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.  Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]." (Hebrews 4:15-16, AMP)

"Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8:17, NIV)

"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:6-7, NIV)

What are you going to do at the crossroads of suffering?

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SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, SMALL WONDER, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, GRATEFUL HEART MONDAY, REFLECT LINKUP, WORDS WITH WINTER, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING MONDAYS, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, MOM 2 MOM MONDAY, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, SOLI DEO GLORIA, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAYS, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, RA RA LINKUP, WOMEN HELPING WOMEN, TELL HIS STORY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, WISE WOMAN, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, WAITING ON WEDNESDAY, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, THE (NOT JUST) HOMEMAKING PARTY, BELOVED BREWS,  EVERYDAY JESUS, GRACE AT HOME, SHINE, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, HEARTS FOR HOME, UNITE, LOOKING UP LINKUP, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, FAITH & FELLOWSHIP, GRACE & TRUTH, DANCE WITH JESUS, JOYHOPELIVE LINKUP, SATURDAY SOIREE, STILL SATURDAY, WEEKEND BREW, TGI SATURDAYS, LIVING PROVERBS, SUNDAY STILLNESS, GIVE ME GRACE



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

STUPID TEETH...

Yeah, I am not having a love affair with my teeth right now.

Last week I went into the dentist's office for a "routine" cleaning.  Which turned out to be anything but that.  To be fair, I knew that something was wrong.  I'd been having pain in one of my molars, and upon closer inspection I had discovered that a piece of my tooth was gone.

All of my molars have fillings.  The story goes that as a child, I had "soft" teeth.  And every one of those molars got cavities at one point in time.  So, now I'm stuck with some very old silver fillings.

Which are weakening with age – (there's that word again…)

So, semi-prepared for bad news, I went in for my cleaning appointment.

My hygienist had to describe to me in full-detail dialogue how bad the situation was.  The missing chunk-o-tooth (that's the medical term) had left a deep pocket in the surrounding gum, which was now mildly infected.

"Let’s just have the dentist take a look."

Well, one x-ray, two consultations, and an hour later, I finally walked out of the office.

The verdict?

Well, they can't even begin to work on the tooth until my gum gets fixed. Which will require carving (that's what I'm calling it) off a portion of my gum, reshaping it, and then stitching it up.

I don't know about you guys, but stitches in my mouth do not sound like fun.

Or cheap.

After I heal from that, THEN they'll decide whether they can fill the tooth, or whether they'll have to do a crown.

More un-cheap.

I cannot tell you how bad the timing is on this.  Financially, it couldn't come at a worse time.  Taxes were not kind this year, and this expense is just another blow to the bank account.

$$$............... 

(My homemade emoji depicting overly expensive dental charges and the ensuing *money bleed*...)

Not to mention the time involved (weeks), the pain, the inconvenience (requiring several back-and-forth visits from where I live), the pain, the stress of it all…and oh, did I mention the pain?

In the whole scheme of life, this isn't really a big deal.  But, at this particular time, for some very particular reasons, it feels like a huge blow.


I've had some conversation with the Lord about it.  (Though mostly I've just ranted...)

You see, I don't get what He's up to right now.

OK, for instance, last year my Word for the Year was JOY.  And sixteen days into the new year, my father died.  Yes, the Lord had HIS lessons to teach me, and the year of joy did not unfold like I had anticipated.

I thought God was going to GIVE me joy, instead He TAUGHT me joy.

There's a difference.

I thought He was going to make joy-full things happen in my life.  That it would be a happy year.

But instead, He showed me other, deeper lessons.

This year my Word for the Year is HEALING.

And I am really not *getting it* yet.

So far, my granddog has had his spleen removed, my youngest son had his first ear infection in years (he's 28), my husband's shoulder (the one that had surgery a few years back) is acting up, a good friend just had a mastectomy, a family member has cancer and they just found some new lesions, another family member is going to the dermatologist for a "suspicious" mole, it's the year for my follow-up colonoscopy, I'm still coughing from a virus I had over a month ago, my mom is sliding rather rapidly into mental and physical decline, hearts and heads and spirits are hurting, and now…

My stupid teeth.

Last year when the word *healing* popped into my head, it sounded wonderful.  I felt overjoyed!  The possibility of feeling better?  Delightful! Oh yes, I thought, I could use some repair work from the difficult year of my father's passing.

But, it just seems that the hits keep coming.

I am not healing, as in feeling better.

So, Lord, what's the deal?

What are You doing?

And, the first thing that pops into my head is this:

Healing is not necessarily about feeling better, it's all about becoming well.

And becoming well is more about a spiritual state than a physical condition.


I do remember now, something that God said to me about the healing journey this year.  He said it might require more brokenness.  Like sometimes the "cure" involves more pain – much like a broken arm might need to be re-broken in order to heal properly.

Am I being re-broken?

Might I just insert my two-cents here?  

I don't want to be any kind of broken.  I'm exhausted.

(Funny (not ha ha) sidenote: The dentist pointed out to me that several other teeth had fracture lines in them, and need to be watched.  "Do you grind or clench your teeth?"  HA!  What are you talking about?!  Clenching only happens when you're way stressed out!  Me?  I'm calm and collected…always…can't you tell??)


So I continue my dialogue with God.

"Hey, I really thought my dad dying last year, and the ensuing difficulties of dealing with Mom now, was enough.  Why are You allowing all this other stuff to pile on?  Am I truly not broken enough?"

And then I stop and think about that.

Am I broken enough?

There's a difference between being exhausted (which I am) and being broken (which I am re-thinking).

Being broken means being yielded.

And if I'm totally honest with myself, I know I haven't arrived at total surrender yet.

Me and God?  We're in a sort of arm-wrestling match.  And though my hand is mere millimeters from the mat, I'm still fighting.  Am I like Jacob?  Do I need to be knocked out-of-joint before I change?

In some ways, I do feel like Jacob.  I know that I am refusing to let go until God blesses me.

I'm clinging to His heel in desperation, crying out from the depths of my heart:

"Show me Your favor, Lord!"

I am a little stunned by His answer:

"I am."


I'm confused.

How can Your favor come in stressful life situations?  How can Your favor be more pain?

If You love me, how can You want to break me?

Your favor should make me feel good.

Again, His answer surprises me:

"No.  My favor is not about making you feel good, it's about making you righteous."

Hmmm.

I stop and realize, yet again, that I am always trying to fit God into an earthly worldview.  And therefore, favor should be about good feelings in the here-and-now.  But really, God's favor stands outside of this earthly life.  

His favor stands in eternity.

His favor doesn't necessarily give me a "good" life.  

His favor gives me eternal life.

He doesn't show me His favor by necessarily making me feel good.

He shows it by making me righteous.

Like His Son.

And honestly, isn't that what the Christian life is all about?  

A continuing refining and purifying process to make us look like Jesus?

And how on earth (pun intended) can we ever hope to look like Jesus without the painful process of cutting out the sin stuff?

More brokenness.

It's the only way sin-stained me can be sanctified.


I looked up the word brokenness in the dictionary.  These three definitions made me think about my faith journey:

No longer in one piece or working order – yes, this sums it up for me.  I do feel like I've broken into a million pieces.  I've no longer *got it together.* I am not working like I want to, for my life is out of order.

Having given up all hope; despairing – yes, this is how I often feel.  Too tired to fight anymore, too tired to care.

Having an uneven and rough surface – oh yes, the rough edges that I hate within myself.  The cloudy reflection I am of Jesus.  The bumps and gnarls and knots of this poor little offshoot branch of The Vine.  


I am broken, and yet, still in desperate need of breaking.

Here the Lord reminds me of the story that He gave me to accompany my year of healing.  The story of the man at the pool of Bethesda.  Crippled by years of infirmity, he has never quite made it to the healing pool of waters.

And when Jesus met him, he made excuses.

Jesus did not immediately heal him.  Rather, He asked the man a rather startling question:

"Do you want to get well?"

Um, yeah.

I wonder, though.  Why didn't Jesus just heal him?  He'd done that before. Why ask his this seemingly silly question?  Why wouldn't a man who had been crippled for many years want to be healed?

So again, why ask the question?

I think it's because Jesus wanted to stop this man in his tracks.  Wanted him to go beyond the excuses.  Wanted him to let go of frailty and grab onto faith.  He wanted this man to acknowledge within himself that what he wanted he could not provide on his own.

Not just physical healing, but spiritual restoration, too.

The KJV translates the question like this:

"Wilt thou be made whole?"

And here, I ponder what Jesus is saying to me.

"Do you want to feel better…or do you want to be made whole?"

And my answer is not so simple anymore.  Am I willing to undergo the process of being made whole?  A process that will involve brokenness and pain as I continue to die to myself, and lay aside my comfort for a commitment to following The One?

Am I willing to pay the cost of discipleship?


Jesus said that He came to call those who knew they were sinners.

For only sinners know of their desperate need for a Savior.

Am I willing to admit that I need Him?  Will I put aside my excuses?  Will I open myself up even more to His healing hands?

Even if it means more brokenness?


Wilt I be made whole?

Dearest Lord, yes, I want to be well.

Give me the courage to go through what it takes…

My reaction to the
impending bills...

And please notice
my lovely silver fillings.


Oh Lord, give me strength for the journey!!

"[Jesus said]: 'Healthy people don't need a doctor – sick people do.  I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.'" (Mark 2:17, NLT)

"When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, 'Do you want to get well?'" 
(John 5:6, NIV)

"'Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.  For which one of you...does not first sit down and calculate the cost...'" (Luke 14:27-28, NASB)

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also].  For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting].'" (Matthew 16:24-25, AMP)

"'I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence.  In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]!  For I have overcome the world.  [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]'" (John 16:33, AMP)

"'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.'" 
(John 14:27, NIV)

"When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn." 
(Psalm 142:3, NLT)

"'As for you, follow me.'" (John 21:22, NLT)

Are you willing to be broken in order to be made whole?

Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, SMALL WONDER, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, GRATEFUL HEART MONDAY, FIND STABILITY, REFLECT LINKUP, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, UNITE, SOLI DEO GLORIA, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, MAKE A DIFFERENCE MONDAYS, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, RA RA LINKUP, WOMEN HELPING WOMEN, TELL HIS STORY, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, WAITING ON WEDNESDAY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, WISE WOMAN, WOMEN WITH INTENTION WEDNESDAYS, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, BELOVED BREWS, EVERYDAY JESUS, GRACE AT HOME, SHINE, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, HEARTS FOR HOME, LIGHT FRIDAY HIT LIST, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, FAITH & FELLOWSHIP, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, GRACE & TRUTH, DANCE WITH JESUS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, TGI SATURDAYS, SATURDAY SOIREE, STILL SATURDAY, WEEKEND BREW, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, SUNDAY STILLNESS, GIVE ME GRACE



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

I HATE BEING SICK

I really, really do.

And as I type this, I am sick.  Yuck.

The inside of my nose feels like it's been torched by a flamethrower.  My throat feels like I've swallowed fiberglass.  I can’t taste my food because my sinuses are so plugged up.  My body feels like I've gone twelve rounds with a heavyweight boxer.  My head is doing a rather fantastic job of imitating a jackhammer.  And I just might have a fever.

You can probably tell, too, that I am not a good sick person.

I complain…a lot.

First of all, I'm just mad that I'm sick in the first place.  Somehow I view it as a personal failure.  Like there's something wrong with me because I can't fight off each and every germ that comes my way.  I get angry with my body for being fragile.  I also get kinda perturbed because I am the queen of waterless soap.  Seems like I should be rewarded for my cleanly habits with ever-present good health, right??


Second, I don't do well with the symptoms.  

I am annoyed by symptoms.

I get frustrated with stuffiness.  I don't like having my ears painfully plugged up.  "What??"  I can't stand trying to find a comfortable position for my aching joints.  (Just call me The Princess and the Pea – although you might want to wait until I'm not sick anymore…)  And I hate waiting the 2 or 3 days it takes before my very sore throat gets *coated* and I can swallow easier.

Of course, I also try incessantly to discover why I got sick in the first place. I do this because then I reason I can avoid doing this again.  But, in this crazy world, there are innumerable places that we come in contact with "stuff" – and we are always susceptible to invasion.  Even in spite of waterless soap.


When I'm sick, I get awfully cranky moody.

I start feeling sorry for myself, and I want company all the time.  My poor husband.  He can't disappear for five minutes without me calling him.  "I'm lonely.  Where are you?  Come sit in here by me."

Illness = Instant Regression to 5 Years Old.

I sometimes cry – though I try to limit crying until my throat feels better. Nothing like a good sob to inflame fiberglass.  So, usually I just whimper a lot.

And, I just love how I look when I get sick.

My long hair is all tangled in the back of my head like the rear side of a tapestry.  I avoid brushing my teeth.  My eyes are watery and red.  My skin is pale.  I stay in the same clothes for days.  I am a living example of the verse in 1 Peter that says, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment…"

Nope, not winning any pageants here – unless it's "Mrs. Congested Uncongeniality of 2015."


But, I've got to tell you something – "The Hub" is an amazing nurse.  

He brings me all sorts of stuff, and sits with me, and mutters nice words of pity and encouragement.  He rubs my feet and pats my head, and really does all he can to make me feel better.

He tells me he'd rather be sick than me.  That he'd take it upon himself so I wouldn't have to suffer.

And you know what?  He means it!!

And in these blistering days of brain fog, I realize one thing that's true.


My husband is being like Christ to me.


Here's how he’s doing that:


1) He commiserates with my infirmities

I've often wondered if Jesus ever got sick.  The Bible tells us that He is our High Priest, tested and tempted in every area that we are.  So, I'm going to assume that He felt the travails of being human, including being sick.

And if not sick, He certainly understood physical pain.

Jesus, uniquely God and man at the same time.

So, He knew what it was like to live without pain and disease and suffering. He knew what it felt like to be omnipotent.  But, He also chose to enter the human condition – to experience the limitations and liabilities of being finitely ensconced in a frail and faulty body.


Therefore, Jesus empathizes with my illness.

"This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do…" (Hebrews 4:15, NLT)


2) He ministers to my needs

This is also what Jesus did.  He met people where they were – sick, blind, lame, faithless, angry, depressed, lonely – you name it, Jesus was there, providing what people needed.  Of course, the ultimate need that Jesus took care of was our "sin sickness."  He did what it took to procure a permanent cure.


Always and forever, Jesus takes care of our needs.

"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19, NIV)


3) He gives me comfort and encouragement

Oh, indeed!  And is there any better comfort than knowing that Jesus cares for us?  Is there any more encouragement than knowing that these temporary ills are just that – temporary?  When our bodies fail, our spirits can soar in spite of them because of the hope we have for the future.


Jesus whispers promises of eternity to me.

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison…" (2 Corinthians 4:17, ESV)


4) He keeps me company

You know, being ill or physically impaired is really a lonely place.  It can be very isolating to suffer.  Sometimes people are "there" for us initially, but over time their presence can disappear.  After all, it can be hard to be around someone who isn't well.

One can be reminded of their own frailties.  Or they can tire of the demands of the afflicted person.  Or they succumb to the depressing circumstances.  Or they just run out of words to say.

But really, the very best comfort is just the presence of someone else.

In the beginning of his travails, Job's friends got it right – "Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights.  No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words."  (Job 2:13, NLT)

Sometimes that's all we need.

No words, no clichés, no platitudes.

Just someone's presence.


And the unflagging and unchanging presence of Jesus is something that we can count on in every single moment of our lives – now and forever.

"'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" (Hebrews 13:5, NIV)


5) He'd be willing to take my place

You know, it's rather amazing to me when my husband tells me he wishes he was sick instead of me.  I've been known to say that to him, too, but maybe not always as sincerely!  His pain at my pain is plain to see.  He would do anything to spare me discomfort.  He's so unselfish that way.

And Jesus – oh, do we need to say more about His self-sacrifice?!

He actually DID take our place.  He did indeed transfer our pain and suffering and sin onto His own shoulders.  God's pain at our pain was so intolerable that He sent His own Son to do something about it.

And Jesus willingly obeyed.

The Bible tells us that some of us might be willing to lay down our lives for another person.  

"Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die." (Romans 5:7, NIV)

But, would any of us ever think of dying for a traitor, a terrorist, or a murderer?  Would we sacrifice our lives for someone who was absolutely "no good"?  I think not.

But this is what Jesus did.  

He died for us – when we were still sinners, and therefore abhorrent to God's perfect holy character.  He died for us – when we were still enemies of righteousness.  He died for us – when we didn't even fully realize that we needed Him.


He died for us – He took our place – because He loved us.

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us." 
(1 John 3:16, NIV)


So, my friends, are you sick or suffering?  Are you physically maimed or hurt? Are you groaning in the confines of your diseased and dying body?

Are you discouraged by the affliction of being human?

Then take heart!

For we have Jesus.

The One who commiserates with our infirmities, ministers to our needs, gives us comfort and encouragement, keeps us company…

And not only was willing, but did indeed take our place.


Can you hand me a kleenex?

And not for my stuffy nose this time…

My heart is overwhelmed by my Savior's presence.

My New Best Friends 

"The LORD nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health." (Psalm 41:3, NLT)

"My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever." (Psalm 73:26, NLT)

"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)

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.  For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:17-18, NASB)

"...after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.  To him be the dominion forever and ever.  Amen." 
(1 Peter 5:10-11, ESV)

"'...I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.'" (John 10:28, NASB)

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'

And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.'" 

(Revelation 21:3-5, ESV

What helps you deal with physical infirmity?



Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, SMALL WONDER, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, FIND STABILITY, GRATEFUL HEART MONDAY, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, SOLI DEO GLORIA, MAKE A DIFFERENCE MONDAYS, UNITE, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAY, MOTIVATE & REJUVENATE MONDAYS, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, RA RA LINKUP, WOMEN HELPING WOMEN, TELL HIS STORY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, WISE WOMAN, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, SO MUCH AT HOME, WOMEN WITH INTENTION WEDNESDAYS, WAITING ON WEDNESDAY, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, BELOVED BREWS, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, EVERYDAY JESUS, GRACE AT HOME, SHINE, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, LIGHT FRIDAY HIT LIST, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAYS, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, FAITH & FELLOWSHIP, A GROUP LOOK, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAY, GRACE & TRUTH, DANCE WITH JESUS, SATURDAY SOIREE, STILL SATURDAY, WEEKEND BREW, TGI SATURDAYS, RECOMMENDATION SATURDAY, GIVE ME GRACE, SUNDAY STILLNESS



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"