DisAPPOINTMENT or His APPOINTMENT

Day 301 of Photo Inspirations -- DisAPPOINTMENT or His APPOINTMENT
Did some-ONE or some-THING really disappoint you?   We can't stop disappointment, but we can stop staying stuck in it. I know how easy it is to dwell on something or someone that hurt me.  But, that gets us nowhere.  I remember the void I felt when my sweetheart graduated to heaven.  When I would dwell on that void, sadness and grief would try to fill me and I would become miserable.  But, when I would snap out of that dwelling place to go to the "secret place of the Most High" -- the better place, I'd experience joy, gladness, comfort and peace.  .

God has incredible plans for us and the enemy of our souls would like to keep us from ever experiencing those plans and just stay "put" in woe and distress. God's purpose for our lives goes way beyond times of disappointment. In fact, that disappointment today may just be the SET UP for His APPOINTMENT where hope is found and comeback has major assignments that produce many successes and joys. That's what happened to me.  My days are filled with purpose and I know that I'm walking in my destiny, getting to bring others with me on this road.

I saw Christine Caine's daily post a few days ago that really inspired me. She said "Isn’t it interesting that the word "appointment" comes from within the word disappointment? I’ve often marveled at that because I’ve seen again and again how disappointments take something FROM us: a dream, a piece of our hearts – maybe whole chunks of it. But disappointment GIVES us something too: a gift, an opportunity, the possibility of creating change. This means we can move from the valley of the shadow of death to new horizons and bring others with us on that road."

Yesterday my blog was about the steps of a comedian's joke.  First he provides the set up, then he goes another direction with the punchline.  For example, Michael Jr. told how his 4 year old son came to him and said, "Daddy I want to be a doctor when I grow up!"  Michael Jr. was so excited and happy about his son's aspirations.  Then his son said "Or a dinosaur!" LOL!  (The set up.....shift happened.....and then the punchline.)

Let's remember God is in the "set-up" and appointment business.  There are many future God-appointments on the other side of whatever disappointment we may be encountering today.

God has got your name on His appointment schedule.  He'll be right on time.  Don't you be a minute late!

That's Gotta Hurt!

Day 300 of Photo Inspirations -- That's Gotta Hurt!!!
My daughter,Staci, and I posed for this photo on Saturday -- Staci's caption for the photo "Hmm....that's gotta hurt!"  LOL!  Well, that's just a scarecrow so it's not hurting, but what about us?  That could be said of many of us today, whether we're actually hurting physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually or any other way.  We'll share our "struggling" story and hear in reply ..."That's gotta hurt".  And, we'd think..."Indeed, it does."

But what if those "gotta hurt" times are just the "set up" for the "punch line" that is on its way in our lives? Yesterday, we heard Michael Jr. (a Christian comedian who, is hailed as one of today’s most gifted comedians).  Michael Jr. got his start when George Wallace took him to the legendary Comedy & Magic Club  The club is the home of Jay Leno and “The Tonight Show” staff. The club’s owner slipped the unknown comic, Michael Jr. onstage to perform. A week later, he was performing at the “Just for Laughs” comedy festival in Montreal where he became the first comedian to ever appear live via satellite on “The Tonight Show.”   That performance catapulted Michael’s career.  He explained that for years he'd been practicing for this moment.  Then one day.....he was ready for the BIG TIME.

He explained that as a kid, he and his friend made a pact to help each other stop cursing.  They would punch each other in the chest as hard as they could if they heard each other cursing.  "THAT'S GOTTA' HURT!"  That made him stop cursing because it hurt too much.  And way back then....he was already practicing his "set up" for his "clean" comedy act that would open doors in his future.

He went on to talk about "the things from our past"  -- some of those hurtful things -- the bad relationship, dysfunctional family, the divorce, the illness, the loss of a loved one -- are those very things that God uses to catapult us.   So we practice and practice and then it's GAME TIME!  Our gift will make room for us.  A comedian sets up his story or joke, and then a shift happens that goes the opposite direction and that's when the punch line happens.  That punch line MAKES the joke.  It makes everything make sense.  The "That's Gotta' Hurt" times, as well as "Atta Boy!" times --  God uses it all for good......"the punch line".

God is working in our lives.  There's some incredible set-ups coming.   We must keep practicing right where we are.  Practice makes perfect -- when that door opens, we'll be able to walk right into the destiny and purpose God planned for us all along.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11