Had Any Knee Jerk Reactions Lately?

This weekend's activities weren’t a knee-jerk reaction. It was well planned to go to Tulsa for my two 77-year old friends’ wedding. How could I miss a sweet love story celebration? I knew I just had to make the trip. I know it will be worth it.

On Thursday, I helped a dear friend that's going through a divorce move some of her things. Her movers were coming on Saturday. She’s been taking her time on this move because it included a lot of decisions to be made. After prayer, she had new insight about some complications of moving on the weekend instead of during the week. I overheard her talking to a friend who was questioning her reasons, but she told her friend: “Please don’t question my reasons, God directed me when to move!” She was strategizing with God's wisdom and direction.

These two sets of friends are making some really big decisions and both are seeking God for His direction. There are plenty of times when we all have huge decisions to make. "Should I say “yes” or should I say “no”. Should I stay or should I go?" And there were times when rather than waiting to hear the voice of God, we just can't sit idly still. So, with a knee-jerk reaction, we GO.....only to realize we put the cart before the horse...er..rather, we put our ways before God's ways.

What happened to the instruction from our loving, all-knowing Father? ”Be still and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10) But we can't just sit STILL long enough to get the plan from THE MAN. So we head out on our own. A friend told me she really made a mess of a hasty decision and became quite disappointed in herself. She went to see her Mom and her downcast attitude caused her mother to say, “I know that look! So, you had to be in charge again, instead of letting God be charge?"

We can sure get ourselves into some messes. We make those decisions without consulting God and we forward aggressively. Then suddenly we’re overcome with a loss of peace and a troubled heart. Our “knee-jerk” reaction propels us into unknown territory because we made some regretful decisions.

Here’s what I love about this faith journey we are on. Though we may start out our day as independent, self-willed "can-do" people, and we may get ourselves into some crazy situations that may come as a surprise to us, they are not a surprise to God. In spite of our knee-jerk reactions, God is still our loving Father. And, like our kids who repeatedly do something that we’ve told them a hundred times not to do, we lovingly reel them back in with correction and help them through the mess they got themselves into. That's how much God loves us too!

God’s character can be trusted. God delights in answering our prayers, but He doesn’t always answer how we think He should answer. I think I have great ideas about how my life should go. I think I know what is best, but then I remember that He knows better. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows what outcome will bring about His purposes. He wants to bless us with good things: health, wholeness, peace, joy, and rest. When I pray and I feel as though He is silent or not letting me in on the game plan, I have to trust that there is a purpose to what He hasn’t told me. He doesn’t hide things from us to hurt us. He will allow us in on His plans in His perfect timing. His perfect timing is the timing that places us at the right place at the right time with what we need for ultimate blessings.

Thankfully, when we're impulsive and have knee-jerk reactions, our loving Father gently jerks us back on course to help us finish the race we've started.

My Comforter is One of my Favorite Things

My Comforter is One of my Favorite Things
My word of the day is COMFORTER: a thick bed covering that is filled with a soft light material; also someone who helps you to feel less worried, upset, frightened; someone who comforts you.

I do a lot of traveling and that means sleeping in beds that don’t compare to MY bed at home. When I get home to my bed and my sheets, my five pillows 😴 and my COMFORTER, I sleep with COMFORT. My sleeping “paraphernalia” includes a sheet under my blanket/comforter and a sheet over it. I started that when we stayed in hotels that their sheets were on that way, which meant that the blanket or comforter that is rarely washed, is never against our body or face. That “cleanliness” sleeping way became an almost must-have for me.

Bottom line, I’m more energetic and more alert when I’ve had a good night’s sleep. Our beds are where we begin and end the day, and where we spend nearly a third of our life. So why not make it the cleanest and most comfortable spot in our home?

Speaking of COMFORT and COMFORTER, there’s nothing like the comfort a mother can provide to a hurting or frightened child. Her love moves into action, not with explanations or reasoning, but with everything in her power to quiet, to COMFORT, and to reassure. Her arms embracing that sweet one, speak louder than any words the child could hear in that moment of fear or pain. Her voice is soothing and quieting, “Shhh, it’s okay…Mommy’s here. It’s okay.” Those gentle words bring the assurance that helps the child to believe, “It is okay because Mommy is here, and I am in her arms.”

We are God's children and He desires to be that COMFORTER and encourager to us. He is HERE -- right now! Jesus spoke these words to His disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the COMFORTER will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." John 16:7. The COMFORTER is the precious Holy Spirit who lives in us as believers to provide that comfort that calms the storms in our lives.

The words in Psalm 46:10 are like the words of comfort from a caring mother to her fearful child: "Be still, and know that I am God". The language is simple and the words are few but they are words that tell us all we need to know to settle us, still our fears, quiet our hearts, and reassure us when we hear, “Shhh. Be still, calm down, release all your concerns, quiet your heart, it’s okay, I am here and you are safe in the shelter of My arms.”

Stop, Look and Go Tell

For a short while on Friday, I allowed myself to get caught up in the holiday traffic frenzy and search out Christmas sales that included long check-out lines. I really endeavored to be “holly jolly" with my best attitude while keeping “all is calm, and all is bright” in my heart!

We’re officially in the countdown to Christmas! We’re making our lists and checking them twice. We’re scanning the deals on Amazon and other online sources. We have already hung the stockings on the fireplace mantel, started our Christmas baking….and somewhere in the mix, we ponder our upcoming family times together. Perhaps we’ll soon be headed over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house!

But, please STOP and remember the trek to Bethlehem. If we choose to keep Christ in Christmas –- no matter what else we need to make happen, it is essential we include the storyline of the newlywed couple, Joseph and Mary, their journey to Bethlehem, and, ultimately, the night their baby boy was born.

Today, the second Sunday of Advent, the second purple candle on the Advent wreath will be lit. It represents faith. It is called the “Bethlehem Candle” as a reminder of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem and the preparations they made for Jesus’ birth.

Can we even imagine the faith it took for them to set out on a 90-day trip to Joseph’s hometown, Bethlehem, to register in the Roman census? Joseph and Mary undoubtedly had the “essentials” together. After all we know there were swaddling clothes on hand. Talk about responsibility! Imagine the weight on Joseph’s shoulders of taking care of Mary and their soon-to-be-born Son of God.

A 90-mile journey! WHAT? Obstetricians don’t want women to travel by air if the expectant mother is more than 7 months pregnant. Imagine Mary – nearing the end of her pregnancy and having to ride a donkey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

As awful the journey with the discomfort and difficulty, no doubt it was all a part of God's plan given in Jeremiah’s words in verse 29:11 “Oh the plans God has for you, plans to prosper you (think about the gold, frankincense and myrrh wealth they received from the three kings) and not harm you (think about how God ensured Jesus was safe when King Herod put out the edict for the baby boys to be killed), but give you hope and a future.” Think about the hope and future Christ’s life, death and resurrection presented to us!

For many of us, the days leading up to Christmas are among the busiest of the year. We don’t relish interruptions to our plans at any time, and especially not now. Like with the birth of Christ in less than perfect conditions, God uses “stuff” and "situations" to accomplish His purposes.

May I suggest that we purpose to slow down and breathe in the Reason for this Miracle season – stopping, looking and listening for gentle nudges of Father God Who desires for His kids to breathe in the beauty of our Lord’s birth story, and then GO exhale Him to our world that needs His hope, faith, love, joy and peace so very much.

This second Sunday of Advent encourages us to STOP, if only for a few minutes during this busiest time of the year, to think and be thankful for the ONE we are celebrating. Anything that causes us to STOP and think and be thankful is a good addition to Advent, since that’s what Advent is, of course: a time to stop and wait when the world is telling us to go faster and faster!

It will soon be Christmas Day when we will celebrate our Lord’s sacrifice of coming to this earth as a baby AND His coming back to take us home to live with Him throughout all eternity. May we STOP and know the baby in the manger is the Great "I AM"!

Had Any Knee Jerk Reactions Lately?

Had Any Knee Jerk Reactions Lately?
I had a huge decision to make. "Should I say “yes” or should I say “no”. Should I stay or should I go?" Ever been faced with some tough decisions and rather than waiting to hear the voice of God, we just couldn’t sit idly still….we had to make a move. So, with a knee jerk reaction, we WENT.....only to realize we put the cart before the horse.....er.....rather, we put our ways before God's ways.

What happened to that instruction from our loving, all-knowing Father? ”Be STILL and KNOW that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10) We just couldn’t sit STILL long enough to get the plan from THE MAN. So we head out on our own. Someone came to my office last week and she told me she really made a mess of a situation and became quite disappointed in herself. She went to see her Mom and her downcast attitude caused her mother to say, “I know that look! So, you had to be in charge again, instead of letting God be charge?"

Oh, the messes we get ourselves into. During this season of my life, I am wading my way through options of saying “yes” or “no” and whether to stay or go. So, as any capable, deliberate, strong and able, “can do” gal would do, I just GO. After all, the light is green….. so I begin to move forward….aggressively, and then suddenly I’m overcome with a loss of peace, a troubled heart and thinking “What was I thinking?” I just couldn’t sit still long enough to listen for His voice. I just couldn’t wait for His voice to call me, instead, my “knee jerk” reaction propelled me into unknown territory with making even some regretful decisions.

Does that sound like a story familiar to you, too? But, here’s what I love about this faith journey we are on. Though I may start out my day as an independent, self-willed "can-do" woman, and I may get myself into some crazy circumstances that may come as a surprise to me, they are not a surprise to God. In spite of my knee-jerk reactions, my God is still my loving Father. And, like our kids who repeatedly do something that we’ve told them a hundred times not to do, we lovingly reel them back in with correction and help them through the mess they got themselves into.

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11)

God’s character can be trusted. God delights in answering our prayers. Only, He doesn’t always answer how we think He should answer. I think I have great ideas about how my life should go. I think I know what is best, but then I remember that He knows better. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows what outcome will bring about His purposes. He wants to bless us with good things . . . health, wholeness, peace, joy, and rest. When I pray and I feel as though He is silent or not letting me in on the game plan, I have to trust that there is purpose to what He hasn’t told me. He doesn’t hide things from us to hurt us. He will allow me in on His plans in His perfect timing. His perfect timing is the timing that places us at the right place at the right time with what we need for ultimate blessings.

I have a line I use to help people when they have met up with some difficulty or challenge. “Nothing happens to us that doesn’t first go through His sovereign hands. We are no surprise to God.” It all matters to Him. He allows circumstances and consequences to come, especially when we have KNEE-JERK reactions. But thanks be to our loving Father, He gently jerks us back on course to help us finish the race we've started.

The Sower Sows and Sows and Sows

Day 240 of Photo Inspirations -- The Sower Sows and Sows and Sows
"Be still and know that I am God."  Psalm 46:10.  That almost seems an impossible feat to find a place of quietness, a place to be still and a place without the so-easily-achieved distractions. That place to hear God's voice and feel His presence so near and dear.

I found it Sunday with other ladies when we went to St. Joseph's Monastery for a mini-retreat, and, oh, what a heaven-sent afternoon we had.

Sister Barbara Austin took us on a reflective journey about the Sower and the Word (seeds) from Mark 4:14-20, but more than the seeds, she talked about the Sower who sowed and sowed and sowed. He never ran out of seeds even though some fell on stony ground, some were devoured by birds, some fell among thorns and some fell on good ground.  But, bottom line, the Sower continued to have plenty of seeds. He just kept on sowing.

Sister Barbara's emphasis was on THE SOWER and what the seeds would do.   She said, "God is the Sower and His grace and generosity is abundant. He doesn't pay attention to the 'issues' that we have. Let Him just keep sowing and sowing in your life. Swim in His generosity. Then turn around and YOU be the sower of His generosity to the world."   I had never heard it expressed this way but it made such sense to consider Father God and His unlimited blessings in our lives -- those "seeds" He plants in us.  He is SO generous.

She sent us, individually, to other rooms or to the grounds to be still and meditate on the lavishness -- the undescribable generosity of God.  I found a quiet, peaceful little room -- and I knew I was in a holy place.  I thought about the Sower Who gives and gives and gives to us. Great is His faithfulness. I quietly sang this old song "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." I was in that place. I soaked in His generosity and left feeling "I have been with my God!"  I was still enough and quiet enough to KNOW He IS God!  I was full.

Just in case you can't seem to find a place where that peace is found, I highly recommend hanging out at a monastery -- a holy place where God is found not only in these precious sisters who have dedicated their loves wholly to God, but where the presence of God is almost tangible.