Knowing Me

June 12, 2015

Ever have one of those moments?  You know, the ones where that little voice on one shoulder is telling you what you should do while that other little critter on the opposite shoulder is telling you something completely different?  Kind of reminds me of Adam, Eve, and the serpent.

Now, let’s just go ahead and settle this once and for all:  if Adam had taken control of the situation, things would not have gotten so bad for the rest of mankind.  He had a choice and he made the wrong one.  Eve?  She messed up--no doubt about that.  But Adam still had hope but...he was tempted and in his weakness, he fell.

You and I are daily faced with choices that will either increase our knowledge or make us to be fools because we choose to let our hearts dictate what our minds know should be done.  Whether that deals with finances, food, or fellowship with folks we really shouldn’t be fellowing with, the choice is ours.  God gave us free will.  While we often think we know what is best for us, more times than not I daresay if we’d stop, be still for a moment or two, and pray about it before just jumping in that our selections would be quite different.

I was brought up in a home that was dominated by a man whose mantra could have been “Do as I say and not as I do.”  As a result, when finally on my own, I made many decisions based on my feelings because years of repression had taught me that “knowing” something was to be done in a certain way didn’t necessarily imply that that was the best way it could be done or if it needed to be done at all.  When decisions needed to be decided, I was finally able to have things my way.  And, you guessed it, my way wasn’t always right.  Oh the foolish things I did, knowing better but carelessly making hasty decisions that often cost me.  The pride of doing it my way lasted about six seconds while the repercussions of my actions lasted infinitely longer.

As I conclude this blog today, I strongly urge you, friends, to think before you act.  Take just a couple of seconds and pause.  Breathe.  Try to look at what you are doing from a higher realm and think:  what effects will this choice have in an hour, in a day, in a month?  Will the guilt be worth the momentary glory?

Let’s pray!

Dear Lord, as I come to You this day, my heart has some decisions that want to be made quickly and--if I am honest--in ways that will gratify my flesh.  I can tell myself that it’s my time, that these things only regard me, and that it’s no one’s business what I do with my life.  But Lord, You and I both know that that is not true.  My life--in spite of what I think, in spite of those two voices on either shoulder--does matter to many and the choices I make are not just about me.

So, help me, Father?  Help me to pause, pray, and predict the outcome of the options presented before me.  May I please You, honor You, and honor myself and the ones who are affected by this in the name of Jesus I pray.  Amen.

Need a little salt to go with that foot you just put in your mouth?

Happy June 1.  I don't know what it is about new months, new weeks, new beginnings, but I just love them!  Maybe it's the "out with the old, in with the new" aura.  Dunno.  But I like them.  I like them a lot.

Last night, Steve wasn't feeling so great.  Truthfully, all weekend he had been kind of blah.  He slept a lot and was basically useless for entertainment purposes.  Nonetheless, he still was able to insult me in the most "no offense" way so that I could blog about him this morning.  He's just good to me that way.

He had set out some steak bites for supper and as our bellies began to growl, he asked if I wanted him to go grill them.  "Oh no," I replied, "we've not had them in so long I'm fixing them my way."  He gave me a look and then started:  "Uh, honey.  No offense but..."  Mmn hmn.  My man started to insult the cook that was about to fix him a feast by bringing in past experiences when my hand might have been a little too heavy with the soy sauce and/or garlic salt.  The gall!

I interjected quickly, reminding him how I had been making extra good steak bites lately and that I always took his out before the seasoning set in.  "That's right.  You do.  I'm sorry," he says.  I rolled my eyes inwardly, thinking how easy it is for folks to hold your past against you because of one or two times when you might not have lived up to their expectations or fulfilled their desires over your own.

And isn't that the way most of us are, in truth?  Someone somewhere along the line, does something we don't agree with, approve of, or think was not acceptable and that's it.  Each time from then on out we look upon them suspiciously (I'm hearing Elvis crooning "Suspicious Minds" even as I type).  Before taking that instant to consider our words, we spout off something that is made to not be offensive, trying to pre-pacify that soul with the words "No offense, but..."  Blah blah blah.  While trying to make ourselves sound peaceful and avoid a potential conflict, instead we ignite a flame that could have never even begun to smolder had we taken but just a fraction of an instant more and watched our mouths.

The Bible has much to say about guarding our tongues.  In Psalm 39:1, David said "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked."  Colossians 4:6 tells us "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."  James had much to say about this body part in his epistle, particularly in chapter 3 verses 8-10: "But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way..."

Many more verses deal with this body part and I encourage you to study them.  I know personally the effects and the power of words and my prayer today is that I will more closely think before opening my mouth.  It's gotten me into way too much trouble in the past.  Pray with me for control?  Thanks!

Dear Lord, as I come to You this morning, I thank You for new beginnings.  Where else can we have so many second, third, and eightieth chances than with a Saviour like You?!  Your mercies are new each day and I am so grateful for them.

Father, as I begin this day and am about to go out into the world, I ask that You keep me from saying anything harmful, hurtful, or hasty.  Being quiet is something I am having to learn to do and it's not always easy to not put my two-cents worth into conversations.  So, I'm asking, Lord God, that You bridle me.  Nudge me when I am about to speak without considering my words first.  Muzzle me should I start to get out of control.

Thanks again for this new week.  May I bring glory to You through my words and deeds is my prayer.  I ask this in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Oh, by the way, the steak bites were wonderful and my hubby was delighted in them.  As if!

P R A Y

May 28, 2015

Petition the Lord

Requests for the Lord

Adoration for the Lord

Yield to His commands

Good morning! As I was pondering about what to write on today, I looked up the definition for "pray" and "prayer." My dear friends at Merriam-Webster had this to say about pray: to speak to God especially in order to give thanks or to ask for something: to hope or wish very much for something to happen: to seriously ask (someone) to do something. For prayer, here is what they listed: an address (as a petition) to God or a god in word or thought <said a prayer for the success of the voyage> (2) : a set order of words used in praying: an earnest request or wish: the act or practice of praying to God or a god <kneeling in prayer>

I wasn't satisfied so I made up my own acronym for pray (yeah, we old English majors will do that when we can't find the words that suit our special needs). Wander with me through each letter and let's see what we find.

Petition. Per Merriam-Webster, this word means to have an earnest request. That works for me! When I really want something, I can surely lay on the passion. For instance, when my friends are hurting, I can fervently ask God to intercede and to do His wonders. When pain is wracking bodies, my voice can be heard in a strenuous tone, imploring on the Lord to take the ache away. When others are in a strong sense of need, I can diligently ask my God to change things for the better.

Request. I like this one. One of my favorite sayings (which coincidentally is also a passage of scripture) is "you have not because you ask not." Example? Sure! Yesterday while at the doctor's office watching two of my gsons while my daughter was being attended to, I had CMan crawl up into my lap. I told him I bet that I could read his mind, to be still, let me look into his eyes, and give me just a moment. Fascinated, he sat there and tried not to squirm. I then said, "I bet you are thinking, 'Does Granny have any money so that I can go over to that machine and get me a snack.' Am I right?" His eyes widened with glee and he said "Yes, that is exactly what I was thinking!" He smiled winsomely at me and then said, "Well. Do you have any change, Granny?" Needless to say, the boy got his crackers and was blissful.

Usually I am not much of a mind-reader but there are many times when I think I know what someone is wanting. How much more so is God, our merry Father, waiting to hear us ask for Him to supply our needs--and our wants? Can't you just picture Him, eyes twinkling, as He waits for us to ask for what's on our hearts? Sure, He could just think it into action and it would be. But, He kind of likes it when His kids ask, when they talk to Him, and try to convince Him this is a good thing that they are talking to Him about. So, go ahead and ask. I dare you!

Adoration. Happy sigh. When I think of God this way, as a fatherly figure who is just waiting to see how He can make my day, how could I be anything but in love with Him? How could I not adore His characteristics, long for time with Him, and just bask in the warmth I am allowed to feel when my focus is on Him? Who else is always there, waiting for me to share my dreams, listening to my requests, guiding my path, and loving me with no condemnation through it all?

Yield. Uh, this is not my favorite part of this acronym but yield I must if I am to fully participate in prayer. After all, this isn't Burger King, where I place my order and expect it to be fixed my way. I need to realize my wants, my needs, and my hopes may not be in God's will--whether that means at this time or if that means not at all, since He knows best. My heart must line up with His knowledge so that all these things can work together for good. If that means I don't get everything on my list, then there is a purpose for that. At this stage of the game, I am more than sure that my Father knows best!

So, to wrap it all up, petition the Lord. Make your requests known to him. Adore Him and revel that the Creator of the world devotes His whole self to you when you call upon Him. Lastly, surrender. Yield to the One Who knows the end from the beginning. He has you in the palm of His hand and He sees you, friend. He hears you. Mostly though, He loves you and is making you to be like His Son Jesus. That's my prayer today. Hope it's yours as well!