We've had some big storms in our area recently, including torrents of rain, accumulation of hail, strong winds, thunder, lightening, and tornadoes. These things raise a certain amount of fear in my mind but also a great amount of awe. My husband loves storms and does his own version of storm chasing! During an intense storm recently, we tried to capture some of it on video as we drove 45 minutes to get to his brother's birthday party. : )
When I hear thunder and lightening now, I hear the might and majesty of the Lord. I imagine Him lifting his arms, almost like a musical conductor, and saying "I am that I am! I am Sovereign - Alpha and Omega!" I hear Him saying "See my Glory! Be in Awe. Watch in amazement as I do wondrous things!" I'm watching, Lord, and I am in utter amazement at your Glory and Mighty Hand!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
He Delights in Me! A Great Adventure
One of the things that women desperately desire deep down, according to the previously mentioned book Captivating, is to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure! And what I've learned from God is that you don't have to go out searching for those adventures...God will put you in the right place at the right time for a great adventure! Walking with God is the single greatest adventure of all! Being married is an awfully big adventure! :) Reaching out to others in Christ's love is another great adventure! God may also send us more "adventure"-type adventures, if that makes any sense! Physical adventures that include some physical risk, some element of danger...and excitement! He can teach us all kinds of things through these adventures, including how to have a sense of humor and also have trust in Him in the midst of a precarious situation. God delights in me by inviting me to be a part of silly adventures and by teaching me wonderful things through them! Such is the story of our adventure this past year at the park near where we live. The following story was written on September 12, 2011.
The story of our adventure at Waid Park...sorry it's not well-written...I'm exhausted and just wanted to get it written down before bed.
"It's a beautiful day!" Tom said while we were grocery shopping after church. "We should go on a bike ride."
"Or a hike...so that the puppies can get out of the house," I suggested.
Later, after we put groceries away and took a nap, we left to go to Waid Park for what would be an unexpected 2-hour adventure.
First walking around the long track at the bottom of the park and unable to let the puppies loose in the soccer fields, the puppies eagerly pulled us forward, ready to explore.
Tom suggested we take a shorter trail off to the left that we had taken before; I suggested we take a trail to the right that we had only traversed part of before. In order to take that trail, however, we had to walk over a small trickle of a stream and through some muddy areas. I walked ahead first to see how bad it was and then came back to report that I thought it would be okay. We picked the dogs up and carried them over the wet areas so that they didn't get all muddy. We got to a wider part of the stream and picked them up again to cross it. Thankfully, we were able to step on stones and clumps of grass to cross.
Well past the pristine soccer fields, we let the dogs off the leashes. We crossed what used to be a corn field and followed a long, grassy trail that led up a high hill. We walked through tall grasses and soft, spongy grasses, as we avoided cow pies and horse dumps. We finally reached the top and the trail entered the woods, which was markedly darker than where we'd come from because the sun was setting earlier than we thought it would. Once in the woods, the trail led down a long, rocky and slightly treacherous embankment. At the bottom, we lifted the dogs to cross a third small stream and then started heading up an even longer, rocky embankment. All the while, we were hollering ahead to tell Crumpet to stay with us.
Shortly after we reached the top of the hill, Crumpet took off chasing something through the woods, leaping and bounding over logs and through bushes until we couldn't see her anymore. Hollering after her for a good minute and completely disturbing all peace in the woods, we waited for her to return. Finally, she did return and was immediately put back on the leash. We continued walking along the ridge of this large wooded hill, hoping the trail would soon lead back to the main part of the park.
With all the tree canopy coverage, the woods were getting quite a bit darker, so it became more difficult to see. Just ahead of us and unbeknownst to us, Wally disturbed a nest of yellow jackets. All in about a matter of seconds, he came running back to us shaking his head (he'd gotten stung), and then Crumpet jumped and started flipping out (because she'd gotten stung) and then we see a couple of dark blobs in the air around us.
"Yellow jackets! RUN!" Tom cried.
Before I had time to see what he was talking about, we were sprinting down the trail as fast as we could go, calling Wally to follow us quickly. My heart was racing and adrenaline rushing. I'd never had to run from bees like that before. Tom finally stopped running and saw that the bees weren't following us, praise the Lord! Wally kept shaking his head and from that moment on, acted extremely pitiful, upset and not wanting to walk anymore. Crumpet kept moving, but also had to keep itching the bee sting on her back. Tom and I were amazed that neither of us got stung at all. Tom proceeded to tell me all about yellow jackets as the trail finally went back down the hill and turned back into a partially over-grown grassy trail next to another corn field.
Then, we came to what we'd been hoping we could avoid: the part of a trail where the Pigg River is much wider than the piddling little streams we'd crossed earlier. Tom remembered that there used to be a bridge that crossed the creek there, but it apparently hasn't been there for a long time. There was no where to go except across the creek, not knowing where it would lead us, or go back the way we'd come. We weighed our options. I had never crossed a creek that large before, much less barefoot. We had two dogs who don't like baths, one of whom didn't really want to move much at all. If we went back the way we came, we'd have to climb all of those huge hills again and pass the yellow jackets again. Suddenly, I was more interested in crossing the river!
We removed our socks and shoes and rolled our pants up (thankfully, I had capris on, but Tom had jeans on!). I crossed first, and BOY, was it rough on my tender feet! I guess that's a good reason to have calluses on your feet. The water was cool, but thankfully, not frigid! I almost slipped a couple times on the algae-covered rocks, but caught myself and eventually made it across. Tom started across, carrying his shoes and holding the dog leashes as the dogs swam across. We crossed right at a place where there were some small rapids, so I watched anxiously as my little Wally Bear struggled against the current. Crumpet made it across first, followed by Wally and Tom. Wally immediately cowered down on the rocks like he wasn't about to move one foot more! He was able to rest a minute while Tom and I wiped our feet off a bit and put our socks and shoes back on.
We tried to hurry on as dusk fast approached, but it was a little slow-going since poor Wally kept taking several steps and then stopping and hunching down to the ground. Poor little boy! We hoped and prayed that the trail would lead us back to the main part of the park because we were tired and concerned that our car might be ticketed or towed for being in the park after dusk (when the park closes). Or at the very least, they might close the gate and we'd be stuck in the park! The trail eventually led back to a gravel road that we remembered walking on another day and that is located on one far end of the park. We took the gravel road up another hill and had to decide to either take the very dark, wooded trail without any flashlights, or to go left on a continued gravel road that we guessed would lead out to the main road.
We decided to continue on the gravel road at a rapid pace to try to get back to our car as soon as possible, but much to my dismay, we were heading even further in the opposite direction of our car. We slipped around a locked gate, discovering that we'd been on private property (Oops!), and finally made it back to the very busy and dark Six Mile Post Road at the bottom of a hill that cars always fly up and down. We were not done walking up hills. As we walked on the shoulder of the busy road, this hill seemed to last forEVER! We kept hoping someone would come by and give us a ride! We finally made it to the top of the hill and entered back into Waid park (on foot) and started down the quarter mile or so road that leads down to the bottom of the park where our car was parked.Thankfully, the gate was still open!
We were slightly encouraged that other cars were still leaving as we headed down this road, so we were hopeful that all would be okay. Quite low on energy, the puppies trudged alongside us down the hill (finally DOWN a hill!). We still kept hoping that a ranger or someone would come by to ask people to leave the park and maybe give us a ride back down to the car. We finally reached the bottom and were about to cross the parking lot when a park official finally drove up to us and said he was closing the park.
"Yes, I know, we've been trying to get back to our car for the past half hour or so," Tom told him.
We finally got back to our car and collapsed into it! Back at home, Wally threw up on the floor, poor little guy and Crumpet was still itching at her sting. So, I took a shower and bathed them at the same time so that they could finally be comfortable and bed down.
Overall, it was a great 2-hour adventure, a surprise at every turn! :) Thanks for reading - sorry if it was boring! It definitely wasn't boring for us! :) Afterward, I pretty much just collapsed in bed!
The story of our adventure at Waid Park...sorry it's not well-written...I'm exhausted and just wanted to get it written down before bed.
"It's a beautiful day!" Tom said while we were grocery shopping after church. "We should go on a bike ride."
"Or a hike...so that the puppies can get out of the house," I suggested.
Later, after we put groceries away and took a nap, we left to go to Waid Park for what would be an unexpected 2-hour adventure.
 |
| Wally (back) and Crumpet (front) BEFORE our hike |
First walking around the long track at the bottom of the park and unable to let the puppies loose in the soccer fields, the puppies eagerly pulled us forward, ready to explore.
Tom suggested we take a shorter trail off to the left that we had taken before; I suggested we take a trail to the right that we had only traversed part of before. In order to take that trail, however, we had to walk over a small trickle of a stream and through some muddy areas. I walked ahead first to see how bad it was and then came back to report that I thought it would be okay. We picked the dogs up and carried them over the wet areas so that they didn't get all muddy. We got to a wider part of the stream and picked them up again to cross it. Thankfully, we were able to step on stones and clumps of grass to cross.
Well past the pristine soccer fields, we let the dogs off the leashes. We crossed what used to be a corn field and followed a long, grassy trail that led up a high hill. We walked through tall grasses and soft, spongy grasses, as we avoided cow pies and horse dumps. We finally reached the top and the trail entered the woods, which was markedly darker than where we'd come from because the sun was setting earlier than we thought it would. Once in the woods, the trail led down a long, rocky and slightly treacherous embankment. At the bottom, we lifted the dogs to cross a third small stream and then started heading up an even longer, rocky embankment. All the while, we were hollering ahead to tell Crumpet to stay with us.
Shortly after we reached the top of the hill, Crumpet took off chasing something through the woods, leaping and bounding over logs and through bushes until we couldn't see her anymore. Hollering after her for a good minute and completely disturbing all peace in the woods, we waited for her to return. Finally, she did return and was immediately put back on the leash. We continued walking along the ridge of this large wooded hill, hoping the trail would soon lead back to the main part of the park.
With all the tree canopy coverage, the woods were getting quite a bit darker, so it became more difficult to see. Just ahead of us and unbeknownst to us, Wally disturbed a nest of yellow jackets. All in about a matter of seconds, he came running back to us shaking his head (he'd gotten stung), and then Crumpet jumped and started flipping out (because she'd gotten stung) and then we see a couple of dark blobs in the air around us.
"Yellow jackets! RUN!" Tom cried.
Before I had time to see what he was talking about, we were sprinting down the trail as fast as we could go, calling Wally to follow us quickly. My heart was racing and adrenaline rushing. I'd never had to run from bees like that before. Tom finally stopped running and saw that the bees weren't following us, praise the Lord! Wally kept shaking his head and from that moment on, acted extremely pitiful, upset and not wanting to walk anymore. Crumpet kept moving, but also had to keep itching the bee sting on her back. Tom and I were amazed that neither of us got stung at all. Tom proceeded to tell me all about yellow jackets as the trail finally went back down the hill and turned back into a partially over-grown grassy trail next to another corn field.
Then, we came to what we'd been hoping we could avoid: the part of a trail where the Pigg River is much wider than the piddling little streams we'd crossed earlier. Tom remembered that there used to be a bridge that crossed the creek there, but it apparently hasn't been there for a long time. There was no where to go except across the creek, not knowing where it would lead us, or go back the way we'd come. We weighed our options. I had never crossed a creek that large before, much less barefoot. We had two dogs who don't like baths, one of whom didn't really want to move much at all. If we went back the way we came, we'd have to climb all of those huge hills again and pass the yellow jackets again. Suddenly, I was more interested in crossing the river!
We removed our socks and shoes and rolled our pants up (thankfully, I had capris on, but Tom had jeans on!). I crossed first, and BOY, was it rough on my tender feet! I guess that's a good reason to have calluses on your feet. The water was cool, but thankfully, not frigid! I almost slipped a couple times on the algae-covered rocks, but caught myself and eventually made it across. Tom started across, carrying his shoes and holding the dog leashes as the dogs swam across. We crossed right at a place where there were some small rapids, so I watched anxiously as my little Wally Bear struggled against the current. Crumpet made it across first, followed by Wally and Tom. Wally immediately cowered down on the rocks like he wasn't about to move one foot more! He was able to rest a minute while Tom and I wiped our feet off a bit and put our socks and shoes back on.
We tried to hurry on as dusk fast approached, but it was a little slow-going since poor Wally kept taking several steps and then stopping and hunching down to the ground. Poor little boy! We hoped and prayed that the trail would lead us back to the main part of the park because we were tired and concerned that our car might be ticketed or towed for being in the park after dusk (when the park closes). Or at the very least, they might close the gate and we'd be stuck in the park! The trail eventually led back to a gravel road that we remembered walking on another day and that is located on one far end of the park. We took the gravel road up another hill and had to decide to either take the very dark, wooded trail without any flashlights, or to go left on a continued gravel road that we guessed would lead out to the main road.
We decided to continue on the gravel road at a rapid pace to try to get back to our car as soon as possible, but much to my dismay, we were heading even further in the opposite direction of our car. We slipped around a locked gate, discovering that we'd been on private property (Oops!), and finally made it back to the very busy and dark Six Mile Post Road at the bottom of a hill that cars always fly up and down. We were not done walking up hills. As we walked on the shoulder of the busy road, this hill seemed to last forEVER! We kept hoping someone would come by and give us a ride! We finally made it to the top of the hill and entered back into Waid park (on foot) and started down the quarter mile or so road that leads down to the bottom of the park where our car was parked.Thankfully, the gate was still open!
We were slightly encouraged that other cars were still leaving as we headed down this road, so we were hopeful that all would be okay. Quite low on energy, the puppies trudged alongside us down the hill (finally DOWN a hill!). We still kept hoping that a ranger or someone would come by to ask people to leave the park and maybe give us a ride back down to the car. We finally reached the bottom and were about to cross the parking lot when a park official finally drove up to us and said he was closing the park.
"Yes, I know, we've been trying to get back to our car for the past half hour or so," Tom told him.
We finally got back to our car and collapsed into it! Back at home, Wally threw up on the floor, poor little guy and Crumpet was still itching at her sting. So, I took a shower and bathed them at the same time so that they could finally be comfortable and bed down.
Overall, it was a great 2-hour adventure, a surprise at every turn! :) Thanks for reading - sorry if it was boring! It definitely wasn't boring for us! :) Afterward, I pretty much just collapsed in bed!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
He Delights in Me! A Recap
Below are just a few of the things that the Lord has used to delight my heart recently (some of which I already posted in Facebook)... :)
Sept. 18: Such a wonderful Friday evening and Saturday with friends and family! Unfortunately not feeling well now, but it was such a fun 36 hours! :) Greek Festival, my sister Tiffany spending the night & watching Avatar on our Nine-FOOT theatre screen, a GOOD 8.5 hours of sleep, & then day out with hubby, sissy & parents for Dad's birthday: Zoo, dinner, & Floyd Country Store for some bluegrass & dancing! :) Much-needed good times!
Sept. 23: The book of Daniel in the Holy Word of God is awesome! I don't think I've read it all the way through before and it's been awhile since I've read the parts that I have learned before. Did you know that it is estimated that Daniel was actually around his 90s when he was thrown into the den of lions?? And the ways in which the Lord works in the lives of the powerful King Nebuchadnezzar and King Darius is just amazing to me.
Nov. 22: (During the month of November, I posted on Facebook something I was thankful for every day of the month. This particular one stood out in my mind, so I wanted to share it here.) Today, Nov. 22, I am once again overcome with thankfulness for my Lord, Jesus Christ and that God gave me the ears and mind to hear and perceive when He speaks to me. I spent most of my drive to work this morning in silence, praying for others' needs; I finally broke down and asked God to forgive me, but I had so many things on my own heart that I need help working through. He listened as I told Him the thoughts of my heart and my doubts and insecurities and thanked Him for listening and then I finally turned the radio on for the last 10 minutes of my drive. He knew exactly what I needed to hear. The words of the song that came on are still ringing in my head "...you gotta believe, He wants you to see that you are someone worth dying for." Thank you, Jesus ♥ I love you!
Jan. 3: for my last dulcimer lesson (yesterday) - at least for now while I start my new job - I learned my first "rag" song: the "Dill Pickle Rag"! haha so much fun! :)
Jan. 9 post after 1st day of my new job: Waking up an hour later than usual = Awesome! 10-minute drive to work = priceless! During my drive to work, saw cute lil white ducks playing around a tree in someone's yard, dealt with NOOOOO Traffic problems, a beautiful and very crooked creek bending its way through someone's yard, and as I got out of the car at work, a "V" of geese flew overhead. As if they were greeting me! These same geese landed in Ferrum's pond and were honking like crazy when I left today! :) It will take a little while getting assimilated into the Admissions and Ferrum culture, but everyone was kind and I look forward to "learning the ropes" so I can be more useful there! My supervisor (who is GREAT!) and a couple other coworkers treated me to lunch and I had an amusing mocking bird hanging out eating berries on a tree right outside my window. :) To top it all off, I was HOME before 5:30 p.m. and again, NOOO traffic problems!!!!! Amazing!
Jan. 10: Day 2 at new job: Yes, the 10-minute drive still amazes me and had to deal with absolutely NO traffic stress either way! Today on my way to and from work, I noticed a gorgeous mountain view, a house with about 3 car-lengths worth of chopped up firewood in the yard, and a goat in the same yard where I saw the three white ducks yesterday! Today was already a little easier as I got connected to my computer and set up my voice mail, got a campus tour (to be finished later), turned in most of my employment paperwork, and got a special lunch-visit from my dear sister-in-law Ariel. :) :) We got to walk around campus a bit, go down to the duck pond and laugh at the ducks and geese. As soon as we approached, three white ducks (my favorite!) waddled up to us really quickly (probably thinking we had food) and then turned away when they realized we had nothing for them! We got to see our new friend Kat and I got my photo ID made! Still LOTS to learn and I pray that I will get over this virus that is still hanging on to me and that I will learn everything quickly and come up with lots of ideas!
Jan. 11: Wow! What a third day of work! There is such a high learning curve at my new job!!! Sooooo many things to learn, it's nuts! And I like it! :) I only wish I could learn it faster and hope and pray that my coworkers and supervisor will continue being patient with me as I learn! They're a great bunch of people, I just miss knowing what in the world I'm doing! haha I actually contributed something very small today, so Yay! hehe My drive to and from work was rainy, but still totally awesome, plus I got my parking decal today! I think it's funny that there is a convenience store right near the entrance to the college called Happy Papy's! haha Also, I called my doctor this morning and told her my situation, so she was kind enough to call in a second round of antibiotics for me without me having to go in for an appointment. Lots of things to share, but I can't put it all here or I'd bore you to death! :)
Jan. 12: Fourth day of work and I'm loving it! :) Actually got a couple of things done and was able to contribute a couple of ideas in addition to learning more things! I can tell how much others enjoy working at Ferrum too, so that makes such a difference! While I was working today, a tufted titmouse (one of my favorite lil songbirds) landed on the outside of my window and hopped along it doing I-don't-know-what. He was really close to me and I didn't move! So precious! It's so nice to get home when it's still daylight, still wonderful to have such a lovely and short drive home! I love the way there's such a diverse presence of civilization along my 10-minute drive to work: 6-7 churches, huge and lovely plantation-like houses with lots of land and horses, farms, basic split-level homes and ranches, apartments, trailers, businesses, an antique store with an ultra-cluttered porch, and falling-apart homes that look like they haven't been lived in for decades!
Jan. 13: Day 5: I finished my first week at my new job and I love it! I'm exhausted, but I know it's a really good sign when I feel torn about leaving at the end of the day! I noticed on my way to work this morning that the sun is rising behind me as I drive to Ferrum and on my way back from work this evening, the sun was setting behind me as I drove toward home...so the prettiest colors in the sky are always behind me when I drive to and from work! haha that means that I'm liable to have an accident trying to look at the beautiful sky behind me while I drive the other direction! Such beautiful countryside! So many happy and excited people working in Admissions at Ferrum and lots of excited people coming into the Admissions building for campus visits...lots of positive feelings! I met two of the football coaches today and they were both hams! hehe I love my new job! ♥
Jan. 20: 10th day of my new job! :) I'm almost official: I got my desk nameplate and name badge today; now just have to wait for the business cards! :) I am a little overwhelmed by so much to learn, but I'm loving it all so far! Still LOVE the drive between work and home! Yesterday, I saw the 3-4 white ducks waddling up their owner's driveway and it made me laugh. Today, I saw beautiful views of the mountains in the distance and a blanket of fog settled in a nearby valley. I love it here!
Jan. 24: Oh, how I love the chapel bells at Ferrum! I wish I could think of the name of all the songs they play! :) So beautiful!
Jan. 27: it just tickles me pink as punch when a little tufted titmouse lands right on the outside of my office window and looks in at me! :) Such a gorgeous day at Ferrum today!
March: God's creation around the pond at Ferrum delights me: I observed two male mallard ducks sitting in the water, facing each other, and quacking back and forth and sometimes quacking over each other. They weren't moving or doing anything else but quacking back and forth like they were deep in conversation! Wonder what they were talking about? Probably fussing because neither of them had a "lady"! Most of the time, you see mallard ducks in pairs - male and female; however, there are 3 male mallards at Ferrum that do not have a lady (maybe there are not enough females to go around!). These 3 males do not seem to have a "territory," so they roam around together. :)
I love many kinds of birds, but for some reason, one of the "happiest" birds is the blue bird. I'm always excited when I see one and am always in awe at their gorgeous blue feathers. I love watching and hearing the mocking birds sing all of the calls of the birds in the area! What neat ideas God has! They mimic just about any sound! The ones near our house mimic ambulance sirens since those are often passing our house to go to the rehab. Every time I walk outside on campus, there are birds everywhere singing their hearts out. The campus is always surrounded by music!
One of my favorite things to observe at the Ferrum pond is when the ducks plunge their head below the surface of the water to fish; meanwhile, their feathery booties and webbed feet wiggle in the air above the water! I get especially tickled when I see the white ducks do this: something just gets my funny bone when I see their white booties bobbing up and down above the water and their bright orange feet wiggling in the air as they try to plunge their head deeper. :) Along one point on the pond, a thick tree apparently fell into the water awhile back, and mostly (but not completely) uprooted. But that wasn't the end of the tree! It appears as though the tree may have re-rooted under the water because there are many shoots climbing vertically toward the sky! The underside of the fallen down tree has spaces where ducks like to take shelter.
I always get tickled when I see ducks passing by right outside my office window, heading toward the bird feeders located outside my other office window. This one particular pair of mallards feed on all the seed dropped on the ground, but they will chase away any other mallards that come near. Also outside my window today, I was watching a squirrel precariously perched on a branch of the small tree outside one of my windows. He was scratching himself or something when he suddenly slipped or lost his grip on the branch, and he fell and quickly caught himself half-upside down on a lower branch!
The honey bees and butterflies are starting to come out along with the buds!
All of these things make me smile or laugh and remember that the Lord delights in me!
Sept. 18: Such a wonderful Friday evening and Saturday with friends and family! Unfortunately not feeling well now, but it was such a fun 36 hours! :) Greek Festival, my sister Tiffany spending the night & watching Avatar on our Nine-FOOT theatre screen, a GOOD 8.5 hours of sleep, & then day out with hubby, sissy & parents for Dad's birthday: Zoo, dinner, & Floyd Country Store for some bluegrass & dancing! :) Much-needed good times!
Sept. 23: The book of Daniel in the Holy Word of God is awesome! I don't think I've read it all the way through before and it's been awhile since I've read the parts that I have learned before. Did you know that it is estimated that Daniel was actually around his 90s when he was thrown into the den of lions?? And the ways in which the Lord works in the lives of the powerful King Nebuchadnezzar and King Darius is just amazing to me.
Nov. 22: (During the month of November, I posted on Facebook something I was thankful for every day of the month. This particular one stood out in my mind, so I wanted to share it here.) Today, Nov. 22, I am once again overcome with thankfulness for my Lord, Jesus Christ and that God gave me the ears and mind to hear and perceive when He speaks to me. I spent most of my drive to work this morning in silence, praying for others' needs; I finally broke down and asked God to forgive me, but I had so many things on my own heart that I need help working through. He listened as I told Him the thoughts of my heart and my doubts and insecurities and thanked Him for listening and then I finally turned the radio on for the last 10 minutes of my drive. He knew exactly what I needed to hear. The words of the song that came on are still ringing in my head "...you gotta believe, He wants you to see that you are someone worth dying for." Thank you, Jesus ♥ I love you!
Jan. 3: for my last dulcimer lesson (yesterday) - at least for now while I start my new job - I learned my first "rag" song: the "Dill Pickle Rag"! haha so much fun! :)
Jan. 9 post after 1st day of my new job: Waking up an hour later than usual = Awesome! 10-minute drive to work = priceless! During my drive to work, saw cute lil white ducks playing around a tree in someone's yard, dealt with NOOOOO Traffic problems, a beautiful and very crooked creek bending its way through someone's yard, and as I got out of the car at work, a "V" of geese flew overhead. As if they were greeting me! These same geese landed in Ferrum's pond and were honking like crazy when I left today! :) It will take a little while getting assimilated into the Admissions and Ferrum culture, but everyone was kind and I look forward to "learning the ropes" so I can be more useful there! My supervisor (who is GREAT!) and a couple other coworkers treated me to lunch and I had an amusing mocking bird hanging out eating berries on a tree right outside my window. :) To top it all off, I was HOME before 5:30 p.m. and again, NOOO traffic problems!!!!! Amazing!
Jan. 10: Day 2 at new job: Yes, the 10-minute drive still amazes me and had to deal with absolutely NO traffic stress either way! Today on my way to and from work, I noticed a gorgeous mountain view, a house with about 3 car-lengths worth of chopped up firewood in the yard, and a goat in the same yard where I saw the three white ducks yesterday! Today was already a little easier as I got connected to my computer and set up my voice mail, got a campus tour (to be finished later), turned in most of my employment paperwork, and got a special lunch-visit from my dear sister-in-law Ariel. :) :) We got to walk around campus a bit, go down to the duck pond and laugh at the ducks and geese. As soon as we approached, three white ducks (my favorite!) waddled up to us really quickly (probably thinking we had food) and then turned away when they realized we had nothing for them! We got to see our new friend Kat and I got my photo ID made! Still LOTS to learn and I pray that I will get over this virus that is still hanging on to me and that I will learn everything quickly and come up with lots of ideas!
Jan. 11: Wow! What a third day of work! There is such a high learning curve at my new job!!! Sooooo many things to learn, it's nuts! And I like it! :) I only wish I could learn it faster and hope and pray that my coworkers and supervisor will continue being patient with me as I learn! They're a great bunch of people, I just miss knowing what in the world I'm doing! haha I actually contributed something very small today, so Yay! hehe My drive to and from work was rainy, but still totally awesome, plus I got my parking decal today! I think it's funny that there is a convenience store right near the entrance to the college called Happy Papy's! haha Also, I called my doctor this morning and told her my situation, so she was kind enough to call in a second round of antibiotics for me without me having to go in for an appointment. Lots of things to share, but I can't put it all here or I'd bore you to death! :)
Jan. 12: Fourth day of work and I'm loving it! :) Actually got a couple of things done and was able to contribute a couple of ideas in addition to learning more things! I can tell how much others enjoy working at Ferrum too, so that makes such a difference! While I was working today, a tufted titmouse (one of my favorite lil songbirds) landed on the outside of my window and hopped along it doing I-don't-know-what. He was really close to me and I didn't move! So precious! It's so nice to get home when it's still daylight, still wonderful to have such a lovely and short drive home! I love the way there's such a diverse presence of civilization along my 10-minute drive to work: 6-7 churches, huge and lovely plantation-like houses with lots of land and horses, farms, basic split-level homes and ranches, apartments, trailers, businesses, an antique store with an ultra-cluttered porch, and falling-apart homes that look like they haven't been lived in for decades!
Jan. 13: Day 5: I finished my first week at my new job and I love it! I'm exhausted, but I know it's a really good sign when I feel torn about leaving at the end of the day! I noticed on my way to work this morning that the sun is rising behind me as I drive to Ferrum and on my way back from work this evening, the sun was setting behind me as I drove toward home...so the prettiest colors in the sky are always behind me when I drive to and from work! haha that means that I'm liable to have an accident trying to look at the beautiful sky behind me while I drive the other direction! Such beautiful countryside! So many happy and excited people working in Admissions at Ferrum and lots of excited people coming into the Admissions building for campus visits...lots of positive feelings! I met two of the football coaches today and they were both hams! hehe I love my new job! ♥
Jan. 20: 10th day of my new job! :) I'm almost official: I got my desk nameplate and name badge today; now just have to wait for the business cards! :) I am a little overwhelmed by so much to learn, but I'm loving it all so far! Still LOVE the drive between work and home! Yesterday, I saw the 3-4 white ducks waddling up their owner's driveway and it made me laugh. Today, I saw beautiful views of the mountains in the distance and a blanket of fog settled in a nearby valley. I love it here! Jan. 24: Oh, how I love the chapel bells at Ferrum! I wish I could think of the name of all the songs they play! :) So beautiful!
Jan. 27: it just tickles me pink as punch when a little tufted titmouse lands right on the outside of my office window and looks in at me! :) Such a gorgeous day at Ferrum today!
I love many kinds of birds, but for some reason, one of the "happiest" birds is the blue bird. I'm always excited when I see one and am always in awe at their gorgeous blue feathers. I love watching and hearing the mocking birds sing all of the calls of the birds in the area! What neat ideas God has! They mimic just about any sound! The ones near our house mimic ambulance sirens since those are often passing our house to go to the rehab. Every time I walk outside on campus, there are birds everywhere singing their hearts out. The campus is always surrounded by music!
I always get tickled when I see ducks passing by right outside my office window, heading toward the bird feeders located outside my other office window. This one particular pair of mallards feed on all the seed dropped on the ground, but they will chase away any other mallards that come near. Also outside my window today, I was watching a squirrel precariously perched on a branch of the small tree outside one of my windows. He was scratching himself or something when he suddenly slipped or lost his grip on the branch, and he fell and quickly caught himself half-upside down on a lower branch!
All of these things make me smile or laugh and remember that the Lord delights in me!
Friday, March 23, 2012
He Delights In Me! An Introduction
As I started walking closer to the Lord and started getting better at accepting, believing in and recognizing His great love for me, I also began to see all the ways He delights in me! His doting on me is sweeter than anything I can think of! He knows my heart intimately - better than I know myself! - so He knows exactly what will delight my heart. He knows exactly what will speak to the deep corners of my heart that no one else can touch; He knows when to press me and test me and when to send me encouragement. He knows what things to send my way to fill my heart with joy so that I will continue to recognize that He is always with me! If my heart is right with Him, He knows that I will smile or laugh with joy and respond to Him with gratitude. Though I should be devoted to being His servant anyway, God surely knows that my heart needs encouragement along the way.
One of my favorite parts about the book Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge is when they talk about how the woman is also made in the image of God (imago deo), just like the man, which means that her being/essence contains crucial traits of God. God placed some of His characteristics in man and others in woman, and before sin entered the picture, He intended for the two to go together perfectly just as they do in Him. All women, from type A do-it-all-myself-career-valiant woman to the passive-needy-afraid-to-make-decisions-often-passionate woman, have an innate need to be delighted in! Twirling skirts or out playing war games with the boys, all little girls want to know: Am I lovely? Am I captivating? The longing to be seen. "We are seeking an answer to our Question…Nearly all a woman does in her adult life is fueled by her longing to be delighted in, her longing to be beautiful, to be irreplaceable, to have her Question answered, “Yes!” (Captivating, p. 47) In this sin-cursed world, most little girls have their hearts shattered with a big resounding "No" to this question by some crucial person or people at one or more points in their lives (sometimes by their father - one of the worst wounds of all; sometimes by their peers or friends; sometimes by their husband). We're left wounded, helpless, and groping in the darkness for answers...for something, anything to cling to.
And so, just as Eve failed to trust that the Lord was giving her the best and falling to the fear that God was "holding out on her," Eve took matters into her own hands. “Having forfeited our confidence in God, we believe that in order to have the life we want, we must take matters into our own hands. And we ache with an emptiness nothing seems able to fill.” (Captivating, p. 50) We may profess faith in God in public, in church, or even to ourselves, but we don't truly believe in the redemption brought by the Lord Jesus Christ. We cling to surface-things that have an appearance of stability because we still don't trust that God has our best interest in mind. What a sad journey this leads down for so, so many women. I was one of those women. If I don't keep my mind devoted on God, "...bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ..." (2 Corinthians 10:5), then I can easily become one of those women again.
One of the things that helped me step out of that sad path was reading this book Captivating and discovering that my need to be captivating and delighted in comes directly from the Lord! God needs and wants to be captivating and delighted in just like me! He wants us to choose HIM! This need was not intended to be enslaving or something that would bring so much shame as it does now. Many a woman's fear is that she is "too much and yet not enough" at the same time! (Captivating) God is grieved daily over all of His children who choose to be captivated by something other than Him. God desires an intimate relationship with each of us and it wounds His heart when we give Him a big, resounding "No, I will not choose you." Hearing this message from the book and really hearing it from the mouth of God is one of the many things that God used to turn my wayward heart back toward Him. He was all too familiar with the wounds I'd received in my past and how much I'd held onto my bitterness and sorrow; He was keenly familiar with my compassionate, empathetic heart (it was He that gave it to me, after all!). So, God knew that me hearing this message would be a key component in turning my empathetic heart to a better understanding of how earnestly God wanted to have a relationship with me and how determinedly He had been pursuing me. I, and nothing/no one else, had been the barrier between me and a close, intimate relationship with God.
As you see in the picture above, I was blessed to be able to meet John Eldredge in 2010 when I attended Roanoke's outstanding Extraordinary Women's Conference! John was, of course, one of my favorite speakers of the weekend and I was only sad that his wife, Stasi, couldn't also be there! They are a blessing to me through their obedience to Christ by writing Captivating and Wild at Heart. I recommend both books to both men and women; God has definitely provided a powerful message through these two servants of the Lord!
Oh how the Lord delights in me! And I respond with, "thank you, Lord! what do you have to teach me today?" For these things go hand-in-hand. There is never a time when God is not walking with me (or carrying me, sometimes); there is never a time when God is not teaching me something; and there is never a time when God is not delighting in me! Because He is always delighting in me, I almost always have something to share about it, so some of my blog posts may be brief descriptions of things that the Lord has used to delight my heart. Oftentimes, the Lord uses His Creation to delight in me because He knows how much I treasure it, so you may often see these posts referring to things in nature. So that's it for my "introduction" on my "He Delights in Me" posts, but I'm going to do another blog post on some of the things that have delighted me recently! God bless you!
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| Me & John Eldredge at Roanoke's 2010 Extraordinary Women's Conference |
One of my favorite parts about the book Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge is when they talk about how the woman is also made in the image of God (imago deo), just like the man, which means that her being/essence contains crucial traits of God. God placed some of His characteristics in man and others in woman, and before sin entered the picture, He intended for the two to go together perfectly just as they do in Him. All women, from type A do-it-all-myself-career-valiant woman to the passive-needy-afraid-to-make-decisions-often-passionate woman, have an innate need to be delighted in! Twirling skirts or out playing war games with the boys, all little girls want to know: Am I lovely? Am I captivating? The longing to be seen. "We are seeking an answer to our Question…Nearly all a woman does in her adult life is fueled by her longing to be delighted in, her longing to be beautiful, to be irreplaceable, to have her Question answered, “Yes!” (Captivating, p. 47) In this sin-cursed world, most little girls have their hearts shattered with a big resounding "No" to this question by some crucial person or people at one or more points in their lives (sometimes by their father - one of the worst wounds of all; sometimes by their peers or friends; sometimes by their husband). We're left wounded, helpless, and groping in the darkness for answers...for something, anything to cling to.
And so, just as Eve failed to trust that the Lord was giving her the best and falling to the fear that God was "holding out on her," Eve took matters into her own hands. “Having forfeited our confidence in God, we believe that in order to have the life we want, we must take matters into our own hands. And we ache with an emptiness nothing seems able to fill.” (Captivating, p. 50) We may profess faith in God in public, in church, or even to ourselves, but we don't truly believe in the redemption brought by the Lord Jesus Christ. We cling to surface-things that have an appearance of stability because we still don't trust that God has our best interest in mind. What a sad journey this leads down for so, so many women. I was one of those women. If I don't keep my mind devoted on God, "...bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ..." (2 Corinthians 10:5), then I can easily become one of those women again.
One of the things that helped me step out of that sad path was reading this book Captivating and discovering that my need to be captivating and delighted in comes directly from the Lord! God needs and wants to be captivating and delighted in just like me! He wants us to choose HIM! This need was not intended to be enslaving or something that would bring so much shame as it does now. Many a woman's fear is that she is "too much and yet not enough" at the same time! (Captivating) God is grieved daily over all of His children who choose to be captivated by something other than Him. God desires an intimate relationship with each of us and it wounds His heart when we give Him a big, resounding "No, I will not choose you." Hearing this message from the book and really hearing it from the mouth of God is one of the many things that God used to turn my wayward heart back toward Him. He was all too familiar with the wounds I'd received in my past and how much I'd held onto my bitterness and sorrow; He was keenly familiar with my compassionate, empathetic heart (it was He that gave it to me, after all!). So, God knew that me hearing this message would be a key component in turning my empathetic heart to a better understanding of how earnestly God wanted to have a relationship with me and how determinedly He had been pursuing me. I, and nothing/no one else, had been the barrier between me and a close, intimate relationship with God.
 |
| John speaking at the conference |
As you see in the picture above, I was blessed to be able to meet John Eldredge in 2010 when I attended Roanoke's outstanding Extraordinary Women's Conference! John was, of course, one of my favorite speakers of the weekend and I was only sad that his wife, Stasi, couldn't also be there! They are a blessing to me through their obedience to Christ by writing Captivating and Wild at Heart. I recommend both books to both men and women; God has definitely provided a powerful message through these two servants of the Lord!
Oh how the Lord delights in me! And I respond with, "thank you, Lord! what do you have to teach me today?" For these things go hand-in-hand. There is never a time when God is not walking with me (or carrying me, sometimes); there is never a time when God is not teaching me something; and there is never a time when God is not delighting in me! Because He is always delighting in me, I almost always have something to share about it, so some of my blog posts may be brief descriptions of things that the Lord has used to delight my heart. Oftentimes, the Lord uses His Creation to delight in me because He knows how much I treasure it, so you may often see these posts referring to things in nature. So that's it for my "introduction" on my "He Delights in Me" posts, but I'm going to do another blog post on some of the things that have delighted me recently! God bless you!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Air Guitar Rockin' for Jesus!
Even though it's been a little while since I last posted, I've thought about blog posts almost every day! I've simply lacked the time (or health) to blog recently. I don't have much time tonight before I crash in bed, but just wanted to post this video on my blog because I love it!
This video was shared with me by a friend named Euri, who I met in the Dominican Republic in 2007. Yes, the video appears as though it's for kids with the animation, the style and simple lyrics, but every part of me loves it -- the child in me, the whimsical side of me, the creative/colorful side of me, the musical side of me, and especially the Jesus-loving spirit in me! Picture me in full-on animation with an air guitar as I rock it out for Jesus! That's usually how it looks when I play this song. :)
The lyrics may be simple, but they are dead-on and perfect for someone like me who realizes more every day how much the Lord loves me and wants to teach me and delight in me. I LOVE the line "...a million thoughts of love are flowing from the very heart of God!" How precious to me are you thoughts, O God, how vast is the sum of them! - Psalm 139:17 His thoughts are of love for me, even though I don't deserve it, and how much He loves me to keep pursuing me and teaching me things despite my sin and hardheadedness! Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty [high] for me to attain! - Psalm 139:6 In fact, the same night I published my last blog post (later that evening), my husband happened to find this video re-posted on someone's Facebook wall and watched it; I heard it from my bummed state two couch cushions away, but more loudly, I heard the Lord's voice reminding me of His Gracious Love for me! How wonderful to me are the thoughts of God!
You may have already seen this video, but whether you have or not, take a look and enjoy! :)
Sometimes I rest in the Lord's love; sometimes I collapse/lean on the Lord's love; and sometimes, I rock in the Lord's love! How about you?
This video was shared with me by a friend named Euri, who I met in the Dominican Republic in 2007. Yes, the video appears as though it's for kids with the animation, the style and simple lyrics, but every part of me loves it -- the child in me, the whimsical side of me, the creative/colorful side of me, the musical side of me, and especially the Jesus-loving spirit in me! Picture me in full-on animation with an air guitar as I rock it out for Jesus! That's usually how it looks when I play this song. :)
The lyrics may be simple, but they are dead-on and perfect for someone like me who realizes more every day how much the Lord loves me and wants to teach me and delight in me. I LOVE the line "...a million thoughts of love are flowing from the very heart of God!" How precious to me are you thoughts, O God, how vast is the sum of them! - Psalm 139:17 His thoughts are of love for me, even though I don't deserve it, and how much He loves me to keep pursuing me and teaching me things despite my sin and hardheadedness! Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty [high] for me to attain! - Psalm 139:6 In fact, the same night I published my last blog post (later that evening), my husband happened to find this video re-posted on someone's Facebook wall and watched it; I heard it from my bummed state two couch cushions away, but more loudly, I heard the Lord's voice reminding me of His Gracious Love for me! How wonderful to me are the thoughts of God!
You may have already seen this video, but whether you have or not, take a look and enjoy! :)
Sometimes I rest in the Lord's love; sometimes I collapse/lean on the Lord's love; and sometimes, I rock in the Lord's love! How about you?
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Bummed
Ever have those days where you just feel bummed? I haven't written a blog post in over a week and this one won't be very long, but I sure do have a lot I want to eventually write. Although I have been doing a devotion every morning and really liking my devotion, it hasn't been long enough or enough time with God...and I can see the difference it makes in my daily life. Today, my devotion was about yielding. The bottom line is: Do you yield to yourself or do you yield to God? Don't fool yourself now because that does you no good. I need God every moment, every day; I need to remain in God, and oftentimes, I yield to myself instead of to God. I have days where I feel bummed (or in my case, struggling with depression) even when I'm in a close walk with God, but those times are shorter-lived because I quickly turn my eyes back upon Jesus and He helps me change my perspective. If I'm not walking closely with God and have a day where I feel bummed (like today), I could have a pretty good day, and yet the simplest things could drastically pull me down. I don't as quickly turn my eyes back upon Jesus, so I don't step out of that funk quickly.
My heart has been burdened by many things lately, but I haven't really dealt with these things: I haven't prayed much for the things that are troubling me, I haven't read the Bible as much, I haven't talked to friends much, etc. I suspect that I haven't been able to write a blog post in over a week not just due to a lack of time but also because I haven't been spending as much time with the Lord. Every day, I can feel and hear and see Him calling me back into a closer fellowship with Him: what it is in me that has a hard time trusting Him? What is it in me that tries to steal my passion for Christ and keeps me from leaping off the couch in the abundant joy of Christ and determined pursuit of the Lord? I am so grateful that the Lord is always faithful and that He knows my anxious thoughts (Psalm 139:23), that if His eye is on the sparrow, how much more He cares for me (Psalm 84:3, Matthew 10:31, Luke 12:7), and that He knows me intimately and loves me (Psalm 139). My heart is greatly troubled tonight, so I continue to pray this verse: "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed, O Lord, lead me to the rock that is higher than I." (Psalm 61:2)
My heart has been burdened by many things lately, but I haven't really dealt with these things: I haven't prayed much for the things that are troubling me, I haven't read the Bible as much, I haven't talked to friends much, etc. I suspect that I haven't been able to write a blog post in over a week not just due to a lack of time but also because I haven't been spending as much time with the Lord. Every day, I can feel and hear and see Him calling me back into a closer fellowship with Him: what it is in me that has a hard time trusting Him? What is it in me that tries to steal my passion for Christ and keeps me from leaping off the couch in the abundant joy of Christ and determined pursuit of the Lord? I am so grateful that the Lord is always faithful and that He knows my anxious thoughts (Psalm 139:23), that if His eye is on the sparrow, how much more He cares for me (Psalm 84:3, Matthew 10:31, Luke 12:7), and that He knows me intimately and loves me (Psalm 139). My heart is greatly troubled tonight, so I continue to pray this verse: "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed, O Lord, lead me to the rock that is higher than I." (Psalm 61:2)
Monday, March 5, 2012
Renewing of the Mind
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." -- Romans 12:2
This verse came to mind this evening as I sat thinking about what to write for a blog post. I haven't written in days, so I ought to write something, I told myself. Yet, as I sat debating what to write (and knowing that I have a long list of things I want to eventually write about), I felt no motivation to begin. Lately, my thoughts have been leaning more often on the negative side. Whether due to poor "training" or my melancholy nature, I have struggled with having a negative perspective for many years. This is another thing that our premarital counselor told me that I would need to repeatedly turn over to the Lord for help. He said I would need to learn how to re-train my mind to not fall into old habits. Over time, the Lord has taught me how to re-train my mind to rely on His strength, to see things through the lens of God's Word...in other words, how to think positively through the perspective of Jesus Christ!
Though I walk in a relationship with the Lord, I am unfortunately still stuck with my sin nature so long as I live on this side of Heaven. So, I have days where I don't feel positive and don't feel motivated to do much. If I'm not careful, my brain will do what it does best -- take rabbit trail after rabbit trail of thoughts...in this case, negative ones. If I'm not on guard and don't realize what's happening, I might miss some blessing the Lord has given me, miss something He's trying to teach me, or miss a way in which He wants me to serve Him.
After having a weekend that should have left me feeling rejuvenated and encouraged, I felt quite discouraged last night. My mind started going down all sorts of rabbit trails! In my case, sleep was needed to bring things back into perspective. I had a pretty good day at work with a few minor frustrations, but nothing I can't handle. So why was I all in a panic on the way home wondering what I would be doing with my time this evening? I don't like feeling like I waste my evenings debating what to do and yet not feeling motivated to do much of anything. I walked in the door braced for disappointment. Tonight, Tom came to my rescue as he stepped around the corner and into the kitchen where I was standing. He had a big grin on his face simply because he was glad to see me. He embraced me and for the next two hours, he expressed his affections toward me while he rubbed my back, and while we had a humorous discussion about human anatomy, went to the grocery store, and had dinner. It brings tears to my eyes as I realize that once again, Tom is God's reminder to me that He loves me and cherishes me like Tom does...more than Tom does!
After he went upstairs to take part in his video game night with the guys, I watched a movie and then sat staring at my computer trying to decide what to write. That's when this verse came to mind.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." -- Romans 12:2
Have you ever read a verse so many times that you discover God's new revelations to you about that verse? Depending on your circumstances or what God's trying to teach you at any moment, He may show you something else about a particular verse, or emphasize a part of the verse more than another in your mind. I have read this verse many times and love it! I think I may have mentioned it (and plan on mentioning it again) in my other posts, but for different reasons.
Tonight, this verse is more personal than ever; I'll try to explain how each part spoke to me tonight. I should not conform to the pattern of this world: in my case, I should not allow my sin nature to dictate/control my actions or my thoughts. I must be transformed by the renewing of my mind: the Lord says to "Remain in me" (John 15:4), so I must always continue to dwell on the Lord, or return to seek His face when my mind has wandered. Remaining Christ-focused instead of Me-focused will renew my mind so that I have more joy, more understanding and discernment, and the encouragement that comes from the Lord. If I do this, then I will be able to test and discern (discover and understand) what God's will is: He will give me the guidance I need to take the next step that He wants me to take. I will be better able to understand and see the ways in which He is meeting my needs and encouraging me (such as working through people close to me, like my husband). If I do not heed this verse, then He will still give me guidance and will still meet my needs and show His love and encouragement, but I will not be able to recognize or understand any or much of it.
As my husband told me this evening, each new day is a gift from God; sleep is a good illustration of God giving me the chance to renew my mind and wake up with a Christ-perspective in the morning. Though I'm not perfect at it, I pray that with the Lord's help, I'm getting better!
This verse came to mind this evening as I sat thinking about what to write for a blog post. I haven't written in days, so I ought to write something, I told myself. Yet, as I sat debating what to write (and knowing that I have a long list of things I want to eventually write about), I felt no motivation to begin. Lately, my thoughts have been leaning more often on the negative side. Whether due to poor "training" or my melancholy nature, I have struggled with having a negative perspective for many years. This is another thing that our premarital counselor told me that I would need to repeatedly turn over to the Lord for help. He said I would need to learn how to re-train my mind to not fall into old habits. Over time, the Lord has taught me how to re-train my mind to rely on His strength, to see things through the lens of God's Word...in other words, how to think positively through the perspective of Jesus Christ!
Though I walk in a relationship with the Lord, I am unfortunately still stuck with my sin nature so long as I live on this side of Heaven. So, I have days where I don't feel positive and don't feel motivated to do much. If I'm not careful, my brain will do what it does best -- take rabbit trail after rabbit trail of thoughts...in this case, negative ones. If I'm not on guard and don't realize what's happening, I might miss some blessing the Lord has given me, miss something He's trying to teach me, or miss a way in which He wants me to serve Him.
After having a weekend that should have left me feeling rejuvenated and encouraged, I felt quite discouraged last night. My mind started going down all sorts of rabbit trails! In my case, sleep was needed to bring things back into perspective. I had a pretty good day at work with a few minor frustrations, but nothing I can't handle. So why was I all in a panic on the way home wondering what I would be doing with my time this evening? I don't like feeling like I waste my evenings debating what to do and yet not feeling motivated to do much of anything. I walked in the door braced for disappointment. Tonight, Tom came to my rescue as he stepped around the corner and into the kitchen where I was standing. He had a big grin on his face simply because he was glad to see me. He embraced me and for the next two hours, he expressed his affections toward me while he rubbed my back, and while we had a humorous discussion about human anatomy, went to the grocery store, and had dinner. It brings tears to my eyes as I realize that once again, Tom is God's reminder to me that He loves me and cherishes me like Tom does...more than Tom does!
After he went upstairs to take part in his video game night with the guys, I watched a movie and then sat staring at my computer trying to decide what to write. That's when this verse came to mind.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." -- Romans 12:2
Have you ever read a verse so many times that you discover God's new revelations to you about that verse? Depending on your circumstances or what God's trying to teach you at any moment, He may show you something else about a particular verse, or emphasize a part of the verse more than another in your mind. I have read this verse many times and love it! I think I may have mentioned it (and plan on mentioning it again) in my other posts, but for different reasons.
Tonight, this verse is more personal than ever; I'll try to explain how each part spoke to me tonight. I should not conform to the pattern of this world: in my case, I should not allow my sin nature to dictate/control my actions or my thoughts. I must be transformed by the renewing of my mind: the Lord says to "Remain in me" (John 15:4), so I must always continue to dwell on the Lord, or return to seek His face when my mind has wandered. Remaining Christ-focused instead of Me-focused will renew my mind so that I have more joy, more understanding and discernment, and the encouragement that comes from the Lord. If I do this, then I will be able to test and discern (discover and understand) what God's will is: He will give me the guidance I need to take the next step that He wants me to take. I will be better able to understand and see the ways in which He is meeting my needs and encouraging me (such as working through people close to me, like my husband). If I do not heed this verse, then He will still give me guidance and will still meet my needs and show His love and encouragement, but I will not be able to recognize or understand any or much of it.
As my husband told me this evening, each new day is a gift from God; sleep is a good illustration of God giving me the chance to renew my mind and wake up with a Christ-perspective in the morning. Though I'm not perfect at it, I pray that with the Lord's help, I'm getting better!
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