Putting on the Brakes! (part 2 of Too much is too much!)

Are you like me? Did you get yourself into high gear with no brakes? You'll run out of gas and come to a screeching halt! Did God ever intend for us to get this busy? I don't think so. Perhaps a good acrostic for busy is B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke ; that spells busy all right! it is a yoke - and a heavy one at that! Jesus Christ told us to put His yoke on (Matthew 11) "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Isn't that what we are looking for - rest? Yet, we look at Christ's yoke as being burdensome, heavy; but, it is just the opposite. Satan's yoke is the heavy one. Jesus' burden is light. How? and Why? Because He is with us through every trial every frustration, every care. We don't go through trials alone. Under Satan's yoke- you're on your own. And believe me, that's one heavy burden!

Here's how Satan works:

Are you busy? Suppose Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his evil angels, he said, "We can't keep the Christians from going to church. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from forming an intimate, abiding relationship experience in Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So let them go to church, let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time, so they can't gain that experience in Jesus Christ. This is what I want you to do, angels. Distract them from gaining hold of their Saviour and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!" "How shall we do this?" shouted Satan's angels. "Keep them busy in the non essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their mind", he answered. "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow. Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and husbands to work 6-7 days a week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon their home will offer no escape from the pressures of work". "Over stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear God's still small voice. Entice them to play the radio or CD player whenever they drive, to keep the TV, VCR, CD's and their PC's going constantly in their homes. And see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ." "Fill the coffee table with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, sweepstakes, mail order catalogues, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services, and false hopes." "Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. have them return from their recreation exhausted, disquieted, and unprepared for the coming week. Don't let them go out in nature to reflect on God's wonders. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts and movies instead." "And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and emotion." "Let them be involved in soul winning. But crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Christ. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause."

It was quite a convention in the end. And the evil angels went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busy, busy, busy and rush here and there.

Has the devil been successful at his scheme? You be the judge.

Will that stop us? It's good for me to think about this every once in awhile - we can get so caught up in 'good causes' that we really forget what is important. Mary sat at Jesus' feet. Sometimes having a Mary heart in a Martha world is not easy. But, oh how refreshing it is. Lord help us to hear the still small voice. Better yet, help us to be quiet and still long enough to listen.

Have a blessed day,

Lori

Too much is too much!!

You probably can tell I've been tied up the last couple of weeks. Just one of those extra busy times. Do you ever feel like you're strapped to the front of a train going full speed ahead and can't get off? Sometimes the busyness of life can cause great frustration (if we even have time to think about it, that is) or even depression and burnout, especially if we feel we have no choice in the matter. Yes, we can get overwhelmed, over-taxed and too busy. We all hit those times in our lives when feelings of burnout drag us down.

Burnout is an "exhaustion of one's energy or enthusiasm". Exhaustion!! Mr. Webster says to exhaust something is to draw out or drain off completely, to empty, to weaken, to tire, to use up! Has the frantic pace of life zapped you of your energies? your zeal? your interest? Most of us have more than plenty to do, life is full of work and activity, in other words we are b-u-s-y! Sometimes even natural changes in our schedules, like school starting in the Fall, can overwhelm and over-extend us. Sometimes its holidays. Seems like I've been here before (many more times than I'd like to admit). I found an old list the other day as I was going through a pile of papers. Yep, been there. The list had a couple of months of things that I had going on or was doing. This included Thanksgiving dinner for the singles in our church in my home, a couples get-together for Christmas in my home, two teen activities at the farm, a Bible college new semester dinner, two Christmas cantatas to get ready for (I was painting murals for one and the kids had parts in the other), two Christmas recitals to attend, violin lessons and trumpet lessons to run to, a HEART homeschool event to plan for, ladies ministry meeting, several group Bible studies to plan and prepare, a couple of hospital visits, some doctor's visits (I was expecting at the time), school work to correct, cookies to bake for a Christmas exchange, several owies to kiss, Mount Laundermore to conquer, one birthday to celebrate (mine - hee,hee) and our Anniversary. Whew!! Somebody put on the brakes!

Tune in again for the rest of the story.... just don't know when...tomorrow, or the next day or....when I have a chance.

Have a blessed day,
Lori

Am I Devoted?

When we are devoted to something or someone we have given ourselves wholly to that purpose, service or person. We are said to be very loyal and faithful. After looking up that dictionary definition, I had to ask myself 'How devoted to the Lord am I, really? Am I faithful to meet Him daily? Am I loyal?' When we like someone, we want to spend time with them. That is a natural thing, isn't it? So, how's our time with the Lord? Is it meaningful? Do we enjoy our time with Him in the quiet moments of our day? Do we look forward to what He has to say to us through His word? Can we apply it to our every day lives? Is our time with the Lord special and important to us? Perhaps, the answer to these questions is no, not really.

Having that special quiet time with our Lord can often seem elusive, just slipping by us undone and unnoticed. When you were a single, unmarried Christian woman, it was probably easy to spend time with the Lord in personal devotion to Him. Marriage and children can change all this as our time is no longer our own. The demands of children can easily interrupt quiet solitude, and your dear husband may need that button sewed on his shirt before he goes to work at 7:00am. The Bible tells us, in I Corinthians 7:34, there will be this struggle, "There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.” The unmarried woman has no divided loyalties, but the married woman - that’s a different story. She can’t read her Bible all day and pray long hours. Why? A sick little one may need her attention,laundry for the family needs to be done, or someone may have tracked in mud all over the floor and company is coming for supper! The things that pertain to raising children and keeping a husband happy will be in the forefront,often competing with time needed with the Lord. So, how can we, as Christian wives and mothers, still have effective, meaningful devotional time with our Lord? After all, we need His leadership and guidance in our lives. Here are a few tips that may help.

Since distractions are most likely the number one cause of us not having our devotional time, choose a time when the children are more apt to be sleeping and the telephone is less likely to ring. For me, this is easiest early in the morning. Find a nice cozy place in a nice, comfortable chair and meet in the same place each day. I like to get a hot cup of tea to sip and a warm throw to curl up with. You will begin to look forward to the sweet time of fellowship as this time becomes more consistent.

Side Note: Have you ever noticed sleepiness begin to set in as soon as you pull your Bible out? Five minutes of exercise will often fix this and help keep us alert.

I like to begin with prayer for an open heart and mind and determine before I even start my special time with the Lord, that I will obey any command or principle He may reveal to me. I remind myself of David's prayer in Psalm 119:18, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."

Keeping a special “devotions” book can be a real blessing, too. Writing down dates of prayer requests and answers will remind you of God's interest in our lives. Jotting down any ideas I get from reading the Bible and new lessons or principles that need to be heeded helps me remember what He has been doing in my life daily. Including special poems or songs that I've found meaningful along with sayings, quips or quotes can give me strength through the day, too, as I am reminded I'm not the only one who has gone through this. Sermon outlines are always good to add. All these things can be a great blessing during times when we need encouragement and they help us to keep a thankful heart.

Learn to hunger for a sweet relationship with the Lord. Our devotional time should be more than just asking for needs to be met or for help in certain situations. It ought to be a time of meditating and enjoying the Lord. Meditating, considering, thinking quietly and reflecting on spiritual things often takes practice and patience – don’t get discouraged.

Avoid the temptation to skip devotions. Don’t succumb to Satan’s whispering in your ear “It’s a waste of time – you’re not getting anything out of it anyway.” Keep reading and you’ll discover something special the Lord has just for you. It is a step of faith to continue even when you don’t feel like it. When we resist the urge to quit, we also give God a chance for fixing what is troubling us.

One last tip, when you discover something especially meaningful, try writing it down on a 3x5 card and putting it in an obvious place, like the refrigerator or above the sink. That way you’ll see it often and be continually reminded of God’s blessing throughout your day.

We can have an effective and meaningful devotional time with the Lord. It will just require some determination and effort on our part.

Have a blessed day,


Lori

Bread Baking (and eating!)

Mmmmm....the wonderful smell of bread baking in the oven. Just nothing quite like it. And eating that first slice of warm bread smothered in butter - ooh, nothing quite as rewarding to the taste-buds.

My mom used to spend Saturdays baking homemade buns for our family when I was growing up. I can still see the top of the old freezer lined with rows of neatly spaced balls of dough left there to rise. I'm sure it was more a "labor of love" than an actual money saving event. Perhaps she just plain enjoyed hearing the oohs and aaahs from her appreciative family, as we sank our teeth into a fresh slice of homemade bread. Perhaps she got satisfaction from knowing we were getting a nutritious addition to our daily diet. Whatever her reasons, she faithfully baked bread for us for years and we joyfully ate it!

I find it interesting that the Bible speaks much about "bread". Jesus Christ rebuked the devil when he commanded the Son of God to turn stones to bread by saying, "It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." And in another place He called Himself the "Bread of Life", telling us the importance of accepting Him as Savior in our own lives and reminding us that we need His word daily. Paul tells us to eat the "unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" in I Corinthians 5:8. We are to ask the Lord to give us our "daily bread", speaking of Him providing our necessary food each and every day. But one of the most interesting references to bread is found in Proverbs 31:27, where it mentions we, as wives, ought not to eat "the bread of idleness". Why is it that some wives and mother's never seem to find enough hours in their day to accomplish the many tasks at hand, while others seem bored, oblivious to their daily duties, spending hours on the phone or visiting with friends. There may be no harm and even something at times to be gained from a friendly visit. But we can all too easily let this pleasantry take too much of our time, allowing us to become guilty of eating "the bread of idleness".

After filling ourselves with this bread we are sure to end up with a stomachache of discouragement, worthlessness, and unhappiness. Why? Because God intended for us to work. There is therapeutic value in work. We are happiest when busy. We can gain a sense of worth when we've accomplished something. It is rewarding. Many a broken or discouraged heart has been healed while working outdoors in the sunshine amongst flowers.

Here's a word of caution, though, we need a variety of "breads" to have a balanced diet. Don't neglect to eat "the Bread of Life", and indulge in God's Word daily. That's the true life-giving bread and a mainstay if we are to "looketh well to the ways of [our] household". You'll find no time to be bored and you'll have energy to accomplish all the Lord has in mind for you daily. Your reward? ..."strength and honour are her clothing and she shall rejoice in time to come." - Proverbs 31 woman

Have a blessed day,

Lori

Greener Grass?

This past summer I took the kids to the zoo for an afternoon. We enjoyed seeing all the different animals; the bears, tigers, otters, emus, camels, and different birds. The monkeys entertained us for quite awhile and then off to the petting zoo we went. It was full of cute little baby animals. There were two small calves, a few goats, some miniature horses and a couple of lambs. The boys ran off to see the huge colorful fish and deer, while the girls and I stayed and watched the lambs. There was one particular little lamb that had its heart set on eating the grass on the wrong side of the fence. He struggled to get his head through and finally succeeded. After munching his new found delicacy, he decided he’d had enough and went to pull his head back inside the fence. He turned it this way and that way, he pulled up and tried pulling down. He was stuck! I stood there and shook my head and sighed, ‘the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence!’ Now, this little guy wasn’t starved for food, he had plenty on his own side of the fence. He wasn’t lacking any water, either. What made the grass on the other side so appealing? Good question!!

Is this like us or what? Under difficult circumstances, or when under certain pressures or even when we just plain don’t feel like anything is getting accomplished, we get to looking around to see if there is a better situation elsewhere. The grass begins to look greener on the other side of the fence. But is it really greener? Watch out! If we’re not careful, we will let these circumstances push us out of God’s will for our life right into the railings of the fence seeking for greener pastures.Before making some life altering decisions, lets consider a few things:

1. When a trial or difficult situation pops into our lives, do we run to the Lord in prayer? Are we willing to yield to His will in that particular circumstance, acknowledging we are His to be used for His glory and honor? Or do we run around like a chicken with our head cut off in full panic mode? (Too many times, I’ve been found scrambling - looking for my head!)

2. Often when faced with temptation, we can be guilty of ‘grasping at straws’. This is a good thing, because.... We will try every opportunity that comes along, without seeking God’s guidance. Here's a tip, determine now, in your heart, that you will stay steady and not make a move until you have complete assurance of His will in the situation. How many times have I thought something was God’s will and jumped right in without consulting Him. How many times have I put words into His mouth?!! Too many times to count I’m afraid.

3. Sometimes we will use our own lack of comfort and happiness as a barometer for change, thinking we must not be in the Lord’s will if we aren’t happy. What about Job? Was he comfortable and happy in his situation? I’m sure not. Was he in the Lord’s will? He most definitely was. I think he must have made up his mind before the situation arose to do the will of God no matter what the cost. Something for us to consider, that way our emotions won’t even be an issue.

4. Perhaps we want a change because we want an excuse to get out of a problem. We really want to quit! That most likely won’t solve the problem. Often we leave behind even more problems and difficulties for others to deal with and we bring our problem with us (it really is our reaction to the problem that is the issue). Shirking our responsibilities creates more hardships for others.

Let's consider this: Are we fully using the opportunities available to us right now to do the Lord’s work, or do we really think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence? Our imaginations can often paint a more vivid picture of exciting service elsewhere. Visions of better jobs, more pay, more recognition, more appreciation, more friends, and better opportunities for our children and on and on the list goes can often get the best of us. Could we just be looking for an easier way of life? Is that a reason to move on?

Before making a change or looking for greener pastures, maybe we ought to ask ourselves, “Is my spiritual condition such that my decision can be relied on?” If we are not committed to the Lord’s will, we will not have the discernment we need to make a spiritual decision. We just may get our heads caught in the fence!

Although it may look greener, it’s still only grass!!

Have a blessed day,

Lori

Quiet and ...Peace

The other day I sat down at the dining room table so I could write - lunch was over and it was a relatively slow time of the day - even quiet. Well, as quiet as can be in a family our size. As I picked up my pencil, the two youngest picked up their speed - squealing with delight as they darted in and out of the chairs and around the table. I kept writing - no one was crying yet, it was still for 'fun'. Then I heard a door shut and this sound - slightly discernible as music -come blasting through the room as one of the kids decided it was time to practice...the trumpet! Thoughts of one day hearing that child play beautiful music quickly escaped my mind. My concen.. concentra...concentration was f-a-d-i-n-g. Then someone else remembered they hadn't practiced their violin lesson yet - out came the violin. Children have to start somewhere, I reminded myself. It was definitely getting harder to think...let alone write something! I thought about yelling out "Quiet!" But, I just sat there... amazed... wondering what decibel if would finally peak out at. A symphony? Not. Well, at least not yet. Soon my ears had had enough. I packed up my things and retreated behind a closed door to...think.

Think! Think! Think! I couldn't think! So this is what Winnie the Pooh feels like ...my mind could just as well as been filled with fluff! What happened? For starters, I was distracted and experiencing confusion of mind...a disturbance of thought (part of our vocabulary lesson). It's easy to get distracted during the course of a day. It's easy for me to get my head turned and forget the task at hand. Many things clamor for our attention. Unfortunately, getting distracted is common in the spiritual realm, too. The Bible talks about the Word of God being choked because of us minding the cares of this world. Our attention is divided, because of distraction. The things of this world can often 'grab our attention' and get us off course. We can allow ourselves to set our minds, our affection, our hearts on the wrong things. I John 2 gives us a firm warning, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof. But he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." We get distracted when we get double minded, trying to mind the things of this world and the things of God -"a double minded man is unstable in all his ways." We also get distracted when we worry, are anxious and dwell on things we can't do anything about, forgetting we are to be "casting all (our) care upon him: for he careth for (us)."

The Bible often uses the words: think on, dwell, ponder, meditate, and consider. Because it's easy for us to get distracted spiritually, we need to have our hearts fixed on some things. Psalm 112 says of a saved man, "his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord." And in Psalm 57, David says, "O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise."

How do we fix our hearts on the Lord, on spiritual things? It involves our thinking. What do we think on... what do we dwell on? The Psalms are full of things we are to think on, things we are to meditate on. Psalm 1:2 tells us to meditate or think on His law day and night. In Psalm 143 we are told to meditate on God's works. And of course in Philippians 4:8 we are told, "finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Often though, for me to think, I need quiet. It is hard to dwell on something, to pay attention or heed something when it is noisy. Our Father reminds us, "Be still and know that I am God." We can't hear God speaking to us with all of the 'noise', the outcry of the world clamoring for our attention. Let's find a quiet place for some quiet time with the Lord every day. "My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places." - Isaiah 32:18.

Lord, help me to find the quiet place today.

Have a blessed day,

Lori