Attitude Adjustment

Ever find yourself needing an attitude adjustment?  Ever get something stuck in your craw and you just can't let it go?  Well that has been me the last couple of weeks.  I would determine every morning I was not going to let this issue get to me, but by the end of the day I would be so angry I could spit venom.  The stress of it was getting to me and spreading to others..

This morning I sat down with a notecard to do my quiet time.  A lot of times I sit down with a card so if a verse really speaks to me I can jot it down and take it with me.  That way I have it at work with me and I can ponder it though out the day.  The memory is going (darn old menopause), and writing it down helps.  Added bonus I am getting a cool collection of verses to use if I know someone neeeds a quick pick me up.

So, this morning before I even opened my bible I wrote out this prayer on the card.
God help me to be:
Part of the solution - Not the problem
An encourgaer - Not a destroyer
Humble - Not proud
Gracious - Not greeedy
Grateful - Not envious
Helpful - Not hurtful
Spirit filled - Not Janet filled
God centered- Not me centered

Then I opened my bible and asked God to give me a verse to help me with that prayer.  I am reading in Galations so there were lots of verses that could apply.  But then I came to Galations 5:16, "But I say walk by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."

I went back and looked at my list and it appplies to everything on it.  If I walk in the spirit I will be those things.  I will be an encourger, humble, gracious, grateful, spirit filled, etc.

As I read the verse over and over God began to say Janet there is more here than what you are taking away.  God said your desire of the flesh is that you want to make yourself be all those things on the good side.  But, you can't on your own power.  The key to this verse for me is to walk by the spirit.  If I keep my thoughts on God, and stay in the spirit then those other things will fall away.

If I walk in the spirit I will be an encourager instead of trying not to be a destroyer.  I will be humble instead of trying not to be proud.  I will be gracious instead of trying not to be greedy.  I will be grateful instead of trying not to be envious.  I will be helpful instead of trying not to be hurtful.  God is all of those things.  If I abide in him and he abides in me I will be those things instead of  me TRYING so hard not to be the others.

Thanks for reading!

Do You Pray Like You Mean It?

When you pray are you really expecting God to answer?  When you ask for a miracle do you really think one could possible happen?

This past week I have been praying with a friend for a certain prayer request.  A pretty specific request. This friend text this morning and said my prayer may have been answered. She also said and if it is answered this way, it would be a miracle.

After reading that text I began to think about whether or not I had really expected God to answer that prayer.  I wanted him to answer this request and I wanted him to answer it in a way that my friend would know it was truly God.  That's what I wanted, that was what I was praying, but was I really believing it would happen?  Or did I just assume my friend would figure a way to work this out? (She is quite resourceful, hence the reason I was praying let her know it could only be God.)  Hmmmmm!!

What about your prayers?  What prevents us from praying this way?

For me it is the same thing as putting  my heart out there and really being open and loving someone.  If you open your heart to love someone you take the chance that they won't love you back, or they will let you down and disappoint you.  Which is probably going to happen at some point, we are all human beings full of self and sin.  

Believing in prayer is the same way.  If you pray and really believe God is going to answer then what if he doesn't?  Then where are you?  Then you have been disappointed, and FEEL like you have been let down by God.  It is much easier to put the request out there and say here's my request God if you want to answer it that would be nice.  Kind of like putting it out there and if God answers it, it is a bonus.

But what if we prayed, and truly believed our prayers made a difference, changed out comes (not that we change God's mind, but what if He is just waiting on us to ask?).  Now, don't misunderstand me.  I do not believe God is some Genie in a bottle waiting to give us what we want.  I am not a believer in the "name it and claim it" philosophy.  But maybe my prayers need some work in the believing, and trusting area.

After contemplating this this morning I picked up my bible and read John 1:43-51.  Jesus calls the disciples Philip and Nathanael.  Verse 50 says "Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe?  You will see greater things than these."

I think God is saying look at Nathanael.  He had enough faith and trust to believe who I was just because I said I knew who he was standing under the fig tree before I met him.  Because of the faith he showed believing in this small area Nathanael got to see many great things.

How are your prayers?  Are you saying God here is my request if you want to answer it that would be great. Or are you praying God here are the burdens of my heart and I trust them with you?        
      

        

WHAT IF?

I haven't blogged in awhile.  I have a list of things to blog about just haven't taken the time.  This post is going to be a little different from what I normally do.  We will see how well it goes over.

When Chris was growing up I used to call him my "what if child".  Because he was constantly full of questions.  And many times they would start with, "I know this could never happen in a million years, but just WHAT IF?"  As a young Mom it was exhausting, but when I see him analyze things now I see how God was molding and shaping him. As I read the bible, I see where maybe he got some of that from me.  When I read I am constantly thinking, how did that happen, what were they thinking, what was in their thoughts, what if I had been in that situation?

Sometimes I feel sacrilegious because I know in the grand scheme of God's plan my simple questions and observations really have nothing to do with salvation, or the big picture God has in store.  So, I usually keep my thoughts to myself.  I think I must be the only one who has these weird questions pop up when I am reading.  But maybe I am not the only one and you have them too just everyone is afraid to ask them.

For example, tonight I was reading in John 1 (the testimony of John the Baptist) and in verse 31 and 33 it says, "I myself did not know him".  I don't think he is meaning here that he didn't know Jesus.  They were some how related.  Luke 1:36 the angel says to Mary, "behold your relative Elizabeth (John the Baptist Mom), in her old age has also conceived a son (John).  So, Jesus and John were somehow related, maybe  second cousins.  Wouldn't it seem logically that at some point they had played together as little boys?

So, I think he knew who Jesus the man was, but he didn't know He was the Savior, the one he was waiting for.  But I believe that Elizabeth knew who he was so why didn't John?  Luke 1:42 tells us that John leaped in Elizabeth's womb when Mary greeted her right after finding out she was pregnant.  And Elizabeth said "blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.  Verse 43 says, "and why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"

So, Elizabeth knew but John didn't.  So, it must not have been talked about in the family circles.  Did they go up to the Feast of the Passover together when Jesus stayed behind to teach in the temple?  Were they all helping look for him in the caravan?  Did they not talk about his responds.  Luke 2:49, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"

Yet, it clearly tells us that John didn't know Jesus was Lord until he baptized him and the dove descended.  Was John waiting in anticipation every time he baptized someone?  Was he wondering is this the one, the messiah?  Was he shocked to find out it was Jesus?  This one he maybe grew up playing together with?  Did he chuckle and say really Lord?  I should have known he was always good, and never got into trouble.  Luke 1:34 John says, "and I have seen and have borne witness that this (Jesus) is the Son of God."

Why didn't he know, WHAT IF he had?  I think the answer to that, was that it was all in God's timing. Jesus' response to Mary his mother, at the wedding of Cana might give us some insight. When she asked him to turn water into wine his response in  John 2:4, "woman what does this have to do with me?, My hour has not yet come".  God knew the hour that Jesus ministry was to begin.  Maybe that's why it doesn't seem to appear to have been talked about at family gatherings or why John didn't know.  Maybe the answer to most of our WHAT IF questions, is simple God's Timing.

Discipline - Hope this doesn't offend anyone!

Discipline.  What do you think of when you hear that word?  Depending upon your childhood it might bring back memories of a good swat to the behind.  I am sure it might be one of the things that pops into the head of my children.  

I recently watched a Chip Ingram video about discipline, and in the video he describes an incident with one of his sons.  An incident that involved a car backing out and the words stop, STOP NOW!  I would venture to say most of us have probably had one of those close calls with our kids.  But, something he said in that video has had me thinking for the last week.  He said in evaluating that situation, "I came to realize, if my son doesn't learn how to listen to my voice how will he ever know how to hear God's voice?"

The more I thought about that statement I went one step further with it.  If our kids don't learn what discipline is from us or how to respond to it, how will they ever learn how to respond to discipline from God?

I love the English Standard version of proverbs 23:13.  It reads, "Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die." Now, I am not advocating child abuse, but I am a firm believer in a good hard hand swat on the behind.  In fact such a believer that I am not even going to apologize if I offended your views on child rearing.  I think this verse is pretty clear.

Think about it.  We are suppose to lead by God's example right?  God doesn't remove things in my life that are harmful.  He doesn't pick stuff up out of my reach just to keep me out of trouble.  He disciplines me, in the same way we are to discipline our children.  If I am headed down a dangerous choice or path in life God may smack my hand.  The same way you might smack a small child's hand that is reaching out to touch a hot stove.

That smack on  the hand may sting for a little bit, but the alternative could be a scar that would last a lifetime.  God's discipline is the same way.  Telling me no or smacking my hand may hurt for a little bit, but only God in his wisdom knows the scar he could be sparing me from.

 Hebrews 12:11 says, "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."   Did you get it?  Discipline is PAINFUL, it isn't pleasant, but what follows the pain is PEACEFUL fruit.  First comes the pain then the peace.

God tells us NO sometimes.  A lot of times he tells us no.  When did we become a society that feels like we cannot tell our kids no?  If we are following God's example there will be some NO's coming out of our mouth.  In fact probably quite a few of them; because it's a kids job to push the envelope to find out where the boundaries are.  It's our job as parents to set those safe boundaries.  The same way God sets boundaries in our lives.  

Yes, my kids are grown now so it's easy for me to say these are the things we SHOULD do.  I wasn't a perfect parent, I didn't get it right most of the time. Looking back there were lots of things I wish I had done differently.   But, I am very proud of the adults my kids have grown into, and part of that is because I wasn't afraid to discipline ( just ask them - apparently they are more than willing to share about all the spankings I gave them).

Proverbs 12:1 says, "Whoever loves discipline, loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid."  Let's not be raising a society of stupid children.  Teach them discipline!!!!  
            

Vacation - NOT

I have been on hold this week with a case of vertigo.  Which is totally unusual for me.  I have been very blessed to have great health.  Which also means I am one of those people who never goes to the doctor.  Bad I know.

I started with the dizziness on Tuesday morning and ended up in the ER by noon.  My only focus, this has to be better by the end of the week because Brett and I were headed on vacation to the beach.  How shallow is that?  But that was really the only thing on my mind.

As the week went along and I still wasn't able to stand without stumbling around it became apparent we were not heading south.

I was upset by this.  I felt cheated.  I mean we work hard all year long it seemed only "fair" that we were able to take a week and enjoy some down time.  I felt like I was being "denied" something that belonged to me.  Seeing it in writing looks even worse than it sounded in my head.  But, those were my thoughts.   As shallow as they are they are honest.

Today I got in for a Dr's appointment and they sent me for an MRI.    Kudos to Dr. Brown's office.  Since I hadn't been to the doctor for 4 or 5 years my office considered me a new patient and couldn't get me in till next week.  Dr, Brown's office worked me in and they were all great.  So a big thanks to them.  

But, as I was sitting by Brett waiting to go back for the MRI a lot of thoughts started running through my head.  I sat there thinking hundreds of people sit in these chairs each month.  People like me going about their lives with everything running smooth.  Just like me they are sitting here thinking this is just a precaution to rule out anything major.

Then I realized for some of those hundreds of people their lives change in an instant.  One word changes their life forever.  I sat their thinking what if I am sitting here before going in and my biggest concern this week is it isn't fair if I don't get to go on vacation?  What if I am sitting here with Brett and this is the last "normal" conversation we have?  

If I walk through those doors and my normal mundane live changes?  God would I still honor you?  Would my actions glorify you with trust no matter the outcome?  For one minute I wanted to get up and walk out.  Going along not knowing was better than the alternative.  Then the woman walked out and said are you ready?

I went back for the MRI and spent that 30 minutes thanking God for the blessings he so richly and abundantly pours over my life.  The 30 minutes was not nearly enough time I didn't even get half way through.  

Thankfully my tests results came back normal.  I still have the dizziness and can't walk straight but it is improving.  When I first started having the dizziness I told Brett I would do better if this were pain I am pretty good at mind over mattering pain, but I can't mind over matter this.  Pretty sure that's why the room is spinning God knows I can't stop that on my own.  He gives us things out of our control so we will count on Him.

So, Brett and I are not headed to the beach but God knew that, because for the first time ever we bought travelers insurance so a full refund on our reservation.  But, Brett and I are also not headed down a journey of unspeakable life change.  Thank you God for your mercy and grace everyday.


Isaiah 41:13 "For I, The Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the one who helps you."

Sweet Watermelon

So, here it is the end of March.  Spring has been on the calendar for about a week.  The grass is getting greener, the weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer.  It really is starting to feel like maybe old man winter has retired for another year. Though I am not holding my breathe just quite yet.

While in the grocery store this weekend I saw watermelons on a pallet. A sure sign of Spring right?  They were outrageously priced.  However, they looked so green, so tantalizing, so tempting.  For someone who loves watermelon I couldn't resist.  I bought one and brought it home.

For me watermelons are a connection to a good memory.  I can remember sitting outside at my Grandma's house on a quilt on the ground, with family all around.  The sweet aroma of that precious fruit when it was first split open.  The beautiful bright red color of the fruit full of black and white seeds.  I can remember eating it right from the rind, spitting the seeds on the ground, and the sweet juice running down my chin.  The stickiness  on my face and hands, running all the way down my arms.

Is the memory blown out of proportion?  Or are watermelons just not as good anymore?  In the last few years I have only gotten maybe one really good watermelon. One that measured up to my memory of them from childhood.

I have a theory on this.  The sweetness of the watermelons comes from the seeds.  Since we have taken out the seeds they are not as good anymore.  The color is a pale pink instead of bright red.  The firmness has been replaced by an over ripe softness.  And most depressing the flavor is lacking in sweetness and juice.

We have taken out those pesky seeds that were such a pain in our butt.  But in making our life easier, we have taken away the beauty and the sweetness of the fruit.  I think that happens sometimes in life.  When we remove the things that are a pain in our butt, we take away some of the sweetness.  We take away from the joy and accomplishment of having completed something that was hard.  There was something about taking a bite and determining what was fruit and spitting out the seeds.  There is a satisfaction in spitting out seeds, the same way there is a satisfaction in determining what is good in our lives and what we should spit out.

I will continue to buy watermelons and search for that taste and sweet treat from my childhood.  But, I am going to be on the hunt for watermelons with seeds.  I am OK with the  nuisance of picking out the seeds if it brings the sweetness I remember.

Psalm 119:103 "How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey."