Think About It…

The Small Stuff

As my younger son was growing up, I had to find creative ways to deal with his, well, let’s just say, “antics.” Social media was my outlet and I would “vent” by posting daily updates on what my kid was up to. Most of the posts were about his behavior at school, for example:

2nd Grade Saga: Day 80 – Morning Conversation

ALEX: Maggie was Model Student this month. Do you know who the model student was last month?

ME: Nope. Who?

ALEX: Maggie’s best friend. You know, mom, model student doesn’t go in order.

ME: I know. You have to be on dark green every day to be the model student.

ALEX: Yeah. I don’t know how to do that!

 

Such was the theme throughout his entire elementary school years. <SIGH>

Other times, the posts were about my child’s unique perspective on the world around him:

3rd Grade Boys and Pizza:

Alex opens up a box of pizza and sings “Aaaaaaaah” in his best angelic voice.

He closes the box and opens it again. “Aaaaaaaah,” he sings.

“It would be cool if it did that every time you opened the box, wouldn’t it?” he asked. “I wish there was an app for that!”

 

I learned to truly enjoy how his little brain thought!

This kid always kept me on my toes. He challenged me to see the silver lining in every situation, to turn what could be worrisome mom moments into opportunities to enjoy my child’s rough edges and pointy corners and to laugh when everything was telling me to give up.

And many times, his crazy antics ended up teaching me much, much more:

Alex’ Summertime Antics:

Tonight at church, we learned that if Jesus can calm a terrible storm by saying three simple words, “Peace! Be still!”, He can surely calm the storms of our lives (help us through tough times). So, I asked the kids to tell me some tough things that they go through that God can help them with. The kids gave great answers – school, losing a friend, the death of loved ones, breaking an arm or leg, parents getting divorced.

Then, Alex raised his hand…

“When you drop your iPod on your bed and it bounces up and hits you in the eye!”

One of the other teachers looked at me and said, “That’s YOUR kid!”

Yes, he is my kid! And he had a very good point – whether he realized it or not.

There is absolutely nothing too small to take to God in prayer. If it matters to you, it matters to Him. He cares about everything that is going on in your life.

We tend to believe we don’t need to waste God’s time on the small stuff, like our child’s behavior at school or loosing our car keys or getting hit in the eye with a bouncing iPod. But it’s often the little things like these that weigh us down the most. We throw these small troubles over our shoulders and say, “I got this.” Then, when the next little thing comes along, we throw it over our shoulders, too. And we keep adding and adding and adding until all those little problems that we thought for sure we could handle become a huge burden that we can no longer bear.

We could save ourselves a whole lot of heart (and back) ache by just taking each little trouble to the Lord. You’re not going to offend God by bringing what you think is a tiny matter to Him in prayer. No, God will say “Peace! Be Still!” to any size storm – even a little rain shower. That’s how amazing our God is!

So, what are you waiting for? Take Alex’ advice about the small stuff and start unloading those shoulders of yours. Then, get ready to enjoy God’s peace!

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5:7‬

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Let It Go

Cast off your burdens:

Hurl away your troubles;

Force out your worries;

Get rid of all your cares;

Abandon them into the hands of the Father –

No strings attached,

No fingers crossed,

No take backs,

No 50/50 split –

Let it all go.

Then,

Walk away;

Don’t look back;

Keep pushing forward;

Enjoy the peaceful rest while HE carries the load –

No strings attached,

No fingers crossed,

No give backs;

No 50/50 split –

He will take it all.

 

And the peace of God,

which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:7‬

How’s your Vision?

20 years ago, we were trepidatiously awaiting the clock to strike midnight. Y2K and all of it’s promised glitches and meltdowns were upon us. The New Year’s ball was dropping and all we could do was sit back and wait for the technical havoc to begin.

Well, the clock struck midnight. The dates on our computers rolled over and the world did not end.

True story. 😉

Now, here we are at the dawning of the third decade of this once-feared millennium. We live in a world where our whole lives can be accessed with a thumbprint or even a face (if you like that whole facial recognition thing!), where purchases can be made in seconds with the swipe or tap of a card (if the chip is not damaged or if the network isn’t down), where every aspect of our homes can be controlled with a single app on our phones from hundreds of miles away (if you’re not afraid your house will become too smart and learn to control you! Watch Sci-Fi much??) and where information is readily available with just the call of a name – “Hey, Siri!” (She’s always listening. Always….).

If only we could have seen what 2020 was going to look like as we fearfully counted down to the year 2000, if only we could’ve had a small glimpse of what two decades of technological advancement was going to bring, we would’ve had a good laugh at the threat of that silly Year 2000 Bug, now wouldn’t we.

But that’s the problem with the future – none of us know what it will bring. We listen to the doomsday predictions. We worry about tomorrow’s problems. We stress and bite our nails. We gobble up bottles of anti-acids and we wait for the misery, trouble and chaos to come our way.

What a complete waste of our time!!!

We miss so many blessings when we spend our time worrying.

Jesus put it like this:

“Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? If then you’re not able to do even this little thing, why worry about the rest?”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭12:25-26‬ ‭CSB‬‬

You see, God knows what tomorrow will bring. He knows the answer to your problems. He has the remedy for your fears. And here’s a shocker:

We don’t.

So, the choice is yours. You can step into the new year, or any day for that matter, in fear of the unknown. Or you can move forward trusting in God’s plan, asking Him to reveal His Vision for your future, and believing that no matter what comes your way, God will use it for your good.

I don’t know about you but I think I’ll trust God’s “2020 vision” instead of my own. After all, He’s already been there and He can’t wait for us to discover all He has in store!

Happy New Year!

Be Brave!

The battle is always waging.

You may not be in the throes of the fight today. But there is always a battle to fight.

Your friend may be fighting cancer. Your neighbor may be struggling to keep her marriage together. Your loved one may be battling addiction. You may be doing all you can to maintain emotional and mental stability.

There is always a battle.

In the midst of our battles, the temptation may be to retreat, to run as far as we can from our problems or to ignore the struggles altogether. The thing about battles is you can’t outrun them. They will find you and eventually, the fight must be fought.

But here’s what you need to know:

The battle is not yours to fight!

You have an ally, no –

a WARRIOR

who will fight for you.

Check this out. In God’s Word, we read of an impending battle in 2 Chronicles 20. God’s people were terrified because of the size of the army headed their way. Wise King Jehoshaphat turned to the Lord for help. Listen to what God said to His people:

Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them… Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.

(2 Chronicles 20:15-17 NIV)

No matter the battle you are facing today, God can handle it. So quit wasting your time and energy with the same old strategies that only leave you worn out and defeated. Your job is to trust the Lord and stand firm in the battle.

Yep. You do have to show up for the fight.  Showing up may mean many different things – saying “no” to bad habits, enduring difficult people and uncomfortable situations, facing truths about yourself you’d rather not know or making impossible decisions. But rest assured. When you show up, you never have to be afraid. God’s got this!

I don’t know what battles you are facing today but God knows.  He’s ready to fight for you.  All you need to do is

SHOW UP

and

BE BRAVE!

God’s Promise

A Year of Smiles – Day 332

Reason to SMILE #332: SHOWING UP

There’s a war waging over ownership of your day – your attitude, your emotional well-being, your actions, your reactions, your words, your resolve, your joy. You can fight this battle relying on your own strength but I must tell you, the odds are against you. If you truly want to experience victory each day, your strategy needs to be a bit more unconventional. Actually, it needs to be entirely illogical.

Well, maybe not entirely.

You see, the key to winning the daily battles of your life is to realize they’re not your battles to fight. Whatever you are facing, whatever situations you are dreading, whatever fears are advancing – these battles belong to the Lord and He’s already claimed the victory.

All that is required of you is waking up, dressing up and showing up. Wake up to the gift of each new day. Dress up in the armor God has given you. (Ephesians 6:10-18 – Man! I wish I would have thought of this while writing yesterday’s SMILE. <Forehead slap> Oh, well. Put on the Full Armor and a cute outfit! 😉 ) Then show up:

Show up to work, to school, to the grocery store, to the post office, to your kitchen, to your laundry room or wherever your day leads with confidence in your steps.

Show up with an attitude of gratitude.

Show up ready to honor your Victor with all you say and do.

Show up to your day with a SMILE knowing the Lord is with you to fight each battle.

You know what that means, don’t you? It means a victory celebration is waiting for you every single day! And who wouldn’t want to show up for a celebration! 😉

A Year of Smiles – Day 329

Reason to SMILE #329: TRUSTING GOD’S PLAN

This was my Christmas tree.

It was not being very cooperative. And it certainly was not making me SMILE. (Nor my husband – Yikes!)

This is the third year that we’ve purchased a real tree. I suppose it was time for one of them to rebel. 😉 No matter what we did, the tree simply would not stand up straight. We tried everything. It was so frustrating. I almost resigned myself to decorating this leaning tower of pine needles and cocking my head to one side every time I looked at it. Tilt to the right. There! It’s perfect! 😉

As I surveyed my crooked tree, I wondered why it was being so difficult. Didn’t it know that soon it would be decorated with twinkling lights and colorful ornaments? Didn’t it know that soon it would be fulfilling it’s purpose – being a Christmas tree?

Yeah. I realize it didn’t know anything. It’s a tree but by the way it was fighting me, I couldn’t help but see it as an ornery child or…

… a stubborn Christian.

We often act like this uncooperative evergreen, don’t we? We hear God’s voice telling us to move and we feel His hand nudging us in the direction He wishes us to go but we tenaciously refuse. We’re quite comfortable with where we are, who we are and what we’re doing. Why should we make a change?

“No, God,” we object, “I don’t want to go there; I’d feel out of place. I don’t want to do that; I’m not qualified. I don’t want to get rid of that habit; it’s not that bad.” Our objections are plentiful and the “buts” flow freely as we firmly plant our feet or run in the opposite direction. Surely, God doesn’t know what He’s doing. Surely, God is mistaken.

Oh, but if we only knew. The change we so adamantly refuse or the direction we do not follow or the call we do not heed is only pointing us to our intended purposes. If we’d yield to the Heavenly Father’s urgings to move, to change, to follow, we’d enable God to create something amazing with our lives. If we’d trust His Plan, we’d discover a life more fulfilling, more abundant and more beautiful than we’d ever find on our own.

And in following God’s plan, we’d always find a reason to SMILE.

A Year of Smiles – Day 264

TRANSPARENCY

The smiles have seemed so far away this week. I have been overwhelmed with concerns, distracted by discouragements and dragged down by disappointments. So, today, I’m having a difficult time finding a smile to share with you…

It happens. Life gets messy, confusing and downright ugly sometimes. And if I’m being completely transparent, I often become stuck in the middle of it all. My smile becomes a mere facade. But I am only human. Besides, no one ever said that life wouldn’t be messy. God’s Word even tells me I’ll walk through valleys…

The good thing is God has promised to walk with me in the valleys. Ah! Now there’s a SMILE. I am never alone; God is always with me. Do you remember that SMILE from Day 22?

God also promised to help me through this difficult and overwhelming season in my life. That was my Reason to SMILE #159. God’s help is only a prayer away. 

Oh, and I must keep telling myself that what I’m going through won’t last forever. It’s only temporary. I’ve already shared that encouragement with you, too. Check out Day 73!

I’m thinking I’ll revisit a few more of my SMILES today. Maybe it’ll restore my focus on what and Who truly matters. In the meantime, keep looking for SMILES and when you find one, shoot it my way. ❤

A Year of Smiles – Day 251

Reason to SMILE #251: A BLESSED ASSURANCE

Irma is headed our way. We’ve filled up the gas tanks and stocked up on non-perishables and water. We’ve rid our yard of any possible projectiles as best we could and we’ve determined the best place to park our vehicles. Mostly, though, we’ve prayed! Oh, how we’ve prayed!

As I’ve been preparing for Irma today, there’s been one song that keeps repeating in my mind. The chorus says, “People get ready. Jesus is coming. Soon we’ll be going home.” (You can listen to the entire song here.) Now, I’m not a doom and gloom kinda person but I guess all the storm prepping has steered my mind toward another event for which we all should be preparing – the day the Lord returns to take His children home.

I know some of you have been thinking of the Lord’s return, as well. I’ve read your posts. Normally, I would have tried to avoid a topic chosen by others but just like the news of the impending storm should be broadcast from every media source available, so also should the news of the Savior’s return be shared by as many of us as possible.

One day the Lord will return. The Bible tells us we won’t know the day or the hour. That means we won’t get several days warning to get our lives in order, to ask forgiveness for our sins and choose to follow Jesus. The time to get ready is now.

“How do you prepare for the Lord’s return?” you ask. Well, it’s easier than preparing for a hurricane, that’s for sure. It’s as simple as A-B-C.

A – Admit that you are a sinner.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:23

The wages (payment for) of sin is death…

Romans 6:23a

B – Believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died and rose again to pay the price for your sins.

… the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:23b

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

C – Commit your life to Christ and Confess your faith to others.

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:9-10‬

I’ve done all I can do to prepare for Hurricane Irma but I’m not certain whether my preparations will be good enough. Storms are unpredictable. Anything could happen. I’ve also prepared myself for the Lord’s return. The good thing is I can know that I will be ready to meet my Savior.

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:13‬

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:11-13‬

Now that is a certainty- a blessed assurance – that makes me SMILE.