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“Waiting Well” What do we do when GOD Is Silent?

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It doesn’t feel good when someone gives us the silent treatment does it? I’ve been guilty of thinking GOD is giving me the silent treatment at times. I have enough faith to pray…..”Why aren’t you moving here GOD? Can’t you see what I’m going through down here LORD?”

I know HE can move and fix my problem in an instant so why doesn’t HE?  Then I seem to go through a cycle where I am up and down. One minute I’m trusting HIM and the next I’m bellyaching cause HE hasn’t moved.

I have failed the “silence during the test” class many times. It seems HE has been trying to teach me to “wait well” for the last few years. I once heard a pastor say, HE will keep putting us through the same lesson until we get it. I’ve been a real flunkie some days.

Then HE showed me the test isn’t just to learn to trust HIM but to learn to focus on HIM.  I’ve realized when I am praying and just sitting here waiting on HIM to answer…I can get pretty discouraged.

In the eighteenth chapter of Luke, JESUS was sharing the parable about the widow who kept taking her case to the judge to avenge her from her adversary.  She was persistent and the judge finally granted her request just because he was over her begging.

The LORD gave me two points to ponder from this scripture…..the first being….don’t give up asking.

JESUS shared HIS teaching of the Judge’s decision…..

 “Hear what the unjust judge said… shall not GOD avenge HIS own elect, which cry day and night unto HIM, though HE bear long with them?  I tell you that HE will avenge them speedily.”  Luke 18:7-8

In other words JESUS was saying….if this unjust judge would agree to avenge the widow….don’t you think a loving, just GOD will avenge you one day?  Give you relief?  Come back around to settle things on your account?

So even if HE is being silent….HE doesn’t want us to stop praying.

But it was the second part of verse eight that really challenged my thinking about what HE wants me to do during the silence.

“Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall HE find faith on the earth?”  Luke 18: 8b

Shall HE find faith on the earth?

Sadly, I don’t think I have been very faithful in my waiting through the years.

Yea, I go to church, I pray a lot, I study my bible everyday.  I fervently love my LORD…..but when I’m in the trenches praying about a problem….I’m not necessarily being faithful because I’m more focused on praying for GOD to come through for me….instead of really focusing on HIM.

There is a difference.

Faithfulness encompasses prayer.

Faithfulness is humbling myself in anticipation should HE say no instead of grumbling about the discomfort I’m in.

Faithfulness is asking the hard questions….GOD is there something you’re trying to show me here? Some sin?

Faithfulness is repenting of the not so obvious…secret….character flaws….keeping me from truly being clean.

Faithfulness is growing spiritually.

If I’m not growing while I am waiting…then I’m just missing an opportunity to know my LORD better.

My associate pastor says…….

“If we are walking with GOD….growth is not an option.”

If I am “waiting well”….I will be growing spiritually.

What I am doing in the waiting period is significant to being faithful.

I confess for many years I have not waited well. My actions didn’t show faithfulness….my words didn’t reveal faithfulness.

GOD may have withheld HIS hand on my behalf but HE never withheld his love, protection, provision or faithfulness to me….yet I withheld everything HE deserved.

GOD’S silence is good for me.

I can’t believe I said it….but it’s true.

GOD’S silence has taught me to evaluate how I am waiting…..

What I need to repent of…..

What I need to submit to…..

How I need to serve HIM regardless of what HE does for me….

And how I should love HIM….regardless the answer.

But here is the key to all this…..if you don’t take anything away….remember this please….

If we don’t seek to know HIM better during the trials….the heartaches….and the silent times…..we will lose hope.

The bible clearly tells us if we seek HIM…..we will find HIM.

If we repent…..HE forgives us.

If we submit…..HE blesses our humbleness.

If we praise….HE dwells with us because HE inhabits our praise.

HE reciprocates our efforts.

Let me say that again….and let it sink in…

Our GOD….will reciprocate any efforts we make to know him better….including…..

Our submission….

Our repentance….

When we go to HIM with the desire to grow in HIM…..

To give him pure praise…..with no strings attached.

HE  responds by granting peace…..

Joy….

Blessing….

 And Hope.

And if HE doesn’t answer the way we want….. we still have an intimate relationship with our precious SAVIOR……. and HE will grant HIS SWEET GRACE to us in order to accept whatever outcome HE deems HIS perfect will to be.

I’ve come to realize…

When I am walking close with GOD….its easier to accept his will and abandon mine.

Don’t just pray for the giver of all things to give you relief or what you need……get to know the giver intimately.

If we seek the giver……we will be found faithful.

lf we’re faithful…we will be “waiting well.”

edited abandon will

 

“Choose to Endure! Overcoming Discouragement and disappointments in the game of Life”

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Is there a recurring problem in your life continually discouraging you?  Is it a relationship? A job?  An inconsolable grief?  Your marriage?  A financial concern? A child? Is it sin you can’t seem to overcome? Are you drowning in the consequences of sin?

Discouragement is a key emotion Satan pulls from his bag of tricks.  I know the feeling of discouragement oh so well.  I grabbed the dangling, tainted carrot as recently as yesterday and found myself flat on my back.

Satan uses discouragement to isolate us from GOD.

A recurring discouragement for me of late is health issues.  I had a long list of things I wanted to accomplish this weekend and nothing has been done.   I had errands I needed to accomplish but I didn’t feel like getting out….I even turned down a shopping trip with my sister….all because physically I didn’t have the stamina to go the distance. I thought I can at least work on a couple of writing projects….but my eyes were so blurry it hurt to even wear my glasses.  Nothing has been completed as per my expectations; therefore, it didn’t take long for me to get down in the dumps over my health.

So life happens…..it doesn’t go as we plan……and then………disappointment settles in our heart.

This isn’t where we thought we would be at this point in our lives right?

Why did this have to happen and change the course of my life?

The “what ifs and if onlys” bring no comfort as many of us can’t go back and change things…..we are stuck with a new path to navigate.

This perpetual state of discouragement is exactly where Satan wants us to live.

When he keeps us discouraged….he keeps us defeated…..hopeless….almost lonely in our state of misery.  We think no one could possibly understand how we feel….how we hurt….what we face everyday?

Some days it feels like we are just going through the motions….existing in a place where life may go on around us but we’re still stumbling around on the original path where it seems we lost it all.

Life is just plain hard isn’t it?

In all my physical misery yesterday…..I couldn’t focus.  I didn’t feel like doing anything….so nothing got accomplished and I ended up with a bigger to do list…..I ended up discouraged….thinking my health is slipping away from me.

Stealing our focus from GOD is what the Devil works so hard to do in our lives.

He will throw everything in our path until he hits us with the one thing ….that’s going to change it all.

How do we look up…when everything changes?  When we lose the job?  When we lose our health?  When we lose the loved one? When we lose it all?

How do we look up?

How do we keep going?

The bible tells us JESUS was a man of many sorrows….HE experienced our hurts….our fleshly feelings….our disappointments.

In my silly moment of doubt I asked…..how could HE have felt it all?  How could HE understand the utter feeling of deep despair where we feel we are loosing something precious or we’ve already lost it?

I’m ashamed of myself for asking questions like these…but I am so human…and GOD knows this of course.  So once again HE lavished HIS infinite mercy upon the silly child I am…. even with endless questions I have just like a three-year old…HE spoke very clear to me this morning.

When JESUS was hanging on the cross for our sin…HE cried out to GOD….HIS FATHER….

“My GOD, my GOD….why hast thou forsaken me?”   Mark 15:34

I can’t imagine the feeling of being abandoned while dying….can you?

Yet JESUS experienced the ultimate loss.

JESUS was separated from HIS father’s presence…as HE died…hanging by flesh torn hands….in unimaginable agony.

GOD turned HIS back on HIS only son.

JESUS was alone….utterly and completely alone……with all the sins of the world….yours and mine….ravaging HIS body with every drop of redeeming blood….. hitting the ground.

GOD smacked me on the head this morning….you silly child…..JESUS knows exactly how you feel…when your hurting….when you have lost your health….a child…..a job….a home…..a marriage.

HE knows all too well the feeling of loss.

You see the Devil wants us to doubt JESUS….so he sends us the life hurts that diminish our faith and throws us into a spiral of defeat….disappointment…..discouragement.

Satan wants to separate us from JESUS….just like the sins JESUS bore for you and me separated HIM from HIS father.

I now have no doubt……our SAVIOUR truly felt the loss of everything….and I feel comfort from this truth.

It’s in the times we are hurting the most ….we have got to cry out to JESUS….help me JESUS….HELP ME!  I don’t know what to pray or how to pray ……I don’t know what to say…..I don’t know how to go on….I don’t know how to live in this new place I find myself in? HELP ME JESUS, HELP ME PLEASE!!!

I have been so broken before, I didn’t have a clue what to pray or ask GOD to do in my life.

The bible says the HOLY SPIRIT will intercede on our behalf.

“In the same way, the SPIRIT helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the SPIRIT himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.”  Romans 8:26

“Inexpressible groanings”……WOW!!  Words that can’t express the pain of HIS heart….that’s how much HE cares.

Friend you may feel distant from GOD because HE allowed a great loss to come into your life.  Don’t let Satan fool you…make you think GOD doesn’t care…or even worse….GOD is mean.

Cry out to GOD and ask HIM to help you put your eyes back on HIM when you stumble into discouragement.

Don’t let Satan keep you defeated…..don’t let him steal your purpose in life…..don’t let him make you bitter and feel distant from GOD. 

Chose to endure your trials…..your grief…..your disappointments….chose to lean on JESUS.

We will never understand in this life why we are dealt the cards we have to play with…..but we have to keep our eyes on the game (GOD’S purpose for our life)….and the game maker (our GOD) ….and in the end….. we will win!

“Behold we count those blessed who endured.  You have heard of the endurance of job and have seen the outcome of the LORD’S dealings, that the LORD is full of compassion and is merciful.” James 5:11

“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the LORD has promised to those who love HIM.”  James 1:12

Hang on friend….hang on….

“Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.”  Psalm 30:5

Cling to the hope of our future with JESUS…. and the promise that he is always with us….even in our sorrows!

Hang on friend…..JOY IS COMING so CHOOSE TO ENDURE!!!!

choose to endure

 

 

 

 

“Hard Lessons of Motherhood”

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Hey moms……did the precious child you carried for 9 hard months post his or her undying love and adoration on social media for you this mother’s day? Yes? No?  My daughter in law posted a precious message….. girls tend to think of these things first and I am grateful to finally have a thoughtful female in my brood; however, it was my middle son that made me burst out laughing with his twitter message of mommy gratitude.

“Happy Mother’s day to @MelMel27.  Only woman in the world capable of what she puts up with.”

While raising 3 boys has subjected me to many happy, mommy moments, let’s just be honest…I have put up with quite a bit through the years…and it seems some days it is still ongoing.  Aaron’s post got me to thinking of not so happy times when I’ve been sure my boys were going to be the death of me.

To sit here and pretend we have the perfect family life with the perfect kids who have made the perfect choices in their lives would be fake.  I’m getting too old and impatient to carry on a ruse as such, besides…I can’t fool GOD can I? None of us can….he knows what we hide and how we tend to share only the perfect parts of our life.  I’m too exhausted to sprinkle my social media pages with rainbows and choice tidbits of perfection.

Raising 3 boys has made me keenly aware of failure, sin, and humility.  When they fail…I take it personally…but the fact is….my kid’s are sinners just like their mom and dad.  If being a parent doesn’t make you humble…I don’t know what will.

There are many victories on the long road of motherhood….but the truth is…..there are sad times, hard times, confusing times and times you just want to smack their little faces.

As I watch my boys in hairy, men bodies become adults, I am learning to resist intervening in their decisions, choices, and mistakes.  My husband and I will give GODLY guidance if they ask or not, but if we run interference….we may be hampering GOD’S will for their lives.  Our job is not to go behind them and fix it anymore….sometimes we can’t….therefore we have to let them walk through the fire.

Undoubtedly our kids are going to hurt, suffer and wrestle through the carnage of the effects…..the pain will be real….the lessons hard.  Our hearts may break while standing on the sidelines watching….but don’t just stand and watch…..fall to your knees and intercede on their behalf to GOD.

C.S. Lewis has a great quote about pain…

“GOD whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but SHOUTS in our pain; it is HIS megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

Pain has a way of teaching lessons even a loving parent can’t articulate…..and let’s be honest…they probably won’t listen.  GOD will use the pain in our kids lives to grow them…..guide them…..draw them to HIM…..and a funny thing happens in the process…HE draws mom and dad too.

Everything GOD allows us to go through in life is designed to make us more holy….more like JESUS.

To interfere when we shouldn’t can stunt our kid’s spiritual growth. While we want to spare them of pain….the truth is…..pain is what molds their character. This is an important lesson no matter how old your kids are.  There is going to be only one winner at the spelling bee…..only a chosen talented few will make the cheer squad or basketball team….he or she is not always going to get the job they want or even their dream girl or guy.

Life is not fair and there are going to be cheaters, bullies, prejudices, brown nosers and some people who will use them. There will be failures, irresponsible decisions, immaturity and sin with consequences along the way.

If this mother’s day has left you with less than warm and fuzzy feelings due to a child’s bad choice….or if you have a heavy heart because your child is in the midst of pain….. or possible danger……take courage!  Think of your big or little kid as an acorn….growing into an oak of righteousness.

“So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that HE may be glorified.”                 Isaiah 61:3

Pray moms….pray….this is the most important thing we will ever do for our children since giving them life. Pray for their spiritual growth…and understanding in the midst of pain.

Resist the urge to fix things in their lives…..instead…pray….and seek GOD to be the ultimate fixer….and restorer.

Oh, GOD….grow our kids….big and little….to be GODLY men and women.

scripture picture holy

 

 

The Merry Life: "A Season To Mourn"

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The Merry Life: “A Season To Mourn”: I stood at the graveside of my dear friend’s father today.  I watched the cold air sting her face as the tears clouded…

"Do I Trust You God?" #livelikeWill

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The sadness hovering over our community this week has been debilitating to me personally.  The death of Will McKamey has dominated my mind and prayers. This beautiful young man was the type of kid the world needs more of.  Just doesn’t seem fair does it?  It’s just not the natural order of life to loose a young man with so much promise and goodness.

I have wrestled with so many questions this week.  Why things happen…tragedy, heartache, sickness and trials? 

The devil always throws a few more jabs when we’re discouraged……my husband had testing this week  revealing troublesome health issues.  Waiting with my husband in recovery as he slept……. I was miserable in spirit and I just found myself asking GOD….do I really trust you?

These are hard days Lord…..do I really trust you?

This life stinks Lord….do I really trust you?

It’s so hard to pray when discouragement bares down hard and you wrestle with life and death issues.

Getting down in the pit and rolling around in the discouragement is exactly what the enemy wants us to do because it throws us off our game…..focus….. and mission.  I’m sad to say I fell straight into the enemies snare.

I am amazed at the faith of the McKamey family……rejoicing in grief…..because they know where Will is.  I honestly don’t know what I would do in their situation?   I think back to the time my own son collapsed on the track after winning a regional meet.  It was his senior year and he had just won the KIL county championship the previous week.  He was preparing for his fourth visit to state, predicted to win it all in his division.

Doctor’s told us he had swelling on the brain from a bleed.  The swelling caused seizures and unconsciousness.  We were stricken with fear….I was numb.  He was a week away from graduating, we didn’t know if he would be able to walk across stage.  Diagnosed with a weak, leaking vascular angioma in the left frontal lobe of his brain, we were told surgery was too dangerous…..the risk for stroke too great…..and just like that…the scholarships were gone…..the athletic career ended …..it was over for our seventeen year old ambitious son. 

When I heard Will collapsed last Saturday morning, I immediately told my husband.  We stopped and prayed for him right then…..we knew what this family was going through.  My heart just ached for them.  I am still aching although I cannot understand the grief they are now in.  My son couldn’t compete anymore….their son is now in heaven……I can’t really relate to their loss.

How does a family go on in the face of tragedy?

How do we cope in times of hardship and discouragement?

Everywhere I have turned this week I have been reminded of the scripture in Isaiah 40. This precious chapter holds several of my favorite reminders that give me hope and remind me who GOD really is.

In verse 11 it says…….

          Like a shepherd HE will tend HIS flock, in HIS arm HE will gather the lambs…..And
         carry them in HIS bosom;  HE will gently lead the nursing ewes.

HE is our shepherd in all the seasons of life…..and death.   The shepherd keeps us from straying….in our deeds and thoughts.  Sheep are prone to stray, they are easily confused and frightened……. they are totally dependent on the shepherd for protection and guidance.  They listen to their shepherds voice and follow him…..they don’t lead……they follow.

If we know JESUS as our SAVIOR…..HE is our good shepherd…..and we can totally be dependent on HIM.  HIS voice won’t lead us astray.

In verse 18 it says………

             To whom then will you liken GOD?  Or what likeness will you compare with HIM?
             
Who in your life has been everything for you?  Man will let you down….even family…spouses….but GOD will never let you down.  Who in your life can compare with GOD?  There is nobody in my life that can restore me….heal me…..replenish me…..comfort me….. only GOD has done these things for me……nobody compares with my GOD.

Verse 26 reminds us that HE is our creator…….

 “Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, HE calls them all by name;  Because of the greatness of HIS might and the strength of HIS power, not one of them is missing.”

HE hung the stars, HE calls them all by name, HE knows exactly where each one should be, they don’t go missing.  HE knows and calls us by our name…..HE knit us in our mother’s womb…..we are not invisible to HIM….therefore; HE tends to our needs….our broken hearts….our souls…..HE sees us. 

The scripture goes on to say………

 “HE gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might HE increases power.  Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly……Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”

So here we are LORD…..we are weary.  Weary to the point that we lack might……so we wait for you LORD.  We wait for new strength…..we wait until you take our weariness away.  We need our good shepherd to keep us from going astray in our grief and discouragement…..we need you to call us by name and tend to our hurting hearts.

Who else can we trust?

Who else has been faithful the way our LORD has?

Only HE can be ALL and EVERYTHING to us.

Only HE can give peace to the McKamey family….only HE can give them a portion of healing to sustain them in the days to come…..

Only GOD can be their ALL and EVERYTHING.

No man or earthy thing can comfort them like our GOD can.

I honestly don’t know how people make it without JESUS?  How do they cope?  Who gives them peace and joy in tribulation?

I can’t function without my JESUS…..

We will experience hardship, loss, and pain in this life but the only one who can sustain us is JESUS.

JESUS is the only one we can trust.

Will McKamey’s life is powerful evidence of his trust in JESUS as well…….he knew him……he relied on him……he had felt his healing power before…….and now he is basking in his SAVIOR’S presence.

Tell me friends…….who do you trust?

 #livelikeWill

                               http://www.wate.com/story/19991699/will-mckamey-folo

          https://www.facebook.com/pages/Prayers-for-Navy-Will-Family-The-McKameys/289915881162967

"Anybody giving you a hard time?" How do you handle oppression….or are you the oppressor?

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Anybody giving you a hard time?  Are you being held back in using your talents?  Is there someone who blatantly ridicules or picks on you? Are you left out of invites or projects on purpose?   Do you know of a few who enjoy to gossip about you?  Has someone hurt a loved one as a indirect offense to you?  Are you being bullied professionally or emotionally?  Is there a person that manipulates you to their benefit?

I have experienced just about all of these scenarios and have sat on the sideline, grimacing as my family and friends trudge through these dark valleys.   All of these situations and more are sure examples of oppression….so… what exactly is oppression? 

Webster’s Dictionary states oppression as…..

      “An unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power; a sense of being weighed down in body
        or mind.” 

Encarta Dictionary states oppression as……

     “To subject a person or people to harsh or a cruel form of domination;  to inflict stress on;
        or to be a source of worry, stress or trouble to somebody.”

“To be a source of worry, stress or trouble to somebody”….gosh that one really resonates with me….how about you?  I can also relate to the “unjust exercise of authority or power”……can I get an “amen” on this one?

Being the english, wordsmith, geek I am….I also looked up terms for oppression in the Thesaurus. Here are just a few…….”Persecution, discrimination, maltreatment, annoyance, intimidation, harassment, tyranny, torment, cruelty, torture, hassle, irritate.”

Ah…..there’s the words that can really resonate with a Christian.

Regardless of what form you have experienced oppression….it is important to remember when you are experiencing the circumstances listed above…..

 “We wrestle not against flesh and blood (which is the authority, or the co-worker, the friend, classmate, church acquaintance, boss, spouse, neighbor afflicting us) but against the rulers, against authorities, against the world powers of the darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.”      Ephesians 6:12

You see….even though it is a person in bodily form that is afflicting you….they are being used as a tool of satan to oppress you….to discourage you….to keep you down.  Ironically….they are being abused by satan to either accomplish their own plans or they are blinded to their role in the scenario.

And…yes….they obviously have problems if they are causing you emotional suffering….for whatever reason….perhaps jealousy, or malice, selfishness or just plain evilness…. but they are being used in a grander scheme they have no knowledge of.

We’ll take more about how to handle these people and circumstances in a moment….but just humor me for a moment as I ask some hard questions.  

I would hate to come face to face with the realization that ugly feelings in my heart were being used of satan to oppress someone else….wouldn’t you?

It’s really hard to get honest with GOD and say….”Okay GOD….I don’t want to be around that new girl at church….why?   Or….GOD….why does this person make me act rude or impatient?  Or GOD why do I withhold love or good from this person?   Why do I not want to invite this person to serve on a committee or to my social gatherings?”

Or do I form assumptions based on another person’s opinion that causes me to treat that person different?  Well that’s not fair is it?  Who wants to be judged by someone else’s flawed opinion?  I certainly don’t because there is always two sides to every story and unless you are in the middle of it….you are probably not going to know everything. 

These are hard questions we must ask in order to be right with GOD. The devil’s playground in a church, job or any social setting is relationships.  He loves to whisper all those ugly things in our ears causing us to oppress, ignore, disassociate, and treat others poorly. Maybe we covet their blessings, or feel threatened by their skills?  Perhaps we feel inferior….or we’re just plain selfish and have our own agendas?

I encourage you to ask these hard questions if there is someone in your life you make a point to keep out of your group, business or ministry….because deep down….there is a reason and GOD will reveal it if we truly seek to be right with HIM.  Or maybe you know why you avoid them and just don’t want to face it?  Whatever the situation….it’s just not pleasing to GOD when we oppress anybody.

It is entirely possible for a person to be oblivious to the oppression they assert because their world exists around them and their causes.  All we can do is pray for those this selfish.

Having been on the side of one being oppressed….I can tell you, it doesn’t feel good.  You can’t put your finger on it….what or why you are left out….why you are mistreated…..why you are ignored…..what you did wrong to cause the rudeness or the mean spirit.  It hurts to be held back from using your talents.  It hurts to feel disregarded, judged or unimportant.  It’s a feeling that lingers in your emotions and one that can cause great discouragement…..it can cause us to give up…..and that’s just what the devil wants.

So how do we handle oppression directed our way?

1 –  Pray for those oppressing you.

“You have heard it said, Love your neighbors and hate your enemy.  But I tell you, love your    enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your father in heaven.”                                                                                      Matthew 5:43-45

Make it a matter to pray for those that treat you less than CHRISTlike.  Ask GOD to guard your emotions from their mistreatment.  Sometimes it’s even necessary to remove yourself from the situation if it becomes caustic or dangerous…physically and emotionally.

    2 –  Kill them with kindness.  Go out of your way to win them over.

 ” Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”  1 Peter 4:8 

If you are up to the challenge….you can love them into submission.  It works….though it may be a long process requiring a lot of prayer and mental creativity….. it can work.

   3 –  Confront them in a CHRIST like manner.

     “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.  
       If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”                     Matthew 18:15 

Ask them point blank….Have I done something to offend you?  Why do you leave me out?  Why are you rude to me?  Why do you ignore me or gossip about me….or hold me back from opportunity?  You must be prayed up and ready to confront them as lovingly and in a calm matter as you can….yet it is important to express truth.  Be careful not to let the confrontation escalate to another level.  You don’t want to make the situation worse by the way you handle the conversation.  To add to that…make sure you have the conversation face to face because your tone, intentions and heart can be misconstrued in the impersonal format of email or text. 

  4  –  Tell them you are praying for them and you love them.

 Regardless of what the outcome and especially if it does not end well….make sure their reaction does not cause you to sin and say things you regret.  Tell them you will continue to pray for them and that you love them…period.  No reasons….no righteous declarations of your sinning against me….just plain love them and pray for them.  There is not much else you can do if you confront them with a clean heart.

   5 –  Refuse to let them discourage you.

 Stay in your bible….seek other opportunities….make new friends – perhaps others that are in the same boat with you.  Whatever you do….don’t let their sin….cause you to sin by gossiping, or retaliating, or carrying a grudge.  Learn from it….make a point to engage those that you can encourage…..teach your kids the right way to treat people….take something positive away from the situation.  GOD will show you in time what lessons or good that come from being oppressed.  One thing for sure….oppression will give you a more merciful heart.

Years back I was in a situation where I was denied the opportunity to use a certain skill set.  But GOD opened up a whole new world to me that I never dreamed possible as I followed his lead to pen my heart.  Today….I am so thankful for that valley….I would not be where I am now had I not walked through it.

 Just like Joseph said in the bible after his jealous brothers sold him into slavery….

     “You intended to harm me, but GOD intended it for good to accomplish what is now being
        done.”                                                                                        Genesis 50:20   

Regardless of the outcome of your oppression….GOD will let something good come out of it!!

 I leave you with this encouragement from GOD’S word.

“Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrong doers!  For they will soon fade like grass and wither like the green herb.  Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.  Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”                                                                                                  Psalm 37:1

Friends….take courage….give your hurts to JESUS….recognize the true source of your oppression and love your brothers and sisters in CHRIST regardless of what they do to you.  Be careful not to oppress or discourage……and hold tightly to JESUS’ hand while walking in the valley.
     

"Remnants of childhood…and motherhood" Some funny memories I’ve been asked to share on my blog.

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My blogs have been kind of heavy lately so I decided to just throw caution to the wind and have a fun day.  Sometimes we need to just chilax and laugh in order to reboot.  I have been asked by some of my FB friends to reshare a little essay I did last year.  Back in December one of my childhood friends gave me the number 5 and told me to share 5 things about myself.  I decided to go for some of the crazy experiences I’ve had and share the memories still making me laugh as well as grimace.  It’s funny how life experiences can leave impressions on your spirit dictating behavioral reactions in everyday life. 

 So here we go….. sit back and laugh with me friends!!!
  
1. I was attacked by a female monkey when I was 4 at the Knoxville Zoo. I was just being my sweet little four year old self and mimicking faces of a male monkey that obviously thought I had it going on. We mimed each others faces for about three minutes when all of a sudden I was grabbed by the hair of the head and slammed into the bars of the cage by the male monkey’s live-in, jealous, female lover. It was a vicious attack people….one that my tender memories will never let me forget. Emergency help was called to pry that jealous, little, snit’s hairy, grubby, flea-picking phalanges from my precious head. I hate the Zoo to this day.

2. I loved the Pillsbury Dough Boy and his commercials……..In fact I loved him so much  I opened over 12 cans of biscuits looking for him when I was about 5.  When he did not pop out…..I proceeded to hide the biscuits all over the house….in flower pots, dresser drawers, closets, jewelry boxes, under the bed, toy boxes…..window sills hid by curtains. I specifically remember my anger, disillusionment and disappointment. The Dough BOY was the first boy to break my little heart.

3. I once left my toddler sons (at the time) Matt age 4 and Aaron age 2, on the side of the road. I had picked up all three of my boys at the babysitters. On the drive home, Matt was opening Hershey kisses and handing them to his little brothers to eat. Unbeknownst to me….18 month old Spencer…my baby, had picked up 3 old fashioned metal jack rocks at the babysitters putting them in his pocket. He had retrieved them and was unaware he got the jack rocks mixed up with the kisses swallowing the toys and candy together. I looked back in the mirror when I heard a gargling, gagging noise and realized he was choking. At this point….my little know it all man…Matthew (age 4 mind you) starts screaming…..”he’s dwying…he’s dwying momma…pwull ova…pwull ova!!” Of course I come to a screeching halt on Emory Road near where Bruster’s Ice Cream is now….and I jump out retrieving Spencer from the car seat. I proceed to do the heimlech maneuver….that only produced a nasty broth of chocolate and blood from his mouth. I panicked….of course.   I ran to the middle of the road and proceeded to wave down cars for help….the first one I asked to call 911….the second was an old inebriated farmer with a wad of chew that was drooling out of the corner of his mouth. He hops out of his rusty truck and he proceeds to take my precious, choking baby and turn him upside down, holding him by the ankles shaking him….I was horrified. I jerked my baby away from him and told him to go wash his face! I then resorted to sticking my finger down Spencer’s throat and SURPRISE SURPRISE!!! I pulled out a jack rock!????!!! A what?!!! I was stunned but I thought well he’s Okay….until he started gagging and gargling and grunting…….oh it was horrible! A nurse arrived on the scene and started working with Spencer.  She proceeded to get another jack rock out of his throat. As she was working desperately to save my baby’s life, I was in tears and remember looking at the back of my big buick,…… (we affectionately called the car Big Bertha….we traded her not long after that because Aaron had projectile vomited…like a rocket in space all over the car and his little brothers one night….all my boys were naked by the time we got home because they crawled out of their vomit covered clothes and car seats. All the way home I prayed I wouldn’t get pulled over with three naked little boys out of their car seats that had the smell of puke….oh sorry….that’s another story).   Where was I?…..Oh yea….I remember looking at the rear view window of Bertha….and two little scared sets of eyes as big as quarters were taking in all the events. Once again Spencer started gagging and gargling……oh I thought I was just about done in….but the nurse kept working and got another jack rock up….oh yes….3!!!  All of a sudden the ambulance is on the scene whisking us away to children’s hospital.  Spencer is stable on the ride but still coughing and bleeding. As we pull into the emergency room…..I remember ……Matt….Aaron….????? I left my babies on the side of the road!!!!!!! I was mortified!!!!!! Thankfully….my smart little man, Matthew….gave a bystander or thrill seeker….whichever it was….my sister’s phone number and Darla drove like a bat out of….well you know….. from Grainger County to get my babies.   Not my proudest mother moment…..still haunts me to this day.

4. I went back to school to finish my degree at the age of 45! WHAT?! If that doesn’t impress you this will….. I walked into my first day of class and low and behold there was my oldest son, Matt….in the same class….He was mortified! Our eyes locked and I saw the terror on his face…in his eyes….He immediately shook his head “NO” at me….therefore I went to the front of the class and took a seat. I respected his space and kept my distance for the first half of the semester until the professor put us in the same study group….can you say….AWKWARD? Then to add insult to his injury….the professor made me the group leader…..can you say….UNCOMFORTABLE? I played it cool until one day in study group I accidentally called him by his pet name….”Pookie”….Let’s just say if looks could kill I would be six feet under right now.  I tried to nonchalantly play it off and apologized telling him he reminded me of my son. It didn’t help. We managed to pull off the semester without anyone finding out….except some astute little prissy, sorority girl asked me if he was my son on the last day of class. I never told Matt I ratted him out bless his heart. Oh well. Just in case inquiring minds want to know….I ended the semester with honors and a higher GPA in that class and over all….than my brilliant son who was on afull academic scholarship!! BAHAHAHAHA……still love to rub that in!! HA!

5. I am a freakishly, nerdy, literary junkie and at the age of 46 took a whole semester on the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. It was EPIC!  My final project was designing a HOBBIT newspaper with ads, stories and art work. That was my favorite class…semester….ever!!!!!!! WHY would I take this class….you may ask?  Well because I have raised boys and when you raise boys….you learn to like all that SCI-FI,  superhero, Walking Dead, kind of entertainment.  I do take exception to one movie I detest to this day…..Anaconda.  One lazy Sunday afternoon my husband and boys duped me into going.  To this day I cannot get the pictures out of my head I saw on the big screen many years ago. Who wants to see a gigantic snake swallow a man whole….vomit him up…and eat him again?  Really? Snakes in any capacity are not quality entertainment people.

There you have it folks…I have lived…..my life has left me with deep scars……but I HAVE LIVED!!!!!