Life is a Puzzle

 

In church this morning the man who gave the communion meditation had a song played that was about our lives being like a puzzle.  I do not know the name of the song or who sang it, but it spoke volumes to me and got me thinking.

 

Our lives indeed are like a puzzle.  We can’t see what the finished puzzle looks like because we don’t know what will happen between now and the time our puzzle is completed.  All too often we try to take control of putting our puzzle together and end up cramming pieces of our puzzle together, trying to make them fit, even when they weren’t meant to.  We mess our puzzle up completely – it doesn’t fit together seamlessly and the picture doesn’t look right.

However, if we let God take over and put our puzzle together, things will fit together and become more beautiful with each piece.  At the end of our lives our puzzle will be complete and will be something beautiful for those who love us to remember.

 

 

God is Always Working

“God is working in your life right now, just because what is going on doesn’t feel good right now, doesn’t mean he still isn’t working in your life.” – Joyce Myers

A friend posted this quote this evening.  Boy did it ever hit home with me.  Life seems to continually throw things our way that we really do NOT like to deal with.  Finances, relationships and sickness are a few things that can make your blood pressure rise and increase your stress level within seconds.

Quite often in the last few weeks I have thought, “My heart knows all the right answers (God is in control, He knows what is best for me and He will cause ‘all things to work for my good’), but my head goes into mach-warp speed with anxiety.”

I often question God’s timing and it is easy for me to wonder if He has forgotten about me and what it is that is concerning me.  I know He hasn’t, but still…my faith wavers.   One of my all time favorite verses is found in 2nd Chronicles 16:9a – “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”

As long as we are part of this world, anxiety-causing events will happen, but God is always working on our behalf no matter what the circumstances are!!

He Watches Me

A line from a song keeps running through my mind today as I watch the horrific destruction on the east coast.  ”His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me.”  It is comforting to know that even when we are in the worst of situations God is always there watching and protecting us.  Prayers going out to all who are being struck by this tragic storm.

Technology Rocks

I am techie – I think I got that gene from my grandpa.  I love all things technical everything, especially my iPad.  I enjoy social media and playing an occasional online game with friends and/or family.  

One of the things that I like most about technology is that it keeps us in better touch with our extended family and friends.  I have re-connected with people that I hadn’t seen for 20 or more years.  I have gotten to know their children and grandchildren, celebrated successes, grieved losses and kept in touch much more than I did before social media.  WIth a click of a mouse, we can let all the people we care about know of something we need prayer for or an event to celebrate.  We can encourage each other.  Sometimes when I am struggling with something, I will log onto facebook and someone has posted a verse or a saying that is just what I need to hear at that very moment.  I don’t have a smart phone, but many people do and can now carry the “world” with them almost everywhere they go.  As a friend of mine says, “It’s a GREAT time to be alive!”  

As great as all that is, what is even GREATER is that we have and will always have instant access to the God of the universe.  He is always nearby to help and comfort us. We can talk to Him, praise Him, let him know our worries and our struggles, be comforted and strengthened and all without even needing to find a hotspot!  

Isaiah 41:10

New International Version (NIV)

“So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Be Courageous

Life is such a roller coaster!  This was one of those days where all sorts of stressful things came into my path – you know the kinds of things that make your heart beat faster and blood pressure rise!!  God reminded me of the things he taught me Sunday and peace returned to world.  A friend posted the following verse on Facebook today and it hit me right between the eyes!

Joshua 1:9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Being strong and courageous…according to the dictionary, to be courageous is to be brave, fearless, bold, undaunted, unflinching, unshrinking, unafraid, stout-hearted, gutsy.  What a TALL order and one that we are only able to achieve by drawing from the strength of Christ in us!  Pray for me as I apply this verse to my life.

Something Good has Happened

I grew up listening to Southern Gospel music and it is most often my “go to” music, especially when I need a “lift”.  The radio in my car is set on XM18 – southern gospel music 24/7.  :o]

The last few weeks (maybe because I am hoping our house sells SOON) I have had the following song, by Bill Gaither, running through my head.

“I just feel like something good is about to happen

I just feel like something good is on its way

He has promised that He’d open all of Heaven

And, brother, it could happen any day

When God’s people humble themselves and call on Jesus

And they look to Heaven, expecting as they pray

I just feel like something good is about to happen

And, brother, it could be this very day”  

So often I think of this song as it pertains to the big things in life – a healing, a financial breakthrough, a mended relationship, a sold realtor sign in our yard.  It certainly never, ever hurts to expect good things to come from the tragedies in our lives or something that we would like to have – ever!  However, the thought struck me tonight as I as preparing supper that we also need to remember to view the small, everyday things that happen to us each day as “Something Good” – that we woke up healthy today, that everyone made it home safely at the end of a long day, that our child accomplished a goal, that our boss was happy with a job well done, that we made someone else’s day by extending kindness to them, a plains state sunset, the Rocky Mountain air…  We may have to look harder some days than others, but if we can find nothing else, the God of the Universe loves us and that is the most extraordinary thing that could happen to anyone on any day!!

Thank you, God, for all the good things that happened today, especially for loving me!!!

 

Here I Am Again

It seems my last few posts have been about how long it’s been since I have written and it indeed has been a LONG time since my last post – hopefully I will be given the strength to continue this time.  

I have felt for a long time that I need to be writing. I hear a still, small voice encourage me when I ask what it is I am to be doing in this life for God’s glory. I have also had others who have encouraged me to do so.  Writing for me is very therapeutic, but there are so many things that keep me from doing what it is that I feel I should.  

First on the list would probably be confusion as to the direction I am to take.  Am I to continue this blog – sharing my thoughts and feelings about what God is teaching me?  Am I to start another blog that is more light-hearted with crafts, tips, cooking, etc. like the ones that I enjoy reading?  Am I to finish a novel I started many years ago?  

 

Second on the list is fear.  Fear of the unknown, things like “what if I don’t make a difference?”, what if I can’t contribute anything “new”, what if people thinking I’m not qualified.  

 

There are other things that have kept me from pursuing what has been my dream and possibly one of my purposes in life and I can’t guarantee that I won’t fall back in one of those traps, but for today I am back at the keyboard, sharing my heart…  

Something happened for me today.  One of those “Ah-ha” moments.  One of those times you hope and pray will be something that has truly a path-changer for you.  It wasn’t anything earth shattering, but something that lifted a load off my heart.  

As I have shared in the past, my husband and I found ourselves in the bottom of a deep, dark pit of debt.  We have slowly, for several years now, been trying to crawl our way out of it.  We have made gains and are now in the process of trying to sell our house in order to downsize our mortgage.  There are many things we feel good about and truly do see a glimmer of light at the entrance to the pit, but it is a long process and can easily become discouraging.  

There are so many things to be thankful for in life and SO many people that are hurting and living with  much more severe problems than the financial ones we got ourselves into.  God blesses us in wonderful ways and we are truly grateful, but when the least little problem or stumbling block arises, the blood pressure rises and stress engulfs us, nearly rendering us helpless.  We then get frustrated with ourselves and try set our hearts in the right direction and move on.  

I fight (most of the time unsuccessfully) to keep myself from becoming bogged down with the stress of it all – the deadlines for when payments are due, our credit score and what might happen to my husband’s machinery tomorrow (he cuts trees to clear pastures for people), how much that will cost to fix, how we are going to pay our bills six weeks from now and…the list goes on and on. 

Today I came to the realization that I was carrying a heavy load of guilt and embarrassment and frustration over the mistakes that got us in the place that we are in. Because we got ourselves into this situation and are paying the consequences of it, I was trying to do all I could to handle it and was exhausting myself in doing so.  These are all things I needed to do anyway, but I had never stopped to accept the grace God has to offer me in that area of my life.  Sure I had asked for forgiveness and have pleaded with God on many occasions to come to our aid, but I was so focused on doing all the right things, that I forgot to apply the basic principle of grace to this area of my life and to focus on Him (not my guilt) and live life joyfully today – not continually beating myself up over what happened yesterday and worrying about what might happen tomorrow.  

I came home from church and began to read Max Lucado’s book, “Grace, More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine”.  I read half of it this afternoon.  I laughed, I cried, I felt burdens being lifted.  (If you haven’t read it, I would strongly recommend doing so!)  

I don’t think any of us fully understand the meaning of grace in our lives and how it applies to every detail big or small.  I will go to bed this evening living in the same set of circumstances I woke up with this morning, but one thing has changed for me today and that is I allowed grace to permeate my soul and begin to heal what has held me in bondage.  

My story today is one of financial struggle – yours may be one of addiction, a broken marriage, anger over the death of a loved one, illness, a natural disaster, a lost job or one of many other situations we face in this world, but you know what?  GRACE covers them all!!! 

The quote I leave you with was one I found in chapter 1 of the exceptional book I began reading today.  ”The meaning of life. The wasted years of life. The poor choices of life.  God understands the mess of life with one word: grace.” – Max Lucado