Monday, January 17, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
let God do the math
I get very pensive every January. I have trained my spirit to fast and pray at the beginning of every new year. The church that groomed me for ministry always provided women's retreats the first week of the new year. I miss those days. I found it easy to hear God speak to me when I was sequestered away like that. While I don't always get a yearly retreat, I still petition the Almighty for fresh wisdom and direction for me and my family as we begin another year.
I don't know if you do this too, but if you don't, let me make a suggestion. Take a good hard look at your life. Take inventory. Perform an evaluation. Is there anything from 2010 that you don't want to carry into 2011? It could be anything, spiritual or natural. Is something nagging at you, disturbing your peace, weighing you down? Then maybe you need to subtract some stuff. Lay something down. Let something go. Leave something behind.
Or, is there something new that you feel like God is calling you toward? Maybe you need to add something to your life this year. If it's something that you feel completely unfamiliar with, I assure you, I can relate. When I was sixteen years old, I knew God was calling me to worship dance ministry. This was back in the 1980s, when dance in the church was not a common form of worship. In fact, I had never heard of it before. Since I'd never seen it before, with my eyes, I could not figure out how in the world this was going to happen. I felt like Noah, building an ark because God said to, but having never seen rain. However, my spirit could see it happening and I trusted God to do His thing. I took the first step (pun intended). I signed up for dance classes. That was all it took. God took over from there. Within four months, I had mastered the basics of ballet. Within six months, I was dancing in pointe shoes. Within nine months, I was a student in a bible college that welcomed me into their dance ministry (oh, they do exist!). Within one year, I was dancing on a team. After fifteen months of that original calling, I was ministering worship dances and introducing a new form of worship to churches in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. After an eight-year hiatus to get married and birth children, I was directing my own dance teams. Two years after that I was teaching dance conferences. Another year later, I was teaching Christ-centered ballet classes in the community and holding recitals where people got saved. All it took was me being willing to say "yes" and let God add something beautiful and powerful to my life.
I hope that encourages somebody. As you have been reading, has something popped into your mind? Talk to God about it. Take the steps to make it happen. Whether it's overcoming an addiction, mending a relationship, or serving God in a new, unfamiliar way, let me encourage you to go for it! Do the math. Finish the equations that God is writing on your heart. Add or subtract as needed.
And may the end of your 2011 feel amazing.
I don't know if you do this too, but if you don't, let me make a suggestion. Take a good hard look at your life. Take inventory. Perform an evaluation. Is there anything from 2010 that you don't want to carry into 2011? It could be anything, spiritual or natural. Is something nagging at you, disturbing your peace, weighing you down? Then maybe you need to subtract some stuff. Lay something down. Let something go. Leave something behind.
Or, is there something new that you feel like God is calling you toward? Maybe you need to add something to your life this year. If it's something that you feel completely unfamiliar with, I assure you, I can relate. When I was sixteen years old, I knew God was calling me to worship dance ministry. This was back in the 1980s, when dance in the church was not a common form of worship. In fact, I had never heard of it before. Since I'd never seen it before, with my eyes, I could not figure out how in the world this was going to happen. I felt like Noah, building an ark because God said to, but having never seen rain. However, my spirit could see it happening and I trusted God to do His thing. I took the first step (pun intended). I signed up for dance classes. That was all it took. God took over from there. Within four months, I had mastered the basics of ballet. Within six months, I was dancing in pointe shoes. Within nine months, I was a student in a bible college that welcomed me into their dance ministry (oh, they do exist!). Within one year, I was dancing on a team. After fifteen months of that original calling, I was ministering worship dances and introducing a new form of worship to churches in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. After an eight-year hiatus to get married and birth children, I was directing my own dance teams. Two years after that I was teaching dance conferences. Another year later, I was teaching Christ-centered ballet classes in the community and holding recitals where people got saved. All it took was me being willing to say "yes" and let God add something beautiful and powerful to my life.
I hope that encourages somebody. As you have been reading, has something popped into your mind? Talk to God about it. Take the steps to make it happen. Whether it's overcoming an addiction, mending a relationship, or serving God in a new, unfamiliar way, let me encourage you to go for it! Do the math. Finish the equations that God is writing on your heart. Add or subtract as needed.
And may the end of your 2011 feel amazing.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
new year's blessing
My prayer for you, my blogging darlings, is that the new year will bring you peace, prosperity and good health, but also......
That you will come to trust God in new ways. Find treasures in darkness and riches in secret places. Experience new dimensions of love. Bless everyone around you. Turn things over to God that you cannot change. Find freedom and healing in painful places. Grow stronger in faith as you believe even when you don't see. Let go of the past. See the hand of God make rough places smooth. Have your desires satisfied by Him with good things. Become stronger physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Offer forgiveness when people don't treat you quite right. Enjoy new and exciting experiences. Speak the truth. Refuse to give up.
Happy 2011. I love you.
That you will come to trust God in new ways. Find treasures in darkness and riches in secret places. Experience new dimensions of love. Bless everyone around you. Turn things over to God that you cannot change. Find freedom and healing in painful places. Grow stronger in faith as you believe even when you don't see. Let go of the past. See the hand of God make rough places smooth. Have your desires satisfied by Him with good things. Become stronger physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Offer forgiveness when people don't treat you quite right. Enjoy new and exciting experiences. Speak the truth. Refuse to give up.
Happy 2011. I love you.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
American Red Cross Winter Weather and Driving Safety Tips
It is likely during the winter and holiday season that most of us will be driving somewhere at some time. This information will help you plan for and handle adverse situations. The information in this article is excerpted from several sources; all are linked at the end. The American Red Cross does not specifically endorse AAA.
The No. 1 cause of winter driving accidents is driving too fast. Motor Vehicle Accidents are the No. 1 cause of death in winter storms. Severe weather can be both frightening and dangerous for automobile travel. Motorists should know the safety rules for dealing with winter road emergencies. AAA reminds motorists to be cautious while driving in adverse weather. If you find yourself hitting the road during adverse conditions, consider these tips to stay safe on your journey.
1. Prepare Your Vehicle for the Winter. Winterize your car by checking antifreeze, defroster, emergency signals, heater, lights, oil, tires, windshield washer fluid, and wiper blades. Always make sure your vehicle is in peak operating condition by having it inspected by a AAA Approved Auto Repair facility. Have emergency supplies in your car, including a cell phone, an ice scraper and brush, a small shovel, a tow rope, cat litter/sand/gravel (for use as a traction aid), blankets, jumper cables, first aid kit, a good flashlight, gloves, hats, food, water and any needed medication, a candle, matches, a good book, a portable weather radio and a can of lock de-icer. (Never use hot water on glass or locks — it will refreeze and create a bigger problem.) Here’s a more detailed list of road trip supplies.
2. Keep your tires in good condition and properly inflated. Cold weather reduces tire pressure, so check and adjust frequently. Tire tread depth should be at least 1/8-inch, and good snow tires with lugs will outperform just about any allweather tire on the market. Never mix radial tires with other tire types. Carry (and be able to install) traction-control devices like snow chains whenever you know you’ll be in a snowy area. Sometimes such devices are required, and if you don’t have a set, you’ll be forced to pay a premium to acquire them on the spot.
3. Know your route and keep abreast of weather conditions. Watch weather reports prior to a long-distance drive or before driving in isolated areas. Delay trips when especially bad weather is expected. If you must leave, let others know your route, destination and estimated time of arrival. The Web can be great source of current weather information. Make a list of Department of Transportation road-condition hotlines and consult them every few hours while you’re on the road. Pay special attention to avalanche conditions along your route, because temporary road closures are common in mountain areas.
4. Drink plenty of water. When the weather is chilly, dehydration might seem unlikely, but according to a study by the Mayo Clinic, as little as a 1-2 percent loss of body weight can lead to fatigue and reduced alertness — both of which can be deadly when you are driving in icy conditions. Carry (and drink) five to six 16-ounce bottles of water per day. Keep them with you in the passenger compartment, as they might freeze in the trunk.
5. Eat enough food. Your body needs more nourishment in cold weather than it does on a balmy summer day. Avoid candy bars and other quick-sugar-release snacks. Sandwiches, fruit or a Thermos of hearty stew are much better choices. Carry a day’s worth of high-energy food and water in a warm area of your vehicle in case you are stranded for a few hours.
6. Slow down. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning – nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly. A good rule of thumb is to reduce speed by 50 percent in snowy conditions. The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop. Blasting through snowdrifts may look cool in TV advertisements, but it’s way too hard on your vehicle to be worth it. Equally important: Don’t go too slow. Your car needs momentum to keep moving through snow on grades.
7. Keep a light touch on the controls. Smooth operation is the key to keeping control in slippery situations. Nervousness can lead to a hard clench of the steering wheel, which can result in loss of control. Consciously loosen your grasp or stretch out your fingers from time to time to help prevent that white-knuckled grip. Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, the best way to stop is threshold breaking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
8. Know how to recover from skids. When braking on a slippery road, it’s all too easy to “lock up” your wheels by stepping on the brakes a little too hard. If you start to skid, steer the vehicle gently in the direction you want the front of your vehicle to go and don’t touch your brakes. This used to be called “turning into the skid,” but tests have shown that drivers often misinterpret these words in real-life situations. Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Don't try to get moving in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
9. Make frequent rest stops. Avoid driving while you're fatigued. Getting the proper amount of rest before taking on winter weather tasks reduces driving risks. Winter travel is much more fatiguing than summer cruising, so stop every hour or so. Get out, stretch — maybe even make a few snow angels! It takes only five minutes to significantly improve your level of alertness.
10. If you get stuck, stay in your vehicle. It provides temporary shelter and makes it easier for rescuers to locate you. Don't try to walk in a severe storm. It's easy to lose sight of your vehicle in blowing snow and become lost. Stay warm and wait for assistance. Don't over exert yourself if you try to push or dig your vehicle out of the snow. Tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna or place a cloth at the top of a rolled up window to signal distress. At night, keep the dome light on if possible. It only uses a small amount of electricity and will make it easier for rescuers to find you. Make sure the exhaust pipe isn't clogged with snow, ice or mud. A blocked exhaust could cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to leak into the passenger compartment with the engine running. Use whatever is available to insulate your body from the cold. This could include floor mats, newspapers or paper maps. If possible run the engine and heater just long enough to remove the chill and to conserve gasoline.
Some additional general automobile safety tips:
• Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
• If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather.
• Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand).
• Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.
• Avoid distractions while driving. Do not use your cell phone; go hands-free. Don’t text or email.
A final word of advice: Stay home. If you really don't have to go out, don't. Even if you can drive well in the snow, noteveryone else can. Don't tempt fate: If you don't have somewhere you have to be, watch the snow from indoors. Whether you’re hitting the road in winter for work or for pleasure, preparation and knowledge can help keep you whistling “Let it Snow” instead of fighting frostbite in a snowdrift.
Sources for the previous article include:
• Mark Sedenquist is the publisher of RoadTrip America, a Web site providing expert planning, advice and suggested itineraries for road trips. He's spent 30 years and a half-million miles on the road in North America. Also, visit Tripso's forums! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10839538/ns/travel-travel_tips/#
• American Automobile Association: For more information on winter driving, the association offers the How to Go on Ice and Snow brochure, available through most AAA offices. Contact your local AAA
representative for more information. http://www.aaaexchange.com/main/default.asp?categoryid=3&subcategoryid=55
• American Red Cross: For more information, visit www.redcross.org; then click on the “Preparedness
Fast Facts” link under the “Preparing and Getting Trained” tab on the upper left.
• http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/Preparedness/WinterStorms.pdf
The No. 1 cause of winter driving accidents is driving too fast. Motor Vehicle Accidents are the No. 1 cause of death in winter storms. Severe weather can be both frightening and dangerous for automobile travel. Motorists should know the safety rules for dealing with winter road emergencies. AAA reminds motorists to be cautious while driving in adverse weather. If you find yourself hitting the road during adverse conditions, consider these tips to stay safe on your journey.
1. Prepare Your Vehicle for the Winter. Winterize your car by checking antifreeze, defroster, emergency signals, heater, lights, oil, tires, windshield washer fluid, and wiper blades. Always make sure your vehicle is in peak operating condition by having it inspected by a AAA Approved Auto Repair facility. Have emergency supplies in your car, including a cell phone, an ice scraper and brush, a small shovel, a tow rope, cat litter/sand/gravel (for use as a traction aid), blankets, jumper cables, first aid kit, a good flashlight, gloves, hats, food, water and any needed medication, a candle, matches, a good book, a portable weather radio and a can of lock de-icer. (Never use hot water on glass or locks — it will refreeze and create a bigger problem.) Here’s a more detailed list of road trip supplies.
2. Keep your tires in good condition and properly inflated. Cold weather reduces tire pressure, so check and adjust frequently. Tire tread depth should be at least 1/8-inch, and good snow tires with lugs will outperform just about any allweather tire on the market. Never mix radial tires with other tire types. Carry (and be able to install) traction-control devices like snow chains whenever you know you’ll be in a snowy area. Sometimes such devices are required, and if you don’t have a set, you’ll be forced to pay a premium to acquire them on the spot.
3. Know your route and keep abreast of weather conditions. Watch weather reports prior to a long-distance drive or before driving in isolated areas. Delay trips when especially bad weather is expected. If you must leave, let others know your route, destination and estimated time of arrival. The Web can be great source of current weather information. Make a list of Department of Transportation road-condition hotlines and consult them every few hours while you’re on the road. Pay special attention to avalanche conditions along your route, because temporary road closures are common in mountain areas.
4. Drink plenty of water. When the weather is chilly, dehydration might seem unlikely, but according to a study by the Mayo Clinic, as little as a 1-2 percent loss of body weight can lead to fatigue and reduced alertness — both of which can be deadly when you are driving in icy conditions. Carry (and drink) five to six 16-ounce bottles of water per day. Keep them with you in the passenger compartment, as they might freeze in the trunk.
5. Eat enough food. Your body needs more nourishment in cold weather than it does on a balmy summer day. Avoid candy bars and other quick-sugar-release snacks. Sandwiches, fruit or a Thermos of hearty stew are much better choices. Carry a day’s worth of high-energy food and water in a warm area of your vehicle in case you are stranded for a few hours.
6. Slow down. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning – nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly. A good rule of thumb is to reduce speed by 50 percent in snowy conditions. The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop. Blasting through snowdrifts may look cool in TV advertisements, but it’s way too hard on your vehicle to be worth it. Equally important: Don’t go too slow. Your car needs momentum to keep moving through snow on grades.
7. Keep a light touch on the controls. Smooth operation is the key to keeping control in slippery situations. Nervousness can lead to a hard clench of the steering wheel, which can result in loss of control. Consciously loosen your grasp or stretch out your fingers from time to time to help prevent that white-knuckled grip. Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, the best way to stop is threshold breaking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
8. Know how to recover from skids. When braking on a slippery road, it’s all too easy to “lock up” your wheels by stepping on the brakes a little too hard. If you start to skid, steer the vehicle gently in the direction you want the front of your vehicle to go and don’t touch your brakes. This used to be called “turning into the skid,” but tests have shown that drivers often misinterpret these words in real-life situations. Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Don't try to get moving in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
9. Make frequent rest stops. Avoid driving while you're fatigued. Getting the proper amount of rest before taking on winter weather tasks reduces driving risks. Winter travel is much more fatiguing than summer cruising, so stop every hour or so. Get out, stretch — maybe even make a few snow angels! It takes only five minutes to significantly improve your level of alertness.
10. If you get stuck, stay in your vehicle. It provides temporary shelter and makes it easier for rescuers to locate you. Don't try to walk in a severe storm. It's easy to lose sight of your vehicle in blowing snow and become lost. Stay warm and wait for assistance. Don't over exert yourself if you try to push or dig your vehicle out of the snow. Tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna or place a cloth at the top of a rolled up window to signal distress. At night, keep the dome light on if possible. It only uses a small amount of electricity and will make it easier for rescuers to find you. Make sure the exhaust pipe isn't clogged with snow, ice or mud. A blocked exhaust could cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to leak into the passenger compartment with the engine running. Use whatever is available to insulate your body from the cold. This could include floor mats, newspapers or paper maps. If possible run the engine and heater just long enough to remove the chill and to conserve gasoline.
Some additional general automobile safety tips:
• Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
• If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather.
• Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand).
• Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.
• Avoid distractions while driving. Do not use your cell phone; go hands-free. Don’t text or email.
A final word of advice: Stay home. If you really don't have to go out, don't. Even if you can drive well in the snow, noteveryone else can. Don't tempt fate: If you don't have somewhere you have to be, watch the snow from indoors. Whether you’re hitting the road in winter for work or for pleasure, preparation and knowledge can help keep you whistling “Let it Snow” instead of fighting frostbite in a snowdrift.
Sources for the previous article include:
• Mark Sedenquist is the publisher of RoadTrip America, a Web site providing expert planning, advice and suggested itineraries for road trips. He's spent 30 years and a half-million miles on the road in North America. Also, visit Tripso's forums! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10839538/ns/travel-travel_tips/#
• American Automobile Association: For more information on winter driving, the association offers the How to Go on Ice and Snow brochure, available through most AAA offices. Contact your local AAA
representative for more information. http://www.aaaexchange.com/main/default.asp?categoryid=3&subcategoryid=55
• American Red Cross: For more information, visit www.redcross.org; then click on the “Preparedness
Fast Facts” link under the “Preparing and Getting Trained” tab on the upper left.
• http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/Preparedness/WinterStorms.pdf
Monday, December 13, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
heart health
For the past couple weeks, I've been pondering this verse,
The entire passage reads,
What does this mean to us? Well, first off, we're told that our hearts can be rebellious little suckers. Unreliable. Squirrely. Finicky. Play tricks on us. Tell us the wrong thing and then make us feel bad about it.
Our human hearts, apart from God's truth, will determine our thoughts, feelings, emotions, and beliefs according to our sin nature. They will come up with their own assessment of our selves, which will always be negative and condemning.
The way to have a healthy heart and healthy emotions is to infuse your system with God's word. Our hearts will lie to us (Jer 17:9), but God word is truth. Trying to get rid of unhealthy emotions without the powerful work of God's word applied to our lives is like riding a bicycle instead of driving a Porche. Yes, you may make some progress but think of how much faster and easier it would be with the Spirit of Truth fueling your journey.
I discussed these thoughts with my pastor and he reminded me of the three 'F's. Facts, faith, feelings. Once God's word invades our hearts, healthy feelings and emotions flow. Letting God define what goes on inside our hearts feels much better than when we try to figure things out on our own. When we have truth, we find rest. Remember, God knows everything. He knows how we feel and what we need to feel better. Our limited understanding just cannot compare to that.
One of the best ways to maintain spiritual heart health is to pray scripture prayers. I like the books "Prayers that Avail Much" by Germaine Copeland and "Praying God's Word" by Beth Moore. You can go straight to specific topics and pray scriptures directly related to your struggle.
Let's all make scripture a priority for our new year. Our hearts need to be nurtured by God. Try not to let more than two days pass without reading the bible or praying a scripture prayer. Our spirits need to be fed so that we can walk in godly confidence, peace, and strength. Our flesh gets plenty of food, how much do our spirits get? Say you had two rottweilers in the back yard, in separate cages. Every day you feed one of them a buffet meal but the other one you just throw a few morsels to. When those two dogs get out of their cages, which one is going to be stronger?
Love.
"God is greater than our hearts."
The entire passage reads,
"This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we
set our hearts at rest in his presence:
set our hearts at rest in his presence:
If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence before God."
we have confidence before God."
1 John 3:19-21
What does this mean to us? Well, first off, we're told that our hearts can be rebellious little suckers. Unreliable. Squirrely. Finicky. Play tricks on us. Tell us the wrong thing and then make us feel bad about it.
Our human hearts, apart from God's truth, will determine our thoughts, feelings, emotions, and beliefs according to our sin nature. They will come up with their own assessment of our selves, which will always be negative and condemning.
The way to have a healthy heart and healthy emotions is to infuse your system with God's word. Our hearts will lie to us (Jer 17:9), but God word is truth. Trying to get rid of unhealthy emotions without the powerful work of God's word applied to our lives is like riding a bicycle instead of driving a Porche. Yes, you may make some progress but think of how much faster and easier it would be with the Spirit of Truth fueling your journey.
I discussed these thoughts with my pastor and he reminded me of the three 'F's. Facts, faith, feelings. Once God's word invades our hearts, healthy feelings and emotions flow. Letting God define what goes on inside our hearts feels much better than when we try to figure things out on our own. When we have truth, we find rest. Remember, God knows everything. He knows how we feel and what we need to feel better. Our limited understanding just cannot compare to that.
One of the best ways to maintain spiritual heart health is to pray scripture prayers. I like the books "Prayers that Avail Much" by Germaine Copeland and "Praying God's Word" by Beth Moore. You can go straight to specific topics and pray scriptures directly related to your struggle.
Let's all make scripture a priority for our new year. Our hearts need to be nurtured by God. Try not to let more than two days pass without reading the bible or praying a scripture prayer. Our spirits need to be fed so that we can walk in godly confidence, peace, and strength. Our flesh gets plenty of food, how much do our spirits get? Say you had two rottweilers in the back yard, in separate cages. Every day you feed one of them a buffet meal but the other one you just throw a few morsels to. When those two dogs get out of their cages, which one is going to be stronger?
Love.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
don't you quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a fellow turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow-
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success if failure turned inside out,
The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,
It might be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a fellow turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow-
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success if failure turned inside out,
The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,
It might be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
"this is gonna hurt a little bit....."
I have gotten to know my dentist/orthodontist really well during this past year I've been in braces. She is fighting breast cancer (at 43, yikes!) and talks to me about her treatment. We talk about what's going on with me and what's going on with her. I invited her to my yoga class and she is going to come. Since the day I asked her about why she was going to chemotherapy, we've formed this sweet bond between two like-minded women of different cultures which is a rare thing for backwards Albany, Georgia. Even her staff gives me special treatment.
Although she is very busy handling tons of patients in her successful practice, she often works on me herself. If she's not there because she is sick from chemo, she leaves detailed instructions for my appointments with her assistants. Recently I was there for a....visit...check-up... adjustment... what do you call it when they change the wires and put more sharp stuff in your mouth??? Anyway, she comes in and yells to her assistant to bring her this and that then looks at me and says......
"did you take something before you came?"
"have you already eaten?"
"i'm going to wire your teeth together"
"i need your teeth to settle into the bone this way"
"it's part of the end of your treatment, i have to do this"
"you are going to have pain, major pain"
"april, i'm so sorry"
"you are going to hurt like you've never hurt before"
"i'm going to be thinking about you tonight"
"don't hate me"
"keep tylenol in your purse"
I'm not exaggerating. She said all that. I'm sitting in the chair, speechless, just staring at her with big owl eyes. Then she and her assistant work together, winding twisted wire around the bracket of one tooth, pulling it over and wrapping around it the bracket of the neighboring tooth, and then twisting my teeth together until they are in the position she wanted them in. Since my teeth are so loose right now, she could actually get them to move this way while I was in the chair.
I crawled out of her office that day, whimpering, but thinking about what she said. "This is going to hurt but it needs to happen in order to get the good result we want. There will be pain but it's for a good reason and it will be worth it". Wouldn't it be helpful if we could get this kind of warning in life? If we had this advance knowledge, would we be less blind-sided when trouble comes? Would it be nice if God gave us a disclaimer like that before pain entered our lives? He did.
Although she is very busy handling tons of patients in her successful practice, she often works on me herself. If she's not there because she is sick from chemo, she leaves detailed instructions for my appointments with her assistants. Recently I was there for a....visit...check-up... adjustment... what do you call it when they change the wires and put more sharp stuff in your mouth??? Anyway, she comes in and yells to her assistant to bring her this and that then looks at me and says......
"did you take something before you came?"
"have you already eaten?"
"i'm going to wire your teeth together"
"i need your teeth to settle into the bone this way"
"it's part of the end of your treatment, i have to do this"
"you are going to have pain, major pain"
"april, i'm so sorry"
"you are going to hurt like you've never hurt before"
"i'm going to be thinking about you tonight"
"don't hate me"
"keep tylenol in your purse"
I'm not exaggerating. She said all that. I'm sitting in the chair, speechless, just staring at her with big owl eyes. Then she and her assistant work together, winding twisted wire around the bracket of one tooth, pulling it over and wrapping around it the bracket of the neighboring tooth, and then twisting my teeth together until they are in the position she wanted them in. Since my teeth are so loose right now, she could actually get them to move this way while I was in the chair.
I crawled out of her office that day, whimpering, but thinking about what she said. "This is going to hurt but it needs to happen in order to get the good result we want. There will be pain but it's for a good reason and it will be worth it". Wouldn't it be helpful if we could get this kind of warning in life? If we had this advance knowledge, would we be less blind-sided when trouble comes? Would it be nice if God gave us a disclaimer like that before pain entered our lives? He did.
"Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything."
James 1
I asked my pastor about that word "tested". He said there are two kinds of testing. One is the testing from the devil to destroy our lives. The other is testing from God, which in this verse translates into "approve". James is talking about trials that God lets us go through in order to bring about a successful end. There are sometimes painful journeys for us to take, but it's because it has to happen that way in order to bring us into a blessed new place. Most people do not change unless it A) costs too much or B) hurts too much (PAE). Pain is a wonderful motivator for change.
I'm sure there are plenty of folks who grew up in their faith trusting God's love and feeling safe and confident in His plan. Then there are those like me who have to dispel the lie that God brings pain into my life in order to hurt me, to punish me for making wrong choices, to see how I handle defeat, to measure my level of strength, to watch me squirm. With the belief system that "everyone who loves me hurts me", it was so easy to think God was the same way.
The more I trust God with the most tender, vulnerable parts of myself, the more I am unlearning the misrepresentation of His love. I now believe that any pain He allows in my life is because it is necessary to bring me into victory. God does not plan defeat for us, even when He allows us to hurt a bit. God is a loving Father and the only One who loves us with holy, pure, agape love. It is not His character to set us up or knock us down just to cause us pain. The wires don't stay on our teeth forever. Freedom from sharp stuff in a tender place is the plan. The soreness and pain are temporary. A beautiful smile is on the way.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Speaking Life
Here is a little sixty-second prayer to help us speak words of life, taken from Stomie O'Martian's book, Prayers for Emotional Wholeness.
"God, I pray that You would cause only good and excellent things to come from my lips. Fill my heart with Your love, peace, patience, and kindness so that it overflows from my mouth. Help me to speak of positive things and not negative-words that bring life and not death. I know the words I speak can bring blessings into my life or they can keep blessings from me. Help me to never shut off the flow of all You have for me by speaking words that are not glorifying to You. "
"God, I pray that You would cause only good and excellent things to come from my lips. Fill my heart with Your love, peace, patience, and kindness so that it overflows from my mouth. Help me to speak of positive things and not negative-words that bring life and not death. I know the words I speak can bring blessings into my life or they can keep blessings from me. Help me to never shut off the flow of all You have for me by speaking words that are not glorifying to You. "
"Listen, for I will speak of excellent things,
and from the opening of my lips will come right things."
Proverbs 8:6
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