Doc the blessings

God has so many ways to say "I am here.  I love you.  I care for you. I am always with you."

My class started again.  I wondered what it would hold, resisting worry as it tried to creep into my mind.  I wouldn't allow any might be's to mess with me.

Anyway, back to the blessings.  The class was great, uplifting.  I found out that I have some of the homework already done.  Yea!  This part was weighing on me, wondering when/how I would devote the time to doing it. 

This and a few other events of the night left my heart open, looking forward to the road God placed me on.  I wanted to bottle up the joy and sip on it the rest of the year. 

God is so good!

Peace from Obedience

“If you love me, you will obey what I command.  John 14:15

In obedience I have the peace of Jesus.  From Thanksgiving until Christmas, I slowly gave into more and more sweets.  As you know I was called to give up the sweets.  Yet that part of me that was rebelling screamed for me. 

Fortunately, I could not bear to eat a lot of really sweet things.  Also, I did not indulge nearly as much as I had in the past.  However, it became a disobedience act [SIN], not a special occasion. 

Needless to say my waistline showed the results.  I had already fluffed up do to limitation on exercise my hip caused, now the extra cookie here and there were adding up. 

During the week leading up to Christmas, I decided that I was indulging to much, only to find my hand in the cookie jar!  When I prayed for God to help me come back in line with what He asked me to do, was I enabled to keep my hand out of the jar.

It was also in this prayer that many of these Life Principles came.  He spurred a desire to write down and organize these principles so that I could review, remind and hold on to the great things He has personally reveal to me and how He wants me to live.

Life Principle:  I enjoy the peace that comes from God enabled obedience.

Submerged

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”  John 13:9.

And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” Joshua 3:13.

Peter wants more of Jesus.  The priest must exercise faith by putting their feet into the water before it stopped flowing. 

A friend spoke at a women’s event last year.  She spoke of her awakening back to God.  When He called her to give Him as much time as she gave her work – and that was a lot of time.  She, with her husband’s blessing, gave up her job and spent the next several months submerged in God’s word.  She went on to describe her daily walk with God, spending time in His word and in prayer.

Although my life isn’t like hers, I gave this thought.  I prayed that I would have an opportunity to be submerged into God’s word.  In a way, I got there, but my ‘self’ started to complain.  I desired my own way, to do my own thing.  It wasn’t until I finally lightened up (after several things weighing on me were over), that God spoke to me. 

I complained (oh, surprise!) that I wanted to study God’s word what I wanted, not what I was told to study, like Bible Study group or counseling class.  God reminded me of my prayer.  That I desired and asked to be submerged into Him.  Why was I demanding it be on my terms (my pride of control)?  That isn’t how it works. 

Life Principle:

Submerged:  I enjoy all opportunities to soak up God’s word. 

3 Things

I recently started following Time Warp Wife.  I began reading the six steps for a beautiful marriage.  Step 1:  3 areas I want to be made beautiful.  3 areas to begin to pray and work with God over the next week to see what I can do to improve my relationship with Dale.

Our marriage is good.  Relationships take dedication and attention or they'll fall apart.  I am led to pay more attention to my part in our relationship and I have found several blogs that will help me.

1.  Domestic support.  I've made this part of my goals for this year.  I will work towards putting out all the hotspots, let go a clutter the is chocking us.  I know Dale doesn't mind a certain level of clutter, but he also likes to come home to an order home.

2.  Attitude.  I've developed a I must control everything and have my way (you'll see in post over the next month.  I need to lighten up and go with the flow - which is the attitude Dale has most of the time.  The day that I let go and went with it turned out to be a very enjoyable day.  I pushed my agenda aside and had a great time.  Now I need to keep it up, fortunately I have a Holy Spirit directing and convicting me.

3.  Be available.  This is somewhat tied to the above attitude.  Be available to listen and hear what's going on in his life - his work, his study, his activities.  Be available with my time, not be wore out from all my activities that I have nothing left to give him.

Vision Drift

I developed a series of post that will focus on life principles I want to remember.  Things that God has taught me, yet I often get distracted by the world that I forget.  Then I get reminded again, refocus, reset and do well until the cycle happens again.

God delivers the name for what happens - Vision Drift.  I love my pastor and love how God prepares my heart to hear the message.  Vision Drift happens when the world, my wants, sin takes my focus off God his plans.  It's when I start choosing the priorities then seek God to fulfill them.  He's not a drive thru.  I can't just pull up in prayer, give my order and expect delivery in just a few short minutes.

Yes, God wants to give me blessings.  He wants to be my blessing.  He is a gentleman and waits for me to seek.

So Life Principles are the truths I want to cling to.  Truths that help me keep God's perspective.  Truths that counter all the lies that are distracting me from my purpose.

This is a Test

I put in a prayer request:  God's wisdom as I work with doctors concerning my knee and discipline to do what I need to do to rest the knee over the next month.

No sooner than it became public did I receive a test.  I get a call from Kat's principal.  They need a short term position filled and he thought of me first.

Flip back a few years ago.  My daughters in school full time.  I felt a huge pressure to find a full time job.  This pressure was from outside my immediate family - like my dad, the world in general.  I still couldn't handle the thought of Kat being in childcare.  If she was available to be with me, I wanted to be available to be with her. 

Logical choice was to work for the school in some way.  I'm not a teacher, so that was out.  I pleaded with the principal for a job so that I could have something to do with my time.  Good thing he didn't allow that crazy woman to work for him besides subbing a few time (a part time career that took a nose dive quick). 

This job offer, although temporary, would lead to a permanent position, at least year to year, if I took it.  It meant I would need to give up the volunteer work I do.  The Bible study class I'm in.  Quiet study time for counseling training (CT).  Oh, and that rest my knee needs. 

I talked with Dale before saying no, but I knew I had to say no.  I would have grasp my own dream, desire, not what God had for me.  I would do more damage to my knee in hopes of getting a job to please the world. 

For that obedience, my Wednesday schedule was cleared off so I could finish the work I have for CT that starts back up next week.

And before we have a cheer over my obedience, I wavered throughout the afternoon.  Not in terms of calling him back to take the positions.  In terms of envisioning a job at the school and being on Kat's schedule, ect.  The ease (or so I think) of such a job.  That's worldly ease at that.  I simply had a stern talk and reminded myself of God's plan for me and the trust I have in those plans.  If I am to work at the school, God will open the door for me to do so and that is the end of that.

New Year Goals

I planned to make this post before the new year started.  Life has a way of changing that.  My girl returned to school today and Dale and I are full swing in regular routine (Ok, his started yesterday).

Things have changed since I made the below list.  I thought of deleting them, however they are all valid and part of the my plan for this year.  Yet, if they don't happen, I'm OK with that.

We'll start with the knee pain that started just before Thanksgiving.  I went to the doctor, the pain only increased, so I agreed to a MRI.  I basically have no cartilage on my knee cap.  They gave me the diagnoses that has 15 letters in just the first word.

Well, nothing says Happy New year than to find out your knees permanently shot.  Of course this all sent me to my knees (figuratively because it hurts!)  What was God's plan in this?  Didn't He give me the desire to go on a missions trip?  How could I do these things with a hip that hurt (right side) and a bad knee (left side).  It was touch and go for me emotionally.  I resisted giving into feelings of despair. 

Really, I have so much to be thankful for, I just couldn't allow myself to go there.  God knew this was happening in my knee (some bizarre issue that mainly plagues women and basically been happening since I was a child).  He knows and I can trust Him.

It brought me to the point of submission.  I was holding on to the plans God revealed to me, yet I was holding on to how I thought they should be carried out.  He revealed that I was placing to much value in many "things" that have no lasting value and not enough in Him.  I came to a point to yet again to say 'I want your way!'  I'm looking forward to the journey to draw closer to God, to maximize my health (and figuring out what that means), to come closer to completing the counseling training. 

1. Organize my home!  I started the process a while ago.  It's been an ongoing thing.  I made great strides last year tackling the garage, so I would love to continue.  Craft projects on hold, I want organized!
2. Regain my health.  I'll share over the next few weeks other health issues I'm having as I learn more.  My goal is to be healthier, stronger than I am today.
3. Complete the Level 2-5 of counseling training.  It will take all year.  Looking forward to learning more.
4. Grow a garden with Kat.  I have hopes that we'll get rain next summer and can grow fresh vegetables.  Nothing like cucumbers from the garden.  We've devoted a good section of the yard for a garden by removing some plant.  If not, I will go to the farmer's market more to get those veggies others were successful in growing.