Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Ahh...relax

Relax

Ecclesiastes 11:4-6

Hello All ~

Just curious…any perfectionist out there? A perfectionist is someone who only wants to do something if they think it will be perfect. If it’s not going to be perfect, than they will either procrastinate or not do it. For example, if they can’t get their house cleaned perfectly - they won’t do it at all. (Oh! So that’s why you’re house is a wreck! See, you knew there was a logical reason.) Or if that project cannot be done to it’s fullest potential, they want no part of it.

I must admit; I have these tendencies…OK, Ok…maybe it’s more than tendencies, but I’m making progress. There are a lot of things I could say about perfectionism, most of it bad. But actually, the idea of wanting to do things right is good and from God. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” The problem comes when I become out of balance and demand that the outcome be to my liking and control. My fear of failure urges me to reject any bit of vulnerability I may sense. And I fail in trusting the results to God to do as He sees fit. Anybody else?

Ecclesiastes 11 says that if we observe the wind we’ll never sow and he that regards the clouds will not reap…meaning if you have to wait for every condition to be right - you’ll never do it. It goes on to say, “In the morning sow your seed and at night go out and reap…for how do you know what God will make good?”

Exactly. So you know what…just go for it! Just do your best with what you’ve got. Not the best you’ve ever had - more energy in the past, more resources - just the energy and resources you have right this moment. Who but God knows what will happen! Whew…once you’ve obeyed…relax.

Hope & Glory! to You ~ Love

Rebecca

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Feelings, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa Feelings…

Numbers 13 & 14

Hey Everyone ~

“Hope is the feeling you have that the feeling you have isn’t permanent.” Jean Kerr.

When I was in elementary school God gave me such a funny friend. I don’t mean funny like weird. I mean funny like - she could make me laugh till I wet my pants- kind of funny! One of her regular routines was to act out singing the song, “Feelings…whoa, whoa, whoa, feelings...” No matter how many times I saw her do it, it seemed as funny as the first time.

As time went on her solo act became a duet, with me singing back up. We’d start off acting like we were world-renowned recording artist on a grandiose stage. In our most poised positions we would begin to sing. As the song progressed, despite these “singers” best efforts to keep their emotions at bay, they would become more and more emotionally wrapped up in the lyrics they were singing. By the end of the song these “professionals” were nothing short of blubbering idiots on stage with no sense of pride or shame, lamenting unabashedly their “feelings, whoa, whoa, whoa, feelings…” It was great fun!

But in real life, feelings can be brutal. I know sometimes how we feel ain’t good! If by chance you find yourself reading this and you’re feeling “hopeless” it may be because you feel the feeling you have IS permanent. But I encourage you to hang in there. It may not really be! I’m speaking to myself too!

I love to remember Joshua and Caleb in Numbers 13 &14.When the other spies looked at the enemy they said, “…we saw giants…and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers…”

The problem seems to be that they were looking at it from their own sight. But don’t ya know God is so much more than our sight can see! He has things up his sleeve we have no idea about. Oh, what a relief. Someone bigger and greater and wiser is in charge! And he loves you to death!

Sometimes when were battling our thinking and feelings, being around other believers helps shake us back to the truth of God and His word. That is one of the beauties of being a part of a church. Whatever you do, “…don’t forsake assembling yourself together with others.” Hebrews 10:25

Hope & Glory! to You ~ Love

Rebecca