I went to a funeral this past week.. Guess as I get older, chances are greater that someone I know will move upwards or hopefully not, in the other direction, to that great, rather hot abyss. Such was the case today. Someone who I actually had spent a fair amount of time with in prayer. Great woman, godly, joyful and really lived for the Lord. Genuine, as another friend of mine tagged her and appropriately so. She truly is in a better place now.
What always bothers me about funerals though, (beside the fact that someone you know is dead) is that I do not have the gift of small talk. Polite, courteous chit-chat is not my cup of tea. No matter how hard I try I usually end up saying something really stupid. And today was no different. I rather cheerfully said to the grieving husband, "Hey, how are ya doing", like he was going to say "fine, and you?" I need an instruction manual with a few simple ideas of what to say in different social situations.
Like someone who just lost their job, or their house. Tough times call for tender comments. It's not that I don't have the right sentiment in my heart---it is just that it gets twisted on the way out of my mouth.
Am I the only one? I think not. What do YOU say at times like these?
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Oh yah.....there is one.
I think I will make a new year's resolution. To actually journal and post...more than bi-annually. I think that if I never have any one else read this, that is OK. If I never have a follower...that is OK. Because I am the follower here.......following Him. This is done for you to read, Jesus. To help me get things out of my head, into words, that my eyes can see and my heart can embrace. I am a visual, hands on person. Which can be dangerous.....hmmmm...maybe even exciting! I am up for that !
HA...2 posts in a day...I am on a roll!
HA...2 posts in a day...I am on a roll!
renew, refresh
Guess as the new year rolls around it is natural for most of us to be re-evaluating and re-aligning priorities. The priorities haven't changed....it is all about God. The only stable, never changing, faithful, constant in my life. As I look at the past year it has been one that has had a lot of strong winds that have tried to blow me off His path. So many things...dreams, ideas, plans, desires....that I have been praying for have either simply not happened..... yet, or have taken a turn in the opposite direction. There has been a lot of wondering and praying. And a lot of the things that I know I shouldn't do when faced with challenges. Worry. Anxiety. Taking things in my hands instead of laying them at His feet. Finding a little comfort in talking to others who have been down challenging roads, but over and over realizing that the only one who can comfort is the Shepherd.
Yes, I admit it, I am probably one of the most rebellious sheep there is. We all like sheep have gone astray, Isaiah says, each one has turned to his own way. Selfishness indeed is embedded in my flesh. And so what I think is suffering at the moment, really is nothing more than as Paul puts it, "momentary light affliction". And I need to be glad for that. Because the scripture tells us that that affliction is producing some really good stuff. It is producing an eternal perspective. It is helping me to see that the stuff that is good is not stuff I can see. It is whatever makes me more like Christ. It is whatever He can use to bring others to Him. It is obedience to His way. It is allowing affliction to mold me, not crush me; taking perplexing thoughts and choosing joy, not despair. Welcoming persecution, knowing that if there were no one else, there would always be Him. Being struck down and realizing that on my knees or face is not a place of destruction but one of delight...because the only place to see from that position, is up.
New years resolutions? Not sure. One thing I do know. I want to run the race well; not for my sake but for His. To do that, I so am with the author of Hebrews who helps me to see that there is a lot of stuff that has to be put aside in order to do that....good stuff as well as bad stuff. I pray that I can turn my eyes upon Him....focus on the race, my race, He has given me. And just run. For Him. With Him and because of Him.
Yes, I admit it, I am probably one of the most rebellious sheep there is. We all like sheep have gone astray, Isaiah says, each one has turned to his own way. Selfishness indeed is embedded in my flesh. And so what I think is suffering at the moment, really is nothing more than as Paul puts it, "momentary light affliction". And I need to be glad for that. Because the scripture tells us that that affliction is producing some really good stuff. It is producing an eternal perspective. It is helping me to see that the stuff that is good is not stuff I can see. It is whatever makes me more like Christ. It is whatever He can use to bring others to Him. It is obedience to His way. It is allowing affliction to mold me, not crush me; taking perplexing thoughts and choosing joy, not despair. Welcoming persecution, knowing that if there were no one else, there would always be Him. Being struck down and realizing that on my knees or face is not a place of destruction but one of delight...because the only place to see from that position, is up.
New years resolutions? Not sure. One thing I do know. I want to run the race well; not for my sake but for His. To do that, I so am with the author of Hebrews who helps me to see that there is a lot of stuff that has to be put aside in order to do that....good stuff as well as bad stuff. I pray that I can turn my eyes upon Him....focus on the race, my race, He has given me. And just run. For Him. With Him and because of Him.
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