I recently watched Gracie, my 1-1/2 year old granddaughter, and her puppy in a tug of war. The little cloth doll was the object that day, and both of them were trying to win. Every time snuggly got the doll, Gracie crawled with determination right over to snuggly and started pulling it out of her mouth. We sat and chuckled watching this.
Gracie didn't even care about the doll... until snuggly had it.
Do we ever do that? Get 'territorial' about things. It doesn't matter, unless it starts mattering to someone else, and then we quickly feel like jumping in to claim our rights.
Example:
Knowing you have done something well and then watching as someone else get the praise.
It's happened to me, and probably to you. The temptation is to want people to know that YOU did it. Of course, we are too 'humble' to say it out loud... but do you ever think it??
There have been times when a genuine effort and desire to unselfishly do something for someone has gone without notice, when hearing a simple thank you would have felt good.
My mom used to say..."God keeps the records." He is watching when no one else is, He doesn't miss any of it, good or bad.
I don't grab for the doll anymore, but I feel like hiding my smile when I see Gracie do it. I recognize that behaviour, that little bit of Eve... even in this adorable little cowgirl.
Have you noticed how one particular weak area in your life keeps rearing it's head? All through life, there are 1 or 2 things that keep showing up, to pull us down, and they are the same old things...
They are the 'little foxes'.
Through the years, those little foxes have appeared in my life, the same little foxes. Not the major sins... I know God has already dealt with those and my life is different because of it. It's a strong testimony I live with every day.
But...
Those little ones, the ones that 'spoil the vines'...they persist, and slowly I realize 'it's that fox again'!
What are some of the little foxes?
. Quick and unfair judgment of another.
. Critical spirit.
. Talking too carelessly about someone.
. Resentment.
. Not speaking when we should speak.
. Speaking too much when we shouldn't.
. Overeating
. Negative spirit.
. Worry instead of trusting.
And there are many others.
Why does God say that those little foxes spoil the vines? After all, they are small... not big and glaring.
He says it because He knows that eventually if we don't cut off the path of the little fox, they grow into bigger foxes, and even in their small state, they nip away at the condition of our hearts, and they damage our attitudes and our peace.
We can't compartmentalize sin... 'If we do all of this right, one or two little areas aren't going to make so much difference.'
Oh yes they are!
God is holy. He lives in my heart, and His greatest desire is for me to walk in holiness with Him.
He doesn't want those little foxes to gain any entrance into our lives, and if they do, we are to deal with them immediately.
I want my vine to be healthy and strong, it's a daily thing, dealing with the little fox as he appears... not waiting until he begins to spoil the vines.
Once more, it's a deliberate choice on my part.
Foxes... GET AWAY FROM MY VINE! :)
There is a beautiful church in Dallas, the church where my hubby grew up. On the very top of a tall steeple is a huge clock mounted in the center, for all of Dallas to see as they drive by. Right under the midnight hour are the words... NIGHT COMETH.
There is such a strong message in these 2 simple words. As people drive by and see it, they immediately think of night coming, and life ending. It must cause some serious thoughts.
As believers, we know that NIGHT COMETH. Our days on this earth will be over, and we will face eternity, with hope and certainty.
For the unbeliever, what are they thinking about as they read those words. Night is coming for them too. I pray it is a reminder that this life is going to end, and that maybe they are rushing to fill their days without purpose or meaning. A wake up call. Maybe a time to ponder what on earth they are doing here, and where are they going when their own final night comes?
Either way, it is a caution. For us, that life is short, and we are to 'redeem the time'... we don't know the final day or hour when life will end. All of life is ticking toward midnight...
NIGHT COMETH!
My kids are grown and now their own kids are growing up, so this isn't exactly a recent thing.
I don't miss them as in wanting them back as kids again, but I miss that season of life, when they were all home and their noise and chaos filled our lives. I had no idea as we went through those years, how fast they would fly by, and how quickly our nest would be empty.
These are good years, even fulfilling in ways I didn't know about back then, but still... I miss my kids!
I don't have anyone to order around, and I don't have anyone to run to the store with, haul to yet one more activity, go on a special little shopping adventure, or just 'hanging', as we did all through those years. Even though they were our kids, and the responsibility of always guiding and instructing them was there... so were they!
There is no one I'd rather spend time with these days than my grown kids and their kids. They have become such special people, each one of them.
There is a part of me that would not go back for anything, but there is another part...
I think it will always be there.
I know... "you have raised them, they are on their own and raising wonderful families, just like you prayed for"... I know all of that. Still...
Sometimes I miss my kids.
If I could only describe what a job this has been! I began tearing down the dark green wallpaper BEFORE Christmas!! I was sure that I also needed to remove the paper that was left on the walls from behind the wallpaper, (the glue part that backed the original paper) since it was 20 years old and not sure if they could paint over it.
I have been on that ladder 100 times. It sure looks easy when other people take on remodeling projects! Painting is easy, but not removing wallpaper! But now it's done, and I conceded to having the painter come in and texture the walls and then paint. My goal was something light and airy, spa-like. There are lots of windows, so the light will be pouring in and the walls are so much lighter.
Since he was already here, we had him do the downstairs guest bath too. Costco rugs and towels, and it is finished!! My husband, who always 'likes things just like they are'... may love it even more than I do. He fights change, but when it's done, he is always the biggest fan!
The painter and several of his helpers came and tore down the wallpaper in the small bath downstairs. It took them about 45 minutes!! Things just come together when you know what you're doing!
It was hard to get a good picture, since all the light was in front of me, but it is very light and airy now.
I still think of our house as our 'new house', and it's over 20 years old! Now we are replacing things... BIG things... COSTLY things, just because the years take their toll. So my plan was to do this on a small budget, I did... kind of.
Now for the bedroom...
There I was, peacefully driving along a main street in our town, when out in front of me, across a double line of traffic she darts...from nowhere. Not only that, but after her rush to get out there, she then pokes her way along to the main left turn light ahead, and finally at the last minute, dashes through just ahead of me, as the arrow turned red.
It should have been me getting through that light! I sat through another whole cycle...
I sat there 'blessing' that lady in my thoughts...
It didn't take long for me to hear that small voice... 'how often have you done the same thing, or something worse??'
God is like that... He doesn't let us get by with things we need to improve on. Traffic is one of mine. I don't think I'm an extremely impatient person, but some of those drivers...
Another 'trigger' for my red flag is texting behind the wheel, or even driving with the cell phone glued to their ear. They weave, they are unfocused, and they are always the car right in front of me!
My point?
I am amazed at how little it takes to disturb the calm waters of my heart. I am also sad that I seem to fall for it more often than I should.
My experience with God tells me that it is an area He will probably continue to allow in my life, until I learn the lesson of letting it go more quickly. I know I'm not a hot head, but traffic and drivers can bring out something in me that looks mighty close sometimes.
So??
So I trekked home and as I sit here, I pray for that lady. She may have just been an irresponsible driver, or she may have had some genuine concerns on her mind as she shot out in front of me. I pray that she will be blessed today, in the right way...
and that the lady who was driving along behind her, would more quickly calm her heart, and let God control it all, including her reactions in traffic.
My mother in law had an expression that always brings a mental picture... "I'm as free as a hog on ice".
Can't you see that pig heading onto the ice rink and just flying around as free as can be? Untethered, unencumered... but maybe even unbalanced, unpredictable, and unable to control the inevitable slide.
As free as it sounds, my mental red flag is already waving. That pig might be in real trouble.
I once got out of my car, during a rare Dallas ice storm, one house away from home. I walked (skated) on thin ice to my own house next door, and told my hubby he had to go get the car and drive it to our driveway, the length of one yard. I could not do it!
So all of a sudden, the pig doesn't really seem free, in fact he is probably on a 'free fall' to who knows where.
Boundaries are good.
Being tied to something strong and sure is good.
Being held in the hands of our loving Father is good.
While I enjoy the mental image of that pig as he heads out on the ice, I think the pig would be much better off if he were tied to something strong. I think the pig would agree.
It's everything to know that I am tied to the One sure anchor, and that He controls even the slipping and sliding.
"I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy
down in my heart
down in my heart to stay."
Do you ever think of those songs we used to sing growing up? I was humming this one, and to my shock, I realized I didn't feel that joy, not like I used to. I do have joy, and often joy, joy, but I know I don't always have joy, joy, joy,joy!!!
I miss that. I want that joy, joy, joy,joy. Can I still have it? Can I still have that kind of joy in spite of and in the midst of trying circumstances, or when my days are full of dealing with the stuff of this life?
The obvious answer is yes. God, who placed that joy in my heart when I first came to Him, is the same unchanging God who is still the only source of that kind of joy today. He has a way of reeling us in and making us sense a need... again, when our tanks need to be filled back up.
I am sometimes guilty of listening to the clamor of voices that are loud in this world we live in... circumstances, politics, sinking economy, lack of morality... and on and on. The whole thing can leave me feeling stressed and gloomy. It's hard not to be affected by the voices of this world.
So what do we do? We go back to where our joy, joy, joy, joy began... back to Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. The only one who understands where we are and who we are.
I may be speaking to you, but I KNOW I am speaking to myself!! I needed that reminder this morning.
"I've got the peace that passes understanding down in my heart
down in my heart to stay"!!!
That was the expression for anything our family did as I was growing up, anything that cost money... a trip, redecorating, clothes, fancy dinner parties, etc.
We did it all on a shoestring.
In looking back, I know that my mother did shoestring better than anyone I have ever known. She had a way of changing rooms to make them look fresh and different. She would paint the walls in a bathroom, put in a few 'on sale' different colored towels, add fresh flowers, sweet smelling soaps, and the whole room was new. There was never any big money... just a shoestring.
When she and dad gave one of their annual Christmas dinner parties for the not-so-rich, but definitely famous, ministers and evangelists... our friends talked about her parties year after year. She had such a gift of making things so special. To the tiniest decorated detail, served on platters and plates brimming with amazing food from her kitchen, to the little gifts given to each guest, wrapped and boxed in love, she made those nickels,dimes and dollars go the extra mile.
She made casseroles out of leftovers and made us excited to eat them. I know that one of her tricks was mashed potatoes... it stretched the meat, and with some fresh veggies and a little of her gravy or sauce, and some crunchy goodness on top all browned and sizzling, that leftover meal was out of this world, shoestring or not!
Our clothes were as up to date and cute as anyone's, and I know she scoured those sale racks at W.T.Grant's in Pasadena, and that God gave her bargains 1000 times over.
It was almost a game to live on a shoestring in our home. My mom made it that way. She laughed at life, and knew who she was in the Lord.
I think that my mother's shoestrings were actually strands of gold... woven together with love, creativity, hospitality and laughter.
Shoestring in my dictionary has very special meaning, my heart pictures her example right alongside Proverbs 31.
The Swedes always take credit for these, as well as for Norwegian meatballs. I don't really know what the perfect origins were, but in MY home, as I grew up... they were NORWEGIAN.
I wish I could tell you how good these are. Just give it a try sometime...
7 eggs
a smattering of flour to medium consistency
a dab of melted butter
a small amount of milk
a dab of sugar...
That's all I can tell you. There were never any measurements in our house. My mom knew exactly what consistency they should be, and then into the large teflon pan they went... rolled around to the edges like crepes, a little thicker, but a-ma-zing-ly delicous!!
She let them turn into a golden brown and flipped them, then popped them out as they were done, into a half fold and a quarter fold. As we took them from the plate, we opened them, filled them with good stuff and rolled them up like a tube and down they went! In case there were any left overs, my brother came in the next day and ate whatever was left... cold, and quick!
I still make them, but not as often as my mother did. It is a lot of work to stand there and crank them out one at a time. She never complained. I DO! You can't make them en-masse, just one at a time... a loooong time. Still... it's more than worth it. Right Felisol?? (My Norwegian sister)...
We sprinkled sugar or maple syrup or fruit jam onto the pancakes, and ate until we were stuffed.
I do hope that in a section of heaven, my mom is up there making Norwegian pancakes for all of the 'saints.' It has to be a recipe that God thought up. It's that good!
I recently watched Gracie, my 1-1/2 year old granddaughter, and her puppy in a tug of war. The little cloth doll was the object that day, and both of them were trying to win. Every time snuggly got the doll, Gracie crawled with determination right over to snuggly and started pulling it out of her mouth. We sat and chuckled watching this.
