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Devotional: This Time Tomorrow

5/31/2012

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It wasn't my best moment. 

The pressures of managing our finances were taking their toll, and in what seemed like an instant, I abandoned my normal stance of 'God will provide' and allowed fear and worry to take over. 

Sitting at the table, surrounded by paperwork, calculators and pencils my head dropped into my hands and I cried. Never mind that three times in the last 6 months, when our situation had seemed dire, God had provided finances simply out of the blue. No, for some reason, this time it was worse. So much worse that not even God could help. 

Silly me. 

I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't form a prayer. All I could do was cry, releasing the tension of trying to control the very thing that God had always taken care of. 

You know what I love about God? I love that he doesn't treat me as I deserve. He really would have been justified to wait until I realized that I needed to pray and ask for his help. 

But my God is not simply just. My God is loving. And my God is in league with my two best allies: Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus died so that I can come right to God - and then he speaks up for me! And the Holy Spirit pinch-hits for me  - praying the prayers I'm not able to articulate. I've got a good team on my side, that's for sure. 

Back to the 'moment'. 

Like I said, it was rather distressing that in midst of a crisis the only thing I could do was to cry and whine. 

And do you know how my God responded?

With grace. 

And a lesson.

Within 3 days we received money, out of the blue, equivalent to an entire paycheque. 

When the money stopped rolling in, I had one of those 'Ah ha' moments. It came in the form of a bible verse:

Elisha said, "Listen! God's word! The famine is OVER. This time tomorrow food will be plentiful...  2 Kings 7:1a MSG

Super short, right? 

Today, God wants to encourage you to beware the lie that today's situation is all that will ever be. He is in control, and there is coming a time where today's struggle will be the compost on which you grow a garden of gratefulness and praise. 

So be mindful how you respond to the struggles and you'll have less to confess when God saves the day again. 

Focus on finding the opportunity in the struggle. The opportunity to see where God wants to get your attention, where God wants to challenge you to go deeper. 

This time tomorrow, your struggle won't look the same. 

Hopefully, you won't either. 



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First Things First

5/29/2012

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"Many are the plans of a man's [mother's] heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21

Ever see a hamster on a wheel? They run and run, the wheel squeaking and turning, and when they are finished, exhausted, they are still no further ahead, are they?

There are days when I feel like that. As the mother of a very busy, intelligent, strong-willed little boy some days I go to bed with dishes in the sink and toys scattered on my living room floor. 

It can be difficult to order my days in such a way that I am able to accomplish the necessary tasks. Lately, it's been impressed on me that there are three things I can do that will help me to keep my purpose aligned with the Lord's. 

1. Get enough sleep. It's hard to hear the voice of the Lord when I walk through my day half asleep. 

2. Eat whole, energizing foods. I'm not talking about a diet. This is simple - is the food alive? Eat raw fruits and veggies as much as you can - you'll have more energy. 

3. Carve out a few minutes for yourself, even just a few times a week, that you can read a devotional book and get out your bible. How will you know if your purposes fit with God's, if you don't know what his purposes are?...

When we can put first things first, we'll find that our life will fall into place. Last night, instead of folding laundry, my son and I sat on the couch and read a book about a porcupine named Fluffy. The laundry will be taken care of over the course of my day, my son will remember what I did - taking time for him - and hopefully connect it with the truth that God will always make time for him, always be interested in his life. 

God's encouragement for you today? Align your purpose with His purpose and you'll be on the right track! 

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3


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Loosen Up!

5/2/2012

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Sitting on the park bench, I enjoy the feeling of the warm sun and the sound of Trey laughing as he runs around the playground. Basking in the 'see how well my son is playing with others' moment, a minute or two goes by before I see the arcing stream of liquid coming from the top of the high slide.

Inwardly, I allow myself an amused head shake at the boy whose mother obviously isn't paying enough attention.

Then it dawns on me.

That is MY boy.

And then, in front of the entire playground, I become 'that mom'. You've seen her. She's the one who calls and calls for her obviously neglected, undisciplined child as he runs away laughing.

Laughing turns to screams when I climb the play set and chase him to the top again. My face burning in embarrassment, I navigate around mortified children as I take the walk of shame to the car with the screaming, crying toddler under my arm.

Later, when I relate the incident to friends and family, the only response I receive is laughter. Then stories of their embarrassing kid/parent moments.

And I remember again, that sometimes, we just need to loosen up. Life isn't about being the perfect mom, having the perfect child, being the perfect example.

Sometimes, life is about seeing the humor and allowing ourselves to laugh.

God thinks so too.

There's a reason why, tucked into what is otherwise a rather depressing book of the bible, that God uses the writer to remind us that just as there is a season to cry and lament, there is also a season to laugh and cheer.

 “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

                           ...a time to laugh.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4b)


 Parenting is about seasons. It's easy to get so caught up in the day to day that we forget to move with the liquidity of the moments. Each moment makes a season – don't forget to let yourself laugh.  



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