Wait For It......

In spite of not having cable or any other kind of TV hook-up, we are still able to watch more than we need of TV shows. DVDs. Netflix. Who needs cable? This set up has the added advantage that we have more control of what comes into our house and NO advertisements.

(And, as a side note, may I just say that when I am somewhere with TV, and I do see advertisements, I am shocked. They are worse than many TV shows! And that is saying something.)

Shawn and Gus

Anyway, back on track....one of our favorites is "Psych". Now, I am not saying it is a perfect show, or even recommending it. I am just being transparent and honest. Hello, my name is Susan. I watch Psych. It has been one week since my last episode.

Ok. Where was I? Oh yes, being transparent and talking about "Psych." One of our favorite lines is when the characters Shawn and Gus are about to make the big reveal of the mystery and they say....

"wait for iiiiiit........"

Maybe I am easily entertained, but that always cracks me up.

That brings me to this morning. We have had a school break this week and I have fully participated in the idea of the work BREAK. Which is not even to say that I didn't do any work. But I did allow myself to sleep in and at least relax a little.

This morning I was feeling tired and uninspired and slightly guilty that after a week of sleeping in I was still feeling tired and uninspired. Then I began to think about Isaiah 40.  I knew there was something in there about how to get more strength from the Lord, but I couldn't remember, in my fuzzy morning state, what I was supposed to do. What was I supposed to do so I could soar like an eagle? I couldn't remember. So I looked it up.

The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not become weary or tired. He understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with winds like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.  -Isaiah 40:28-31

Did you see that?
I wasn't supposed to fast and pray.
I wasn't supposed to give alms.
I wasn't supposed to get busy at church.
I wasn't supposed to spend time examining my heart and confessing my sins.

And none of those things are bad, by the way. In fact they all have their place. But in the end they have no more value than filthy rags because they are MY actions. Not God's.

No, I wasn't suppose to do those.
I was suppose to........(imagine a drum roll and Sean saying in the background, "Wait for iiiiiiiit......"

Wait. For. The. Lord.

If I want to soar with the eagles, I need to sit down, get still, shut up, and wait for the LORD.

Waiting. Never easy. But really simple.

This Is Not My Home

This morning, at church, I talked with a friend:

Me: So, how are you doing?
Friend: I am just so weary. Life is good, but it is so tiring.
Me: (with a sigh and a knowing look) Isn't heaven going to be great?!
Friend: (with a reciprocating sigh and a sweet smile spreading across her face) Yes, it is!
 
I identified with her sentiments of weariness and the feeling of being heart-tired. And it, once again, made me wonder:
~Why is life sometimes so hard?
~Why does it make us so tired?
~Why is it so dirty and require so much "clean-up"?
~Why is it such a struggle?

Could part of the problem be our expectations? After all, we are made in the image of God and therefore somewhere in the depths of our hearts is the impression of the perfection of heaven.

So we strive to make a bit of that "memory" of heaven on earth. We look for the perfection but nothing has the capacity to measure up. But that doesn't stop us from trying!

• We try to make our homes look like those pictures in magazines or Pinterest.
• We struggle to maintain our bodies to the standard of the air brushed photos in advertisements.
• We strive to maintain our love stories to the level of Hollywood's glossed over non-reality.
• We work to obtain wealth and advantage and position that we envy in others.
• We look to cars, homes, jobs, fashion, decor, or any other of the number of false markers to our value to create a little "HEAVEN ON EARTH"!

But here is the problem with Every. Single. Effort.
This. Is. Not. Our. Home.

This is not Heaven and it never will be.
This is a fallen world where the best we can do is look on and see the redemptive power of God.
But as hard as we try, we will never make this heaven.

So let us look forward to that Beautiful City which will someday be our residence, but let's free up our present reality from the disappointment that comes from wanting to see that perfection now.

Yes, right now can be tiring. But even in it's grimiest reality it can still be beautiful.
Instead of being disappointed, let's be THANKFUL.

"Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High; and call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me."                 ~Psalm 50: 14,15

When I am Weak...

What do I do?

What do I do when the math equation in my life doesn't add up? When the addition of the tasks + jobs + needs + requirements is greater than my strength?

What do I do when life comes in as a flood and I am overwhelmed?

Well, this morning, when I was feeling as if the flood would win, I went to the Word. (Confession: while I have been feeling overwhelmed for several days, I had not done much of this one simple step)

And this is what I was met with:

The Lord sat as King at the flood;
Yes, the Lord sites as King forever.
The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace. 
~Ps 29: 10,11

 Wow.

God sits as King in the middle of my flood too. In the flood of my emotions. In the flood of my fears. In the flood of my activities. In the flood of my tasks.

God sits as King.

And as He sees me struggling and striving to survive, He does not scold me or look away or laugh.

No. He gives me strength. And He blesses me.

So what's a girl to do when she is feeling worn out and not up to the flood that surrounds her?
Go to the Word.
Every. Single. Time.

Because there I meet my King Who will give me strength.
Because when I am weak, He is strong. (II Cor 12:10)  

What We Will Do For Free Food!

Three "cows"! Oh, what we will do for free food!

"If we dress like a cow, we will get free chicken!"

Are you kidding me?

While some might say, "Are you kidding me? You think I am going to dress like a cow just for some free chicken?!"

I said, "Are you kidding me? All we have to do for some free chicken is dress like a cow?! Lets go!"

Chick-fil-A does this once a year. And all I have to say is:
Well done Chick-fil-A! What is my dignity compared to a free meal!

I think Chick-fil-A is a great company. They have good food for fast food. Their waffle fries are heavenly. They started in Georgia so they completely rock at Sweet Tea. They are always clean. And when you ask for anything their employees answer, "It is my pleasure!"

So when there was a chance at free food.....no brainer! Where are my spots and my ears?

And if you don't think it can get any better than a free meal, try this! You can go to as many Chick-fil-A's in a day as you can get to. So we hit one at Noon, then did some errands, and hit a different one about 3:00. My little slip of a ten-year-old ate 24 nuggets yesterday!

What is pride compared to 24 nuggets in one day!

But as I drove down the road, with my cow ears flapping, I thought about what Jesus said:

And Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of life: he that comes to Me shall never hunger"  John 6:35

As I looked down at my cow spots adorning my clothes, it occurred to me again how amazing God is. He doesn't require us to dress up, or get ourselves together, or change our ways, or fix ourselves up, or pretend we are something we are not.

He wants us to come to Him NOW! Just as we are.

And then Jesus offers us the free-est of free meals!

He offers us Himself!
He will fill us.
He will change us.
He will fix us.
He will even dress us!

And all because of Who He is, not because of who we try to be.

Chick-fil-A's meal was great for a day. We sure were full after we ate there, and we appreciated a Company with generosity and a sense of humor!

But today we are hungry again.

But Jesus is the Bread of Life! He is free!
And when we partake of Him, we never hunger again!