Tuesday, November 29, 2016

I'm So Jealous Of You ~

Exodus 20:17  You are not to covet your neighbor's house. You are not to covet your neighbor's wife, his male or female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. ESV

I had lunch with my sister Sunday.  My sister has everything.  She is just a couple of years older than me and retired.  Her husband is also retired.  Their house is paid for.  Their vehicles are paid for.  In my eyes, she has everything. Sometimes I am so jealous of her.  During lunch, I’m sitting there thinking….”I’ll never have what she has.”  Then she said these words….”I’m so jealous of everything you have.”  Wait, what?

This led to a beautiful conversation of where we are in our personal lives.  
It’s so easy to see the beauty in someone else’s lives, but what about their personal struggles?  Do we spend enough time to really seeing a person as they truly are?  And more than that, how much time do we spend focusing on what’s wrong in our lives instead of what if good and pure and blessed?

God, thank You for yet another life lesson.  I’ll admit that I was a little put out with my sister when she didn’t let me complain and whine about my struggles.  It was a pretty good bump on the head.  I also thank You for letting me spend time with her; to be there for her; to listen to her heartaches in this season of her life.  Sometimes we think we could have so much more if we could just trade places with someone else.  But if we did, then not only would we get their blessings, we would inherit their brokenness.  Don’t covet.  Got it.


Saturday, November 26, 2016

Calm Down~

Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people. CEB

What happens to women to make them think that they have to take on everything?  My goodness.  I find myself so shot out that I end up resenting what I thought I’d love.  Then I use up all my allotted cuss words.  Then I find myself frustrated at my husband for sitting there in the recliner with his feet put up.  Doesn’t he SEE how overloaded I am?

Thanksgiving.  You know, the holiday set aside for giving thanks and junk.  I sure had to have a little “Come to Jesus” meeting with myself.  I ordered my food from a restaurant, I spent the day with my family, and I let the rest go.  You know what?  Nobody died.  Nothing fell apart.  The world didn’t end.  And I sure am more thankful for the time spent with my family.


Dear God, thank You for giving me a good lesson these past few days.  I still want everything my way RIGHT NOW, but I am learning that nobody will explode, not even me, if things happen at a slower pace.  Perspective and patience is a good lesson to learn.  I just need to calm down and remember that whatever I need to do, needs to be done from my heart with love, not with resentment and frustration.  Same amount of work, just worlds of difference in the end results.