Christmas Is Here

Candles flicker in the nativity scene.  Coloured lights twinkle in the dark.  Presents overflow their space under the tree.  Christmas is here.

John Lennon sings, “So this is Christmas.  And what have you done?”

What have I done to prepare for Christmas?  What have you done?

Christmas is a bit of a schizophrenic holiday.  There’s the busy cooking, baking, shopping, cleaning, make everything perfect, Santa’s coming personality of Christmas.  And there’s the Advent, slowing down, contemplating, preparing the way, and God with us side of Christmas.

Personally I don’t see anything wrong with a little bit of schizophrenia in the holiday season.  It’s only when the balance shifts to the busy, at the exclusion of God with us, that we have a problem.

December is our busiest time at work.  Not only do our clients want to get as much advertising as possible on the radio in December, but we also run our biggest promotion of the year as a station.  We work to bring Christmas Miracles to families in need of some love and help to make their Christmas season better.

By the time the week before Christmas rolls around we’re all pretty exhausted.  Late Monday afternoon another Manager came into my office. 

We were talking about how we were both looking forward to a rest over the Christmas season.  She made a comment about a book I had in my hand.  With a note of irony in my voice I shared what I’d just been reading from Ann Voskamp’s book, “The Greatest Gift”.

“The miscarriage of Christmas begins when anxieties crowd out space within simply to carry Christ.  Make room; be a womb.  Be a womb to receive Christ everywhere, and it is He who delivers everyone.  So you let the last of the trimmings go.  Cease the pace to do, buy, produce more.  Find the calendar and erase.  Somewhere make space.  And you can feel the space become a sanctuary.”

We looked at each other and laughed. 

“So this is Christmas.  And what have you done?”  Have you made space?  Do you have time to receive Christ as He comes silently tonight? 

Read the Christmas story starting with Luke chapter 1 and read to the end of verse 40 in Luke chapter 2.  Make space for Christ now.

Merry Christmas!

Solid and Permanent

I’m blessed to live in a province that’s home to some of the most awe inspiring natural vistas in the world.  The Rocky Mountains.  Spiked grey crags and snow-capped peaks blaze stark and bright against a cloudless blue sky.

I gaze in wonder.  These are my friends.  Their familiar shapes welcome me.  Visit after visit, year after year they don’t disappoint.  They don’t change, they’re always there, ready to amaze and inspire, beckoning me closer to God, the Creator.

I wonder if the psalmist who wrote psalm 121 felt the same way about mountains.  He starts out by saying,

“I look up to the mountains – does my help come from there?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!”

I look at the mountains and I can’t help but think of God.  His handy work is everywhere. 

In the brush strokes of wild flowers blooming in a mountain meadow.

In the roar of a cascading waterfall.

In the stillness of an emerald lake

In the majestic permanence of rock

In the whimsical flip of chipmunk's tail

 

In the liquid brown gentleness of an elk’s gaze.

 

I could go on, but I think you get the point.  God is everywhere.  And in the midst of it all, God is with you, watching over you.  Read Psalm 121…

“I look up to the mountains – does my help come from there?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!

He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.  Indeed, He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.

The Lord Himself watches over you!  The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.  The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.

The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.  The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.”

Psalm 121 (NLT)

What an awesome thought!  Even more impressive than the mountains is God, Himself; watching over you.  Caring for you in your time of stress, of illness, of financial difficulty - whatever your trouble, God watches over you.

You can sleep soundly, knowing God doesn’t rest.  He’s always there, solid and permanent.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

What are you worried about today?  Trust God to watch over you.

Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

Give Me Strength

“Lord, I’m tired.  Exhausted to the core of my being.  And I’m far from you.  Please renew my energy and spirit.”

I sit in the sun on Saturday morning talking to God.  It’s week number five of a cold that won’t quit.  I have no energy.  I’m tired of being tired.  I don’t feel close to God.

“What can I do, Lord?  Please bring healing and rest.”

I sit with eyes closed and listen to my breathing, trying to sense God’s presence.

“Are you here God?  Are you listening?”

I breathe slowly and my shoulders relax.  A scripture comes to mind.

Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.  But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint.

“Yes Lord, Isaiah 40.”

I open the bible on my lap, turn to Isaiah 40, and scan down to the bottom of the chapter until I find the verse.

I read, “Even youths will become weak and tired…but those who trust in the Lord will find new strength”

I close my eyes and breathe deep, feel the sun on my face.

You’ve been working in your own strength, not Mine.  That’s why you’re tired.  Trust Me.  Turn each day and everything in it over to Me.  Do the work you need to, but do it in My strength, not yours. 

That’s it.  I’ve missed God.  I’ve made time for many things, but not Him.  In my time of weakness when I turn to Him, He reminds me.

My job is busy and challenging.  There’s no way I can do it in my own strength and knowledge.  I need God alongside helping me.

This is my challenge.  At the start of each day, before I get out of the car and walk into my office, I need to turn everything over to God.  Give Him the day and let Him work in it.  Pray for daily strength and wisdom, then rest in that prayer and His presence throughout the day.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

This is my daily challenge…to trust God that the work that needs to get done will be done.  To realize I can only do so much in one day, and to seek His strength and wisdom every morning.

What about you?  Do you need to renew your strength in God each day?  Do you need to seek rest?  Do you need wisdom?  Start the day with a prayer for God to be in everything you do.

A Lonely Place Called Overtime

It’s been so long since my last post I’m not sure I remember how to write one anymore.  Let me start by apologizing to you, my readers.  It was not my intent to leave you hanging for the last two months with nary a post!

I confess...I succumbed to the seedy underbelly of the work world…overtime…and lots of it! 

It’s a club few people want to join, but many are dragged into.  The atmosphere is oppressive.  The dim glow of laptop screens reflect the despondency in bulging eyes, peering out of faces gone pallid from lack of sunlight.

Bodies, bloated with high carb intake, and jacked up on caffeine, slump in office chairs.  No one makes eye contact.  This is a cold, dark, lonely place where people wither and die inside.

OK, so maybe it wasn’t THAT bad, but it wasn’t good.  It’s hard to find a balance between putting in enough time to do your job well, and sacrificing your personal life and health to make it happen.

I should know better.  I’ve hit the proverbially brick wall before – working myself so hard that I ended up with stress induced asthma and heart palpitations.  But I push, optimistic that I can create more hours in a day.  (There really are only 24, you know.) 

 

I trade sleep for work; working until midnight, then getting up at 5:30 to exercise.  I trade quiet time with God for stress time with my computer.

Soon I trade exercising in favour of getting to the office earlier to work more.  Next I trade healthy eating in favour of binging on chocolate and carbs to energize my sleep and exercise deprived body.

I crave tea before I even got to work in the morning.  I find my eyes drooping at red lights and think, “Maybe I could close them just for an instant.”  I’m bone-tired exhausted on the drive home.  Then I do it all over again.

And that’s where I’ve been for the last two months.  But it’s a twisted, unhealthy lifestyle!  This week is about finding balance.

I’ve designated time with God – it’s booked in my Outlook calendar as a meeting…Lunch With God! 

I’ve gone back to running on the weekends, and set my baseline weigh and measure at Curves. (That was a disturbing visit!)  Chocolate now is a treat instead of a prescription.  I'm focused on being in bed by 10:00 every night.

Yesterday I left the office at 4:30 and was home by 5:10.  I had an evening to make soup, chat with my husband, play with the cats…and start a blog post.  It was amazing!  I know it doesn't sound like much, but it was a huge accomplishment in my world!  My goal is to have more of those nights.

You’ve heard about burning the candle at both ends.  Let me say this, you can do it for a while, but sooner or later your fingers get burned and then the flame goes out.  Stop the madness before your flame goes out.

Is your life an unbalanced, out of control mess?  Is it time to set boundaries and reclaim your personal time?  Share your thoughts by clicking on "comments" below.

Too Busy To Rest

When was the last time you set aside a day to do nothing?  No, being home sick in bed doesn’t count.  I mean an honest to goodness day to do whatever your heart desires, NOT what’s on your To Do List.

If you’re like me it was probably a long time ago.  Sure, there are good intentions, but somehow obligations or things that HAVE to get done get in the way.  Sound familiar?

I’m a disciplined person.  I make schedules and set goals for things I want to accomplish on the weekend.  My plan is always to work hard and get everything on the list done right away and then relax and enjoy the weekend.

But either the list is too long…or the weekend is too short.  Either way Sunday evening finds me frustrated, dashing around trying to finish the last few things on the list, instead of relaxing in a hot tub doing my nails.

You’d think I’d learn, but…I don’t!  Lately I’ve been getting a lot of messages about the busyness of life.

Recently a friend and I toured a Japanese garden.  At the entrance to the

garden lies a “tripping stone”.  It’s a roughly finished stone purposefully set into the walkway.  All who enter the garden are forced to walk over this stone.  We asked why.

The rough, pitted finish on the stone forces the visitor to walk slowly over it, in order to avoid tripping as they enter the garden.  When you slow down you become more aware of your surroundings, allowing you to appreciate the serenity of the garden.

Wouldn’t it be good if tripping stones were laid across our paths throughout the day, forcing us to slow down and notice life?

Our women’s study group is reading Mark Buchanan’s book, “The Rest of God – Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath”. 

Here’s an interesting story…

I leave the office half an hour late, rush home, cook and inhale dinner, rush out the door crunching a Gaviscon and clutching a tea to arrive at a study on the REST of God…half an hour late.  How ironic is that!

I’m afraid I identify with one of Buchanan’s comments just a little too much,

“When we get too busy, everything becomes either a trudge or a scramble, the doldrums or sheer mayhem…We just want to be left alone…When we lose concern for friendship, for truth and beauty and goodness…when we hear news of trouble among our neighbours and our first thought is that we hope it isn’t going to involve us…when we must meet the situation with genuine, heartfelt compassion, wisdom, courage – and nothing’s there, only grim resignation and a dull resentment that we got dragged into this…we’re too busy.”  Page 48

Here’s the sad part, I know what he’s talking about.  And I know I’ve come to this point by my own doing, through self-imposed expectations and obligations.  What about you?

Why don’t we allow ourselves a Sabbath rest?  Instead of pushing to the point of exhaustion let’s slow down and take a day to rest, to relax, to pamper, to renew, to do whatever brings joy. 

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

My goal over the next few months is to give myself a day off from busyness.  What about you?  Do you need a day of rest?  Set aside that time now and don’t compromise.  Make it happen.

Unwelcome Insights From The World Of Reality

Have you ever come to the realization you’re not who you thought you were? 

Maybe it starts as a nagging thought, gnawing at the corners of your mind like a determined beaver chewing on a tree.  The thought doesn’t fit with your internal self concept so you dismiss it.  But, like an annoying children’s song that won’t stop playing, it refuses to go away.

Maybe the realization catches you off guard, smacking you hard upside the head as you listen to a song on the radio or a speaker in church.  Maybe it screams at you in bold print from the pages of the book you’re reading.

My realization showed up last week; an unwelcome insight as I listened to a presentation by business consultant and speaker, Jim Collins.  It was a hard pill to swallow.  In fact I was tempted to hide it in my cheek and spit it out when no one was looking. 

I may have done just that, except for the fact that if I was going to retain my sanity in the upcoming months, I’d have to gulp it down and digest the loathsome thought.

I’m a self-disciplined person.  I’m an organized person.  I’m the only person I know who gets excited looking at Rubbermaid organizers and storage bins at WalMart!

Some call it obsessive compulsive.  Some use the term “anal retentive”.  Whatever label you choose, these character traits serve me well in both my work and personal life.

Enter Jim Collins with his new research into traits that allow businesses and leaders to be successful in a more competitive business environment.

He outlines three leadership behaviours exhibited by enduring companies.  The first is “Fanatic Discipline”.  I make a mental check mark.  Yup, got that one mastered!  I’m so disciplined in my work it leads to deficits in other areas of my life!

He goes on to define “Fanatic Discipline”. 

“A commitment to consistent, consecutive performance over time.” 

He contrasts this with erratic spurts of behaviour with all energy focused on pushing past your limits to get a job done, leaving you too exhausted to meet the next day’s challenge.

I’m stunned.  Crap!!!  Did he have to illustrate it so well?!?  I reflect on my travel schedule.  I pull up my calendar on the Blackberry.  I’ve been so busy I can’t remember where I’d been in the last two months.

Busted!!  My so called "organization" somehow deteriorated into erratic, inconsistent, undisciplined behaviour.  I’m paying the price in elevated stress levels and time away from family.

God is good about bringing us face to face with reality we don’t want to address.  I’m faced with the understanding that I’m no longer controlling my work schedule.  It’s controlling me.  At some point PROactive changed to REactive.

Now it’s time to slow down, reflect, re-organize, re-prioritize, and figure out how to manage more effectively going forward.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT...

What reality is God showing you in your life?  What do you need to reflect on, re-organize, or re-prioritize?

Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

Isaiah 26:3-4 - Carrion Crows - Worry, Anxiety, Panic

MEMORY VERSE:

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you.  Trust in the Lord forever for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”  Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)

I’ve written about the importance of spending time in God’s presence in previous posts.  (Check out Mysterious Peace for some words from the apostle, Paul) Apparently I don’t listen to my own advice because I needed a refresher course in peaceful living last week.

I’ve been on an extended work trip in the province of Manitoba.  I had nine days of early morning starts, long driving times interspersed with customer meetings, and evenings spent responding to a flurry of accumulated email.

When I’m not travelling I get up early to work out and spend quiet time with God.  When I’m on a road trip I want to make efficient use of my time, seeing as many customers as I can.  My scheduled quiet time is sacrificed in favour of getting on the road by 6:30 or 7:00 a.m.

Here’s the problem.  I can maintain this pace for a while, but if you keep burning the candle at both ends, eventually the ends meet in the middle, and your fingers get scorched. 

I’ve struggled with anxiety and panic attacks in the past.  Periodically, like a carrion crow swooping down on road kill, panic comes back to feed when I’m in a weakened state. 

I was reminded of this last week as I sat in a hotel room struggling to ward off anxiety and an impending panic attack.  Not exactly my idea of a pleasant evening!

On the plane home for a four day hiatus (before returning to continue the trip for another ten days) I was reading Max Lucado’s book, “Great Day Every Day”.  The following statement flashed on the page like a bright neon sign, “No one can pray and worry at the same time.  When we worry, we aren’t praying.  When we pray we aren’t worrying.” (Page 49)

It’s a thought provoking statement that served as a much needed reminder.  Sometimes I wonder why I schedule myself as I do.  It goes back to one of those “it seemed like a good idea at the time” thoughts.

Reading Isaiah 26:3-4 and Max Lucado’s statement gave me the “kick in the backside” reminder that often our priorities get twisted. 

We need to take time every day to re-focus our thoughts on God.  When we do, the carrion crows of worry, anxiety, and panic find us equipped to handle daily challenges.  Their attempts to peck at our minds are repelled because we’re focused on God’s peace.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

Is your mind fixed on God?  Do you trust Him as your everlasting rock?  Do you need to re-focus your mind on Him to find His peace today?

Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you.  Trust in the Lord forever for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”  Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)

Deuteronomy 31:6 - Don't Be Afraid

MEMORY VERSE:

So be strong and courageous!  Do not be afraid and do not panic before them.  For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you.  He will neither fail you nor abandon you.  Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT)

These are final instructions Moses gives the Israelites as he’s about to die.  He tells them Joshua is taking over as their leader and will help to bring them into the land God has promised them.

The Israelites' track record of trusting God isn’t stellar.  Moses has led them for a long time and knows how they respond in times of stress and uncertainty. 

Even though they’ve witnessed God’s power, seen the proof of His presence as He leads them in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night they still struggle with issues of trust and reliance.

In times of uncertainty or stress they still become discontented and rely on things other than God to try to satisfy them. 

Here are some examples:

• Making the gold calf as a tangible god to worship...Exodus 32

• Demanding meat to eat because they were tired of the mana God provided faithfully...Exodus 16

• Whining about being thirsty and needing water...Exodus 15

In Deuteronomy 31:6 Moses reminds the Israelites when things get a little crazy in the Promised Land they need to look to God for their security, not to the potential distractions around them.

It’s good advice for us today, too.  When your life gets a little crazy and it's filled with stress and anxiety where do you look? 

It’s easy to try to find peace or distraction in the world around us...alcohol or drugs to numb the pain, spending money in excess to boost self-esteem, sexual promiscuity to convince ourselves we're lovable.  We let panic take over and cling to the first thing promising security, even if it’s false security.

We need to listen to this reminder from Moses.  Throughout the Isrealites' journey God proves faithful.  His presence is always there and He provides everything they need. 

When we allow Him into our lives He does the same for us.

So be strong and courageous!  Do not be afraid and do not panic before them.  For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you.  He will neither fail you nor abandon you.

Philippians 4:6-7 - Mysterious Peace

MEMORY VERSE:

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Stress...

We all have it in our lives.  Some of it is good; but the hairy monster in your mind keeping you up at night, worried about your future isn’t.

I speak from experience.  Many employers assume your time is their time.  Unless you’re willing to make a clear dividing line in your life you will suffer burnout.  This is exactly what happened to me a few years ago.

When I experienced panic attacks and anxiety I thought something might be up.  When the stress induced asthma started I thought I should probably pay attention to the warning signs.  When the heart palpitations started with no physical explanation I decided I needed to make a career change.  Fortunately I got out before any lasting damage was done.

Undue stress increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, depression and other mental illness.  Today stress leave is all too common an occurrence.  Intense pressure at home and in the work place creates unmanageable situations.

A lot of times it seems stress is all in our heads, but the physical symptoms are real.  Shaking, shortness of breath, inability to concentrate, chest pain, nausea, panic, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, mood swings...the list is practically endless.

How do we navigate today’s high pressure world without cracking into a million pieces, like an egg hitting the floor?  Paul gives us an answer in his letter to the congregation of the church in Philippi.  He says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done...”

The first four words aren’t easy instructions to follow...don’t worry about anything.  Yeah right!  How can you not worry about the never ending list continuously playing in your mind?  How can you not worry about...

Deadlines, job security, your children’s education, your children’s health, your health, your aging parents and their ability to care for themselves, marriage, divorce, the funny noise the car was making this morning, the pet you have to take to the vet, the mortgage payment, the job interview, what to make for dinner...it goes on and on.

But Paul tells us how.  He says take it all to God, tell Him everything, tell Him what you need, and let Him do the worrying for you.  He’s got big shoulders and He’ll handle it.

What happens when we follow Paul’s instructions?  When we lean on God,”... then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand...”

It’s true.  If I have extended periods when I’m not taking quiet time with God to pray, the anxiety creeps back in, stealthy as a thief in the night, stealing my peace.  Panic can quickly over take me. 

But when I slow down and spend time with God, telling Him my fears and anxieties there’s a sense of peace I simply can’t explain.  I don’t understand it.   It doesn’t make sense.  But I know exactly where it comes from.  God.  And for that I’m truly grateful.

You may be strong, but with God on your side you’re way stronger than you ever will be by yourself.  Get the medical help you need and, in addition to this, give God a try.  Pray to Him today, and tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that.  Make a habit of spending time with Him every day and you’ll experience your own peace that exceeds understanding.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Avoid Life - Be Busy

A few weeks ago I shared some of my thoughts on busyness. It prevents us from spending time with God, breaks down our relationships and hinders our spiritual growth.

If we know this is a side effect of leading hectic lives, why do we do it? Why can’t we say no? Why do we schedule every minute of our work week and every minute of our weekend so we hardly have time to eat, sleep and breathe, let alone rest, relax and rejuvenate?

Busyness becomes an excuse. We use it as an avoidance tactic. We hide behind busyness so we don’t have to face truth or circumstances in our lives that make us uncomfortable. Perhaps as a short term coping mechanism busyness is effective. But if it’s used on a long term basis it becomes damaging.

If we’re too busy we don’t give ourselves time we need to reflect on problems in our lives. We don’t have time to address outstanding issues and to heal our emotional or psychological wounds.

I think women are masters at using busyness as a tool.  Here are a few examples you might recognize:

• After a separation a women intentionally schedules all her free time so she doesn’t have to think about her broken relationship.
• A single woman pours herself into work and fitness so she doesn’t feel the empty, loneliness of the house around her.
• Someone else spends evenings and weekends with friends and takes night courses to avoid giving in to self-damaging behaviour when she’s home by herself.
• A single mom becomes a “super volunteer” with parent/teacher associations and school functions to fill the void of losing her husband.
• When her youngest child moves out of the house a mother spends all her free time volunteering for the church so she doesn’t hear the silence of the “empty nest”.

This fall I had an unusually busy travel schedule for work. While I didn’t intentionally plan it, the busyness allowed me to avoid thinking about my step-mother’s breast cancer diagnosis.  As long as work consumed my time I didn’t think about the inevitable chemotherapy treatments. I lost my mother to cancer when I was fifteen and I remember how the chemo affected her.  The thought of my step-mother going through that absolutely horrified me.

Sooner or later we all have to slow down and deal with reality. It’s not healthy to stay too busy. It’s not healthy to run away or pretend our problems don’t exist. The only way to deal with them is to face them, admit we have no control over the situation and ask for help if we need it.

Sometimes this means getting professional coaching or counseling. It could be as simple as taking some quiet time to work things through in your own mind. Perhaps it’s something we haven’t taken to God in prayer. We need to pour out our worries to Him and spend time in silent reflection listening to the Holy Spirit whispering to us while we feel God’s peace wrap around us, soothing and warm as an electric blanket.

None of these things are possible if we persist as hamsters on the wheel of life. Are you busy today because you’re avoiding a circumstance in your life? Do you need to make time in your schedule for quiet reflection? Is it time to take steps to resolve the problem once and for all? Don’t wait any longer, start today.

Share your thoughts by clicking on "comments" below.

Busy

Busy. Does that word sum up your life? Could you add descriptors like chaotic, crazy, out of control, over the top, hectic, frantic, or demanding and come up with an even more appropriate description?

I can relate. In the last six weeks I’ve driven over 10,000 km for work, been home 15 ½ days (including weekends) and travelled around three provinces. The mileage is actually a new record for me in my work travels. Sadly setting this record wasn’t exactly on my bucket list! (For those of you not familiar with the movie “The Bucket List” you can watch the movie trailer here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0825232/)

I’m writing this while away over the weekend, knowing I’ll get home Monday night only to turn around and head for Winnipeg on Wednesday afternoon. To be perfectly honest the mere thought of leaving after only two nights at home dismays, disgusts and horrifies me to the point of gagging...literally...GAK! But, it has to be done so I’ll go.

My travel schedule isn’t usually quite this hectic and if I’m honest with myself (something I don’t always like to be) I have to admit it’s starting to take its toll. The dark cloud of anxiety lurks around the corner like a serial killer.  Mind numbing panic hunts me like a wolf stalks its prey. I know I need to slow down, allow myself time to relax and enjoy life. I’ve been down this road before and the only place it leads is the dead end street of stress-induced asthma and the plunge over a cliff into heart palpitation canyon!

I wonder if Martha ever experienced anxiety or panic attacks from her busyness. I can so empathize with her.  Scripture says

“As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me. But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”  Luke 10:38-42

I feel for Martha. She probably spent a week before Jesus' arrival dusting, vacuuming and straightening up the house. She polished the silverware, washed the fine china and set out the crystal. She’s been up since dawn prepping, cooking, and baking. Succulent, mouth-watering aromas waft out behind her when she stomps out of the kitchen, determined to point out to Jesus just how lazy her sister is. Martha is feeling very self-righteous, she’s doing all the work and she wants everyone to know it, dammit!

I’m Martha. And while I hate to admit it, Mary was onto something. In all her busyness, Martha misses Jesus. Mary gets it. She understands if we’re too wrapped up in our lives we miss spending time in the very presence of our Lord. Missing out on God’s presence is the price we pay for our busy lives. Yes there are other costs – health and relationship problems, stress, depression, and anxiety – they’re all the cost of being too busy. But when the busyness of life gets in the way of our time with God then life is TOO busy! We’ve got our priorities wrong! It’s time to re-evaluate.

Where are you today? Are you too busy to spend time with God? Share your thoughts below by clicking “comments”.

Who's In Your Driver's Seat?

Four months ago we acquired a small, grey ball of fluff with eyes, teeth and a fluffy tail who goes by the name of Zeus, affectionately nicknamed the “Jaws of Destruction”.

He’s capable of chewing through any cell phone charger, speaker cable, phone cord or headphone wire faster than a chainsaw eats through a 2 x 4. He’s very efficient, one...two...three bites and he’s done – the cord is in pieces.

Lately when we open the door he’s taken to dashing through our legs, scurrying down the sidewalk and charging across the street. He’s three lawns down before you even know he’s escaped. Fearing for his life we went to the pet store this weekend in search of a device to serve as a barrier on the porch to slow his race for freedom.

When we pulled up to the pet store this is what we saw. 

I couldn’t resist turning to my husband and stating the obvious, “Look there’s a dog driving that car!” It actually looked quite natural, and yet...not!

This made me stop and ask the question, “Who’s in my driver’s seat?” Do I cling desperately to things in life beyond my control, stressing myself out? Do I trust God enough to open my clenched fists and relinquish control to Him? Am I trying to be tourist, navigator and driver all at once or have I allowed God to take over the role of navigator and driver while I enjoy the journey?

I must confess I have a few “control issues”.  Anyone who knows me is rolling on the floor laughing at the magnitude of that understatement. OK, I have HUGE, GIGANTIC, GARGANTUAN, HUMUNGOUS (insert any other “large” adjective here) control issues! I like to do things my way, on my time schedule, in the location of my choice. 

I’ve read various articles over the years indicating the need to be “in control” stems from a low self-image, and feelings of inferiority and insecurity. I can honestly say this holds true in my case. Over the years I’ve struggled with all three of these self-defeating attitudes.

There's good news though. In the last few years I’ve relaxed my tight grip on control. Why is that? I’ve found someone I can trust who always provides for me and meets my every need; someone who always gives what's best for me, even when I don’t know what "the best" is.

Any idea who I'm talking about? God. I’ve learned to give up control and trust God with a lot of things in my life. I’ve learned I don’t always have to have the answers, that sometimes it’s OK just to ask questions, ponder the possibilities and leave the answers up to God. Life isn’t perfect and I’ve realized I don’t have to be either. I just need to be genuine, truthful and teachable.

You can trust God in your life, too.  Here’s some reassurance straight from God’s word, the Bible...

“For I know the plans I have for you, “ says the Lord, “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

“So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honour. Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NLT)

“I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27

“The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.” Isaiah 58:11 (NLT)

“Don’t worry about anything; instead , pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

It’s time to finally let go of that exhausting need to be in control. It might take a few attempts before you succeed, but start by asking God today to take your cares and burdens on His shoulders. Then keep coming back to Him in prayer with your worries and learn to trust Him fully. Who do you want in your driver’s seat?

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