Thoughts from inside a stall

Funny thing happened today....I was sitting in a stall of a bathroom, yeah I know what you're thinking..oh it's going to be one of those stories, but just keep reading. Well it all started when we took a trip up to Asheville for the day. I love Asheville and pretty much anything is possible in Asheville. So we went to the Mellow Mushroom, which is the best out of all the chains, if you ask me. And I ordered me some pizza. Well being extremely tired this morning I had drank a lot of coffee....so I had to go to the restroom. It had been one of those nights that you don't sleep, toss and turn, and think about everything possible in the Universe. My head and emotions were all jumbled up into a big mess of a knot, on top of getting no sleep and drinking a lot of coffee. Well I go into the stall, sit down, and start to zone into this weird state of being there but once again worrying about the future. When all of a sudden I look up and see the words, "Let it be". A simple three word phrase brought me back to where I am. Those small words mean so much, and are packed with so much insight and meaning. There I found myself, in the stall at Mellow Mushroom, humbled with the fact that my God has placed me where I am, (not physically-as in this stall) but involving my life, so I need to just ....."Let it be".  We need to stop trying to fix where we are...and just let God be who He is. God cannot fit into the little boxes we make for Him, He is much bigger. Stop making your own agenda, He already has one for you. God has worked together and planned everything out, so the worrying can stop. With all this said only Asheville, another lesson learned, and another day.

Living in Today

I think it's funny how people write these blogs expressing their views and using it as an outpost of never ending ramblings...but in saying that, here is just (another) ramble.  Like I said earlier, I have been learning many new things lately, probably things that I was supposed to learn the first time round but for some reason it never really stuck.  But among many other things I have realized that we spend so much time regretting the past and worrying about the future that we forget that we are in the present.  Yes, there are going to be things we regret or wish we could have done differently, but dwelling on those things is not a smart move. It keeps us from being in the present.  For some reason I don't really have a problem with this one, I guess because I was brought up to just make a decision and keep moving forward.  Whatever the outcome you can't change what you decided so just keep moving on.  Now on the other hand, the worrying about the future, gets me.  I find myself planning and going over things in my head and just aiding to this awful mind capturing monster, called Worry.  If you think about it by regretting the past and worrying about the future, we are crippling ourselves when it comes to living for today.  Every moment is precious and God given, and regretting and worrying takes that preciousness away.  Christ does not want us to be a slave to these time consuming things.  Everything happens for a reason, God will send His provision, and so worrying and regretting should not be a part of our lives.   

His Mercies are New

His mercies are new every morning....this phrase brightens my darkest day and forces the reality of my situation to appear.  Whether we like it or not, we deserve nothing that has been given.  And yet we consume and consume demanding things as if we have earned the right to have them.  I am not worthy of these blessings....and yet I continue to receive them.  God is faithful and always sends provision.  Even when your lowest point arrives, His mercies will be new tomorrow just keep looking up.

I think that as people we are searching for something or somebody to place on that pedestal.  We normally never find ourselves good enough, so we find ourselves looking for somebody else to do it or be it.  We are continually trying to fill that spot....and we are constantly disappointed.  Why is it that we never learn?  After the second and third time of being disappointed you would think we would realize that something is missing.  But No, we just continue to mindlessly place non significant things and imperfect people up there to (gawk) at.  

 There is a lot of things I have been learning lately, and this being one, that the only way to not be disappointed at the end of the day, is to stop placing imperfect people up on the pedestal.  It's unfair to the person, they are only human like you.  We are setting up our relationships for failure, by filling a spot that is already taken.  Christ alone is the only one we should be placing on that pedestal.  He has perfectly claimed, earned, and deserved that spot. 

Life-Change

There are things that we may not understand, but everything happens for a reason. There is hope, knowing that we serve a God who does not just hide in the shadows wishing we would make the right decision. Everything that we experience has already been in the Hands of the Almighty, and there is hope in that.  I am ready to stop talking about what we should be doing. Why is it that words are so easily spoken, but actions never come because of laziness and lack of discipline? This is not all by chance and until we come to that realization we will continue to stay stagnant.  I want Change.  Life altering....Change!  Everything happens for a reason, and there is hope in that.

Life- Patience

Patience is something that is vital to remaining sane among the many insane things in this world.  Our world today seems like it spins faster than days in the past.  Patience has been considered a virtue, in which I need much of.  I find this to be a funny paradox but for some reason the more I ask for patience the more I'm faced with situations that require patience. I become more impatient because of all the times that I fail at being patient.  It's a vicious circle among many things...but i have found this to be true. Be careful what you ask for.  In asking for something such as patience, this will require situations that test your patience.  You are not just going to wake up one day and magically be Patient.  It is a process, like every other thing. It takes time and practice.  So don't be afraid to fail at something that you want...because most of the time, it takes time. God wants you to become more each day into the likeness of His Son, and this takes time and practice.  But if we settle at being complacent and never strive for those virtues, the world will continue to see us, instead of Christ. 

Life- Desire

Being a woman, there is an innate desire built into everyone of us that wants to be completely and utterly enthralled over. We want to be loved. We want to be wanted. And with all these feelings if there is ever a time in a woman's life when she does not feel wanted or desired it will eventually take a toll. A lot of the self esteem issues that girls deal with today originate from these needs and wants. Sometimes it doesn't even matter how much a woman is loved or wanted- she still might fall into the bottomless pit of endless thoughts of not being desirable. As I was sitting the other day these small thoughts began to creep into my mind.  When instead of thinking about how I wanted to be loved, desired, and enthralled....I was faced with the thought that my God feels the same.  The King wants us to be completely head over hills for Him.  But instead we settle for a 30 minute Bible study, if that.  We disappoint Him more than desire Him.  When will we finally get past looking at this amazingly beautiful relationship that we have with a Living God as something to check off our list of things to do for the day? God is everywhere and in everything, and cannot be confined to a 'To Do' list. We can change the world if we change from viewing God as being a part of our lives- To God Is Our Lives. He wants us to desire, want, yearn after, and to be enthralled by Him.