Sitting At His Feet

Blessed

The music in this montage is what inspired this blog. I have to admit that from time to time I get to feeling a bit sorry for myself. Immature, huh? It is at those times that I need to stop and count my blessings. My husband has preached many times that people start to backslide when they stop being thankful. When I start to focus on ME and MY NEEDS, I am not only ignoring God's plan for my existence here on Earth, but I am hurting myself by brushing aside the blessings that come with focusing on others.

God has been so incredibly good to me. How could I complain??

THE INFLUENZA

It has been a little while since my last post. I really have a good reason. Can you say INFLUENZA!!!

Last weekend, Craig and I headed to the airport for a conference in West Virginia. We got to DFW at 9:00 a.m., but because of the terrible snowstorm here in Dallas (maybe 1-2 inches) 300 flights were cancelled, and thus we ran from one end of the airport to the other all day long chasing after promised flights only to arrive and be disappointed "We're sorry, this flight is full." We finally got on a plane, and buckled up only to have it cancelled 5 minutes later. FINALLY, at 4:30 we got on a plane, buckled up, AND pushed away. Imagine our distress when the pilot came on and said, "I have bad news..." Well, needless to say, the pastor had to preach the first night of this prophecy conference--we got into our hotel room at midnight.

All went well for the rest of the conference. We just really love the pastor in Tom's River. After our last service on Sunday, Craig complained of feeling really sick. That night in the hotel, he asked if he could use my heating pad and snuggle with me. "I'm so cold" he said. I felt him, and he was burning up! I knew we were in trouble. It went from bad to worse. Over the course of the next few days, I struggled through midterms with chills, fever, severe headache, etc.

However,

I went to church Wednesday night to be prayed for. Three men of God laid hands on me.

I am glad to say that this is Friday night, and I am starting to see some light at the end of this dark tunnel. I'm so glad too because I don't know how long my resolve not to medicate was going to hold out. (Not to mention how miserable it is to lie in bed for 2 days straight!

Craig is well again, and I am on my way. Thank the Lord for his healing touch.

The Drunk Church

These men are not drunk as ye suppose seeing it is the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.
Acts 2:15-16

Craig preached an awesome message recently about the church becoming intoxicated on the new wine, the Holy Ghost of "Joel's Bar." He used some thought-provoking parallels:

A drunk man never gets enough.
(The more Holy Ghost you get, the more you want.)

A drunk man is not choosy
(A drunk Christian doesn't care who is preaching, or what song they are singing)

A drunk man doesn't care what people think of him--many times he acts foolishly.
(A drunk Christian worships unihibited not caring what people think.)

A drunk man doesn't feel pain.
(When I am full of the Holy Ghost, you can't hurt my feelings.)

Oh that I would be so full of God's Spirit that I could say with Paul, "None of these things move me."

Simplicity

Simplicity.

Recently I was describing our post-Christmas home as 'wonderfully bare.' I really do enjoy the holidays with all the lights and garland and decorations, but then by the time the new year gets here, I am ready for simplicity.

Simplicity.

It is a funny thing. In our materialistic-driven society where accumulating more stuff, running out of places to put the old stuff when the new arrives, buying a bigger house because we have more stuff and then renting a cubicle down the road for the excess stuff only to sell the old stuff in the spring yard sale...

Simplicity. Less really is more.

I think back to our RV days. Craig and I traveled for 9 years with a van and trailer evangelizing all over the U.S. Our lives were simple. We started out with just Tiffani. Our little home was just that--little, but it was home, and so cozy. We could only carry the essentials. We had 6 Corelle plates, bowls and saucers. We had just one set of sheets for each bed, and 4 towels. When they were dirty, we washed them and put them back. Our wardrobe was simple, we were rarely in one place for more than a week, so it wasn't a problem. Our lives were simple, and we had more time.

A few years later, we were blessed with Jeremi, and we got a trailer that was a little bigger. Four years after that, God sent us Bethani and we got yet a bigger trailer, but, our lives remained simple. Uncluttered.

Looking back, we have fond memories. Today, I am wishing for that same familiar feeling. I want my surroundings to be simple. I want my heart to be uncluttered. Oh, I'm not talking about moving back into an RV. Rather, I want to free myself of the things that don't really matter. It seems that I can get so caught up in maintaining my life that the things that are really important somehow slip past me. I can get so focused on taking care of stuff that I lose sight of my real priorities.

I will never forget what a Bro. Smith in the Carolina's said while we were evangelizing. We happened to be at their house, and one of his children came running to him with tears coming down her face. Apparently a toy or something had been broken by another child, and she was very upset. His wise words to her were: "Remember, honey, we love people and use things." He was saying to her in not so many words, 'I know that you really liked that toy, but you love your friend, and your relationship with her is more important than things.' That thought has never left me.

There are many goals that I have for myself in this coming year, as we all do, but one of them is to simplify my surroundings, keep only the things I use, and love people.

Riding Blindly

This morning during our devotions, God spoke to me in a powerful analogy. It was so forceful!

I remembered our tandem ride last week along the coast. Because Craig is so much bigger than I am, when I sit behind him, my view is completely obstructed. I can see to my right and left, but there is always this huge wall of a back in front of me. It is higher and wider than I can see. If I were to try looking around his side, we would most certainly 'dump over.' If I were to stand up to see above him, I would have to stop pedaling, and if he didn't...well, not good. Two people on a tandem have to pedal together in order to go forward. (Now that will preach!)

It had been a while since we had ridden a tandem, and my first feeling was a bit of anxiety. That same helpless feeling came over me briefly, and then I had to remind myself of the facts. I trust that he is not going to run us into a wall. I trust that he sees other motorists and pedestrians, and will steer accordingly. I trust that he won't ride through a mud puddle. He is taking all the precautions, and, well, I trust him.

Eventually I was able to relax and enjoy the view to my right and left. It was kind of nice to realize that I was not responsible for any driving mistakes. I was not the one directing. (I did, however, have to pay attention to which way we were going soI could actually help my directionally challenged husband get back.)

I don't know what my future holds. I could worry. I could stress.

The message this morning from God: "You don't have to see what is in front of you to go forward. Relax. Let me lead. I won't steer you wrong. We will not go the wrong way. Trust me and I will take you where I want you to go." I felt comforted to realize that we are in this together, and He is not going to abandon me. After all, a tandem ride is not possible with just a passenger, and I don't feel comfortable in the driver's seat. So "Jesus, take the wheel. I will sit behind you and trust that you know where we are going. I don't have to know. You won't even get us lost!"