and I laugh. Yesterday morning I glanced up on the wall where I wanted the clock and put a large nail in that hole. If I could have gotten it to go in further, I would have hung up the clock. But it would only go so far and not enough. Hubby briefly mentioned on the way to church, I think it was, that he would see about getting the clock hung. I told him the nail is already there; all that needs to be done is a couple taps of the hammer and hang the clock. When we got home... he immediately grabbed his hammer and got the clock hung up. THEN he descaled the coffee pot because it had been acting up. Only when he was finished with that did he sit down. I laughed, for he was trying to prove he was not a procrastinator. But, hey, at least my clock is hung up!
Church yesterday was very good. I love it when the pastor preaches the Word and not fluffy messages. Well, I haven't heard a fluffy message yet from this pulpit, but he was on it yesterday! He called sin by what it was - sin. It gave me a lot of think about and to make decisions about in my own life. Yeah, I am not perfect by any means, and I too often let my guard down. When we let our guard down is when the enemy finds a way to get a foothold. I need to be more on guard and observant.
Speaking of being observant... lol... only one person - a man, no less - acknowledged my haircut. Cracked me up. I contribute it to him being 6 ft plus tall and was looking down. I was blessed by someone else yesterday at church as well. I was given a 'tree of life' necklace and Tom was told he would be given a tie/lapel pin next Sunday. They are given in appreciation of our friendship. Ben is a wirey man who always greets us on Sunday mornings. He is always quoting scriptures and telling us 'God is good, all the time God is good' and blessing us. He will for sure get a basket of goodies from us for Christmas!
I worked for awhile on the message for November 27th. I'm sure they will be expecting something about being thankful, but it's actually about taking our chaos and turning it into peace. I'll repeat this message a couple weeks later at the other RV park we speak at. I've going to be busy between now and January 2nd. I even agreed to do one Christmas morning. I think I've mentioned that. Church is at 9AM so we'll be back home at 10:30 at the latest. We will bump Christmas to 11:30 and the food will already be prepared. It's all good. New Years I speak as well (two weeks in a row - I have a lot of work to do!) and lunch isn't usually until around 1 or 2PM at the daughter's house. Whatever she will ask me to bring will be ready.
I'm back to work today - saw I have 75 messages to start with. Oh joy. I'll stop early and get started on going through them and try to get them whittled down as fast as I can for I have to work on the board retreat stuff today for sure and get it at least reserved at the hotel. Then I'll have to go from there. I would much rather someone else do it. But, I will probably have to go to Tucson for the meetings... and the plus is that I will also get to visit our granddaughter and family while there. AND I get mileage and hotel paid for. That works for me, right? Unfortunately, I have to start my mileage from the Phoenix office but that's ok - still get mileage.
Proverbs 16:1-3 (NKJV): "The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits. Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established."
So many times we will make plans and run with them, and many times they fail. Things don't fall into place like we plan for them to. There are conflicts and complications. We never consult God if that plan is what we should do. Prayer is a mighty force when guidance is needed for the next step. Asking the Lord to direct one's paths is better than having to ask Him to correct one's mistakes. No one, however, should expect God's approval of plans on which He has not been consulted.
Many times I get busy with my own plans of things I want to do, and I don't consult God. And that's what happens at times when we allow life to take over our thoughts and not keeping them centered on God. I mean, I do pray periodically throughout the day, but admittedly, it is often when I'm struggling with a project and crying out for help, for wisdom, for clarity, as to what to do. What I am trying to learn to do (again) is BEFORE I start my day to ask for His help, and ask for it again when I'm about to do something. Even going shopping, I know that if I ask the Lord to help me find what I need to find for a gift, He will cause something to pop up (cause I do a lot of on-line shopping due to time constraints) and I can consider it. I also ask that He keep me in the budget I've allowed myself. I still sometimes 'overrule' my budget, but at least I'm conscious of what I'm spending.
But the one thing we all need to remember, is that when we go to God BEFORE we do something, regardless of what it is, and we talk with Him about what OUR plans are.... He will reveal HIS plans for us if we wait long enough to listen. And if you don't get the answer then, just wait, He will show you what is best for you. And His ways are always best.
You may reject His advice now, but there will come a time that you will cry out to Him for His help. Don't let it be in a time of brokenness. Don't wait until things are so tough you have no where else to turn. Go to Him now, while you can, for you never know when your own time will run out and even the prayers of those who have prayed consistently for you, will be useless, for you will be cast out. Prayers for your salvation are powerful; don't run from them. Don't let your unanswered prayers (in your eyes) keep you from the blessings of God. He did answer; perhaps not in your timing. Perhaps He took a loved one and you weren't ready. But you don't know what your loved one was saved from. You don't know what could have been in the future for them. Even with the loss of three little children, we often thank God that He saved them from what their future may have been. We don't know. But we are alive now, and we have a choice.
Joshua 24:15 (NKJV): "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, ...... (whether the world's standards or the Lord's standards)..... But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
The greatest gift you could give your spouse, your children, this Christmas, is to make the decision to follow Jesus and submit yourself unto Him. The father is to be the spiritual leader in the home. The mother is also to be a spiritual leader alongside the father. Choose Jesus, and you will never regret it. Don't wait, make this day the day to start. Following Jesus is a choice you will never regret making.
Blessings!
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