Instead of another boring Saturday, I (we) actually have something to do today. Our church has a class this morning called 'Growth Track I' - it's to learn the basics of being a Christian, and a lot of other interesting things. Yes, we are past the beginning stage, with being a Christian for over 40 years, but I told hubby we needed to take it as a 'refresher' course - after all, I'm sure there are lots of things that we have forgotten that we learned in Discipleship many, many years ago. Yeah, the same class that I recommend still; the same class I would want to teach again. So hubby agreed to take it with me. There are actually 3 'growth tracks' - I think they are one a month. But, need to get started, although you don't have to take them in order. I can't suggest them to someone if I haven't taken them and know what they are. Besides, it gives us a chance to meet more people in the church. Little by little I'm meeting them, but of course hubby has gone to a couple men's groups so he has met some of the men. After the class, we plan to run by a rehab place to visit someone we met at the church. This man was a greeter and from the very first Sunday we attended this church, he has made us feel welcome with his greetings. His wife is adorable too. We found out he has been in the hospital and is now in rehab. Yes, this is the man's wife I called the other day. Looking forward to visiting them - hope he is doing well today so that we can.
We did go to the taco dinner at the VFW yesterday and those tacos were good! They hit the spot, for sure! Tried my son's pickles; way too hot for me! So proud how he has decided to make his own pickles and trying different seasonings. My youngest son showed up with his wife and granddaughter so we got to see that family. Got to teach my great granddaughter to speak more quietly. Loud talking always disrupts others around us. My oldest son's wife taught me to speak quietly .... a lesson I have not forgotten from so many years ago. erase erase.....
My daughter text'd me yesterday that I'd get a gift from Amazon today. I know she misses being here for Mother's Day, and I hope her son makes up for it. She didn't need to get anything for me; after all, every day is Mother's Day - right? My youngest son's wife invited me to meet up with them at the mall Sunday - don't know where they are meeting at - but I declined and told her to celebrate her mom with her family. My youngest gave me a 'look' that I didn't quite understand.... so I told him he could come visit me if he didn't want to go. Will see how that goes. He would probably bring the great-granddaughter... and I could play with her while he watches TV with hubby.... just saying. LOL I don't need gifts to prove that I am loved. I used to get my girls a mother's day gift years and years ago - my mama always gave us one. But, there were numerous years that we had no money to do anything, so I stopped that. I would rather show them love at other times than just on one day - know what I mean?
Psalm 84:1-2 How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Have you ever chased after cravings? You crave attention and satisfaction (you know people like this too, don't you?!) - they want you to 'like them'. Have you ever sought after approval and appreciation? You want people to 'follow you'. You want money and power, thinking that is being successful - and it's all 'give me'. More is all we are seeking after. And sometimes the chasing for 'more' never ends. Our cravings to be loved, to be accepted, to be noticed, to buy, to shop, all these things is 'me'. It's a craving for what we think we want and don't have. When will it end?
All these things fall short in their promise to satisfy the longing within us to belong, to be a part of, to be accepted, to be loved. We go after these things, hoping they will fulfill us, but they do not. We indulge in our guilty pleasures, hide our secret sins, and lie in bed wondering if this is all it is.
God made us to crave. But it isn't for things. The definition of the word craving is to long for something, want it greatly, desire eagerly, and even beg for. Look back at our above scripture. Psalm 84:1-2 How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
We were made to crave - to long for, to desire, to want, to beg - but we were made to do all that for God - only God. Yes, we were created to want more and more and more of - God. We were created to want Him, to be fulfilled more deeply by Him, to know Him. We are imperfect people and we have a perfect God - and our cravings in this life should be only for Him.
Is it easy to crave only God? No. Is it worth it? A hundred thousand times - YES. When I seek after God with all of my heart, I am never left longing for more. Other than more time with Him. This is why I seek Him in the mornings. I long to be filled with Him; to start my day knowing Him; expressing my love to Jesus; desiring only to be with Jesus. No one, and no 'thing' can satisfy your heart longings more than Jesus. Trust me in this.
If you don't know Jesus, you don't know the peace that flows from being with Him. You may have the head knowledge of Jesus, you 'know' Him..... but you have never surrendered to His Lordship; to knowing Jesus in your heart... and surrendering isn't giving up.... it's letting go of the world and grabbing hold of Jesus and all that He has for you.
Why do I talk about Jesus so much? Because I love Him. I know what it is like to be lost and floundering and struggling in my world. Been there, done that. Wish I hadn't. But since Jesus came into my life, and I surrendered to His Lordship (yes, I do fail in my walk at times... another subject for another day).... He has made my life whole.
He listens when I go to Him. He gathers me into His arms when I'm sick or I'm hurting. He helps me understand what I am to do when life comes against me. I may suffer the consequences of my sin(s)... but I know He will walk me through it all when I give it to Him and ask Him to take control of my life. I've made lots of mistakes over the years, as I have often shared here. Many mistakes I am ashamed of; many I will never share with anyone but Jesus. Grateful that I have never been so far gone that I couldn't run back to Jesus. He accepts each one of us right where we are. We don't have to 'clean up' or 'change' before He accepts us. He accepts us in all our mess. So grateful.
Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes our past is painful. Grateful I ran back to Jesus. I couldn't face this life without Him. And neither can you. Why not pause and just ask Him to take over your life and help you to be the woman or man you know you should be.... it's a pause you will never regret.
Blessings!
