Broken Down

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart, O God you will not despise. Psalm 51:17 NIV

There are weeks when I wonder, "How will I make it through?"

Thursday was the worst day. I felt broken, down and lost.

Parents decided to put their child in another day care program; income down.

A friend's son was really sick again, almost to the point of hospitalization. Wellness lost.

Licensing inspector comes and writes up for standing water in the yard. (It's only rained two to three inches for the past fourteen days). Frustration mounds.

People upset. Broken.

God works His message to me in strange ways.

I had a handle break off of a pan I use a lot. I saw the pan as not useful. The brokenness of the pan left me not wanting it anymore.

My daughter's turn to cook, she takes the pan and uses it.

"Why are you using that, it's broken?"

"It has another handle, I'll just use that one." A use for something broken.

My glorious father in heaven, saw me as broken this week. He didn't toss me aside like I did with the pan. He comforted me by refilling my soul with praise music and friends who listen.

He let me know He can still use me even though my handle may have fallen off, and I might have had a rough week. Still I am His daughter.

Rebelling Against the Light

There are those who rebel against the light, who do not know its ways or stay in its paths. Job 24:13 NIV

This past week, it seems we've seen more darkness than light. The clouds cover the sun, the rain pours from the sky. At times like these I can feel down, I long for the light.

At times I'm a bit of a rebel. This past week because of the rain, school pickups can become a bit stressful. The first school I picked up from went smoothly, so I drove on to the next school. The street I was on was filled with cars, some were so close that I didn't know if I could actually make it through. I crept along ever so slowly, inching my way through. I was relieved when I arrived at the other end.

I pulled into the school to pick up the child I needed too, and I was stuck behind a bus. I patiently waited and waited. Finally, the bus leaves and I pull where I normally do. Apparently, that didn't work because there was the principle waving me to move forward. I put the van in gear and move forward. She continually waves and I continually have to move. I was a bit annoyed. I mean the child I was to pick up was right there, she would have been in the van and we would have been long gone had she not insisted I keep moving forward.

She apparently didn't like my attitude and she let me know it. "I'm sorry I'm annoying you," she opened my van door, "but we have all these vans to get in here. You need to have a better attitude."

Wow! I apologized, then it hit me. I wasn't showing the light of Christ. I was seeking my own way, even if she was seeking her own way. I should have shown her the love of Christ.

This weekend I had the awesome privilege to be in a small chapel. By small, I mean when ten people are in there we have a crowd. Saturday night we probably had twenty-five in there, but it didn't seem crowded. Most of the crowd was young adults including my children.

The music started and we praised Jesus together! Our voices blended and the sound was glorious. The trouble of the past week was erased during our time of praise. We also prayed for thirteen special young men who were on a journey to grow in their faith. The light of Christ shown through each person there.

So I wonder why at times do we rebel against the light? Why do we think our way is better than His way? Why do we hide from the light?

Are we afraid? Is our ego to big? Do we know better than God?

I encourage us to stay in the light. God knows the right path we need to be on. Trust in His wisdom.

Do What?

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

The cry out in the middle of the night.

The desperate call for help when everything else has been tried.

Is this when you pray? When there seems no hope and the only solution could be God.

The recited prayer..

Now I lay me down to sleep...

Our father who art in heaven...

Is this how you pray? When you don't know what to say.

The prayer in the car.

The quick prayer at work.

Is this where you pray? When you can do it quickly.

The thing is it really doesn't matter when, how or where you pray. The important thing is you're praying. Prayer is simply having a conversation with God. Yes, a conversation; which means you have to take the time to listen.

God is omnipresent which means He is always there. He can hear the desperate prayer. He can hear a child's prayer. He loves to hear from each of us. He loves it when we pray together or alone.

I manage most days to set aside time for prayer, but that's not the only time I pray. I have learned to pray anytime, anywhere. Sometimes my husband is wondering whom I'm talking to when I'm in the shower, since apparently my praying was being done out loud.

Prayer can make all the difference. Take the time to pray, it's so worth it.

On This Date

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 NIV

Which Disney character are you most like?

What 1970's sitcom are you most like?

Do you really know ALL the Frozen songs?

I have seen these surveys as they pop up on Facebook, and yes on occasion I do participate in them. I find it kind of interesting, and sometimes even try to answer the questions a certain way because I want a certain desired outcome.

I rarely share my findings on Facebook, I just read them have a laugh and move on with my day. Even though I was proud to know I am a Southern Girl. I wouldn't of wanted it any other way y'all.

This past week though I was a bit disturbed to see a few people post a tombstone with a "predicted date" of when and how he/she would die. I am sure each one did it for fun, but it kind of made me sad.

Deep down I know nobody knows the day he/she will die, just like we really don't know the day someone is going to be born a due date is just a prediction. Yeah, I know sometimes a schedule cesarean or induction needs to take place but we still don't know exactly.

I mean what would I do knowing the day I'm going to die. Would I make that bucket list? Would I sit around just thinking about that day? Would I try to get everything done I could possibly get done?

I sort of experienced this. For some reason as a teen some friends of mine had these cards, at least I think it was cards. We played some silly game and during it someone "predicted" that my boyfriend at the time would die in a car crash in his twenties.

This really disturbed me. I had big plans for our future together and his early death would not fit well with those plans. Eventually we got married, and it took a lot of faith and praying that they were wrong. I tried to put it at the back of my mind, which I would manage until he'd be late and then that prediction would creep back into my thought process.

I praise God that their prediction was just a silly one, and that it never came true. I mean he's twice as old as that now. Shh! Don't let him know that I said he was old.

Anyway it's my belief that we are to live each day to the fullest, trying to do God's will. Everyday I get up pretty much knowing what my day is going to be like, but sometimes God throws in surprises. Just yesterday He sent a full rainbow that many of us got to enjoy. It's not very often when we get to see the beauty of a full rainbow. If one rainbow wasn't enough God managed to put a double full rainbow in the sky.

Life is full of uncertainties, the one thing we can know for sure is that God loves us and he has great plans for each of our lives. We just need to seek his wisdom.

God's Not Dead

God said to Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I am has sent me to you. Exodus 3:14

God is God, He has always been and will always be. He is with us in the good times and He is with us in the bad. He is with us even when we don't acknowledge him.

Last night I watched "God's Not Dead," I was surprised by how easily a class could write on a piece of paper God is dead and then sign their name to it. It seemed as though most of them didn't even hesitate. Is it that easy to deny God? Is it that easy to go with the crowd?

It made me think, how easy am I influenced by what the crowd is doing? Last weekend I found myself digging in to lunch without a thought to thanking God for my food. The day before I paused to thank God before I ate when a blessing wasn't offered.

A messily 24 hours later and I simply just started feeding my face. Luckily, I realized it before my meal was finished and thank God. It didn't stop me from feeling guilty about it.

So I guess I can understand how everyone except one in the class simply signed a paper just so they wouldn't upset the professor. It was exciting to see how Josh did his research and followed the prompting of the Holy Spirit(God). He presented his case and because of him a life was changed.

I know God's Not Dead because He lives in me. I can see Him in the sunrise, I can see him in the way the waves hit the beach, and I can see Him in my friends around me.

God was here before He created the world and will be here long after we're gone. He loves you and wants to have a relationship with you. Don't be afraid to stand up for Him. He will guide the way.