He is Greater when I am less because it has never really been about me....all to the glory of Jesus.
Take Heart....
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John 16:33New International Version (NIV)
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Take heart. I heard this whisper in my spirit this morning, as I was driving to work, admiring the white fields, covered with snow. I was thinking about the people I know who love winter and snow.....and conversely, the people who cannot stand winter and are miserable until it is over. I like winter. I like it when winter is over. Take heart. Take heart, my beloved, because this is a season and it will pass.....and when the season of winter is finished, springtime comes. The snow melts. The rains start in the Midwest. Little green buds pop out of the Earth and hang from tree branches, promising to bloom into leaves and flowers and plants.......take heart. He tells us, in John 16 that he tells us these things (he gives us the seasons that we can expect and predict and understand) so that we can have peace. This world has trouble. We have trouble. We get coughs and colds in winter. We slip on the ice. We sometimes have a blizzard with 2 snow days in the middle of the week and the children take over the house.....and make me crazy.....and then they don't sleep well.....and I'm exhausted, frustrated, anxious about the workload piling up, the laundry, the messy bedrooms, toys everywhere........oh wait. I digress. Take heart. Take heart my beloved, in this world we will have trouble but He.......He has overcome the world. All of it. Blizzards, rainy seasons, summer fun, autumn beauty.......One Man who was equally human and God......overcame THE WORLD. Take heart, my sweet people who are aching to grow your families through birth or adoption....I am praying for you. The road seems impassible and impossible.....but take heart. He has this. Take heart, my friends who are struggling with marriage, finances, contentment, pride vs. humility. You are not alone. Take heart. He has overcome the world. Next week is Valentine's Day with lots of hearts and love and sweetness.....I like this verse from John 16. Have peace. Take Heart. He's got this.
Last week I walked dogs in unexpectedly warm late winter afternoons. I realized that when I don't walk regularly it matters. This week I wanted to walk again but I am such a wimp and if it is cold or windy or rainy or all of those things put together, I don't want to walk outside. I spend my work days in and out and in and out and cold and warm and cold and warm.....but today I needed to walk. It was cold and windy and rainy. I started my walking app that tells me when to walk slow, speed up, slow down, speed up and eventually cool down. In my home office space in front of a cooking competition. I looked ridiculous walking in place, dancing and prancing, moving foward and backward and working up a sweat but I got it done. I sure did. I got groceries because we were out of milk and I got food for "superbowl Sunday" which is not that different from any other Sunday evening. My parents come over and we have snack...
We just returned from a volleyball competition in Kansas City. These weekends of club volleyball are exciting and stressful, expensive and also costly in social and emotional currency. Some moments gain and some moments lose in the account. The recent article that circulated locally about why someone pulled his kids out of club volleyball was interesting to say the least. What he didn't describe was the social and interpersonal and spiritual gain that are available by leaving town and spending time with people who don't look like you, think like you or care about the same things.....and how some of those moments are rich teaching moments between parents and children that would not be available if all we ever did was live, work and play with our local circle of peers. I'm going to discipline myself to say no more on that topic. I was fearful to even bring it up but I'm just tired enough tonight to feel a bit courageous as well. My kid...
Recently I had a conversation with a mother about self care . She has a newborn and 2 older kids and a partner and a job. When I asked her about her self care she looked at me like I was crazy...She had no idea of how to come up with list of things she can do that will give her peace, rest and fill her emotional cup. I'm guessing this is not uncommon because if someone doesn't practice self care, they would not have much of a list. I have practiced. I have a list and I know how to use it. This weekend I was able to stay home and Roger and Precious went on to the volleyball tournament together. JOsiah was sad because he wanted to go to Kentucky...it sounded glamorous...but I knew it would be 2 days in the car, 2 days in the volleyball arena and 2 days driving home. I was already tired and feeling wiped out....I needed to clean my house and sit in my rocking chair and sleep in my bed with the window open and the fan blowing...
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