So let it be done…
My friend Bret wrote this Sunday and I had to share it!
Matthew 8:13
…as you have believed, so let it be done for you…
The world says, “Unless I can see it or feel it, I will not believe it.” But God says, “If you will believe it, you will feel it. Indeed, if you will believe it, you will see it!”
Then my friend Debbie posted these Sunday and Monday…
Musical Monday: The Dance
I wanted to share this little snippet from the Garth Brooks Concert in Grand Rapids over the weekend.
I have enjoyed his music for a long time, but after seeing him live I have solid respect for this man. His talent….seriously wow. His attitude…my sister and I kept commenting on how big he was smiling. He set the tone in that arena and it was a blast!
He readily gave honor to those who inspired him, like Michigan’s own Bob Seger. He gave honor to the team that has been with him since even before people knew his name. He also gave honor to the fans with a genuine thank you and by giving his all, even with a cold and another whole concert after ours on Saturday night.
For Those Following Along
Went to a concert tonight with my sister and she was wearing this…
If you would like to follow along…read this. 😉
Believe
Some days are hard and it’s a struggle to just believe. You have days like that?
I’m house sitting this week and I while i was dusting the house I see this…
And I remembered this… “For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
And it made me smile. Then I went to the next room to dust and I saw this…
And I laughed and said, “Okay God. I hear you.” Then went back to dusting.
Then I was headed to bed and I see this…
And I heard, “Don’t grow weary, Jill. Just believe.”
Galatians 6 and Proverbs 12:13 tell me not to grow weary. Hebrews 10 tells me that if I just wait, I’ll be rewarded. And now God is making it abundantly clear that He just wants me to simply believe.
And so I’m sharing this with you. To encourage you to hang in their.
Point to ponder while you wander…what you believe guides your choices, like a rudder steers a ship.
See also Matthew 8:13. Genesis 15:6. Mark 9:23-24. John 3:15-18. Romans 10:9
Emotional Exhaustion
I’ve been struggling with emotional exhaustion and my fuse is the shortest it’s been since before I first started the healing process with Jesus 12ish years ago.
I don’t like it when I’m short tempered and negative. I hate it when I start bashing anyone and everyone who annoys me in any capacity. So I need this reminder today….
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT
Point to ponder while you wander…it is so easy to take out our hurt, frustration, and fear on other people, especially our immediate family or those we live with. But there’s a better way.
“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
I need this rest today, and I pray you and I both find it.
Possibly Unaware
Sometimes we get hurt and the other person may be completely unaware that what they’ve done has hurt us. Choose to go talk to them. Face to face. Not easy, but definitely the right way to handle it, so says Jesus.
“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.” Matthew 18:15 NLT
Talking about a person will never solve anything, nor will screaming at them or silently fuming. Talking WITH them, honestly and openly might. Choose to be the bigger person.
Point to ponder while you wander…if the other person is unwilling or unable to openly dialog, CHOOSE to forgive anyway and pray for them. This releases them to God so you can move on. Unforgiveness hurts you, not them.
Quality Time
Please excuse the grainy, limited view photo, but I had to post about this lovely couple at work.
Sometimes it’s 11 am, sometimes 2 pm, but every single day they meet for a shared lunch. It’s always homemade and served family style. Sometimes they are fully engaged in conversation, sometimes not.
It makes my heart smile every day to see this couple carve out 20ish minutes in the middle of the work day to just be together and share a meal. ❤
Simple Joys
Swinging for the sky…
Blowing wishes in the wind…
Musical Monday: Leningrad
When ever I listen to Billy Joel, I’m like man oh man…I love Billy Joel. The song that got me this time was Leningrad.
The lyrics are poignant poetry…take a gander…
“Leningrad”
Viktor was born in the spring of ’44
And never saw his father anymore
A child of sacrifice, a child of war
Another son who never had a father after Leningrad
Went off to school and learned to serve the state
Followed the rules and drank his vodka straight
The only way to live was drown the hate
A Russian life was very sad
And such was life in Leningrad
I was born in ’49
A cold war kid in McCarthy time
Stop ’em all at the 38th Parallel
Blast those yellow reds to hell
And cold war kids were hard to kill
Under their desks in an air raid drill
Haven’t they heard we won the war
What do they keep on fighting for?
Viktor was sent to some Red Army town
Served out his time, became a circus clown
The greatest happiness he’d ever found
Was making Russian children glad
And children lived in Leningrad
But children lived in Levittown
And hid in the shelters underground
Until the Soviets turned their ships around
And tore the Cuban missiles down
And in that bright October sun
We knew our childhood days were done
And I watched my friends go off to war
What do they keep on fighting for?
And so my child and I came to this place
To meet him eye to eye and face to face
He made my daughter laugh, then we embraced
We never knew what friends we had
Until we came to Leningrad
Point to ponder while you wander…
With so much ideological hating going on in the world…this song reminded me to remember this….”We never knew what friends we had Until we came to Leningrad”
I detest some of the ideologies out there in the world too. I am not ignorant of the violence and destruction. But the people are still God’s creation, that He loves. So pray big and be kind.
Random Birthday Thoughts
Today is my birthday. Here are some thoughts…
Random Thought 1:
Number of candles doesn’t matter because me, myself, and I voted unanimously to be 25 on the outside and 7 on the inside forever. #youthrenewedliketheeagles
Random thought 2:
My name means youthful heart and my lifetime passage of scripture based on that definition is: “Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from deathand crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!“- Psalm 103:1-5
Random Thought 3:
I have this scripture of the day calendar. It’s one without the year so I can use it forever. I don’t always flip it everyday, because I sometimes need to stick with one particular verse for multiple days. But I always check out my birthday verse and it is:
.”Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.“- Psalm 36:5
This was been my source of praise through the 2 year suckfest and again now in a time of deep loss and grief. I am profoundly grateful for His unfailing love and that He never leaves me when I am in need. Such a wonderful Father.
Random Thought 4: Last year was a milestone birthday…and I wasn’t upset about the age. I was amazed at the fabulous friends I was surrounded by and had a party to acknowledge & celebrate them. I loved telling these amazing women what is special about them. Most of us cried. (Now I am singing it’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to… HAHA) It was my best birthday party, because I left ealing loved and oh so grateful for my amazing friends.
Point to ponder while you wander…if your birthday number is large…don’t focus on that and get all sad about how much of your life is over. Instead concentrate your celebration on the people who’ve made all those years full.
jillbeingstill 