Perception

Florence Chadwick was a swimmer and she was pulled into the boat after giving up.  Because there was so much fog, she could not see how much further she had to go.  She was exhausted and decided to give up.  Once on land, when she was told that she only had half a mile to go before the shore, she said: 

"All I could see was the fog, if I could have seen the shore, I think I could have made it."  Florence Chadwick

Our Youth Pastor, John Riley spoke on this last Sunday morning and it really touched my heart!  Isn't this how so many of us live our lives?  We only live for the moment.  We can't see past the one thing (our fog) that is so consuing.  Every decision is based on the hear and now.  Long term thinking, or long term waiting is not what we practice.  If we believe in a Sovereign God, why do we limit ourselves?

We tend to only focus on the fog.  Think about that.  When there is heavy fog, we can only see right in front of ourselves.  We can't see past the fog.  Even in light foggy mornings, we only see the fog, we don't see the sun that is looming in the distance.  We only see the one thing that is right in front of us, the fog.  When we face our "fog" what do we, we give up, because it is too heavy! It is the only thing we can see, we know that the sun is out there, just waiting to break through, but we can't see it.

Our "fogs" can be different for each of us.  Sometimes it's heavy, death, divorce, illness, unemployment.  Sometimes it seems trivial, or what others may see as trivial, to us it may be overwhelmed with housework, spouses, children, jobs, basically life issues,  BUT, in our fog it is real to us.  It is overwhelming, stressful and scary.  We can't understand why we are in this fog.  We think we will never be able to see the other side, so it seems easier to give up.  Just give in and let life pass us by, because, really what's the point of all this?  And yet, we find out it's just a little bit further to get to the shore!

So, what to do when in our fog?  I believe the first step is to get to the realization point that we are giving up.  Sometimes, that is the most critical point.  Realization.  Take the time to acknowledge that all you see is fog.  Whether it is heavy or light, it is fog.   And we are in it!

After realizing you are in a fog, accept it.  Accept that you are in the fog, you don't know how thick it is going to be, but you are gonna keep pressing through until the fog gets lighter and lighter.  It may be within minutes, or days, weeks, months or even years, but it will get lighter.

And then, let go and let God.  I know that is cliche, but really, it is what it is.  It truly is our only Hope!  We have to give our fog to the One who can walk us through it, every little step.  Inch by inch.   We have to get to the point of saying, "God, only you know what I need, and what is best..  Give me Your ears to hear and Your eyes to see!  May my will be Your will so that You are glorified in all things.  Amen."

Our lives here on earth are only a small fraction of our lives spent in eternity with the One who loves us.  Let's step into the fog when it rolls in and know that God is in the fog!

                   Photo by The Mighty Neptune

Blessings to you!

Terri

"Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!  Many are they who rise up against me.  Many are they who say to me, "There is not help for him in God."  But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.  I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill.  I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.  I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord; Save me, O my God!  For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;  You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.  Salvation belongs to the Lord.  Your blessing is upon Your people."  Psalm 3:1-8

God Walking

A few weeks ago, I took my 1 year old Lab Lily on a walk. It had been a while since we had walked and it started out challenging. She wanted to go full speed at first, from the beginning, I had to hold her leash at a close distance and keep it taut. She was jumping around, not paying attention, losing focus and I had to keep calling her name, tugging on her collar and even give her a kick on her butt at one point.

As we continued to walk around the neighborhood, she gradually got back into our routine. It's not like she doesn't know how it is supposed to be done, she just had to test the waters and see how far she could go without being brought back in line. She wanted to do it her way, but I wanted it my way, because I knew the dangers of letting her just do it on her own. I was there to guide her and show her how it is done. Little by little, she submitted, and then we were walking side by side, enjoying our surroundings and being comforted that we can do this together as long as we work together.

Which, makes me think of our walk with God. There are so many times that we let our schedules and busyness keep us from walking with Him. We let the pressures of life, our tiredness and quite honestly pure laziness from spending time in the arms of our Savior. We think we can do it our way and on our own. We know what we're doing, but do we? When we finally realize we can't do it all on our own, we know we need God, and then we have an akward time of getting back in the routine.

So, we decide to make a decision, today, I am going to spend more time with him. I am not going to go at this alone anymore, but when we sit down to do it, our minds are jumping all over, we can't settle our bodies down to focus, we want to hear God calling our name, but we just won't sit long enough to really listen. Sometimes it takes a swift kick in the butt to get back on track!

And that is exactly what God does. He will continue to gently call our names and urge us to come back to Him. We just have to be willing to let Him in. When we finally submit to His calling, what a difference it makes! We can enjoy our surroundings, the situations we are in, the circumstances we face, because we know that we have the comfort and security of the One who knows us and loves us no matter what and will guide us every step of the way. Walking right next to our side, and guiding us all the way home! He will meet us right where we are at any given moment, He just wants us to seek Him. May today be the day you submit to His voice and let Him guide you.

Blessings,
Terri

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10

Stand Up

"Then the king deply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn't refuse her." Mark 6:26

This week as I was read'ing Mark Chapter 6, this verse really made me mad. I read it and thought to myself, Herod is is an idiot, why couldn't he stand up against something that he knew was completely wrong?" I continued to be bothered by this and just pondered it for a few days.

Well, during our bible study session, Sherry Mortenson speaks on Herod a little. Here is a man, who was married, divorced his wife to marry his brother's wife (Herodia) and then is turned on by his step-daughter while watching her dance! John the Baptist comes in and confronts Herod about his lifestyle and his wife Herodia, is angry, she wants John killed! In the end, Herodia's daughter is offered anything she wants and her mother, Herodia tells her to ask for the head of John the Baptist, and she gets it! Interesting, huh? So why does this affect me?

Well, when put into layman's terms, here is a dysfunctional family, Herod is a man who took what he wanted, when he wanted, reacts to his desires with no concern for how others are to be affected, and completely impulsive! This is what I relate to. I come from a background of Herod's!

I grew up without my Dad from the ages of 2-16. He was an acoholic and after my mom left him, he went on to two other women and had more kids with them, not counting the one woman and child before me and my sister. My mom remarried and had another child with him and that ended in divorce, because of impulsive choices on his part. Which then enters my dad again, and my parents remarry, and in the end, is not a good thing because of impulsive choices on my mom's part. All three of my parents, only thought of themselves and what they wanted with no consideration of how the rest of us would be affected.

With a total of 7 of us kids, we all have our own histories. I can only speak on my behalf, but I grew up with no one protecting me, and no one being willing to stand up for me when I was being wronged when they were fully aware of what was happening. I have always felt that I have to protect myself and trust no one, because if I trust, they will let me down! So why trust? I'm gonna lose either way, right?

Wrong! As with the disciples, we all have our moments of unbelief, but, our unbelief amazes Jesus! I didn't realize that my having to be in control of all things at all times is a lack of trust, and therefore is unbelief! Oh, I say I believe in Jesus, but if I stay in fear of losing (or loving completely)those close to me, I am living in unbelief! I don't believe that Jesus can and will stick up for me when I am wronged, I have that underlying feeling that I have to always be in protect mode and only trust myself, but am I really capable of trusting myself, no, because I am not God! Nor do I want to be...I want to believe that He is God and He is in control and He loves and protects me and that is enough.

So, what's the next step, I surrender my will, and let His will reign, from this day forward!

Blessings,
Terri