Dear Dot:
Today has been a testimonial day. Not mine, but a testimony from our daughter, Peggy, who has learned and continues to practice a remarkable thing. As old as I am, I have not learned what she has learned through hard work, failures, and much, much practice. She has learned to hear herself think and adjust what she is thinking by plain effort. And she can do that because she wills it, and she wills it because it keeps her in the arms of God. And in the arms of God is right where she desires to be.
It is a huge privilege to have her with us at this time. I want to learn what she has learned. I want to be able to put myself in the arms of God.
First, it is only fair to tell you that Peg was at one time married and has three children by that marriage. Today, she has a great relationship with each of the three and is a good friend to and with her ex-husband and his new wife. She went to school and became a Registered Nurse when she was in her 40's and now works in a Trauma Center in a prominent MN hospital where she has seen many lives find hope and some only despair. She has counseled many of those who have been burdened with drugs or alcohol, and has become what I would call a woman of great beauty, both physically and spiritually.
Back to today, early afternoon----I read Luke 13:23b. "Put your mind on your life with God. The way to life--to God--is vigorous and requires your total attention." That doesn't sound very hard, does it? Ha! I wrote a bit about what I needed to do to put my mind on my life with God in my journal.
I really needed to do this, because a lot of old tapes are getting played back here in MN, and I'm not doing a very good job listening to them. I find myself judging myself, and sometimes Jerry. So, I took this Luke passage seriously. I corralled both Peg and Jerry and read my questioning heart to them and said, "Is this what I should be doing to be solid in life with God?" And I listed some things I thought might help me, like 1)Don't blame others; 2)Ask God to help me sort out what is happening, 3)Say the Lord's prayer 4)Rest in a quiet corner 5)Seek God immediately. And then I asked, "Will these things help me connect right away to God?"
Peg said of course they would help, but the bigger thing is to make certain I am willing to find out what God tells me Himself as He is the great teacher. And what He might tell me is the important thing to accept. And as important, that He is the judge...not me. Every time I decide I am in the wrong or someone else is in the wrong, I am judging. And that's God's job, and Only God's.
Therefore, it's not so important who's wrong, as being wrong doesn't make us BAD, but what we are thinking is the important factor. By figuring out what we are thinking, it helps us to discover what it is that we need to turn over to God. Is it Judging? Is it Ego? Is it Fear? And has Anger accompanied the problem?
So, here I am...trying now to get these thoughts on paper and even more so, in my BRAIN and in my HEART!
I am very thankful that my daughter has become grown-up in God and is willing to help me grow up, too. I want to grow up in God and have the peace of God so engrained in my heart that the world can see Him through my eyes and my life.
Please pray for me, as I will pray for you.
Everlasting friend, now from MN, Jo
Monday, September 30, 2013
Thursday, September 26, 2013
PRACTICE ACCEPTANCE...DEAR DOT:
Good morning! Had to write you today, even though I don't expect to be writing here every day. It is a beautiful day in Minnesota with a light breeze and sunshine, with a high of 76 expected and a low of 58. We had a nice walk earlier with Max prancing beside us. We can't quite get a mile and 1/2 in without repeating some of the paths around our units, but a walk is a walk and Max doesn't care how long it takes. However, he's glad to get home and have his breakfast, as Jerry and I are, too. Life is pretty good here.
But, there have been some things about living in our little abode that have been a bit hard to accept and have been, I admit, rather stifling. We get a ton of traffic noise from the highway just going past our development, for one thing, and our upstairs neighbor who is a nice young woman just now going through a divorce, is practicing tap dancing, or some such, I think. So, I am having to practice acceptance, instead of becoming assertive.
Now, I know there are occasions when being assertive is important, but I don't think this is one of them. First, we bought this place sight unseen, so we cannot complain that the road noise comes into our open windows. Secondly, we could close our windows, but choose not to. And, to whom would I become assertive?
As far as the young divorcee is concerned, whatever she is practicing up there, she has every right to do so. It is not hurting me in any way, not even my ears. I can be assertive in prayer for her, but not for myself. But I am convinced that assertiveness is just about me and not about God, in this case.
I learned something about acceptance vs assertiveness from the Book of Luke, Chapter 9, Verse 48. Jesus is speaking and says, "Whoever accepts me, accepts the One who sent me. You become great
by accepting , not asserting. Your spirit, not your size makes the difference." (THE MESSAGE)
Well, I'm not looking to become great; I just want to get rid of some of the "self" I seem to carry around. And want a more loving spirit that will think first about others and not just about me, me, me.
Jesus did become great even when He wasn't looking for greatness because He accepted the role God selected for Him. He went forward to totally accept His death on the Cross without a fight. He didn't assert Himself in any way because it was not in Him to do so. HIs spirit was filled with love for God and love for the world. And that includes me!!
If I am to follow Jesus, I need to be on the same path as Jesus and remember it's not about me! Jesus didn't look for approval and neither should I. Situations that I run into, I hope, shall not find me so assertive and protective of myself. I pray I will show the love and acceptance that Jesus put within me for all occasions, tough or more tough. Difficulties come and go, but love is bound to stay forever.
If you are willing, say a prayer for me to do a better job of accepting difficulties. OK?
Dot, you are very close to my heart. You are such a good friend, and so is Richard. Bless you both!
Stay well, now, my friends, and thanks for letting me pour out my heart onto you today.
God is good....all the time. All the time...God is good.
Love from MN........Jo
But, there have been some things about living in our little abode that have been a bit hard to accept and have been, I admit, rather stifling. We get a ton of traffic noise from the highway just going past our development, for one thing, and our upstairs neighbor who is a nice young woman just now going through a divorce, is practicing tap dancing, or some such, I think. So, I am having to practice acceptance, instead of becoming assertive.
Now, I know there are occasions when being assertive is important, but I don't think this is one of them. First, we bought this place sight unseen, so we cannot complain that the road noise comes into our open windows. Secondly, we could close our windows, but choose not to. And, to whom would I become assertive?
As far as the young divorcee is concerned, whatever she is practicing up there, she has every right to do so. It is not hurting me in any way, not even my ears. I can be assertive in prayer for her, but not for myself. But I am convinced that assertiveness is just about me and not about God, in this case.
I learned something about acceptance vs assertiveness from the Book of Luke, Chapter 9, Verse 48. Jesus is speaking and says, "Whoever accepts me, accepts the One who sent me. You become great
by accepting , not asserting. Your spirit, not your size makes the difference." (THE MESSAGE)
Well, I'm not looking to become great; I just want to get rid of some of the "self" I seem to carry around. And want a more loving spirit that will think first about others and not just about me, me, me.
Jesus did become great even when He wasn't looking for greatness because He accepted the role God selected for Him. He went forward to totally accept His death on the Cross without a fight. He didn't assert Himself in any way because it was not in Him to do so. HIs spirit was filled with love for God and love for the world. And that includes me!!
If I am to follow Jesus, I need to be on the same path as Jesus and remember it's not about me! Jesus didn't look for approval and neither should I. Situations that I run into, I hope, shall not find me so assertive and protective of myself. I pray I will show the love and acceptance that Jesus put within me for all occasions, tough or more tough. Difficulties come and go, but love is bound to stay forever.
If you are willing, say a prayer for me to do a better job of accepting difficulties. OK?
Dot, you are very close to my heart. You are such a good friend, and so is Richard. Bless you both!
Stay well, now, my friends, and thanks for letting me pour out my heart onto you today.
God is good....all the time. All the time...God is good.
Love from MN........Jo
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