A Gentle Reminder Part 1

In the midst of a week in which I spent a great deal of time stressing about things that I had no control over – God sent a beautiful reminder.

Several weeks ago I was given some free bulbs. Since it was the end of January – I knew it was a little late to plant them outside, so I stuck them in a planter in the mudroom.

They were pretty much forgotten, occasionally got watered, and frequently had hats and/or mittens thrown on them.

But look what happened!

All I did was push them in the ground and throw them a little water. Then I left them alone.

And one bloomed. Beautifully.

I didn’t fuss, worry, or stress over those bulbs – I just left them to do what God had designed them to do.

I was faithful with my part and God was faithful with His.

Does anyone see the lesson here?

How many times do we worry and fuss over things over which we have no control?

I could never make those bulbs grow on my own – never. I did what I could do – and left them alone.

Notice only one bulb has bloomed. There are others that look like they might- and still others that don’t even look alive.

No matter how many times I look at them and wring my hands in frustration, or how many nights I lose sleep worrying over them – I can never make those other bulbs bloom.

Never.

Just like so many other things in life.

What are you stewing about today? Is there something you need to commit to the Lord and leave it alone?

Matt 6:27 “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

False Peaks on Mount Courage

New Mexico Mountains

My son Matt learned his own lessons during his week at Teen Pact Survival Camp.

One of their tasks as a team was to navigate their way up 3 different peaks, aptly named Mt. Courage, Mt. Endurance and Mt. Followthrough.

At the peak of each mountain they were to retrieve a flag before descending and beginning the next climb.

All of this had to be done in a certain amount of time.

Matt’s team started out strong – heading up Mt. Courage. They soon got weary as the altitude began affecting them.

They kept their eyes on the prize though – keeping the peak in sight, only to be disappointed to discover when they reached it – that it wasn’t really the top.

It was a false peak. From their vantage point it looked like it was the summit, but when they got there, they discovered there was still mountain ahead of them.

How discouraging!

But they regrouped and started out again – with the new peak in sight. Sure enough, when they got there, it still wasn’t the summit – it was yet another false peak.

This happened again and again – until they finally reached the true summit – exhausted and behind schedule.

After a brief rest, they started back down, and then up the next peak.

It was there – halfway up the next mountain that they turned and could see where they had been.

It was all so clear from another vantage point.

How true in life. We climb up the mountains put before us – struggling to get the top, only to find that we still had more mountain to conquer. We get discouraged and want to give up.

Many times we can’t see the forest for the trees. (Or the mountain peak because of the mountain in front of us.)

That’s where faith comes in. We need the faith to stay on the course, and courage enough to not give up even when it seems hopeless.

I don’t know what mountain you are climbing now – financial difficulties, marital problems, struggling to lose weight, infertility, parenting questions, a job loss, or maybe health issues.

You think you have it conquered.

You think you have it figured out.

But you have only reached a false peak. There’s more mountain waiting. And the higher you go – the harder the climb. You’re weary. The altitude is affecting you.

Don’t give up. Don’t get discouraged. Keep climbing Mount Courage.

In time, you will be able to look back from where you have come and be blessed to see how the Lord has led.

Trust me – the view from the top is amazing!

Isaiah 40 : 28-31 “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary and his understanding no one can fathom.

He give strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youth grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall.

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar like wings on eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Are You Fretting?

I had an interesting conversation with a friend at a garage sale yesterday. He commented that the last really nice day he remembered was Thanksgiving Day, sitting around the table with family.

It seems like every day since then we have had to deal with weather or the affects of the weather; ice storms with branches down everywhere, then excessive rain and flooding, winds, storms, etc…

It seems that as soon as we clean up from one mess, another comes along.

Another friend commented that it feels like all of Iowa is holding its breath.

It’s easy to fret and worry. Gardens aren’t doing well and my canning jars sit empty on the pantry shelves. I’m not the only one.

In many ways it’s been a hard season. But God is faithful.

Oswald Chambers said it well,

“(Fretting) always ends in sin. We imagine that a little anxiety and worry are an indication of how really wise we are; it is much more an indication of how really wicked we are.

Fretting springs from a determination to get our own way. Our Lord never worried and He was never anxious, because he was not out to realize His own ideas; He was out to realize God’s ideas.”

Matthew 6: 31-33 “So do not worry,saying ‘What shall we eat’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ …your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”