God Came To Clean Up Your Mess!

How many times have I told my family, “You can use the kitchen, so long as you clean up your mess.” As parents, we start teaching our children as toddlers that we clean up our own messes. We pick up our toys, blocks, and help clean up our spilled milk. As we grow older, and see people making dumb choices we sometimes say “You made your bed, now you can lie in it” or “You got yourself into this mess, you get yourself out.” Our human nature guides us to be responsible for ourselves, and clean up our own messes. This is the thinking that causes people to think they have to clean up and straighten up their lives before they come to church or before they come to God. We don’t feel worthy to ask God to help us out of a mess we made ourselves. To those who are already saved, and manage to mess up and make bad choices (as we always do), we think that God is going to rain down judgment and certainly won’t help us out of a bad situation we put ourselves in.

Fortunately, God is not human. Romans 11:33 says “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” The most awesome thing is that God came to clean up our mess. He knew we couldn’t do it, that we had made too big of a mess of our lives. Romans 5:8 says that “God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” He didn’t say, if you will change and clean up your life, I will die for you and save you. The only thing you have to do is believe that you need Him and that He is God and came to save you. Is your life in a mess right now? Do you feel like it’s more than you can handle, but you don’t feel that you have the right to ask God for help. Please remember God’s great love for you, and know that He wants to help clean up your mess!

Pop Quiz

This morning our pastor preached on how we should treat others. His premise was that God loves everyone and He died for everyone. He loves and died for the stinky bum on the street corner; the cruel bully; the snooty, rich man; the neighbor that you wished would move; and that person that “looks like he fell in a tackle box.” Tonight after church, God gave us a pop quiz covering that sermon. There was an old truck with some guys who had run out of gas right in front of the church and people could have easily judged them and been afraid to help, but we made sure they had gas and were on their way.

It’s so easy to judge those who aren’t just like us. Who says we are normal, and the good Lord knows we aren’t perfect. If we are Christians, we have a higher calling and higher expectations placed on us. We are expected to help those people God places in our path. It’s usually pretty clear, when you know God is asking you to help someone.

People are always in a quandary about when to help a stranger. I heard Beth Moore give these guidelines, and I think they are very wise. Don’t help when (a) You simply can’t give or do what’s needed or asked for. (b) your help just won’t help; (c) beyond the boundary is unauthorized danger. Knowing what is dangerous can be tricky, but if you are alone, it probably isn’t a good idea especially if you are a woman. Ultimately, God gives us common sense and He also wants us to listen to His guidance. If you are listening, you will hear Him talking.

God Loves You Anyway

I attended my 20th class reunion last week, and I guess I am waxing nostalgic. I’ve been thinking about the me of twenty years ago compared to me today. Spiritually, I have grown so much, but still realize I have so much more to grow. Twenty years ago, I thought as long as the pastor and my church members didn’t know the real me or what I did, then I was safe. Today, I realize it’s only God that matters. I have heard some people say, "I am so glad they don’t know what I’m thinking." The problem is that God does, but the awesome thing is that He loves us anyway! I don’t like being reprimanded by God, but I have never felt like God didn’t love me. For many years I thought it was more about looks than about substance. In the deep corners of my heart, I realized that God wanted more of me and wanted me to be real with Him. So today, I want to ask you "Are you being real with God?" He knows you better than you know yourself, so you might as well ‘fess up and just accept that you are a dirty, rotten scoundrel. But more importantly, you need to realize that God loves you despite your imperfections. He knows you are a dirty, rotten scoundrel, but He still died to save your soul and He wants you!

Looking forward to 2010

For the past year, I failed to post much. I guess I’ve thought that if I didn’t have an earth shattering revelation to share then I wouldn’t share anything at all. At the end of every year, I always reflect back on the months previous, and give my year a grade. This year, although it has been arduous, it has been blessed and well-spent. I’ve worked hard both at home and work, and had tragedies to deal with as well.

We did vote in a pastor this year. He and his family were already members of our church--the Hamilton family. Then finally sometime around the first of July, we moved into our house. I had thought it would never happen. We did move in a half-finished house–but it has been wonderful. In amongst the work of readying our home and moving, the boys grandmother and grandfather died within seventeen days of each other. We had to make 2 trips to Texas to bury them.

I’ve decided that maybe this blog should be a journal of my life. I hate writing longhand and much prefer to type. I’ve been studying Louisa May Alcott the past couple of days (Little Women has always been my favorite), and her entire family kept journals. My husband keeps a journal, and not only does it help others to look into your life later on, it helps you remember those things that get fuzzy to yourself. So for now I must say that 2009 has served its purpose and I can’t wait to see what will happen in 2010.

When, Where, and Why of 2009

I am a planner. I like to know what's going to happen in my life tomorrow and have a clear plan for the coming week. I hate having things up in the air and no clear direction. As I enter a new year, I wonder what will happen. We have recently lost our pastor at church and so there are changes there. I am still taking allergy shots and working on developing my new "allergen" free diet. We are working on our house and I so hope to move in this year. I sit here and wonder what is going to happen this year. I wish I knew what was ahead so I could make clear plans. I wish I had a map in front of me that told me exactly what to do next.

I thought about Noah, and how God told him he was going to destroy the earth and that in order for him to be saved he had to build an Ark. He didn't tell him when he would destroy all living creatures on earth or when he needed to be finished--he just said it would happen. I wonder if Noah got to thinking that he might not get the ark built before God decided to destroy the earth, or maybe he had faith that God was waiting until he completed the task. I also thought about Abraham and how God told him to leave his country, his people and his family, and go to a land that God would show him(Genesis 12:1). He did not tell him where he was going--only to go. God also told Abraham to take Isaac to a mountain and sacrifice him. His son, his only son that he loved, and I know that Abraham must have wondered what on earth God was thinking. Why would you want me to sacrifice my heir, my promised son, the son you gave me and said would make me a great nation? Despite all these questions, Noah and Abraham did what God commanded.

As I stand at the beginning of 2009, I am listening for what God is saying to me. I know I should go where ever he leads, do whatever he wants. It doesn't matter if it makes sense, if he's told me where to go, or if he's given sufficient reasons why. I must listen for his directions and obey. One thing God is trying to teach me is to depend on others. I need to quit trying to be so self sufficient and do everything on my own. I need to ask others for help and learn that I cannot be everything to all people. I should allow others the opportunity to blessed by serving.

Glory

This is my new favorite song. It's wonderful to think that one day we will get to be in Heaven with Jesus. The other day my daughter and I were talking about Heaven and I guess I'm a good salesman, because she was ready to go. It's actually not the first time she's said that. She realizes that this world is not that comfortable, and there is a better place waiting for us.

Dealing with Difficult People

God has been dealing with me lately about my attitude towards difficult people. I have no problem being patient and nice to reasonable and rational people, but ridiculous people--that's a different story. I feel like I've been overworked lately, and so when people get difficult, it interferes with me getting things done. When I say difficult, I mean complaining, grumbling, nagging, and unhappy. My husband has this saying, "they'd gripe if you hung them with a new rope." I've also realized that for some people, I could give them a million dollars and they would whine and say "how will I spend all that money?" Then I have those people who have to call me frequently to make sure I am getting their work done. I do need a reasonable amount of reminding, but today I had a guy call me 6 times--mainly to see if I had done what he'd asked me to do. Once I was in the process and had to stop so I could talk to him. I wanted to say, "I would have had it done a long time ago if you would quit calling me." This also makes me think of how I deal with other people in the public. Maybe I call and they are just overloaded, and can't get anything done. They aren't mad at me, but the fact that time just seems to slip away as they get more behind. I have another lady, who is gruff and unhappy. She needs people to care about her, but she's a prickly porcupine so nobody really wants to be near her.

So how do I deal with difficult people in my busy world. I pray. All I know to do is pray each day, "God help me show the love of Jesus." Today, I'm not sure I passed the test, but I tried. I didn't say what I wanted to say, but I'm afraid I wasn't very happy either. I'm sure my attitude was shining through. Dealing with difficult people is not something only I deal with, almost anyone who is in a profession that deals with the public knows what I'm talking about it. Most of us don't want to admit it, but we've been one of those difficult people at one time or another. We wanted something done faster than the other person was getting it done, and we just demanded our rights.

The verse I shared in class Sunday was "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." Philippians 2:3. I must put others ahead of myself, even when I don't want to. Even when it is inconvenient. Even when it would profit me if I didn't. God's rules are not easy, and living them daily in this world is not always fun, but the rewards we reap from following His way is immense. I've been blessed, and I know if I will learn this lesson--being a positive influence on difficult people--he will bless me again. He's just that kind of God.