HIS hands

Have you ever tried to prepare a meal with a one year old and a two year old underfoot?

Needless to say, it is challenging.

Their hands are where they shouldn’t be. You feel like you are stepping on them (or you do – opps!), they have wants they are voicing and you are trying to focus on your meal you are preparing. They are pulling things out of the cabinets and drawers. You almost fall over a few times. You try to get them out of the kitchen but they aren’t tempted at all ….they want to be wherever you are…. particularly RIGHT UNDER YOUR FEET.  You feel like you are going to loose your sanity… ”can’t I just cut this chicken in peace”…. “shouldn’t cooking be easier”.

You deal with it because you know ultimately they are not going anywhere without a fight…. That is where they want to be…..and you know that, truthfully, you are thankful for those little ones under your feet.

That is a little glimpse of where I feel like I am at right now. I am trying to fix my eyes back on HIM. I am trying to REJOICE. The circumstances may have not changed. It still maybe a challenge but despite it all you must go on…. And I can’t afford to go on with out that true JOY that comes from Him. I miss it.

 These last few years I have been fixing my eyes on so many other things but Him.

Yesterday I told my car full of kids.. “I hear a lot of grumpy attitudes going on.” My younger boy said, “I am not grumpy now because I got what I wanted”. My reply, “So you’re only grumpy when you don’t get what you want?”  His reply, “Yes.”

I didn’t say much after that…no wise words from this mom….. it hit too close to home.

I too have been grumpy… some things aren’t working out the way I wanted them too and I am throwing an attitude with my heavenly Father. Holly didn’t get to see her kids grow up and i had to say goodbye way earlier than i wanted to,  and i am not living in some other country like i always thought I would be and etc. etc.

Now I know Holly is in a better place and she is doing what she was created to do… what all of us were created to do… she is experiencing the ultimate glory of GOD…. And I know if God wanted me in some other country… He would put me there. And I know for all of the other things too I must trust Him…and He is worthy of that Trust.

Like our little miracle of Nations Hope… there are times throughout these past 4 years when we thought we would never have a little Nations Hope. I cried so many tears.  And now miraculously we have her…. in His perfect timing.

Why do I want my way…. my time…..When HIS way is so much more wonderful?

But my eyes so easily drift from the ALMIGHTY TRUSTWORTHY SAVIOR to the circumstances that aren’t working out my way or just simply to people…. and then I feel like that two year old of mine…. Just collapsing on the ground in protest.

Pathetic I know. But that is where I find myself so many times… throwing an ugly fit.  I may not do it as dramatically as my two year old… but it is inside my heart where it has slowing been stealing true joy.

I have prayed for a “SLAP in the FACE” a “KICK in the bottom”….I want to get out of this pity party, the sadness, this eyes on me attitude.

God has been answering it.  It seems like everywhere I turn this bit of TRUTH shows up. And it means something so different to me now. Now that I have and am having to do it through the trials of life.

Philippians 4:6-9

Don’t worry about ANYTHING, instead, PRAY about EVERYTHING. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all HE has done. Then you will experience God’s peace , which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. FIX your thoughts on what is TRUE, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable, think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you have learned and received from me – everything you have heard from me and saw me doing, then the peace of God will be with you. (Paul was writing from prison – where he still praised God and prayed all day and night despite his sufferings, even for his sufferings).

When we hear a constant complaint from the kids we always make them say 3 things they are thankful for. It is helpful for us adults too.

So if you are down in a pit of sadness or not living in joy and can’t seem to get out. Or just anxious or full of worry. Rejoice HE IS who HE SAYS HE is. Thank Him for all HE has done. – it is like medicine to the soul.    :) It is really helping me. 

I feel like He is taking my little face in his hands, like a loving father, and pointing my face to look in HIS eyes… and when my eyes and heart see HIM … the fruit is JOY… the fruit is thankfulness, the fruit is peace.... and i can breath again.

(This one is interested too... though i do not agree completely with his first thoughts about depression. There are clinical depressions or sicknesses where people need medication and consistant professional help - where people need a real healing miracle from God...)

This one is good on REJOICING through trials-