Rereading Job's story reminded me of all those years I felt similar feelings of despair. In the darkest days of depression, like Job, I had wished God would take my life or that I had never been born. It's amazing how in those desperate moments we lose perspective on both what God can do and what He's already done in our lives. When it feels like the bottom of life has dropped out, often our confidence in God evaporates like the early morning fog.
For Christmas, my sister sent me a new devotional, "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. The other day I read about trust. Sarah wrote, "Try saying 'I trust you Jesus' in response to whatever happens to you. This simple practice will help you see Me in every situation, acknowledging My Sovereign control over the universe when you view events from this perspective... fear loses its grip on you. Adverse circumstances become growth opportunities when you affirm your trust in Me no matter what".
I have seen God's faithfulness in this. I have survived Job-like trials and I have failed when I've tried to walk through them without God or mad at Him. But when I chose to walk hand in hand with Him, trusting that no matter where He leads me - through trials and triumphs, He's got me covered in His protective wings.
If you're feeling like you are smack-dab in the middle of a Job-like trial today, trust Him to see you through it. God IS Faithful!
And now on to the first Random Dozen of 2010, thanks to Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee:
1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being a cranky-baby-hissy-fitter, how much of a complainer are you? Boy. What a way to start the first RD of the year... total transparency question - hee hee. Hmm. I would have to say I am probably a 5-6... maybe even a 7 on some days. (What can I say... I'm the baby of the family)
2. When someone else is talking, do you listen, or are you thinking about what you're going to say in response? Growing up in such a large family where everyone talks at the same time, I have become a terrible listener. I often interrupt more from habit than from plain rudeness (at least that's what I think). This is an area that I am conscious of and working on... being slow to speak and quick to listen (James 1:19)
3. I just deleted 1062 messages from my email account. Do you have any plans for a clean sweep this month--of anything? After reading the preview of this week's RD, I started to clean up my inbox. I need to do a clean sweep of my Dell so I can mail it off for repairs (blech) and I probably need to do a clean sweep of my entire house.
And now, here are some brilliant questions from a gal named Angie at Angie's Ad Lib who graciously offered to let me borrow her brain. Please go over and see Angie because it was so nice of her to help me out. Thank you so much, Angie!
4. Tell us about your perfume. Was it a gift? What does it remind you of? Do you have a signature scent? I bought my own perfume which is the Bath & Body Works "Warm Vanilla Sugar". It is my "signature scent" and I LOVE anything vanilla. I chose to have this as my scent so that as my niblings age, whenever they smell vanilla, they'll think of me ;-)
5. What is your best organizing tip for the new year? I don't think I really have one. Any tips out there from you readers?
6. What is your favorite comic strip? This one is easy and anyone who knows me knows that it is PEANUTS! Gotta have my Snoopy fix ;-)
7. Do you sleep with a fluffy or flat pillow? A somewhat fluffy, feather pillow (even though I'm allergic to feathers... call me a sucker for punishment)
8. What color is your kitchen? Why did you choose that color? My kitchen is a sage-y green. I chose this color from my kitchen border to contrast it and little did I know that when I chose this color it would cause my kitchen cupboards to POP. I hated my cupboards before I painted and had thought of painting over the oak finish. I'm SO glad I didn't because I LOVE my cupboards now with the green behind them.
9. What’s the most interesting bumper sticker you’ve seen? I have no idea - I don't really pay much attention to bumper stickers.
10. Do you prefer an expensive writing tool or whatever is lying around? (Are you a Montblanc or a Papermate?) I tend to like Papermate pens
11. What chore doesn’t feel like a chore – you just enjoy it (at least most of the time)? I don't find laundry a huge chore. I mean, the machines do the majority of the work. The ironing can sometimes feel like a chore but it always brings back childhood memories of my Mom ironing and then I get this "June Cleaver" feeling of being a 1950's housewife looking after my man. (weird I know)
12. If your parents often repeated themselves, what is something one of them said more than once? When I was young and would cry, they would say "If you want to cry, I'll give you something to cry about". But later, the one thing my Mom repeated almost every time I talked to her was "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it". I realize now that my Mom did this to keep her focused on Him instead of the pain and suffering she endured with her health.
Okay... now it's your turn. Head on over to Linda's site and play along.
Better head off to work. Have a great day!
7 comments:
I loved your little exerpt from "Jesus Calling" - sounds like a really neat book.
Can I tell you I actually snickered and spit food out of my mouth at your June Cleaver reference? Ha! Love learning things like that about people - even through the RD.
Stay warm!
You don't hate laundry??! *faints* I've always known you were one-of-a-kind, Sue, but this just proves it! ;)
Lol. And I love the excerpt from "Jesus Calling".
I've had a yellow kitchen for years and have been thinking about changing it to sage-y green. My husband says, "It's only paint," but it's a lot of time too. It's cool that your green made the cabinets pop; I'm encouraged. Thanks.
Hi Sue! I enjoyed your meme and I had to go down and ready your thoughts on The Bachelor. It was on my DVR and I buzzed thru a lot of it but towards the last hour it kept skipping to the end. I gave up and never saw who he eliminated. I have it on the downstairs DVR, too, so may try and see. Girls sure make fools of themselves on that show!
My son read the Old Testament in High School AP English... it was read as "literature" since it was a public high school. He learned a lot from that!
(((Hugz)))
I read my Bible in a year a while back too... it was such an awesome experience.
Your note about deleting emails got me thinking. I've been needing to clear out my email forever. Thanks for the nudge!
Hugs,
Genny
A great lesson taught through your own personal transparency.
I need to clean my e-mails out, too, but it's really hard to do when you live off 2 computers and the same e-mail account doesn't speak to itself on the second computer. I'd have to clean both or get my husband to fix the problem and both thoughts are just too exhausting. :)
Amen God is Faithful!!
Stay warm and have a nice weekend. ((BIG HUGS))!!
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