I came upon this quote as I was preparing for our 4th of July gathering: "Nothing is a greater stranger to my breast, or a sin that my soul more abhors, than that black and detestable one, ingratitude." ~ George Washington, 1754. I have to check myself often for this disease as I find myself in an outburst from time to time. This morning as I sat outside with my Bible that sadly hasn't been opened for 2 weeks, a hummingbird whizzed by to investigate the first blossoms of the large Mimosa tree beside the porch. I'm so distractible that instead of reading, I pondered the beauty of it all and began to pray outloud toward the sky.
I hate to ask for more than we have but I enlisted God to give Mike a vision to get him through the days that run together as he zigzags the country. I asked that Megan's headaches subside especially since she works in 100 degree heat. Miranda, McKala, and Michael all have health issues or injuries we're watching. Melody, Macklynn, and Madalynn have new levels of discipline, work, and challenge. Not everyone has as many children but I still can't imagine that anyone would deny their children anything less than every fiber of good will and intent, but they do.
Unfortunately another quote of Washington's, "Labour to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience," is numbed in our society by busyness, dissatisfaction, medication, blame, and self preoccupation. I've heard, "I'm a good person," more than I care to. They may not know it but they're agnostic, believing God has left us here with freewill and little more. I'm sorry to say that a lady I talked with this week has felt this way since she was abused as a child. She believes the only thing that set her free was her ...free will. She inferred that God didn't hear her pleas for rescue. I replied that 'people' didn't hear her, those that should be close enough to a child to see her distress. They were too busy. We Christians are so caught up in the latest and greatest or getting by and complaining about it, that we aren't making any real investment for eternity.
I have a proposal. Instead of questioning God on violence and perversion, why don't we question ourselves about the opportunities we've had to lead by example or bless the people on the fringe. Would they have become so dark and unreachable? So as I read a verse I'd seen in a new friend's writing, I found, "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame." 1 Cor 15: 33-34.
We have so much crap in our lives, literally, every new decoration, new outfit, new toy, new technology that we keep China in business and manage to become useless all in one. We can't keep what we have clean because we have too much of it, so we just give up and become what we thought we'd never accept. We can't feed the children in Africa because we're paying for our weight loss programs. Besides, who can we trust to get it there? Have we set limits to where we'll go ourselves? And is it because we're in debt for things that limit us? When is the last time God was our insurance agent? Is any of it really ours anyway?
We're keeping up with the Jones's or just keeping up with the bills and leave no time for a seed we could plant daily. What seeds do we have to plant when our own lives are spoiling? A question was posed to me 3 years ago, "Why don't you ever mention your husband in your conversation?" I'm posing that question now to wives. Why don't you mention him? Is everything really "okay" or are you living in no man's land, the place no one wants be ...getting by, cohabitating, being civil? Is your fear of being alone really worth losing your passion or has it been long dead? Or do you reserve your thoughts for another man?
When is the last time we thought of the attraction of our homes, of the fun and magnetism they should have? When is the last time we were giddy that our husbands were about to walk through the door from a long day's work? Really, you worked hard too? It doesn't work like that. Home really has to be a man's refuge and if we ladies don't gear toward that, then ...well, we see where it lands us, no man's land, a place no man wants to be. Please, don't think I'm lending men a break. My own husband will tell you that he was never content no matter my effort. The man he is now proves that it mattered all the while.
What's happened to Jesus anyway? Madalynn and Macklynn came in from carport in deliberation 2 weeks ago. Madalynn (4) said that he was killed and Macklynn (7) said that he killed himself. Hmmm, all right, yeeaah, "Jesus let himself be killed on the cross but He was the essence of goodness, which can never die. Evil thought it'd won but the only way it ever wins is when, yes, our free will lets it." How do we let something so pure and simple slip through our hands? If we don't own it already, why don't we take it? Believe me; the only thing you'll lose is the you you're tired of contending with. She won't leave you readily but she will leave and with her nasty ingratitude. The quickness of her exit relies on how quickly you accept that His grace is sufficient in every circumstance, under every stress, and in every relationship.
A suffering world is waiting for her to leave, so how about now?
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