I would rather cook than clean – most of the time. I love to cook. To cook is to be creative. It requires an accounting of what my pantry possesses and what it does not, and usually a trip to the grocery store. I take a pinch of this and a cup of that and make something delicious, and nourishing. To clean is to do the same mundane tasks over and over. Dirt is ever present, so I clean and clean again next week, and in all the same places. I make the same lists over and over, checking off tasks as they are finished. Spring cleaning is different. It is much more intensive, turning everything upside down, searching to destroy every particle of dirt.
To do a spring cleaning of my life or of my heart is to allow God’s Word to scrutinize and cleanse, to take account of where I am and where I want to be. Many people love to make a list of resolutions on New Year’s Day. I don’t do that. The failure list in my brain doesn’t need more company, and so, I avoid those. To take stock of myself, it’s necessary to take some time to simply be.
Last year was a hard year, perhaps the hardest of my life. For those of you who know me well, you know that in the past, I have survived a multitude of trials. For those who don’t know me well, I’ve survived a fall down my stairs resulting in a serious injury, a couple of serious car accidents, serious tennis injury, a move across the world and orchestrating a move back again without the help of a mate, living in Russia for a few years, abandonment, divorce, raising a teenage son alone, the pressure of being in ministry, six pregnancies with three resulting in miscarriages, and working in several pressure filled jobs. I will spare all of us any further descriptions of broken body parts, surgeries, etc. Therefore, when I say that last year was the hardest year of my life that is saying something.
The year began with the passing of my mother in January. It ended with the passing of a stepdaughter around Thanksgiving. In between was sprinkled with four other funerals and various other trials . . . one involved an extended family member who I cannot trust, and when you are dealing with estate type issues this can be pressure filled to the max. Another trial involved a person who slandered me, another who lied about me, and another who lambasted me. Someone once said "I could get along with people if people would simply leave me alone.” How ridiculous is that? We all need people. I love them. I really do, but this year I have wondered what in the world was going on. It felt that my integrity had been questioned, my life accused, questioned, and attacked. It struck like an arrow into the center of my heart. I was wounded and bleeding badly. I was crushed, stomped on and smashed face down to the ground suffering the most hurtful of my whole life. I am so thankful that I have a loving faithful Heavenly Father who knows me, loves me, and comforts me. This is not the kind of thing you can go through alone. It helps to have a loving, faithful husband and I am thankful for him too!
So, what was my part in all of this? Wasn’t I perfect in all of this? Well . . . No! But, I didn’t deserve any of it, right? Well . . . No, I mean Yes! Did I do what the slanderer said I did? Absolutely not! Did I do what the liar said I did? No, but the person tweaked the truth enough to make the truth disappear and the story appear believable. Did I do what the angry person said I did and did I deserve such an angry response? Not at all! This person had a responsibility to remain calm, stable and reasonable in the midst of accusation. They failed in that department. Well, then I didn’t deserve any of the suffering, right? Well . . . it is not that simple.
In the Bible, the book of James, Chapter 1 and verse 2, James writes: “COUNT IT all joy when you fall into divers (diverse) temptations; knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” King James Version, James 1: 2
The word ‘count’ is used in the Bible many times. To count or add rather than to subtract is a familiar idea, but oh so true when it comes to trials. To count it all joy means that trials are for our good and His glory. To subtract would mean that the trial had no meaning, no good purpose. It doesn’t mean that I deserved the trial or that I deserved even more suffering, which is always true, but it does mean that God will work it out for good to produce a perfect work using patience. It was a year of intense personal suffering but also a year full of benefits. When I look back over 2010, it was a year that I can count as an asset to my life. I will count it as a joy year.
“Dear Lord, It’s just that sometimes I get tired . . . and do I want to have that much patience anyway? So what if I don’t want to add this trial as an asset in my life? Sometimes, I just want to put a trial on the minus side of my life, so I can moan by suffering aloud and have my own anger issues for awhile. Oh no Lord! When I do that I am acting like the one who slandered, the one who lied or the one who was full of anger toward me. I don’t want to become like those who don’t deal with the truth Lord. I want to bless and be a blessing, and I always want the truth to prevail in my dealings with people. Would you please help me Lord? I can’t do this without your strength, your grace and your mercy. I will obey. I will count it all joy!”
There you have it! Last year’s trials were not wasted! My heart choice was to ‘count it all joy’. The invaluable blessing added to my life by the trial of my faith is that my faith is tried and proved. Just like the birthday present that isn’t wrapped in nice paper and has no pretty bow, trials come wrapped in ways we do not choose. They come when least expected through people we least expect, and are most often undeserved. Treasure in heaven comes disguised as trials.
I have to tie up a few things for my spring cleaning to be complete. In addition to counting it all joy, it's necessary to fully forgive, to release it all to the Father's courtroom. He alone sees all and knows the whole story. He doesn't waste anything. He uses the trial on the other side too.
Oh, and by the way, God blessed in a couple of unexpected ways. I was invited to speak on 'Integrity', so someone thinks I have some. For Christmas God gave us ‘hope’. Friends came when they were needed most. Some cleaned. Some decorated our home for Christmas. Many brought all kinds of cooked food for our family to enjoy during the holidays. Loren and I had been processing grief and knew that we didn’t have the energy to clean, decorate or prepare food for a Christmas celebration. We were expecting 16 to pass through our home at some point with most of them traveling from out of state. Wasn't God good to our family to bless us with such great friends! I wonder what God has prepared for this year? I wonder . . .
Blessings and peace to you!
“Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing!” KJV James 1:2-4
To do a spring cleaning of my life or of my heart is to allow God’s Word to scrutinize and cleanse, to take account of where I am and where I want to be. Many people love to make a list of resolutions on New Year’s Day. I don’t do that. The failure list in my brain doesn’t need more company, and so, I avoid those. To take stock of myself, it’s necessary to take some time to simply be.
Last year was a hard year, perhaps the hardest of my life. For those of you who know me well, you know that in the past, I have survived a multitude of trials. For those who don’t know me well, I’ve survived a fall down my stairs resulting in a serious injury, a couple of serious car accidents, serious tennis injury, a move across the world and orchestrating a move back again without the help of a mate, living in Russia for a few years, abandonment, divorce, raising a teenage son alone, the pressure of being in ministry, six pregnancies with three resulting in miscarriages, and working in several pressure filled jobs. I will spare all of us any further descriptions of broken body parts, surgeries, etc. Therefore, when I say that last year was the hardest year of my life that is saying something.
The year began with the passing of my mother in January. It ended with the passing of a stepdaughter around Thanksgiving. In between was sprinkled with four other funerals and various other trials . . . one involved an extended family member who I cannot trust, and when you are dealing with estate type issues this can be pressure filled to the max. Another trial involved a person who slandered me, another who lied about me, and another who lambasted me. Someone once said "I could get along with people if people would simply leave me alone.” How ridiculous is that? We all need people. I love them. I really do, but this year I have wondered what in the world was going on. It felt that my integrity had been questioned, my life accused, questioned, and attacked. It struck like an arrow into the center of my heart. I was wounded and bleeding badly. I was crushed, stomped on and smashed face down to the ground suffering the most hurtful of my whole life. I am so thankful that I have a loving faithful Heavenly Father who knows me, loves me, and comforts me. This is not the kind of thing you can go through alone. It helps to have a loving, faithful husband and I am thankful for him too!
So, what was my part in all of this? Wasn’t I perfect in all of this? Well . . . No! But, I didn’t deserve any of it, right? Well . . . No, I mean Yes! Did I do what the slanderer said I did? Absolutely not! Did I do what the liar said I did? No, but the person tweaked the truth enough to make the truth disappear and the story appear believable. Did I do what the angry person said I did and did I deserve such an angry response? Not at all! This person had a responsibility to remain calm, stable and reasonable in the midst of accusation. They failed in that department. Well, then I didn’t deserve any of the suffering, right? Well . . . it is not that simple.
In the Bible, the book of James, Chapter 1 and verse 2, James writes: “COUNT IT all joy when you fall into divers (diverse) temptations; knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” King James Version, James 1: 2
The word ‘count’ is used in the Bible many times. To count or add rather than to subtract is a familiar idea, but oh so true when it comes to trials. To count it all joy means that trials are for our good and His glory. To subtract would mean that the trial had no meaning, no good purpose. It doesn’t mean that I deserved the trial or that I deserved even more suffering, which is always true, but it does mean that God will work it out for good to produce a perfect work using patience. It was a year of intense personal suffering but also a year full of benefits. When I look back over 2010, it was a year that I can count as an asset to my life. I will count it as a joy year.
“Dear Lord, It’s just that sometimes I get tired . . . and do I want to have that much patience anyway? So what if I don’t want to add this trial as an asset in my life? Sometimes, I just want to put a trial on the minus side of my life, so I can moan by suffering aloud and have my own anger issues for awhile. Oh no Lord! When I do that I am acting like the one who slandered, the one who lied or the one who was full of anger toward me. I don’t want to become like those who don’t deal with the truth Lord. I want to bless and be a blessing, and I always want the truth to prevail in my dealings with people. Would you please help me Lord? I can’t do this without your strength, your grace and your mercy. I will obey. I will count it all joy!”
There you have it! Last year’s trials were not wasted! My heart choice was to ‘count it all joy’. The invaluable blessing added to my life by the trial of my faith is that my faith is tried and proved. Just like the birthday present that isn’t wrapped in nice paper and has no pretty bow, trials come wrapped in ways we do not choose. They come when least expected through people we least expect, and are most often undeserved. Treasure in heaven comes disguised as trials.
I have to tie up a few things for my spring cleaning to be complete. In addition to counting it all joy, it's necessary to fully forgive, to release it all to the Father's courtroom. He alone sees all and knows the whole story. He doesn't waste anything. He uses the trial on the other side too.
Oh, and by the way, God blessed in a couple of unexpected ways. I was invited to speak on 'Integrity', so someone thinks I have some. For Christmas God gave us ‘hope’. Friends came when they were needed most. Some cleaned. Some decorated our home for Christmas. Many brought all kinds of cooked food for our family to enjoy during the holidays. Loren and I had been processing grief and knew that we didn’t have the energy to clean, decorate or prepare food for a Christmas celebration. We were expecting 16 to pass through our home at some point with most of them traveling from out of state. Wasn't God good to our family to bless us with such great friends! I wonder what God has prepared for this year? I wonder . . .
Blessings and peace to you!
“Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing!” KJV James 1:2-4
