The Squirrels are Out Today

We have some crazy squirrels around here.  Crazy is actually an understatement.  Possessed.  We have possessed squirrels around here.

Today I watched a squirrel do a high back flip on the fence line just to show off in front of my dogs.  This is gold medal Olympic type stuff, I tell you.   Then, on the other side of the yard, it’s teammate scuttles ferociously up the tree.  On the back fence line, in more trees, the squirrels were literally moving the branches apart.

Ok, maybe the last sentence was more the wind than the squirrels, but you get the message.  The squirrels here are of a different kind and it drives my dogs nuts!!!

Check out the fence line watch…

Then they go across the yard. Back and forth.  Side to side.  Here and there.  Everywhere!  My two pups were scrambling all over the yard just to keep up with the gang of squirrels whose sole mission seemed to be to keep the dogs running.  

The squirrel gang must have been laughing it up hard.  Seriously.  And since my beagle is nicknamed “Houdini” for every reason associated to that name, I had to keep careful watch.  If there is a hole, she’ll find it.  If there is a fence, she’ll scale it.  If there is a place to dig (thanks to my other dog, her co-hort), she’ll dig it.  I recently found my beagle underneath the deck digging.  Thank goodness the rope was tied to her harness so I could drag her out! 

It’s like my Houdini sees a fence line and zap! there she goes.   It’s like she lives for the fence line.  She knows better too.  But, she can’t resist sniffing out some trouble and rolling all over in it.  Her nose gets her every time.  It’s in her blood. 

So when the squirrels issued out this morning’s conspiracy to distract Houdini away from her sunlit yard, they achieved their goal.  I’m thankful I was with her to call her away from the fence line and keep her protected.  Otherwise…. she’d be out of her safe zone in a millisecond.

But, as I watched my little Houdini zing back and forth, I imagined that we humans are very much like her.  Distracted we go, bouncing between one thing to another. Then, all to quickly, the sin, or the thing that drags us down, yanks the chain out from underneath us and down we go, drowning us in our own misstep. 

I think about God standing there watching this game of chase.  He watches sin toss us back and forth and all to often He calls our name out, hoping for our return to our sunlit yards.  But will we go?

You know, beagles are infamous for their stubbornness and obstinantence.  The German form of the English name “beagle,” is “begele”, which literally means “to scold”.  Us humans are so similar.  We here the Spirit calling: “Get away from there”… “Stop!” but we think that we’ll be ok and proceed.  Ha! Fat chance we’ll be ok!  Since when did our modal of thinking become where we knew all and could make a wise choice?  No! Our thinking is linear, step-by-step.  That’s why we have the Word, to impact our step-by-step thinking, to give us a more non-linear view.  Paul says that we have been given the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16)… so if that is the case, then why don’t we listen?

Duality.  Just as we have the Spirit in us, we still are at war with our flesh, (Gal. 5:17).  Just like a rubber band pulling apart, so does the Spirit and the flesh, for the flesh is hostile to God and the things of God.  Let’s just admit it: Sin is just in our blood.  The Spirit, on the other hand, wants to congeal with God and cover our sinful blood.  So who wins?   

The choice is yours. 

“ See, today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and adversity,” (Deut. 30:15, HCSB).

And not only is the entire chapter of Deuteronomy 30 a key pivot point, but bonus, you get the answer too. 

“…therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days,” (Deut. 30:19b-20a, NKJV).

Check out these other poignant Scriptures that also help confirm the answer.

“Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them,” (Deut. 28:14, NIV). 

“So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left,” (Deut. 5:32, NIV).

“Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you,” (Prov. 4:25-26, NASB).

 "You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead,” (Deut. 11:18, NASB).

“Choose life,” (Deut. 30:19b).

Friends, living out of the flesh is so much easier, but so much more costly.  In addition, getting on the fast track to destruction is oddly simple.  Here’s what you do: make every decision out of what you want to do or what feels good to you.  Live at the fence line.  Run back and forth.  Follow every squirrel.  Succumb to every distraction.  Then, you are all set.  Your bags are packed and you are headed for wherever the wind blows you.  After all, that’s how the world does it. But…. we know how that ends. 

However, if you choose to walk a different path, one lead by the Spirit, it is not going to be easy, but it will be essential.  This doesn’t mean the winds won’t blow.  In fact, they’ll blow harder.  But instead of being tossed around, you’ll be steady like a rock.  In choosing life, your mind will become centered from the eternal perspective, from a non-linear view.  You’ll make your choices out of where the Spirit leads, through confirmation in the Scriptures and with the peace of God on your side. The squirrels of distractions will definitely conspire against you.  They’ll stir the pot.  They’ll make things go harder, faster; debris will fly everywhere.  The winds will be like a tornado to blow you and your house down.  But between the Holy Spirit and God’s word, you’ll be able to resist.  You will be able to stand.  You will be able to walk forward, and hopefully, with your little dog too.  This is what Christ preached (sans the pup) and we all know how that ends as well.

So, if there is anything I can say, it’s this: life at the fence line is short term invigorating but long term debilitating.  Our God is constantly at the helm calling you away and it is in your best interest to go back to the middle of the yard and bask in His sunlight.  There you’ll find fruit, nourishment and rest, a.k.a. all that you need.

But, no matter what you choose, know that our God is with you wherever you go. Just like my Houdini.  She may drive me bonkers with her digging and antics, but she’s still mine.  I’m not going inside knowing she could disappear in an instant.  Our God won’t leave you ever; not for nothing.  Not even in your own sin.  Course, this isn’t permission to sin.  Heavens no!  It’s just saying that even when you live in sin, you aren’t abandoned.  You may be far from the yard of His choice, but you can always turn home. 

That makes me think of the best moments of all.  It’s when my little Houdini decides on her own to come home and cuddle up next to me.  But even when she is obstinate and disobedient, causing me to fetch her from back fence, it still feels good to have my precious pup in my arms once more.  Though I might be angry, my love still abounds as I hoist her in my arms and carry her home.  After all, it is out of my love that I went to go get her in the first place.  And that’s exactly what God feels for you too.

The squirrels on the other hand….  well, the ones around here might just be of the devil.  And like the prince of this world, I guess the squirrels are just apart of our lives.  It’s learning how to deal with these squirrels that will get us the furthest and keep us in the will of God versus outside it.

The Straight Path

A letter from God to His child Solomon

My son, pay attention to my words;
listen closely to my sayings

Don’t lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.

For they are life to those who find them,
and health to one’s whole body.

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.

Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly,
and don’t let your lips talk deviously.

Let your eyes look forward;
fix your gaze straight ahead.

Carefully consider the pat for your feet,
and all your ways will be established.

Don’t turn to the right or to the left;
keep your feet away from evil.

~Proverbs 4:20-27, HCSB

Other Scriptures References:

Deuteronomy 4:9

“Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you don’t forget the things your eyes have seen and so that they don’t slip from your mind as long as you live,” (HCSB).

Deuteronomy 4:23-24

“Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that He made with you, and make an idol for yourselves in the shape of anything He has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God,” (HCSB).

Deuteronomy 4:31

"He will not leave you, destroy you, or forget the covenant with your fathers that He swore to them by oath, because the Lord your God is a compassionate God."

Blog Entry Copy, Photography and Video © 2013 Candice Irion.  All Rights Reserved.

Scripture passages are referenced above.

The Trees are Full of Sap. So What?

The fall is here, friends! I'm elated.  The morning air is cool, brisk and has a slight breeze.  The sweatshirts have busted out.  The jeans are on.  A stew is in the crockpot.  Hot coffee brews filling the house with a nutty vanilla smell.  Ahhhh.... I love the fall.  Now to just get off daylight savings and we are all set!
But first, let's toast to some coffee and head outdoors.

As I sit and absorb my surroundings, I am amazed at all the beautiful trees around.  I watch the leaves blow this way and that.  The warm golden light of the morning is soft and soothing.  But, the more I look at the trees, I notice something.  The living branches co-exist with the dead ones.

The symbolism impacted me.  The apostle Paul constantly writes how we are dead to sin then made alive in Christ in Romans 6.

"We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? ³ Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life," (Romans 6:2-4).

I never really considered how there are dead parts of us that we carry around while we are trying to live in Christ until a couple of weeks ago, when I felt the two clash together.

There was one side of me that was downtrodden and beaten up by the world, while the other was happy in life.  I kept wondering what was up.  How could I feel both awful and good at the same time?

I had a person once say that a bad habit will keep working for you until you decide it doesn't work for you any longer.  Remembering this helped me make a decision: my outlook on life is no longer working for me.  My perspective then shifted.

I started to see thing blooming in my life.  My eyes were opened to newness all around me.   Interesting opportunities lay at my feet wanting my exploration.  Yet, I still felt this sense of deadness.  Charles Spurgeon's devotional reading helped me flesh out this further.

"The trees of the Lord are full of sap, the cedars of Lebanon which He planted," (Ps. 104: 16)

Spurgeon explains that just as a tree has to have sap to live, so must we be infused with the Holy Spirit and His word.

"Without sap, a tree cannot exist, much less flourish."*

Just like sap regenerates a tree, saturating it with with moisture and nutrients, so does the Spirit and word in our Christian walk.  No sap = no tree.  No Spirit and no word = Pretty hard to mature in faith in Christ and to live a Christian life.

Thus, as we open up His word, seeking God and actively listen to the Holy Spirit, then our eyes will be opened to the blooming branches that are growing as well as the dead branches that have reached the time to be pruned.

"⁵ For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, ⁶ knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ⁷ For he who has died has been freed from sin. ⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, ⁹ knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.¹⁰ For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.¹¹ Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord," (Rom. 6:5-11).

Day after day, I started to see branches of my life that were inherently dead.  As I started clearing out what has been so dead in my life-- negative thinking, downtrodden outlook, OCD tendancies, etc., etc., etc.-- I also was surprised to stumble upon the new branches which had suddenly come into existence unbeknownst to me.  Turns out, there was a lot of dead stuff blocking my view. 

So identify what no longer works in your life.  Ask God to reveal the dead branches you are carrying around day after day.  Pray for the strength to cut them out.  And then prepare because....

New life awaits.

Content and Photography © 2013 Candice Irion. All Rights Reserved.  

*Devotional reading is an excerpt from: "Morning by Morning: The Devotions of Charles Spurgeon"
Spurgeon, Charles and Jim Reimann.  Morning by Morning: The Devotions of Charles Spurgeon.  Michigan: Zondervan, 2008.


Grab a copy for yourself here!

Unless the Father has Enabled Them

Today's topic is difficult.  In Granddad's famous words: "Ask me how I know."  

When there is a sticky situation, I'm the type that tackles it head on. Others might take the passive route and never deal with it.  Or, then there is the middle of the road, which observes the situation and strategizes on how to handle it.  This could be the wisest choice for it has balance.  

Pressing a topic is like beating a dead horse, which is another one that is in my wheelhouse.  Others are keen on just letting things go.  Not me.  Again, balance (without the dead horse) is probably advised.

So when it came to this morning's Scripture reading, I was amazed at Christ's stance.  John 6 shares about one of Christ's greatest ministry moments, the feeding of the five thousand.  What a highlight on the newsreel of that day.  I can hear the announcer now: "Five thousand fed with just five small barley loaves of bread and two small fish. What a miracle!" Just after that, Christ met up with the disciples and shared the famous message on how He is the true bread of life. Another highpoint.  Then we go low.  Real low.

In the remainder of Christ's preaching at the synagogue in Capernaum, He issues statements as: "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you."  Then, He goes even further. "Your forefathers ate manna and died, but He who feeds on this bread will live forever."  And that was the tipping point, friends. Jesus’ audience was doing everything but cheering Him on.  

In fact, they split.  "Does this offend you?" Christ inquired of His disciples. He knew that this message was hard to accept; causing some to toss out their faith as they left the synagogue.  So what did the Son of all-powerful God do?  

Nothing.  He just let them go.

Hold the phone a moment.  He let them go?  Here we have Christ who has all the power in the world at His fingertips and all the ability to wisely say something that would have them stay and He choose to watch them leave. Really?

Yes.  He didn't press the issue further.  He didn't beat a dead horse. He didn't barricade the doors and say: "Stop! Don't do it!"  He didn't try to further debate them.  He simply let them go.

This blows my mind.  I can't stand watching someone go to their own devices and be on a path of self-destruction.  I am frequently compelled to get on their path and press and press and press until I can corral them back to safer pastures.  "Don't go this way! It will lead to X, Y and Z," I’ll proclaim. But, most often, the person doesn't take my word for it, pushes their stylish blinders back on their face and continues down their path.  AGH! How defying and sad!  I just don't get it.  Then I muster up more energy and stamina to try to get in front of them again.  "Don't do it! Stop!" I beg.  I show Scripture.  I lay out what the rest of their lives will potentially be.  I do everything but pack their own bags for them, and at that, I'd like to stuff their suitcases.  But guess what?  They just shrug their shoulders at me and continue to go their own merrily way. AGH! AGH! AGH!  If you're with me, let's say it together. AGGGGGHHHHHGHGH!

But then I read two Scriptures that change my battle plan all together. 

Romans 1:28 "...since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved min, to do what out not to be done." 

John 6:65: “…no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.”

Hm.  

I drum my fingers on the table.  

I exhale.  

I sigh.  

I kick my leg back.  

I realize.  

There is only one Holy Spirit and it’s not me. 

Pressing can result in the other person becoming:

a) irritated (likely)

b) distant (also likely)

c) defensive (you betcha)

d) thankful that you helped correct the error of their ways (Family Fued Buzzer Sound-ERRRR!  No.  Possible, but not likely). 

Let’s face it.  People make their own choices and it’s our God given right to do so.  That’s the example God established in the beginning when His own creation stumbled into their own deprivation.  While He could cross the line, He doesn’t.  So why should we?  He allows us to make our own choices and we must do the same for others.

This is not to say that we shouldn’t intervene.  For some situations, we must intervene.  We have a responsibility to help positively influence what is going on.  We also have a responsibility to prayerfully discern how to go about it. In addition, we have a responsibility to know when to stop the alarm and/or stop the help for we are not their enablers.  Only God is.  If we enable others, it only leads them further down their happy, skippy path.

This is also not to say that we should give up on people.  We should never give up on people (hard as that may be). 

What I am saying is that we all come to a point where the person has to make their own choice and we have to back off and allow them to think for themselves.  That’s why God gave them their own brain, not a clone of ours.

While there are some situations where a person is completely incapable of doing this in their own mind and strength and we must take action, we also can’t treat every person in every situation across the board in this manner.  We have to discern how to let folks go.

But, wait… there is hope.  Look back at John 6:65:  “unless the Father has enabled them.”  There is proof in the pudding that not only does God let people go, but that it is in His wheelhouse to pursue that one sheep of 99 who has strayed away and bring them home.  How many times did he go get idolatrous Israel out of the woods?  We know it is the Father’s joy when His people finally say: “I want to come home.”  And like many fathers, He won’t let this runaway get on the bus out of town without being far from them.  In fact, He’s with them the whole way.  There is comfort in that.

Many of us can attest to this very moment in our own lives.  That moment of “I just want to come home, Dad” is easily recalled.  It’s our moment of surrender and it came in our own time.   Thus, we can’t force another person’s moment of surrender.  We can’t chide them into it and we certainly shouldn’t cheat them out of it.  This is their moment; the one where they will look back and see God on their road.  It is when they accept their call for themselves that we cannot and never should do for them because then it isn’t real for them.  This is their story, their point of redemption, their testimony.  Let us not touch it.  It is between them and our Heavenly Father.

And if we claim to be anything like our Heavenly Father, we must give others the benefit of patientially waiting for them as we pray for them. 

In the end, prayer is all we can do.  Furthermore, that’s what Christ choose to do to. 

p.s....

I should also mention my Grandmother's famous words...  

Let go and let God.  

Let Him do His work, for we know NOTHING COMES BACK VOID.  He will fulfill His purposes in His own way.   

“So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it,” (Isaiah 55:11 NIV).

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose,” (Philippians 2:13).

“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever--- do not abandon the works of your hands,” (Ps. 138:8).

© 2013 Candice Irion.  All Rights Reserved.

Release Into the Wild

You're standing at the banks with the fish you just caught in your hand.  You did it.  It's a proud moment.  But the fish, flops, this way and that fighting to get back to the wild.  Evidently, slippery is still the fish's main style.  Since you are the only thing keeping it from it's objective, you are going to be what it struggles against.  That brings up a good point.  

What about you? You were the one to toil and strive to catch this-exact-fish.  It's yours.  All yours.  You spent the time; your labor and you have your plans.  So what are ya gonna do?

If there is something I've learned the hard way, it's to cut my losses before they cut me.  If I'm in a situation that is flopping all around (like the fish), then it's obvious, a choice of direction must be made.  

If it's looking like the harder you try to maintain control over a situation, or something, and the more out of control things get, then it might be time to cut your losses and move on.  Plainly said, if your fish is flopping like crazy, you may have to chalk it up to a catch and release type situation.  

However, on another note, at some point, the fish will lose oxygen.  It will die.  But, it's whether the fish finagles free before it's impending death is the question.  Will it make it back to the waters? Who knows how it will play out?  But someone will lose; either it will be the fish or it will be you. 

I liken this scenerio to a couple of situations that have happened to me.  The first situation involved a relationship.  It was rocky from the get-go and the more I tried to iron it out, say it would be ok, the pressures kept mounting and the fights kept erupting.  The situation then backfired all over my face and I was blamed for everything.  Looking at this from an aerial point of view, I see how this situation was like my fish.  It needed to be let go way before I even realized it was time.  My losses eventually cut me; not me cutting my losses.  In fact, I think this fish never really was a fish, but rather a shark in disguise for it bit my hand as it flopped its way back from which it came.  The whole thing almost killed me, but in the end, I thank God because that fish turned shark was no bueno.

The other situation involved my own thoughts from my own brain.  I've been stewing on thoughts of how I've failed at this and that; how I haven't achieved what I've wanted in the timeframe I gave myself.  For two years I've been back and forth around this mountain of self-deprication, shame, blame, depression; you name it, I've crossed around it several times.  I've tried to justify it, see different perspectives and attempt many layers of band-aids to heal my self-inflicted wounds.  But, nothing helped.

Until the other day.  For  the first time, I accepted my failures for myself.  I accepted the fact that I didn't do what I wanted, for whatever the reason.  I fessed up to God on the matter--for which He already knew-- and asked for the forgiveness He gave long ago, but just took me a century to accept.  

In fact, it wasn't just accepting His forgiveness that really switched the leaf over.  It was realizing that I was guilty BUT was also pardoned.  It was the duality that finally congealed in my brain.  While I was guilty of this matter, I was also pardoned because of Christ's blood shed for me.  It's called: "Living by grace"; not by the law that I failed. 

And finally, finally, the flopping fish in my heart died.  It just stopped.  All my obsessive, compulsive behavior, my irritability and short fuse with myself, my depressive mindset finally lifted and out of nowhere a piece of my soul felt resurrected.  My fears of the future coming and the feelings that I've ran out of time have now ceased.  Suddenly, I feel happy.  It's like the new tooth waiting in the gums for the old tooth to leave.  My happiness must have been waiting for me to release the fish.

And my well-being has felt good. So good.  

So, if you have encountered a flopping fish in your life, take a minute to pause and reflect.  Continue to try to assess what type of fish this is.  Watch for it to reveal if it is indeed a fish or if it is a shark.  You may not be able to see this for yourself (not many of us can), but ironically, others somehow can see it.  If and when they speak into your life, save yourself by listening!  If need be, you may have to act before your losses cut you.

If the fish is a series of destructive thinking, then isolate these thoughts and accept your losses for yourself.  Fess them up to God.  He already knows them anyway, so it's not like you're telling Him something new.  Forgive yourself and realize the duality.  Absorb like a breath of fresh air that even though you are guilty of whatever it is, you are also pardoned.  Now, this doesn't give you the excuse to keep doing it--absolutely not! Because, now that you know, you are held even more accountable for it.  But, what this does is set your captive heart free... it loosens out the old tooth so that the new one can come in.

So, if you're like me, it's likely you'll need to release your fish back into the wild; a catch and release type situation.  Release it.  Let your fish go and watch it swim away.  But, have hope.  There are other fish in the pond.

Romans 6 will tell you all about it.

© 2013 Candice Irion

"Baby Steps"

I jump into the driver's seat and close my eyes.  Tears.  My eyes fill with disappointment.  Another audition out the window.  Truth be told, I don't know that for sure.  But I still get the sinking feeling of leaving the audition knowing that I did my best, but it's not what they are looking for.

Two hours.  Yes.  That is how long it takes to get dolled up, hair done, outfit selected, jewelry on and oh by the way the minutia of trimming my resume to fit the back of the headshot and then the drive to the studio. The audition? 10 seconds.  2 minutes if you count filling out the paperwork.  Then to the set, snap, snap, snap.  Look this way, look that (which almost feels like the mug shot I've never had) and "ok, thanks! You're done".  I wish the crew well. Maybe shake some hands if the people look like they won't kill me if I do.  Just trying to be courteous... I appreciate it when people offer that to me.  Then, off to the car I go.

Back to the driver's seat.  What am I so sad about?  Maybe the disappointment.  Maybe the stress of getting it all together early in the morning.  Or maybe it's the continued dead end feeling because the break through has yet to come.

It's so hard wanting something so badly and feeling like it is out there; a dangling carrot that I just... can't... reach.  Incidentally, not many can.  But, there is someone who gets it.  It's just not me. ... or just not yet.

Dreams.  They are as much painful as they are pleasurable.  I heard something on the radio today that was helpful.  "A person strives all their lives to get somewhere and they finally do, they are at the end of their life and there is nothing left."  Helpful? Well, maybe slightly dismal.  Helpful came in the second part. The preacher went on: "Don't be so focused on your career that you miss the gifts God's given to you."

This reminded me of a blog I wrote recently, "Along the way", which describes how we find what means the most in our lives along the route to the goal and when we get to the goal it's not all it's cracked up to be.  But we do find what we are looking for... maybe not at the goal line, but along the way.

So, I took a turn and drove through the pretty areas alongside the lake.  Smelling the roses per se, drive by style.  It's true.  There is so much out there that is not "on the career path" that is wanting.  It wants us to find it, embrace it, enjoy it.  It's the cup of coffee at the sidewalk cafe or the sandwich on the Spanish stairs.  It's allowing life to show you incredible things if only we'd take a minute, let the dream fly it's own way and watch between the lines.

I was praying about this whole matter this morning and felt as though I just needed to break the whole thing down into baby steps.  If you are a "What about Bob?" movie fan, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.  I love that movie.

Bill Murray is an overrun-with-anxiety individual.  Actually, this description really doesn't even do justice to the amount of anxiety he faces.  None the less, Bob becomes fixated on his new counselor, Richard Dreyfus, who's sole mission is to enjoy his vacation... and to enjoy it away from Bob, who has now tracked him down.

Richard has given his book "Baby Steps" to Bob and it is life changing.  The premise shows Bob that he just has to take one thing at a time.  Bob takes these steps, finds Richard and along the way, becomes head over heels with Richard's family, his town and the community.  Bob becomes sane and Richard... well....

In any case, Bob's first step leads to the next and so on.  Before you know it, the goal has been met along the way--not necessarily at the finish line.  Baby Steps.  It still makes me laugh.

And I needed that.  I need to remember the old saying: "God leads in inches, not miles."  I can't get all lost in the fact that the goal isn't here, isn't now, but must refocus my efforts on my inch or my baby step for the day. What can I do today that will lead to another baby step tomorrow?

This is great progress.  I feel better already.  But other thoughts set off.

Add joy to my day.  Add peace to my day.  Add encouraging another to my day.  These aren't tasks, nor to do's to rush through.  These are things to enjoy and to embrace.

Hm.  Once again, I've gotten myself into the motivational, get-me-to-my-goal drive mode and the real Driver of my life takes a turn down the lakeside.  I think about my husband and what I can do for him, or my friend who's relationship is falling apart, or how I can bring dinner to someone who is moving.  I also think about that cup of coffee I really want to enjoy in the sunshine with my dogs.

Why not do these things? These are the things that feed my soul.  I get so caught up in the trap of achieving what I think will satisfy me only to undo the curlers and find disappointment.

And maybe that is exactly what I'm doing: setting myself up for disappointment.  If I focus solely on the goal line and driving all forces towards that, then I'm going to miss everything else.  Even if I am just setting my mind around the goal and not thinking about anything else but the goal, then I've already missed out on a great amount.

No doubt getting to your dreams takes sacrifice and takes hard work.  Understand and agree.  But, why can't an individual take a little more time to meet the dream so that the real love of life can bloom?  In other words: get my head off of the goal line and wrap my heart around others.

The tears come back again.  The lies of the evil one say to me: "Doesn't matter, you'll never get there." But the truth of the matter is: "I will if that is where God wants me."  So, what do I do today?  I follow and love the Lord God with all of my heart, soul and strength, Deut. 6:5.  I do the things that He lays on my heart and follow Him.  If He has called me to something, it is His job (not mine) to get me there.  I am responsible to obey but am not responsible to lead.

Phillipians 1:6:  "That He who began a good work in you, will carry it onto completion until the day of Christ Jesus".

Ephesians 2:10: "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

So, I hold back the tears and am going to make that cup of coffee and sit with my dogs in the sunshine. I'm going to call another, offer encouragement and after my break, get back to that baby step that I can achieve today.  Heck, I'm already dolled up, why not?

Poolside

It seems like it about two milliseconds after I wake up, my brain decides to do a "software update" and download my task list for the day.  Gotta do this, need to email that, oh yes, I forgot this needs to be done and so on.  Then, lucky for me, I instantly get another download of subsequent task items.

Suddenly those thoughts become like children running around in circles by the pool where all you want to say (and yell) is "Sit down!!"  That is what I, figuratively, did this morning. I told my thoughts: "Sit down."

I envisioned each thought as a child. I placed that "child" in a lawn chair and said: "Stay!"  I pointed my finger at it too.  I then militantly walked down the aisle of chairs keeping an eye on all these "children".  I was going to deal with them one by one.

This felt much better than the usual SPLAT that seems to land across my brain in the mornings.  I feel overwhelmed, out of breath and great, I'm not even out of bed yet.  I may not even have a lot to do.  But, the thought of something undone looms and bothers me into anxiety until it is completed.

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you, (1 Peter 5:7)."  Let's be honest here.  This is a constant battle.  My anxious thoughts don't want to go to the Lord for processing.  They want to go to me.  They beckon and bark at me until the matter is resolved.  They don't want the peace of the Lord.  Like children, they want attention and want it N-O-W!!!

Anxiety demands our urgent reaction.  Out of control anxiety overtakes us, ultimately causing us to be impulsive and potentially irrational at times.  It is almost like we have to bow down to it and just give in for the madness to stop.  Like the insane child that runs around the pool without any caution so is anxiety without boundaries.  It is all consuming.

I recently read Isaiah 44: 6-23 about the gods that others bowed to which were formed from logs of wood and other earthen materials.  Isaiah is keen to illustrate how odd it is that people bow and worship these gods who "...know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand," (Is. 44:18 NASB).  It doesn't seem like in this day and age that worshipping a block of wood is everyman's struggle.  Most of our gods that obsess our minds are other people: people you might know, or people you don't like like celebrities, sports figures or politicians.  Images of others and the consuming thoughts that are cultivated when viewing these images could be considered a potential god too.  But what about other intangible gods? What struggles does our culture predominately face?

We are a culture that is BUSY.  Insanely incredibly busy.  If we aren't running, it feels like something is wrong with us.  People encourage rest, but it can be very hard to give ourselves permission to do so.  Being busy could be a god.

Let's look at anxiety.  It could be a god too.  I knew a person who'd ask: "Well, how's that working for you?"  Meaning, we dwell in something that works for us until it no longer works for us, be it positive and/or be it negative.  And incidentally, since breed more of the same, (positivity breeds positivity and negativity breeds negativity) wouldn't we stay in one or the other because that's what we are used to?  If being negative works for us, then we are likely going to continue to do it.  If we are continually anxious and it works for us, then it is likely we'll continue in that too.

Hold the phone. Anxiety doesn't work for us.  Maybe the adrenaline that occurs in the rush of something is a temporary help, but it's damaging if it is a permanent one.  Maybe this is why the Lord so wisely said: Give your anxious thoughts to me because I care for you.  I.E. He'll take care of it.

So, what if instead of allowing anxiety to consume my every fiber do I turn it into the Lord and say "Peace be still! God you take it, deal with it.  I am NOT going to worry about it." And with each reoccurrence of that anxious thought you allow it to float on by and send it to the Lord?  I have been on a trek where I've seen this happen and it works EVERYTIME.  I'm not kidding.  I'm amazed... but I really should have just assumed that God would work it out.  Why did I try to handle it myself?

Another thought.  Many teachers wisely instruct us to dwell on "Who we are in Christ".  Who does Christ say we are and how can we be more like Him?  Today I considered: "Who am I in anxiety? What does anxiety say about me and how am I going to be more like it."  Ick.  I didn't really like these thoughts.  Further, it shocked me that even though I'd like to say I don't give power to worry or fear, I really do. I allow it to manifest itself in me, attach and shake me till I'm nuts.  Who am I in anxiety? A person running around with her head cut off, fearful and conflicted.  Who am I in Christ? A person who is grounded, steady, allowing nothing to move her and at peace.

It's a big battle to cross from the side of dwelling in anxiety to the side of dwelling in Christ, but this is a battle worth fighting.  It will prolong your life and lead to peace.  Peace that can be best described from a phrase of the song: "It is Well with My Soul"*.  "When peace like a river attendeth my way..." Dwelling in Christ, not in anxiety, is the side where the children at the pool play nicely and don't have to be barked down so they stay put.  Fighting the battle of giving anxiety to the Lord is overall far greater and far more worthwhile than the battle of wrestling and focusing on the anxiety itself.  Remember a god is what you make of it.  "Shall I bow down to a block of wood?" (Is. 44:19).

So, who or what is that in your life? Give yourself the litmus test of finding out Who am I in this god? Ask Christ to change and forgive you from these idolatrous ways, asking Him to fill them with Himself.  Release these anxious thoughts to our Lord and be refreshed in all who Christ is, because He has given us permission to do so.

You may even want to try sitting by the pool.

"Do Not Worry" Matthew 6:25-34

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

What are your thoughts?


*"It Is Well with My Soul" Horatio G. Spafford, 1873.
© 2013 Candice Irion.   All rights reserved.