TRUSTING

So here I am early on a Monday morning.  It's 6 a.m., The Husband's breakfast has been cooked, dishes not done yet, and I am preparing for another very busy week.  In an hour I will be getting ready to go to physical therapy (yes, the back is a mess according to the wise retiring rheumatologist a couple of weeks ago so I'm giving PT a try), then am meeting a sweet friend who needs a loving listening ear, and then am picking up The Grandbaby at preschool and spending the afternoon with her.  Hopefully it will be an afternoon that includes a nap but if not, I am sure we will play and play and play.  The Grandbaby does love to play.

The wonderful sermon yesterday at church was "If the Lord issued a report card for the prior six weeks, what would your grades be?"  Well, boy, isn't that a loaded one?  Yes it was very good, very convicting, and very enlightening.  It made me realize my grades wouldn't be that high.  The Pastor encouraged all to begin their day with the Bible.  Honestly, I'm pretty sure the Lord was pushing that to me yesterday as the Sunday School lesson also encouraged Bible reading every day.  If I'm gonna believe it and "preach" it, I gotta know what it says.  For the most part, every morning I read a scripture that speaks to me.  I decided after yesterday's messages to be more diligent.

With that said, I pulled out a short Bible study I had bought at the local wholesale store a good while back.  I had started it--done one session (whoa, yay me...insert sarcasm here)--so I began it again.  Let me tell you, it spoke to me big time.  The study is "Trusting in Christ" and is talking a lot about anxiety (uh, do you know it too?) and worrying (do birds fly?).  The first week focuses on "Trusting in Christ's Strength".  Just saying that encourages me that He is in control and I know that but still trust my own worries and anxieties.  I read the answers I had already provided a long time ago when I began this study the first time and I realized not much has changed in my worry/anxiety system.  Everything still applied so obviously I had the need to carry on with this study and see it through this time.

The scriptures this morning were some of my very favorites in case you want to read yourself:

Matthew 6:25-34 (Consider those lilies of the field in their beauty...)
Proverbs 3:5-6 (The Girl's favorite--is that not a sign in itself?)

And just look at my Bible where it already has one of the Matthew verses written in....

The Proverbs scripture referenced to another couple of scriptures in my Bible.  I turned to the one in Psalms (Psalm 37:3-4) and realized it was yet another of my favorites and will be the focus in the study tomorrow.  I also turned to one I was not mentally familiar with but had highlighted in my Bible so obviously had read it before.  I thought I would share it to end this post for the beginning of this week.  It is from Jeremiah 9:23-24 and goes like this:

"Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:  But let him that glories glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgement, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord."  

That spoke to me today along with the other scriptures.  As I hope for the physical therapy to help my aching back, I more so hope that I can exercise the lovingkindness and righteousness that is of the Lord to those I meet and love.   I commit to working hard toward good grades on my "spiritual" report card!  The Lord has already begun HIS lessons.

Consider......

ATTITUDE

Mr. Webster defines "attitude" as "a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person's behavior".   I found this to be a fairly true definition of the word I recall often.

Someday I might not remember well, but for now, I remember vividly what my first rheumatologist told me over twenty years ago as he diagnosed me with connective tissue problems.  He looked me square in the eye and told me that this was not a fun disease but that a good attitude would make all the difference in the world with how I dealt with the disease and with life.  I never forgot that and can still see that scene in my mind's eye as I recall it.  It impacted me.  

With that said, some days it obviously doesn't impact me enough.   This past week has been many of those days.  It's been a week of sadness, joy, apprehension, fear (uh huh, even fear), and mind searching.  You might say one of those weeks you would prefer to fast forward through.

My sweet young friend who fought serious health issues passed to the arms of Jesus the first of the week.  She really got into my heart.  It's hard to explain, just one of those emotionally spiritual things that becomes such a blessing.  I think if good attitude was defined with pictures, hers would be the top one in the google search engine.   What she went through and the light she shined to so many is a wonderful testimony to her.  I am sad for the loss but blessed by the knowing.

There was a busy day on Wednesday with a doctor's appointment for me with my rheumatologist in the morning and one for my mother with her doctor in the afternoon, then choir practice that night.  It was one of the busiest days.  The wise rheumatologist from twenty years ago has passed so I see another that I like equally well and is very knowledgeable about the diseases he treats.  This past appointment marked my ending with him as he is retiring in December.  We are working together until then to see if my back problem can improve.  My issue is that I can non longer take NSAID's to help.  A hip X-ray showed no fracture so the focus in on the back.  I'm not gonna lie you, I hurt most days and have done for years but this back hurts very bad.  I'm thinking picking those peas has aggravated the problem.  Yesterday I began physical therapy to see if there can be an improvement.  I committed to one month, twice weekly with daily work at home.  I really hope this improves it.  It really hurts.  I try to remember the good attitude thing through the pain.

Late Thursday I had a message from my sweet 101 year old neighbor asking me to come by as she wanted to talk to me.  I told her I would come after supper so I headed over that way.  The Lord just knows, I think, what we need.  After our conversation regarding her reason for wanting me to come, the Lord put on my heart to pray aloud with her.  I argued and told him I really didn't know that would help.  (You see, I admit to being human and having a bad day leaving me in a somewhat bad mood.  Yes, I'm guilty like all.)  As we sat and I got ready to go, she told me, "I don't do good praying aloud, I pray to the Lord quietly myself.  I do love hearing prayers, though.  The pastor can really pray some good ones."  So there I was.  Busted.  Convicted.  So you know what I did?  I told her I wanted to pray aloud with her and for her.  Let me tell you, don't you ever doubt the good Lord knows what you need when you need it.  I got the biggest blessing and got to talk to him aloud about my "attitude", if you will and I left that house in wonderful spirits.  

Late in the week as I was cleaning out some of my home files, I found something interesting.  I keep a lot of wise thoughts that are written that I enjoy.  I don't know exactly where this came from but I'm sure it's a direct sign to me.  So good, I wanted to share.  Coincidence?  Nah....

He speaks yet again.  Consider.....