What A Difference A Day Makes

There are times when you feel as though you're struggling through and panting to see when a shift will occur. Today is not one of those days. I've spent the last few weeks getting excited about a turn of events that I didn't think would excite me quite this much. Something that I feel I worked for but never got...something that was in the back of my mind's eye is finally beginning to come to fruition. And while it doesn't matter what that thing is, what does matter is that I was reminded this week again of how God is a promise keeper. My hope is not for nothing and my focus on Jesus has been reinforced by a little boost from the Lord to remind me that He's in control.

I've written before about hearing someone use the saying "It's only 5 minutes to change". Truly, that's a concept that sometimes evades us. But I want to encourage you today as you wait and walk with me out on this water that life can shift for the good as much as it may have shifted for the bad in the past. Just know that it doesn't take very long for change to occur. One day you'll be pouting and the next you'll look up to see a glimmer of hope. And what's key is to look for the glimmer instead of focusing on the darkness. Stars are beautiful in the night sky, but if all we did was focus on the black instead of the twinkle of the white sky lights, we'd miss that magic and beauty.

I hope today you see that glimmer...

Be encouraged!
MinD

Stop Resisting the Upgrade!

For months now, my computer has been putting up messages when I’d visit various internet sites telling me “we see that you’re using an outdated version of explorer and would recommend that you upgrade for maximum use of this site”. Inevitably, I would press the DECLINE button and proceed through the site—not knowing what I was missing. I was hesitant because sometimes upgrades in the past have made it virtually impossible for me to do some of the things I needed to do for school or work. I couldn’t take the risk during a busy season that something would crash. I didn’t want to take the time to go against any possible learning curve that may pop up should the upgrade be more than expected. So I muddled through. My browser was slow but I blamed it on my computer. Many evenings I would have an extra 20 minutes of “wait time” padded into a project to account for whatever time it would take for sites to load and me to maneuver around the Internet. Frustrated doesn’t do justice to the number of times I would have to “woo sah” and practice my deep breathing exercises while praying for the ability to be at peace while I waited.

Then the other night, I finally succumbed to the pressure and thought to myself, “why not?” Those things that were critical were no longer critical. If I had to learn new tricks, I would have time now. And so I pushed “ok” and stopped resisting the upgrade. To say that it was as if the clouds opened up and light began shining bright and birds singing may be a bit of an overstatement. However, it was darn close to that very experience.  I began surfing with great ease. The frustrations I had felt all fell away. I began kicking myself…wondering why it was that I had resisted the upgrade.

And the Lord began to deal with me today saying that I was being a baby is what it is and throwing a tantrum about change. Truly, change is usually something that I embrace. But I think that, in this season where change is all around me, I decided to hold tightly to one little thing that I felt I could control. It seemed like nothing, but that ‘nothing’ caused endless frustration and dissatisfaction. And the minute I was able to release that thing, I became invigorated and productive in the things that God has on my plate right now.

How often do we do that in life? Hold on to some piece of minutia in an effort to exert our control. We make silly choices to DECLINE the things that God brings our way that have the potential to open up a new world of productivity in Him. We shun people and walk away from meaningful friendships--disregarding those who don't seem to "fit" where we are right now. We close the door to potential opportunities with negative, resistant, closed-minded attitudes that just want to hold on to that last piece of "the way it used to be". Well let me be the one to tell you that today is a good day to STOP RESISTING and upgrade. Release control and allow God to transform your life even through the small things. Don’t delay!!!

CHANGE LOOKS GOOD ON YOU!

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I finished with work (yes...I ended up working past my original March 31st date). Each day over the last month has in many ways been an act of looking myself in the eye and asking the hard questions: "Who are you?" and "Who do you want to be?" Throughout each day, my mind has run amuck trying to figure life out and I've had to practice restraint and not run after it. With each passing thought, I've had to silence the "what ifs" of my situation and focus on that moment. I can tell you that it's not always an easy task.

What I see before me, what I see behind me and what I see in each day are so drastically different. Yesterday was fulfilling and full of hard work and dedication--stretching and tiring to say the least. It felt like I never stopped to breathe. Tomorrow looks a lot the same. But today is still and quiet. Now that work on my job at the church is done and I have the space the think, I have been rejoicing in the chance to be refreshed and revived by the Lord. Don't get me wrong, I haven't been doing nothing. That's simply not in my personality. But I haven't been doing everything either. I haven't put pressure on myself to write. I haven't put pressure on myself to "figure out" and foresee the details of God's plan. I haven't put pressure on myself to do much of anything except to allow God to heal the burnt edges of my spirit and my drive to work.

But that can only last so long, and as I look around I know that there is so much to be done. It's been an interesting journey--one that is completely contradictory to my borderline-Type A personality that wants to go and fix and do and plan. Even if I begin to worry about money or any other concerning aspects of this faith business, I hear the Lord saying, "Stop! Rest in Me." I feel the Lord pointing to the places in the Word that says that He is my rest, He is my place of strength. It overwhelming. It's enough to have a brain freeze from the overload. And to combat that, I've been writing in my journal, seeking godly counsel and spending quiet time sifting through some of my emotions--trying not to lose sight of the fact that I have a purpose. This is not the time to freeze or faint.

As I try to walk in faith, I have to encourage myself that TODAY is a new day and another opportunity to serve God. Everyday I've had to encourage myself that today doesn't have to look the way that it always has with business and moving and always going from one project/appointment/meeting/job to the next. Instead, today can look like repairing myself. Today can look like taking a moment to just be with Him. Today can look like a moment where I just veg out in front of the T.V.

And I'm reminded almost every day of something one of my friends said to me on Facebook when I cut my hair the day of my Exit Interview from work. You see, I had gotten my hair cut drastically. It seemed like a good time to make my outside appearance reflect my inside. It was a cutting away of the unnecessary and a stripping down to the bare bones of who I am. And, in my excitement, I posted a picture of my new look on my page. What she said is, "Change looks good on you." In that act of looking in the mirror and facing myself every day, I am reminded that change looks good on me.

Life may not always feel right. Life may not always look the way it has. It may not always make sense, but let me encourage you today that change looks good on you too.

Keep walkin'!