willbedoneonearth

Some days are not quite what you'd hope they'd be! Here are some reasons for this particular day...and the highlights also... 1. Overall reason-  I really prayed for this day to be awesome and it wasn't completely- there were many irritations and struggles.   There were good things.  I spent some time with my 8 year old daughter at the local bakery.  I took her for a haircut and she got a new hair brush in her favorite color.  I wasn't too uptight to say no to the hairbrush request and I was glad because she was so happy.  We looked at beautiful fabrics and lovely craft things in a sewing shop and we are both creative.  I saw the Lego Ninjago movie with my boys and I liked it. 2. I felt my husband was not giving me a lot of attention and affection.  I was getting irritated at him. 3. I wanted to be generous and let my kids see two holiday movies because we aren't doing much having moved house early in the first week.  After the second movie my oldest

So everyone is demanding things of me and this tense feeling is rising up in my chest and I want everyone to leave me alone.  I want to run away and hide. I might need some time out.  But sometimes it isn't possible. If I can't change my circumstances can I change myself to fit my circumstances? I start muttering...Not again!  Can you just be quiet for 5 minutes! Every request produces an inward sigh.  "Mummy can I have something to eat (15 minutes after eating!)"...sigh..."Mummy the Internets not working (haven't you heard of a thing called a book?)"...sigh... Could the issue behind this sort of inward groaning and complaining be unbelief? Usually when I am overwhelmed things have got to a point where I am feeling like I have got nothing left to give.  This tank is empty kids! Now let's say when we are starting to verge toward this line of thinking we were to affirm, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4 v 1

Trying to not be frustrated at life. Sick husband and children.  Moaning and complaining.  Fighting.  Even when the kids are getting along they are doing so loudly! Odd aches and pains and weird sensations being complained of I am trying to work out. God says to do everything without complaining and arguing but that is what is going on inside me! I am internally frustrated at life. I want to sit at my computer and blog.  I want a cup of tea.  The self in me is screaming. I want to teach my children to be kind and patient.  I want to be an example.  I know I can be an example in how I respond to them. I want time to myself. I want my children to be quiet- like on "little house on the prairie" or some other quaint show of times gone by...with piggy tails and apples for the teacher and yes ma'am no ma'am. I am stuck in a parenting fantasy world...where my children's favorite shows is Winnie the Pooh...instead of 'I can't believe they just said t

Sometimes it's so hard to know what to do each day.  I can be pacing back and forth between two different priorities, getting anxious.  In fact, I was doing that today.  I may give up a social opportunity because of busyness and then think later 'whoops' I really feel like I needed that now... And I am now contemplating that possibility.  I am sure that happens to many people- I'm not the only one who gets my head in a spin.  In that state, I can pray, but not be 'still' enough to hear what Jesus wants to say to my heart.  When we stop spinning around, he will guide us.  I am now more aware when I'm in that state, and tell myself 'be still', and try to get that stillness to re-calibrate. At present, we have a moving date for two weeks time and have not yet secured a property.  My husband is sick with the flu in addition to his constant health concerns for which I am his carer.  We have packed only a few boxes. I have assignments I am working on 

"Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past." Isaiah 43. 18 I was thinking about this verse- it really challenged me. I prayed, how can I forget my past, how can I not call it to mind.  One of my biggest challenges is not dwelling on past events. It came to me that phrasing 'call to mind' from the scripture of is something that seems to have some choice involved... we do the 'calling' to our own minds at times for different reasons, even if there isn't a direct trigger. I wonder why I do that sometimes, there must be something soothing about looking back... There has to be or I wouldn't be going there... What am I trying to achieve?  Am I trying to solve the 'mystery' of my past actions, trying to work out how I could possibly be so 'broken' as to do this or that- yes. Do I need to work it out? I have been convicted of the sin. God is guiding me in the present, incorporating the past already.

Isaiah 43. 18-21 Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold I am doing something new, Now it will spring forth Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert. The beasts of the field will glorify me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I have given waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert To give drink to My chosen people The people I have formed for myself will declare my praise. Some believers live in a wilderness place. Past hopes and dreams have been dashed. Because of unbelief at various times they have not walked in the fullness and richness of life that God had in store. Battles with sin and the devil have worn them down and they feel dry, discouraged, defeated. But God knows and cares. He doesn't always lift them out and take them to a new life and new place. Sometimes that is necessary but these particular believers are to remain where they are...He is sen

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes , the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. they will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor" Isaiah 61 v 1- 3 In Luke 4 v 18- 19, Jesus proclaims part of the above in an announcement that he, the messiah, has indeed come to do these things... I love these scriptures and I have written on a couple of other aspects in other posts. I just wanted to focus on this one aspect- - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes...

I believe God is calling me to write about the transition time between the nation of Israel's expectation of deliverance and the actual deliverance as the picture of a move from faithful perseverance to a painful transition time to the fulfilled promise. The full story can be found in the book of Exodus chapters 1-13. They believed in God's deliverance and they cried out for deliverance.  They had faith in God. Their cry reached God's ears.  They believed in God as a nation, and his power to save. They were persevering.  For generation after generation.  They had learnt to work hard.  And receive little.  They were subservient.  Yet despite their dogged faith in Gods promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob I imagine their spirits were crushed and desperate, their identity and confidence weak.  What did they have to pass on to their children?  Yet the slavery and sifting, shaking off every earthly boast and confidence, was a crucible for a faith refined and tried. The

Do you have a gift of encouragement? A gift of bringing the word in an impacting way? An art of kindness, especially toward children or vulnerable? A friend of mine said to me recently, gifts need boundaries.  I am someone who picks up on emotional energy, such as positive or negative energy.  Negativity speaks to me from across a room, almost emanating from a person.  Positive people are like a glowing beam of light. Needs call out to me- and I want to pour myself into meeting them. Did you know that something really positive like a gift of sensitivity can have a really negative effect on you unless it is adequately guarded with boundaries? I suppose I would say I am a sensitive introvert.  It makes for a complex self care situation. I had a 'learning week' last week in this area.  My favorite bible study group is a place we sing songs, share the word, share our hearts,  tears and encourage one another, pray. It is also a place where I have been sharing a l

I used to be a nurse. I have seen some wounds: ulcers, surgical incisions, and some deep and persistent, taking many months to achieve any healing. There are different kinds of wounds, wounds of the heart. We can't see them and it's not clear what it's going to take to make them better. There are so many types of these emotional traumas: bereavement, any life losses, harm from a relationship, abuse, or wounds to our own soul caused by our own sin or unwise actions, and more. What happens to these wounds? We have no nurse to care for them, no medicine to make it feel better. We can, and do try to numb our own pain in different ways. But numb doesn't equal healing. It might make us unaware for awhile. But there is someone who cares for our wounds, and that is our heavenly Father. His nature is healer (Exodus 15 v 26) .  And he is working to heal the wounds of our hearts. He is moving. Active. Willing. With compassion. It is more than a part of his plan to