Bad Day

Today was not a good day. It was so bad, I can't think of anything more clever to write for a title for this post.

1. People at work have been total knuckleheads. Sadly, we're near the point where it is getting difficult to separate personal friendships and working relationships. It's a perfect time for summer vacation.

2. Home improvements totally stress me out. Especially big projects. They're expensive, and you always feel like you're getting ripped off. Even if you're only in the I'm shopping for the best deal stage.

3. My Bible is upstairs on my nightstand. I want to blog a devotion tonight, but I'm too lazy, um tired to go all the way up, get it, and come back down. Next time I go to my room, it will be to read in bed, then sleep.

I hope your day was better than mine.

- becky

Love

Read Deuteronomy 10:12-22.

"We show Him we love Him by living at peace with our brothers and sisters and by showing love to all his children....Choosing to love will please God, and it will bring joy to your life."

When is the last time you told God you love Him?

I tell him daily, but I think I could work harder to show Him that I do through my actions.

- becky

It Starts On the Inside

Read Deuteronomy 6:1-9.

My devotion today talked about the importance of "redesigning" or "remodeling" our hearts to put God first and foremost in every aspect of our lives - and constantly! Here are a couple of quotes that I felt have good meaning:

"He doesn't want his principles displayed outwardly if they don't impact us inwardly."

"When ingrained on our inmost being, his principles will change the way we think, act, and live."

- becky

Lutheran Hour Ministries

So, today I didn't make it to church. :( Mallory was sick, so I had to stay home with the kids. Tim suggested Lutheran Hour Ministries to me as an alternative. I couldn't get any of the radios in our house to tune in to a radio station, (what is up with that?!) so I looked up the web site. It was perfect! I could listen to the streaming broadcast, and pause every time the kids needed me.

I have to say, I was quite impressed the quality of the message was quite good. Sometime, when you find yourself in a situation where you cannot make it to church, or you just need a pick-me-up in the middle of the week, you should check it out!

- becky

Idol Removal

Read Numbers 33:50-56.

After reading this passage, I began thinking of my own idols that need to go. TV is not so much of a problem; I rarely watch it. When it's on, the kids want their shows, and I don't want them to see blood on CSI or Trauma (good show, BTW, you should check it out). My giving up Facebook for Lent really turned into something good. I managed to clean out my basement, so it is now a functional room, a.k.a. Mommy's Hide-Out. I log in daily again, but I don't spend near as much time on it as I used to. I no longer play the games on there, and I don't get stressed out or bothered by what people say because I don't read it so much.

Something else that's changed for the better for me is the station I have my car radio tuned into. I used to be a 95.9 person, but now I absolutely LOVE Family Christian Radio on 91.9/91.5. Every once in a while I'll flip to 95.9 for all of 30 seconds. I think every song on that station is about drinking and/or sex. It is complete filth. (Just my opinion - I hope I haven't offended anyone.) I have found that the Christian music helps my day at work begin and end so much more positively. I feel so much more relaxed and ready to obey God.

Discussion Questions

• When do you find it especially difficult to obey God?
• Have you experienced "barbs and thorns" because you insisted on doing things your own way?
• How does it comfort you to know that God's ways are far above your ways?

- becky

Getting Past Frustration

Read Numbers 21:4-9.

Recently, I heard someone talking about all of these bad things happening to someone they knew - cancer, death of a loved one. You name it, this person was having a difficult time. She said, "Who deals that out?"

A loving God does, that's who. I read in my Luther's Devotional book once that God never promised life to be a bed of roses. (How boring would that be?!) Perhaps our bumps in the road should serve as reminders that we can't do this alone; we need to turn to Him.

What "desert" experience has caused you to grumble?
Oh, I've had a lot of these experiences. Lately, it seems to be other people and work. I need to learn to just let things go instead of crabbing about how people are ticking me off.

What sin has poisoned your heart? Is it envy? Bitterness? Anger?
Probably jealousy/envy. And perfectionism. I think that's a sin when it causes me to be irritated with people when they don't do things exactly my way. Hahaha - I know that sounds ridiculous, but I'm being honest. Lying has NOT poisoned my heart.

Today, lift your eyes up toward Jesus and ask him to take the poisonous thoughts from your heart.

- becky

Re:Change

I wanted to chime in about the topic of "change"...Don't feel all alone, Becky!

Change

Read Numbers 9:15-23.

What changes are you considering in your life? Have you asked God about them?
There is a lot going on in my life. In my career, changing and updating my teaching material is never ending. It makes me excited about the summer and the chance to do that with more free time than I have during the school year.
My husband asked me a few months ago if I thought that we should start worshiping at Faith Lutheran. Faith is the church connected in partnership with the school that I teach at so more visibility there would be nice (for them and for me). We love our current church and friends there (obviously!) so I felt no great pull towards another church. This past weekend I was doing the children's message at Celebration/Faith and the pastor's message was so amazing and so heartfelt that it made me want to worship there again. I think God is pleased if we stay and worship faithfully at our current church. We even sat down to look at our finances and find ways to tithe more than we're currently giving. I feel better about that too.
Other things that I wrestle with: wanting another child but not knowing if that is physically or financially possible for us at this point. We're not getting any younger and it's exhausting to raise a child. Financially, it's hard to imagine a way to raise another child when I work for a Lutheran school and my husband works at a not-for-profit company.Then again, the love and joys of raising another child would be wonderful too. So we're leaving that in God's hands. I am really putting my health and fitness as a priority. It is a series of small steps to get there.

What are the obstacles, if any, that you face in making your life-changing decisions? Could God be telling you "no" instead of "go"?
I am chomping at the bit to see some overall changes at my job (outside of my position) but need to slow down and let others understand where I'm coming from and why change is good. Sometimes I get anxious to know if we can plan a future as a family of 3 or a family of 4. I get impatient at the idea of improving my health and fitness -- not because it's tedious or difficult but because I'm finally ENJOYING it and need to learn to pace myself for the long term.

Is it difficult for you to be patient, or are you willing to wait for God's guidance? Take the time to look up and ask the Lord to show you what he wants you to do.
I agree with Becky: it's difficult to be patient! When I was between the ages of 18-25 (or so), I knew that someday I wanted to get married. I wasn't necessarily in a hurry to get married, but just wanted to know WHEN it would finally happen so I'd be content with my life up until that point. I didn't meet my husband until I was almost 30 and I'd like to say that I was happily single through my 20s but it's so hard to be patient and wait on the Lord. But I know He has a purpose and a plan -- everything will happen in His time and according to His plan.