"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us" ... Romans 8:37
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Soon after Tom's departure from South Africa the last time, the town he'd stayed in was flooded (I saw pictures). Then just three weeks ago, a fire destroyed the kitchen and dining areas of the motel where Tom and his co-workers had stayed.
Hmm...
So this time he's rooming with a partner in a house which basically just has beds and a kitchen table and no place to hang a bath towel or to work at a computer, all of which doesn't help his concern about the advance courses he must teach this time (the rolling 6-hour black-outs aren't great, either). Then on Friday a young coworker rolled his car three times after he'd gone out drinking and though he wasn't hurt, a couple of his local friends were.
And of course, Naomi's over in Germany and Switzerland with her band and her boyfriend who we do not know and that's awfully far away and I'm not a fan of plane travel in Today's world and they're traveling much by car and isn't the Autobahn somewhere around there? And --
So yes, I could worry.
But a few years ago I realized that worrying makes my head and my whole body, tired. And now, at 55, it seems I either have energy to worry or to be happy--but certainly not both. I used to have that kind of energy, you know, to be mostly-happy and worried at the same time, but now this aging lady can't pull that off anymore.
I must choose one or the other. My brain shorts-out when it tries to do both.
People say, "If you have kids, you worry about them. You can't help it." But where is that Bible verse?
Where is any Bible verse which says it's just dandy with God if we worry about anything? True, He understands our weaknesses, but He also understands that He gave us His strong Holy Spirit so that we can become even more than your garden variety conquerors.
More than a conqueror--that's what I want to be. A warrior, not a worrier.
And at my age and on these hot, humid summer days, I can only aim at one of those. I might as well aim for the good one.
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"Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad." ... Proverbs 12:25
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ... Philippians 4:6,7
You'll find more verses about worry here.
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My buddy, Anne, shared bits of her friend's very pretty yard here. Loved the dreaminess of it all!
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Free Kindle books:
Dear Bob and Sue
Gypsy Spirit
Remember Me
Scones
Hate Dentists?
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Worry is a misuse of imagination. ~Dan Zadra
Drag your thoughts away from your troubles... by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it. ~Mark Twain
2 comments:
We have been in Alexandria....a beautiful little city (well, maybe not very little...but the old downtown area is not too huge). We enjoyed it much. Last Dec. was when we went.
My most loving cheerful Grandma used to tell me, "Who says worrying is so bad? Why most of what I worry about never happens, so it must help some." Then she would laugh her hearty laugh. Of course, I understand what you are talking about. When we have loved ones far away it is easier in the long run to not focus overly much about them and what is going on with them. (I was a submariner Navy wife for several years). I often tell a few of my friends that sometimes ignorance is bliss and I prefer to be blissful about things when I cannot change them anyway. So that is why I do not go to Facebook (among other reasons)...I do not want to see what kin write there, frankly!! We all have our ways of coping, I think.
Hope you are finding fun ways to stay busy. Tis best when alone especially. Well, unless you count pets of course!!
Elizabeth in WA
Thanks for the mini-sermon on worry, Debra! Ahhh.....Phillipians 4:6...that's "my" verse for the last 20 some years. The peace doesn't always come but I keep trying. Thanks for sharing your latest rearranging/decorating! I hear you're having some hot weather.
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