Haters. They're Everywhere.

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."  ... Ephesians 6:13

*****

So. My favorite, most incredibly helpful local coupon blogger quit last night. Hid her blog from everyone. Gah.

She told us yesterday at Facebook how another coupon blogger sent her scathing, accusatory messages and that this kind of junk goes on behind the scenes more often than we regular coupon users realize. 

She just couldn't take it anymore. 

Lots of us wrote encouraging messages, reminding her that mean people are everywhere, they're jealous and lash out from their own insecurities. And we told her we'd be coupon-lost without her.

This morning she came back!  She told us she had a good cry, got some fresh air, went out with her husband and after a good night's sleep realized how insane she'd be to let others destroy what she's worked very hard to make.

Amen.

If we desire to create anything lasting in this life, if we wish to fulfill our specific God-given calling, oh! We will have haters. Petty, jealous, clueless, lazy haters. 

They come with the territory (I've had a few here at my blog and yeah, I've been tempted to quit fifty a couple times over these 10 years). They are a fact of Life. They just are. Anyone who has ever--in the history of the world--poured themselves into doing exactly what God's asked them to do, has had some (or many) cruel, non-fans whose goal is to drag doers below with non-doers. 

What to do? We must set our minds to finish what God began. Stand when we feel like lying down. Increase our determination when we'd rather pull the blankets over our head. Surround ourselves with strong people or learn to 'encourage ourselves in the Lord' when the strong people are out to lunch.

We must live ready for anything and dwell oh-so-close to the very heart of God, Himself, for there is no safer, stronger, more inspiring place to spend our few short years here on this planet.

And there is no greater joy than in spending this Life with the Creator of it, receiving His rewards now and remembering there are even more ahead.

*****

"And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God."  ... 1 Samuel 30:6

" Yes, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."   ... 2 Timothy 3:12

"... bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."   ... Luke 6:28




*****

Some of my own personal fun facts about the show, The Middle:

The wallpaper in their pantry/utility room is the exact same kind I used out at the farm in our pantry/utility room (and kitchen). Exactly the same.

The green on their living room walls is extremely close to the green on my own living room wall.

They have round green placemats almost exactly like mine.

One of the tablecloths in their dining room is very much like one my mother had when I was in Jr. High, one I've always loved and tried to find a match to.

Kinda cool, huh? :)




*****

Check out the Friday freebie at SavingStar here.


*****

"Know that the challenges before you aren't sent to destroy you- but promote, strengthen, increase & raise you to the next level."   ... Paula White