When You Realize Life Could've Been Sweeter

"But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do."   --- James 1:6-8

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Know why my last two posts spoke about fear? 

Because it grieved me how--for months-- many Christians were all back and forth and sideways and downright scared (or low-keyed nervous) about the upcoming election. They worried about later, future events and viewed our Country stepping soon off a cliff into oblivion.

Many were confused as to why Jesus hadn't already scooped us up and rescued us.

How tragic to walk by sight, not by faith. To resemble the weary masses. To listen to fear and worry rather than the Holy Spirit who knows the future.

"... He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; He will speak only what he hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come."   --- John 16:13

Oh, when we listen to the Holy Spirit, instead!

Our short life upon this Earth will have more sweet hours than melancholy ones. 

More peace of mind than uneasiness. 

More godly assurance than gloomy doubts. 

More hope than dread.

More energy than fatigue.

More joy than upset.

Yet here's the good news: God delights in mercy and second chances. Today can become a whole new beginning! And what will help? This--

"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."   --- Psalm 139:23, 24

Today we can make changes. We can choose to do better. Humility opens those kinds of doors for the fingers of God to work, you know.

We can tune-in more finely to the Holy Spirit's voice and receive His incredible daily assistance to become the gleaming lights Almighty God created us to be ...

...so to help the hurting, confused world He sent us to bring alongside  when He calls us home after other adventures He has in mind, first.

What are you choosing to believe for the days to come? Here's my personal list:

Today I'm believing for dancing in the streets, not violence.

Celebration, not mourning.

Anticipation, not dread.

Recompense. Restoration. Reward.

Reapings from actions sown.

Course correction. Awakenings. Change.

And healing. Much, much, much healing.

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The days are going to keep passing by. What matters is how we choose to live them physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally.

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Also? I'm choosing to believe over the next few years our Country will aim toward this--

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Books I finished reading in October:

Panty Hose, Hot Peppers, Tea Bags and More for the Garden by Yankee Magazine

Autumn by Susan Branch

Basket Case by Nancy Haddock

Farm to Trouble by Amanda Flower

The Ghost at Penniman House by Wilma P. Hays (the Scooby-Doo type of ghost. heh.)

The Inn at Tansy Falls by Cate Woods

The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer

Aunt Erma's Cope Book by Erma Bombeck

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Real Life Stars Hollow

Come Tour Some Tiny Homes With Me (Only for those who never tire of seeing tiny homes, even new, not yet lived-in ones.)  シ

Cottage Style Thrift Haul

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Fear not!

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

"Behold, I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."   --- Isaiah 43:19

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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

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 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

Think I'm Gonna Make a Rental Agreement With Worry?

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."   --- Isaiah 41:10

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See that dresser in the center of our kitchen? 

From the red couch, I watch Tom step from the left-hand countertop to the right-hand one, always pausing with his hand upon that dresser, first. No longer can he walk across the kitchen without bracing himself in the middle.

Sometimes, that hurts my heart. (If you're new here, as a baby, Tom had polio which settled in his leg.)

Last week we reminisced how Tom, decades ago, would carry his heavy guitar case into church. Or an amplifier. Out in the woods, he chain-sawed-down huge, towering trees, cut the rounds, loaded them into our truck. At his job, he climbed steep stairs to verify the highest boiler readings or just as exercise. On vacation we'd travel, sight-see, zoom along by train, camp.

Now? When out and about, Tom can carry only what fits into the brown leather 'man bag' around his shoulder. His hands must grip two sporty canes or the car-stored rollator. When descending our three steps to the back door, I stand at the bottom for encouragement. Always.

When home again (after oh-so-slowly climbing those three stairs), he uses our home's rollator to walk to each room. It can carry dishes, clothes, water bottles, etc. via the box he installed on top.

Travel: at this date we can't see that happening again.

But where I refuse to allow my mind to wander? To an imagined future world of scary unknowns, one stuffed with hours too tough to handle, days where I must do everything Tom no longer can.

And just so you'll know, I refuse to make peace with fear. I will never grant Worry a rental agreement inside this brain! No way, Honey, will I tolerate fear's lying mouth.

Probably you've heard 365 Bible verses exist telling us not to fear, one for each day of the year. That's lovely to know, of course, but if I choose to worry/fear/dread anyway? That's not lovely at all. That's actually disobedience. 

Yikes.

Besides, I believe it hurts God's feelings when I doubt His continued supernatural care. (One example is that He gave Tom his dream job at age 56. Eleven years later he still has it and our gratitude is huge. I mean, how often does that happen?)

During our hour of reminiscing, we felt so thankful we did the activities of our youthful years while we still could. We respected those early seasons; I like to believe because we followed God's promptings.

Only He could see this far ahead and realize we'd--now--so appreciate our memories of Young Tom and Debra On The Go.

The changes in Tom's body arrived slowly and each time, God provided a way to handle, to overcome each one. And here's the wonderful thing: still, even now, God gives us new dreams, ones we can do at this late date.

Of course, they are simpler and most folks wouldn't understand the delight. But that matters not.

What we know is that consistently shoving away walls of fear will allow us to grow closer to God in love and anticipation of days to come...

... and even with a 100 percent healthy body you cannot top that.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that Naomi goes with Tom to nearly all his appointments, most likely for the same reason I stand at the bottom of the stairs--encouragement that we have his back. We are blessed to have Naomi's help these days.

... and I do want to mention Tom faithfully works out on the treadmill (it has strong arm rails) and with weights and tries to eat right. He's not just sitting around waiting for 'the hammer to drop'. He's doing his part and believing that God will do His.

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What I'm still doing each day? Expecting at least 4 favorable things to happen, then counting them at night.

(Joyce Meyer said she wakes up thinking, "Something good is going to happen to or through me today," and I thought I'd up that to four good things will happen. heh.)

At first I expected many positive things would come from other people, but only a small percentage do. Most come when I stop procrastinating and actually make progress on various things. 

I'd show you a typical list, but you'd laugh. シ  But what matters is that always I can count on at least four lovely things happening every single day of my life!

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New England in Autumn  Oh my, this was almost too gorgeous to watch!

Shabby Chic Tiny Homes

Inside Frank Sinatra's Palm Spring Mansion

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If that spirit of fear does not come from God, why would I want even a tiny piece of it?

Your homework, if you choose to accept it (heh) is to see how quickly you can recall 10 times God gave you something special after you lost an earlier blessing.

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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

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 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

Afraid After All These Years?

"We walk by faith, not by sight ... and no one shall take away your joy."   --- 2 Corinthians 5:7, John 16:22b

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The short version of this post? -- 

God created us with the ability to choose adventure and joy, so why would we pick dread and worry, instead?

So.

On October 1st I celebrated my 54th 'spiritual birthday', you know, when I gave Jesus my heart and trust and became a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

And on this past October 1st, I remembered that 11-year-old girl of eons ago and how, ever since, she's never felt alone. Lonely at times, yes, but never alone. And what else? Oh my, did she ever have mega stuff to learn.

Sheesh. What a fearful little gal she was! But now I can gaze backward and understand why God pretty much began yanking me out of jittery, wimpy pits of dread and fear of the silliest things. 

Over decades and by peeling back layers, He used vibrant, outgoing friends to help me lighten-up and desire a smile-worthy freedom. Other times, He used teachings from books or pastors or He taught me by lots of trial and error. 

Or He just silently tweaked me on the inside like a person standing, head bent, at a workbench with tools. God has abundant ways of setting us free, you know.

Well, I'm meandering, so let's get to today's point:

With all the thousands of hours and (literally) blood, sweat and tears Jesus has poured into me? What type of an example of His work would I be if I was all bug-eyed anxious and tense about the upcoming presidential election?

I mean, really. After 54 years of walking beside Him everywhere, should I still be apprehensive after all I've spied God do during my decades' long, incredible journey?

I think you know the answer.

These days, these past four years, especially, God reminds me that He's expecting me to--more than ever--walk by faith and certainly not by sight.

With great godly workings comes great responsibility. The more He pours into us, the more He expects us to know what we believe. To find peace in not wavering. To grow strong in Him and the power of His might. Stronger in joy. In gratitude. 

And in knowing with all our heart, that all will be well in Time because never will He leave us alone. Never.

"But we have the mind of Christ."   --- 1 Corinthians 2:16

Is the Holy Spirit within us worried about the future? Uh, no. So it would benefit us greatly to ask Him to show us His mind and thoughts in all matters. To crave His ways a million times more than our own.

If I'm a nervous wreck while waiting for God to answer a certain prayer, then I'm certainly not waiting in faith. And without faith? It's impossible to please God.

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Small Yellow Vintage Cottage Home Tour (although Honey, some of those yellows are mighty intense, indeed. heh.)

Step Into This Colorful English Country Cottage

Autumn In a Quaint New England Mountain Town

Here's a book I'm reading during my quiet times:

It's like a workbook (old school word) and is filled with marvelous quotes about overcoming those daily fears which can hold us back from our best life.

What's incredible? God can give us the wisdom and boldness to handle anything dark standing in our path. And remember: He's brought you through 100 percent of everything you've ever experienced. You're still here!

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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

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 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15