February 21, 2013

Good Thursday morning,

It's another beautiful day here in Florida.  I am looking forward to a wonderful day.  Last night one of my very best friends and mentor in life became a Grandma.  Her grandson Benjamin William was born just after 6pm weighing 6lb 1ounce.  I am so excited for her and happy he has been born.  My friend has walked me through so many stages of life by being the example.  New life is always exciting.  I remember back when we had our first child.  That excitement and fear that came over us all at one time.  At times I long for that new phase and yet other times I remember the sleepless nights, crazy schedules, and nights filled with tears (mine not the child), not knowing what to do or where to turn.  I think I will stay right here in this phase of life. 

I don't know what God has planned for me today.  It is just after 10am and I need to get up and get productive.  I don't feel like doing anything though.  There are so many things that I could be doing.  I need to get the Girl Scout cookies sorted, I need to clean up the kitchen, I need to prepare a grocery list along with coupons for shopping, I need to do my homework, I need to loose weight and yet keep stuffing my face with Girl Scout cookies!  So I then get overwhelmed with the thought of all I need to do and just don't do anything accept, get more Girl Scout cookies off the kitchen counter and put them in my mouth.  UGH!  I hate days that are unproductive. 

I started a new Bible study on You Version calling Marriage the Journey.  Today's topic was drifting in marriage.  Hmm, kind of goes along with my procrasting thoughts this morning.  The devotion talked about a man in a canoe.  He sat in the canoe on a calm and quiet lake and decided to take a nap.  An hour later he woke to people talking and realized his canoe drifted to somewhere he never intended to go.  The marriage relationship can do the same thing.  You have to be careful that you do not drift somewhere you never intented to be.  The waters are calm, there are no issues, yet you drift apart and find yourselves in a place you never meant to be.  In other words we need to make sure that we are anchored in our path with the Lord.  Marriage is something we must always work on and carefully protect.  Life gets so busy, kids are going in various directions, work, school, stress all gets in the way!  We must STOP and take time to work on the marriage relationship.  We must make time for each other just like we must make time for God. 

We took a vow that said, Until till death do us part.  Did we mean it?  Was it something we just said in that moment or did we mean it forever?  It didn't say until we drifted apart ... it was until death do up part.  Commitment when things are going good means nothing.  It's when life gets hard and times are tough that true commitment really is either there or it is not.  Commitment is foundational to survivng conflict.  It enables us to focus on honoring God and serves as the fuel for us to work through our struggles with persisence and determination.  Matthew 19:6 says So they are no longer two but one flesh.  What therefore GOD Has joined together, let not man separate!  Instead of running, why not stay and work to fix things rather than run away. 

The verse today for this devotion was Proverbs 4:25-27 and I love it.  It says, Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.  Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.  Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil!  It is all so simple.  We need to focus our eyes forward on the Lord and take specific steps in the way God is leading us. 

If we keep our eyes on GOD and not the problem maybe we can work through them.  Don't get me wrong there are many times especially when there is abuse you must get out!  You can't get physically or emotionally hurt ... God doesn't say to stay there and be abused.  However, much of the time that is not the case.  People too quickly says, "I feel out of love" with someone.  That is a cop out!  Do you love God only when things are going good?  If times get tough do we run? 

So, like I say each day ... Stop and discover the blessings of the day today.  There is a blessing in each day, just look for it.  God loves you, just trust Him!  Have a great day today.  Now, I need to get busy and accomplish something.