What will happen? How will things turn out? Can I fix it? What can I do?
This morning, Christ is impressing on my mind one thought. “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.”
Pray, pray, and pray more. Let Him work out the outcome according to His perfect will. Let it be on earth as it is in Heaven, Lord, I pray.
Love, Lisa
Worries. Anxiety. Circular thoughts that go nowhere. When these things hit me, I head outside to the garden. Pick the beans, discard the bad leaves, plant fall spinach, kale and carrot seeds. Water. Just doing the work in God’s good earth quiets my mind every time.
As I dig my hands into the dirt, I am thinking of some of my favorite quotes about work.
“You’ll never plow a field by turning it over in your mind.” – Irish proverb
“Castles were built a stone at a time.” – Irish proverb
“Pick the potatoes yourself, Joseph; you ambitious boy.” – Far and Away, film 1992, directed by Ron Howard
So now, instead of snapping and freezing the green beans, which I was going to do, I am writing this. But that’s ok. Work is work, no matter what kind of work it is. It keeps the hands busy, the mind active on positive things.
Which reminds me of another good quote I heard a lot growing up: “Idle hands are the Devil’s playthings.”
The Enemy likes nothing better than for me to be idle, to be aimless, to worry, to fret. It breeds fear and anxiety. It is not good.
So now I will snap the beans. I am grateful. I am feeling productive. God will take care of the rest.
Love to you, Lisa
Blessings to you for your weekend ahead. Love, Lisa
One of the best things about blogging is getting the chance to put the things that are flying around in your mind into a concrete form. Writing something makes it seem more lasting.
As someone who deals with a permanently dodgy ankle, there are times when I am confronted with things I have trouble doing. I have found that focusing on the things I can do, rather than what I can’t do, is an infinitely better way to live. But sometimes circumstances or needs come up and force my attention onto the can’ts.
My sister said a very wise thing to me as she saw my struggle and guilt over my can’ts. She said, “It’s an it is. You can’t worry over something you cannot change.”
Read that again: “It’s an it is.“
Instead of ruminating endlessly of how to change my ankle and its oddities, I have been accepting it better since she said this. My completely fused ankle is a fact. Unable to be changed. Not my fault. I have been looking for accommodations, for other solutions, for ways around the problems. And not beating myself up with guilt for things I cannot change.
Yes, I realize that this is a variation of “It is what it is.” But for some reason, just hearing the words in a different way helped me to accept it.
So, little sister, thank you. This has helped more than you know.
Also, note to self…..you never know how little things you say to people can make a difference in encouraging them along their journeys. Keep encouraging, keep loving.
It is…..well with my soul.
Love, Lisa
People all over the world live on islands with active volcanoes. Hawaii’s big island, the Canary Islands, the Solomon Islands, St Lucia, St. Kitts and many others in the Caribbean, and the list goes on. These are beautiful places to visit and to live. The people who reside there have learned how to negotiate times of activity and eruption.
Why am I talking about active volcanoes? More and more people today are struggling with the anger and stress that come from the frustration of dealing with an ever-maddening world situation. These stresses and angry feeling build up, and over time, people erupt. I am seeing more and more of this lately, in stores, in people’s driving, in personal interactions. Dealing with people’s anger and eruptions is difficult for an introverted peace-loving person. I do realize, however, that everyone is different, and everyone’s way of resolving conflict is very different. But how does a person such as myself cope with these eruptions and maintain personal peace in the midst of the lava, ash and explosion?
I decided to look at the tips given on the internet for surviving during an active volcano.
-Remain indoors with windows and doors shut until told it’s safe to come out.
-Stay away from areas with heavy ash fall.
-Clear ash from your home and property.
-Get medical care if necessary. (Source: wikihow.com)
Here is what I have gleaned from this advice as it pertains to people’s eruptions.
-When people are yelling and erupting, it is best to stay in a removed location. Remove myself from the scene of the eruption until it is over.
-Afterwards, stay away from the triggering topics to avoid getting burned until all is dormant.
-When things are very calm, deal with the issues calmly and try to remove the triggering frustrations or situations. Clear the ash from myself. Keep calm and carry on.
-If I need help in dealing with these eruptions, talk to someone. Get the help I need to survive and thrive.
And most importantly, keep my eyes fixed on the beauty of the volcanic mountain. All people are beautiful and made in the image of God. Those same people who are cutting you off in traffic, snarling at you in the checkout line, hanging up on the customer service phone are people who are in need of love, of acceptance, of salvation. They are hurting people who need God.
People living on a volcanic island usually love it. The beauty of the towering and rugged mountain is inspiring and amazing. It is their home. They have learned to negotiate the hazards safely.
Lord, give me the grace and sight to see everyone as You see them. We are all struggling these days with amazing amounts of stress. Give us Your strength.
Love, Lisa
Think About These Things 