Doing the Hard Things

Certain things in life I find quite hard to do. Like walking the 300 feet round trip to the mail box when it's 20 degrees out. I cannot simply stand the idea of going out in the cold just to get a stack of bills and pile of mail that doesn't contain anything for me. So I don't do it and the mail sits waiting for days.
Walking in the cold is just to unpleasant for me. Like teaching a release time Bible class. Teaching 20 3rd graders who don't want to listen and barter away their lunch while your talking is not my idea of fun. Losing my voice because I have to speak quite loud to keep above their decimal level is certainly not a walk in the park.
Tuesday than becomes a day of dread for me, than 40 short minutes its over and I'm free for another week. Suddenly my mind is filled with well meaning thoughts. "Don't have to worry about my Bible lesson for a while". "Won't have to spend another long afternoon in town when I could be home doing nothing". Yes selfish thoughts, thinking only about myself and forgetting about my 20 students. The one's who don't go to church. The one's who come from a broken home. The one's who teach me how to use certain "words" in a whole new way. The little children Jesus died for while He was dying for me.

How can I worship the Lord, thank Him for saving me from my sin and His wonderful grace when I don't even have compassion for His children?

Suddenly I find new strength to do the task given to me. I remember that I am the link to these children for hearing the Gospel. I am the one who knows their names and can pray for them to the One who already knows of the hairs on their heads.

Yes it's hard to do things we don't think are necessary. But God didn't put us here to live life on the beach. God has called us to be laborers in His harvest. Meaning to get out of our comfort zone, like taking a walk in the cold. While duration of the duty may seem unpleasant and the blessing may not be seen right away. Eternal blessings are being reaped.

I will put on my warm coat to shield myself from the cold as I go get the mail. I will pray and prepare for my lesson before I teach. I will praise and thank God for the opportunities He has given me to be His servant.

I teach my Bible class on Tuesday afternoons from 12:15-1:00. Please pray for the children and myself during that time. There also about a 100 other children being taught during the time period of 11:30- 1:00 that is just at one school and one town. Lift up the teachers and children and prayer that the Word of God would shine forth.

Worshiping the Lord

28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40: 28-31
Photo Credit: Vaeltaja

Banished to the Kitchen

A few of my nieces spent the night and the following day at our house this week. I cooked up the idea to have a hot dog roast in our basement wood stove. The girls agreed excitedly with the idea and dad was kind enough to build us a nice roaring fire. While setting the table one of the girl's commented that since I was the cook I could eat in the kitchen:)

Naturally I was quite miffed. I wonder what books have been read by this child?

Jump over the Moon

With the North wind blowing in colder weather I knew that I would be too chicken to continue my daily walks. I know that frozen chicken is quite popular but well I preferre to stay out of the minority. So I sought out to find an indoor exercise option. Rebounder trampolines quickly began to impress me. Ten minutes a day was all you needed to do. How simple could that be? Several of my family members already owned one and approved with a five star rating.

Sold! I was on the trampolines and Ebay had just sold me one.

Jumping was funner than I could have imagined, just maybe exercise could be this easy. I even lost 2 pounds before Christmas, just to make room for the extra five you know.

Then one day I was just dropping along, desperately trying to keep my pants on, since my belly was a bit smaller when….Snap! Two of the springs popped off.

I called the company twice. Second try after the first rep hung up on me I finally got a very knowledgeable rep. I whined that my trampoline should have not fallen apart after just six weeks of use. After all I didn’t weigh even#100. (Okay that was a very big white lie.) The dear lady kindly explained to me that the trampolines weren’t met for jumping. Excuse me? What else do you do on a trampoline, just sit on it and get your heart rate to stay at constant peaceful rhythm? Well yes I know that would mean I would be dead. The dear lady didn’t seem to want that so she offered to send out some free springs. After I paid shipping. I agreed to this compromise and kept on jumping.

Spring number three broke. I called the company again to get instructions on how not to jump on a trampoline. Surly it was a very complicated method developed by NASA. As I explained my plight to the sales rep mother giggled in the background. Thankfully he took pity on stupid people who don’t know how to use trampolines without jumping and offered to send out a free DVD. This pleased me.

Jumping on the carpet will have to do for now unless of course I jump a hole into the floor. Than I shall have to have my mommy explain to me how to walk on carpet.

Changes

The frequent changes of backgrounds around here are rather obvious. Now there is even a new title. Hopefully these latest changes will stay firm for awhile.

Change is something I do best. I've been known to appear in 3 or 4 different outfits before going somewhere. Mom jokes that if I go missing she won't remember what I finally decided to wear:) Change is something that seems to happen in my life a lot. Sometimes very lovely and well sometimes not. One minute things are wonderful and then boom life changes. I was acutely reminded of this detail as the sun set on the New Year. A dream shattered to pieces, leaving you so mangled that you wonder if you ever will be fixed. Nothing is impossible with God. Gently will He clean the wounds, ever so gently will He show you His greatness and love. Suddenly the changes won't be so hard to bear.

Change and more change but not enough cash change:) This is life.