I was speaking to a friend a few weeks ago about her Godstory. The thing she kept saying was, “He speaks through music to me. Not just Christian music, but all types of music.”
This got me thinking about music and what it says. This week, I am going to write about some unexpected messages I have heard in songs. Check back for more…
Filed under: life
I am working on learning to be content and changing my attitude about a lot of things in my life. It may not always be apparent to those who are around me, but my attitude stinks. God has opened my eyes to my bittereness, hatefulness, pride, and laziness lately.
I have been so full of pride about the fact that I am “doing” all the right things and not doing all the wrong things I used to do. While I think that God has done some amazing work on me in the last year, I have gotten this “holier than thou” attitude that is no less disgusting to Him. The sad thing is that I am so focused on what I do and don’t “do” that I have forgotten what God cares the most about, my heart.
I am critical of those around me instead of loving them as they are. See, I have forgotten the most critical thing. Jesus didn’t love people after they stopped sinning. He loved them, healed them, and THEN said, “Go and sin no more.” Who am I to do anything else?
I have this “above this” attitude about my job, people, and things that just need to get done in general. If Jesus wasn’t above living in the muck and the mire with His disciples, what can I be “above” doing?
So in the interest of reminding myself that I have NO reason to be discontent, here is what I love about MY life:
1. I have a holy and gracious God who loves me and forgives me. I am never alone, never. And He doesn’t just tolerate me and all my flaws, He LOVES me and moves mountains for me.
2. I have an amazing, loving family that would do(and has done) the undoable for me. I have parents that have sacrificed and poured into me. I have sisters who love me and have taught me so many things (don’t tell them I said that!).
3. I have a church that challenges me and loves me as I am. It is through them that I have been guided to MY God. I was quiet the prodigal, but now, I am home!
4. I have friends that have loved me through the worst life has thrown at me and loved me at my worst. They were the ones who told me what I was worth to God when I thought I wasn’t worth anything anymore. They are the ones who would drag me to church in college, even when I was whining about needing to sleep off the night before.
5. I have a job with a good, stable company. I am not in danger of losing my job anytime soon and am well taken care of by my boss. I need to remember what it was like when I lost my job and couldn’t pay my bills and didn’t know where food was going to come from or how I was going to pay for it. I may not have much, but my bills are paid and I am eating! That is enough!
6. I am being given this wonderful time of preparation for the rest of my life. Someday, I believe God will give me an amazing family of my own, but I am being given this time to prepare and learn the lessons I need BEFORE. I will only have a better marriage and a better relationship with any babies I may have because of it. Besides, someday I will have some toddler terrorizing my house and will be looking back at the good old days of tiny apartments and sleeping in on Saturdays!
So, in an attempt to remember how great life is, what makes you love your life?
Filed under: Uncategorized
I have managed to go more than a month without writing. This is what happens when I tell myself that things will be taken care of the next day, every day. So, I am going to do what should have been my topic on January 1. My goals for the next year:
1. SAY NO! I am learning that I need to take care of myself. I cannot do everything. Honestly, if I am doing everything, then I am selfishly keeping others from getting to be a part of things.
2. STOP WHINING! I have a fantastic life. I have a good job, a good family, and a GREAT GOD! What do I have to complain about? Someday, I may have that family I dream of, but I get to have a great life now.
3. STOP PROCRASTINATING! I used to make the excuse that I work well under pressure. Really? I don’t enjoy being rushed. I am going to do those things that are before me today, not tomorrow.
4. TAKE CARE OF MYSELF! I am going to do the small things: 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day, 30 minutes of activity, all the dairy I should. I am not going to worry about how I look or what I’m not. I am just going to be more healthy.
There you go! Now that I have managed to put this off for two weeks, you know what my goals are for 2009!
