Yes, I can clean off a table!

Today I had one of those days.  When I got home I needed to reflect on the words of the picture above.  For a whole host of reasons, I came home feeling like I didn't meet the expectations of many people today.  It was a bunch of little things, a couple of bigger things and just the day..... but in the car on the way home I realized that I started to beat myself up.  You know, that "self talk" that we all do that just makes you feel even worse than you did to start with.  It included things like "why do I even bother?" and "why is it so hard?"  I had to remind myself that it is NOT all about me!  The other people involved in these bothersome things, may well have had some part in the problem.  And then I needed to remind myself of all of the words above.  Especially LOVED!  Because, yes, it was just one of those days. 

Isn't it true that we are often our own worst critics?   We get so down on ourselves and become convinced that all of those terrible things about us are true.  Today - for a brief moment - I convinced myself that I did not know how to wipe a table!  Isn't that silly.  But when I realized that I was speaking that to myself, it really brought me to a sudden stop.  My message today on "What God wants you to know" was "You are what you think about yourself". 

I finally got the message!  And I concentrated on those words above.  I am a child of God.  I am protected!  I am strong!  I am chosen!  I am forgiven!  I AM LOVED! 

And so are you.  Be blessed.

Jesus, thank you for this reminder today.  I know that you are the ONLY one that I need to please. Thank you Holy Spirit for bringing me back to that point of peace and love in you.  And thank you that I didn't stay in that terrible place for very long with your help.   Amen

Why knowing WHO you are counts!

Day two was most assuredly better!  So this day would have a smiley face for more reasons than that!  Yes, work was truly "without incident" (as in, I did not have to fill out any paperwork for a child hurt by him/herself or others), I didn't have to change a single diaper (I was with 3 & 4 year olds for the entire day), I got to my evening meeting on time and now for the biggy.........Thank you Jesus for giving me revelation on how to FIX the mess I made last night!  I actually thought of the solution while watching 22 sleeping three year olds.  And when the answer popped into my head, I knew that it was heaven sent.  And when I arrived at my meeting tonight, fired up the computer and things worked exactly as they should, all was well in my world! 

I guess it was because of where I was today (as in working with 3 and 4 year olds), that I remembered this quote from the conference over the weekend (okay, I know that I said I was through recounting the wonders of this event, but I KNOW that there is even more amazing things that I heard that hasn't even begun to settle in my spirit....)  "When you know WHO you are in Christ Jesus, then the devil will stop using you as play-doh!"

Now, I have to tell you that I am a play-doh lover!  I love the feel and the smell of play-doh and I love to watch kids play with the stuff.   It is soft and squishy and you can do so many different things with it.  And if you have one of those fancy play-doh machines you can create everything from snakes to spaghetti.  I guess that the smell must also be enticing to kids, because almost everyone I have ever seen play with this stuff, puts some of it in their mouth.  Good thing that it is non-toxic!  I love how you can mix the colors together and create a totally different color. Yep, it's great stuff.

When I was thinking about this quote and play-doh in general, I realized just how true this is.  I don't want to be so soft and squishy that satan can manipulate me into whatever he wants.  I don't want to be so easily changed that I can be mashed together with someone else and turn out a totally different "color" than I was meant to be.  And isn't it also true, when we are allowing satan to use circumstances, all that we are experiencing FEELS a lot like what the play-doh must feel, going through those pressing machines.  We feel pressed and stressed and pulled in so many different directions.  And sometimes it feels like we don't even recognize ourselves.  And then suddenly, we wonder how we even got to the place that we are in! 

So I will be reminding myself each and every day, of exactly who I am in Jesus.  I want to meditate on the teachings that I heard from this conference.  I plan to spend much more time in the Bible, since that is where we can KNOW who Jesus is.  And in all of that I will be praying that the Holy Spirit will reveal to me that truth - who I am in Jesus.  Then I can be sure that satan can not punch me down or change my color or my shape.  Because I am made in the image of God.  I have the Holy Spirit within me to empower me.  And I have Jesus.    End of story.

Jesus, would you please write this truth into all of our hearts tonight.  Help us to grasp with a clear mind and spirit, of who you have made us to be.  Holy Spirit, quicken this revelation in our spirits so that there is no way that satan can use us as his play toy.  Thank you for these "bursts" of remembrance of wonderful nuggets.  And Holy Spirit, thank you for helping me solve my big problem from yesterday.   Amen