In the background (second try)....

This wonderful picture above is from my very favorite yearly calendar provided each Christmas by the Johnson family.  It is always fun to see the kids as they were exactly a year before.  This picture was from August of 2015 - on Zeke's first day of four year old preschool.  The great thing about this picture is what is visible "in the background"!  Chandler managed to photobomb this picture, totally by accident (notice the upper left hand corner).  It is difficult to get the four kids to sit for the picture, let alone get the DOG to sit in the window!  And Anna was just 18 months old at this time.  At any rate, I love this picture and have been waiting for August to roll around to have this shot up on my kitchen wall.  I love the kids, but I also love that cute doggie in the background!  Yes, it is what is in the background that makes this picture so special.

Now, about the second try mentioned in the title.   I started this blog a week ago!  Yes that's right.  Last Monday night I started writing this blog.  I didn't get back to working on it until late in the week and finally finished it last night.  I was having some trouble saving the file.  I tried several times to save it and it seemed to finally save.  I checked the actual blog post a couple of times and yes, it was all there.  So I hit "publish" and breathed a sigh of relief.  It is sometimes like that with these posts.  I know what I am supposed to say, but the words just don't seem to flow smoothly.  I put words on the page and then, after reading them, decided that it is not at all what I wanted to convey with a post.  I am convinced that the reason this post was so difficult is because of the message I had to share.

In a nut shell (and not at all like I shared it last night) the message is that sometimes things come up to the surface from where they had been hiding in the background.  And when this happens, there are emotions and feelings that come with those things and suddenly you have to deal with a very old issue and/or event.  It might be that you thought you had already taken care of that thing, but then you realize that you are still bothered and  you didn't even KNOW it was there in the background.   The worst part of this is that it SEEMS so out of your control.  This is not something you planned to have in your life right at this moment.  Yet, there it is.  This certainly happened to me this past week.  And after several days of rehashing some things from the past, I found myself being very critical and even angry at myself.  And then I started to worry.  Worry that there might be other things hanging around in the background that I hadn't taken care of.  Worry that I had made some kind of big mistake in that background issue that I should have done something about.  Just worry in general.  And then I was reading my favorite Scripture translation - The Passion Translation and I came to this passage in Matthew 6:34

"Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time,.  Tomorrow will take care of itself."

Can you believe that?  REFUSE!  Refuse to worry!  I love this translation.  I will REFUSE TO WORRY!   I love that not only does this verse remind us not to worry, but then it reminds us that we can deal with whatever the challenge is that comes along.  But only as it actually comes along.

Isn't it great that Scripture can answer to a situation so perfectly?  When these background things pop up to the surface what you have to do is first, refuse to worry!  Don't let the enemy get you into the cycle of shame/blame and anger.  Don't worry about what else might be lurking ready to come up.  And then secondly, deal with whatever the situation is that has come up.  That word "deal" is pretty broad.  It might mean forgiving someone (even yourself).  Or it might mean just letting go of things that you can't change.  There might be an action required on your part.  The best action is to just give the entire thing to Jesus and know that he has taken care of it all.  And then  there is a final reminder in this verse to NOT worry!

This morning I heard a song and it fits perfectly with this blog.  It was not in yesterdays addition.  I am convinced that there was a wonderful reason why that "glitch" happened last night with my blog and this might be it.  The song is Sparrows by Jason Gray.  Here are the lyrics.........

You can't add a single day by worrying

You'll worry your life away

Oh don't worry your life away

You can't change a single thing by freaking out

It's just gonna close you in

Oh don't let the trouble win

You may feel alone

But you're not on your own

(chorus)

(Lalala) if He can hold the world He can hold this moment

(Lalala) not a field nor flower escapes His notice

Oh even the sparrow

Knows He holds tomorrow

Lean in and it's hard to miss

Everything can change

When you make it His

Oh He wants to carry it

Carefree in the care of God

When you let it go

You'll find that He's enough

Oh you never leave His love

You don't walk alone

(chorus)

(Lalala) if He can hold the world He can hold this moment

(Lalala) not a field nor flower escapes His notice

Oh even the sparrow

Knows He holds tomorrow

There's not a single star that's out of place

There's nothing broken He can't remake

If you long for hope when you're afraid

Look at the sparrow

(chorus)

(Lalala) if He can hold the world He can hold this moment

(Lalala) not a field nor flower escapes His notice

Oh even the sparrow

Knows He holds tomorrow

(Lalala) even the sparrow knows

He holds tomorrow

I just love the verse I highlighted.  Yep, that is what this blog has all been about.  Being carefree in the care of God.  No matter what is in the background.  No matter what stuff comes to the surface.  No matter what!  He is enough!  We can never leave His love!  It might have taken me more than a couple days and multiple attempts to share this message, but it was worth it!  

Jesus, thank you for the reminder that you are in control!  Even in control of this blog and what is written and when it get published.  Thank you for this song this morning and for Jason Gray.  Holy Spirit, help us all to remember the words of this song as we face those issues that just come up out of nowhere.  Keep our eyes on Jesus.  And remind us of the sparrow.  Amen 

Don't worry, it really is a dog's life!

Have you heard the old saying, "It's a dog's life"?  Well, this week I have been observing exactly what a dog's life is like!  We are "dog sitting" for Doug and Susie who are away on a much needed vacation......without Sammy and Kylie!  We are sharing the doggie duty with Susie's mom and dad, but so far, this is what I have learned about the dog's life.....

Sammy and Kylie spend most of their time doing exactly what they are doing in this picture.  Sleeping in their plush little beds.  They eat exactly what is put in front of them (twice a day) and go for a few walks outside.  But for about 23 of the 24 hours in a day, they are curled up in their comfy, safe place.  And I can assure you that those two dogs are not worried about anything!  (Except possibly when the next food truck arrives with the kibble).  They are really wonderful house guests.  I really barely knew they were in the house today!  

I was thinking about what a worry free life that dogs lead, and then remembering the very clear directive that Jesus left us about worry..........first He reminded us that birds are fed by the Father.  Then Jesus spoke about the flowers who don't need to worry about their clothes.  Then Jesus ended this passage saying....."Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34  

Yes, in spite of this very clear teaching, I know that I do worry.  But truthfully, I know that I am doing a better job of not worrying so much.  I am daily asking for guidance and help from Jesus on this!  At any rate, today at my small group, we were talking about all of the "stuff" going on around us in the world, in our country, and in our families.  And it was clear that worry and fear were trying to bombard our little group.  We started to just worship and soak in the presence of Jesus.  Calm and peace just filled the room and we all began to relax.  I had a little picture pop into my head of this very large hand holding the planet earth!  And the song "He's got the whole world in His hands" just came into my mind. I also thought "He has his eye on us!"  Psalm 33.  So I looked up Psalm 33.  

Psalm 33

¹ Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;

    it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

² Praise the Lord with the harp;

    make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

³ Sing to him a new song;

    play skillfully, and shout for joy.

⁴ For the word of the Lord is right and true;

    he is faithful in all he does.

⁵ The Lord loves righteousness and justice;

    the earth is full of his unfailing love.

⁶ By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,

    their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

⁷ He gathers the waters of the sea into jars^[a];

    he puts the deep into storehouses.

⁸ Let all the earth fear the Lord;

    let all the people of the world revere him.

⁹ For he spoke, and it came to be;

    he commanded, and it stood firm.

¹⁰ The Lord foils the plans of the nations;

    he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

¹¹ But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,

    the purposes of his heart through all generations.

¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

    the people he chose for his inheritance.

¹³ From heaven the Lord looks down

    and sees all mankind;

¹⁴ from his dwelling place he watches

    all who live on earth—

¹⁵ he who forms the hearts of all,

    who considers everything they do.

¹⁶ No king is saved by the size of his army;

    no warrior escapes by his great strength.

¹⁷ A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;

    despite all its great strength it cannot save.

¹⁸ But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,

    on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

¹⁹ to deliver them from death

    and keep them alive in famine.

²⁰ We wait in hope for the Lord;

    he is our help and our shield.

²¹ In him our hearts rejoice,

    for we trust in his holy name.

²² May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,

    even as we put our hope in you.

Yes, there it was.....the eyes of the Lord are on us!  Why would we worry?  He has it all in control.  He is not worried or bothered.  The plans of the Lord stand firm forever!  Yep, it really is a dog's life for us.  We can just let go and not worry about anything!  Yes, I think that I will be spending some time parked in Psalm 33.  It seems like a really good place to put my focus.  I will remember that just like verse 13 says, "From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind!"  His eyes are on us!

So after breathing that thought deep into my spirit, I will go and take these two sweet doggies on a long walk about the neighborhood!  And I will remember that Jesus has everything under control!

Jesus, thank you so much for this great lesson today!  Holy Spirit, help us all to keep our focus on the heavens and help us to remember that Jesus has it all taken care of!  Thank you for lessons learned through our pets and reminders through songs and visions.  And thank you Lord for making sure we had your Word to keep these lessons in our hearts and minds.  Amen