Gentle Reminders

Do you ever get frustrated? Well, let me tell you about MY day. Lol!

In the morning I was hanging a new light fixture in one of our bedrooms. It wasn't going well. Just when I thought I was all done, I stepped back to look at it and it was crooked. Now I have to do my work all over again. Frustrating.

Then, I went into town to run some errands. On my way there I stopped at McDonalds for lunch. I was still frustrated from my morning's electrical work. The lady in the car in front of me didn't help much.

She ordered her food and then pulled ahead, but she only moved ahead about half a car length. I couldn't move up to place my order. And there was a half car length gap in front of her yet.

"You know, if you would just move ahead a little, I could order." I said to myself. But I did say it out loud.

This pattern continued at the pay window as well. The lady paid but then didn't pull ahead far enough so that I could do the same. Ugh!

"There's plenty of room. You can do it!" Still, she never closed the gap to the car in front of her. A depth perception problem? Frustrating!

I finally made it to the window to pay and handed the lady my money. She gave me my change and then said something that changed my frustrating day completely.

"I like your bracelet," she said with a smile.

Bracelet? What? What bracelet? Oh! My I . . . Am . . . Second bracelet?

God is so amazing sometimes. Well, He's amazing ALL of the time! But He actually takes the time to give us gentle reminders when we really need them. I needed one and was blessed because of it.

"You know who's First?" I replied to the young lady's comment.

"Jesus!" she said with a smile.

That's all it took to make my day. To turn my frown upside down. The rest of the day was spent praising Him in the things I said and did.

Today I get to redo my electrical work, but I will do it with a smile on my face. And if for some reason I should get frustrated again, I am going to McDonald's! NO!! But I WILL think about my smiling young friend who reminded me that God is above ALL things.

"The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all." - John 3:31

Disappointed?

We've all been disappointed at some point in our lives. Things don't go the way we think they should. Things don't get done when we want them to. So many things disappoint us in this life. Wouldn't it be great if we could eliminate the disappointment from our lives? Well, maybe there is a way.

I was hoping to get lots of stuff done this weekend on the tiny home I am building. The weather looked like it was going to cooperate. Everything was lining up so I could accomplish just what I wanted to do.

Then I was reminded that my wife was taking a trip to visit her father. She asked me if I would like to come along. I said yes. Even though I knew I would be missing out on a day of construction, there are some things that are more important. Family. Marriage.

Well, at least I had Sunday. Oops. I guess not. Our grandson was singing in church. We HAD to go. He did a great job. Then we went out to eat afterwards. Family.

I didn't get all the things done I wanted to accomplish. But other things got done instead. Am I disappointed about not working more on the tiny home? Yes. But I got to see my father-in-law. As I was showing him pictures of the tiny home project he put his arm around me in appreciation. Priceless. I also got to spend time with my wife, which is ALWAYS good. I got to see my son and his wife, her parents and our grandson. A hug from each of them, especially the grandson, was priceless. Oh, and we all worshiped together. Again, priceless.

Politicians disappoint us, NFL football players have disappointed us of late too. So what do we do? There are so many things that disappoint. But there is One who never disappoints. I have heard it said that, "If you think God has disappointed you, you don't know Him very well."

When I get disappointed with life's events or in the people I encounter around me, I try to stop and think about all of the blessings I have been given and remind myself who gave them to me. That usually snaps me right out of the disappointed mood I find myself in.

I also remind myself that I myself disappoint God every single day. Who am I to complain when things don't go MY way.

When you feel disappointed in life, try reading God's Word. Remind yourself of His promises to each of us - His sons and daughters. Then, specifically, read this and see how it makes you feel. It always leaves me feeling better than before I began.

^"28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

More Than Conquerors

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:28-39

So, how are you feeling now? I don't know about you but I'm feeling better. :)

If God is for us, who can stand against us? No one! So forget about life's disappointments and seize the day by seizing and reading your Bible. You will find that being reminded of your faith in Christ can remove many of the disappointments we feel in life. So rejoice . . . and read!

I watched this old Hee Haw video with my father-in-law on Saturday. He liked it. Maybe you will too.

Gloom Despair and Agony on Me - Hee Haw
Don't Worry About Tomorrow - Van Morrison