JOY-DON'T JUDGE ME-ONE THING I KNOW

 "Don't judge me", I forced the words out in the middle of a hysterical laugh. I said this to a young gentlemen as I got to the window at the McDonalds drive-up. LOL! I had just waited in a line hyper focused on the  CRUMBL COOKIE box sitting in the passenger seat next to me. Like a dog waiting for a treat I was dreaming of biting into one of the deluxe cookie. I rolled the car through the speaker where I would have ordered, taking pictures of the box and content to send to my family members via text, for I knew I had beat them all by getting to the newly opened shop! I was so excited to brag that I missed the speaker and my order. 

I woke up to the reality of what I had done and all I could do is laugh hysterically. Thus when I got to the window I could pay for nothing because I had not ordered. The boy responded with a laugh, "I won't judge." I just had to come clean that I truly was in line yet forgot to order, "Can I order now?" "Sure", the boy graciously accepted my order and I paid.

Do I even ask you if you have ever done this?

"It is such a Lainey thing to do", declared all my family members!

Maybe a better question to get to the point. If you were given the opportunity to do anything in the world you wanted, what would you choose to do?

I am constantly writing about our fast paced lives filled with many choices. Like the amount of stores, restaurants, baked good shops and travel destinations.

David the psalmist wrote, "ONE THING I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple. Psalm 27:4."

David the man after God's heart sums up his existence by this catchy opener "ONE THING". This has got a grip on me since I read it a week ago. In fact I woke up last night with the phrase on repeat in my head. 

I'm sure you know someone who died recently, end of life situations is always a wake up call!

We must not race through the grieving process with out asking ourselves, "Death, what is after that?"

#eternitymatters

#crumblcookies is fun! God gave us fun! 

BUT

ONE THING, sums up what really matters.

Pray with me: Lord help me to put things in perspective with "One Thing." 

Don't get crumbled up in the lies that a job, food, travel, bigger house, better car etc. really really matters in the end.

JOY-BREAKING POINT

There are so many catch phrases racing in my mind right now for these days.

My plate is full.

I am at my breaking point.

I want to give up.

There seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel.

Are you kidding me?

One more thing and I may pop!

It's the straw that broke the camels back.

We won't take it off-the joy of the Lord is my strength

Put on strength

joy

love and

don't take it off!

 “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (ESV).  Romans 13:14"

Abiding in Christ and pleasing Him first.

Stop the breaking point with this spiritual truth, "Put on!"

The only way things happen. 

JOY-HEALTH

 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

I head out on a walk with this on my mind. My goal; to draw near to God. 

Friends, my sin begins to bubble up. My examination begins. But guess what? It is not scary! I am at peace...I am walking with Jesus...I trust what He wants to do in me. It is not fearful...it is wonderful. I love Him. I trust Him. I surrender to Him.

I heard a sermon right before I left and the speaker said. "Love is always....

So Jesus is always on your side and loves you.

I left talking to the Lord about searching me and Love always is patient...Love always is generous.

Am I always generous with my love.  "Love begets forgetfulness of self and forgetfulness of self is health."

There are 15 love attributes that is written in 1 Corinthians 13. Today I will stick on these two...Patience and Generous. 

Another thing I would like to share is a another speaker I listened to said, "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips those He calls."

It is always good to stand on the word of the Lord. 

It brings health to your body, mind and soul!

The joy ride continues with celebration! Nehemiah finished the wall and the people declare, "because they now understood the words that had been made known to them." Nehemiah 8:12-13

The Israelites were so overjoyed at the festival of booths, they found branches and built themselves booths on their own roofs, or courtyards, slept in them for 7 days to remind them of their exile journey where they lived in booths and walked with God. "They had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great!" Nehemiah 8:17

Finally at the dedication of the wall, "And on the that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The woman and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be hear far away." Nehemiah 12:43

Friends just imagine such a celebration being heard here on earth far away. We need a revival of this magnitude!

Never have we experienced anything in life better than knowing Jesus and his words!

Generously God always extends understanding when we focus on HIM!

JOY- WAITING ROOM

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...we have them daily don't we? Those decisions can wreak havoc on us...ugh...some would say they are paralyze me...they control my thoughts...they won't let me find joy...the hold me back...a big UGH!

How do we make them stop!!

Put yourself in a time out, put on a dunce or dumb hat and cry?

Maybe we should make it a comedic moment. The idea of a dunce hat came from a comedian who puts on the cone hat and makes fun of those who are slow to get things.

But in these days I would like to suggest what God taught me. I had a decision that kept creeping up on me and the decision did not need to be made for months. So either I was going to waste the next two months, days, hours and precious seconds trying to...surmise with all of my imagination thinking or I am going to GIVE IT TO GOD and ask for HELP!

Humbly I write my prayers these days. Help what do I do?

Then...the tune comes to mind...strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord...You go Chris Tomlin. You go Chris using scripture to let us know Our God will reign forever, He is the everlasting God...He won't faint...He won't grow weary (of me)...We will wait upon the Lord...we wait upon the Lord...My strong deliverer...defender of the weak...you lift us...you lift us up like eagles. 

It comes from Isaiah 40:31-"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."

Come on sing it with me. Find it. Play it! Don't faint on me watch!

Next day.

I open a email called "You'll Get Through this." by Max Lucado. You go Max.

God using the saints to help me find a Remedy. I use the word Remedy because that is the word that constantly comes to mind since the Pandemic struck us all down. Lord what is the remedy? Oh Lord show yourself strong and bless us with a remedy just as you did for King Hezekiah! God used another saint in the beginning of the Pandemic to preach on the King H. and his abrupt shock of an illness. (Wait, I am getting off topic...this is enough for you to know on that for now).

Getting back to Max...in the article he gives an analogy of him in a waiting room where he sits strangled with many thoughts of what's on the other side of the door once he is called.

Imagination thinking!

Dilemma...sit and over think something or sit in joy? Crossroad.

There is a clear path based on all that I have learned in scripture....walk, see, talk with Jesus a gentle and humble, creator of my soul, who loves me and wants to give me rest for my soul. Soul talk!

Yes! Yes! Yes! Give me that soul talk Lord! He does. With the song and this message of Max sitting in a waiting room. What do you do in a waiting room?

So I ask you? What do you do in a waiting room?

Live out what God teaches us.

2 Cor. 10:5-captivate every thought in obedience to Christ. In Obedience to Christ I will give my time to Him. 

This is not legalism...I am talking about realism...real life with a real Jesus who gave us the Holy Spirit to have life to the full. With that said that does not mean a uninterrupted life with messy situations...it mean help...help to get through things.

Rest in HIM!

During this time I read three times (that's a practice I recommend) each time observing what stands out in the verse. The final time of reciting the verse wait on the Lord for a message. 

This is what the Lord says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. NIV Jeremiah 6:16.

When I closed my eyes and read this verse

clearly with all confidence I did not see a choice. I saw blackness and in that blackness I saw this bright glowing path and it led in true peace. This was not a shaming forceful path. This was a illuminated path that led to joy, peace and hope for my soul.

Each part of that path is full of wisdom. Look, see, ask, good way, walk...result...rest.

Do you have rest?

Check it out...you pray and find out!