Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The way things work out

On Sunday, I already had begun to dread the next couple of weeks.
I have a jam-packed schedule this week - working all week, plus three nights. I speak on Saturday and have an open house on Sunday and that's before the next week when my boss is gone. (And that involves lots of hours and added responsibility.)
Guess what?
So far this week has gone pretty nicely - one snafu, but nothing I couldn't handle.
Which makes me think that I need to rest more in the Lord.
Here are some verses that have brought me comfort amid hairy schedules:

"They who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles, They shall run and not be weary; They shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28.

Many times, I've simply prayed "Lord, please carry me" and he has always been faithful to do so.
I think I just need to remind myself of those times.
We serve a loving, faithful God!
We can trust him!

Blessings,

Tammy

Friday, April 16, 2010

When it's OK to say "no."

Overly busy people will say they have too much on their plate.
The other day, I felt like my plate was a casserole dish and it was overflowing!
And I was angry and resentful. I felt trapped.
I wrestled with cutting some volunteer duties out of my schedule, but that was difficult. My husband told me to cut back. Friends said the world wouldn't end - and I wouldn't cease to be a team player - if I said "no."
Still, I struggled.
I prayed. Sought Godly counsel. Read the Scriptures.
When I came across verses in Romans 12, I felt guilt rising up inside of me. The verses tells how we who are many form one body and that each member belongs to the others. It talks about honoring others above one's self.
So shouldn't I agree to go ahead with these other projects even if I am feeling overloaded?
I don't think so.
I don't think that honoring others above myself means that I take on so much work that I'm angry and resentful.
How then can I show the love of Christ?
I read Romans 12:6-8 which tells how we're each given different gifts.
The verses, from the New International Version, say: "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
I stopped a moment.
Was God telling me that I needed to go ahead with this volunteer work - even if I was tired - and use my teaching and mercy gifts?
I wondered.
Then I noticed something.
The word "let."
The verses say that if a person's gift is teaching, LET him teach.
It didn't say MAKE him teach.
The verses say that if a person's gift is serving, "let" him serve - not "make."
I finally reached a point where I knew I had to do something and I prayed that I would be understood.
I made a phone call and explained my overloaded feelings. By then, my fears about my news not being well received had reached an out-of-portion peak.
But the person understood.
All the worst-case scenarios that had tormented me never happened. The person promised to pray for me and was very loving.
I was relieved. A burden had been lifted.
Now, I'm looking forward to some rest from my volunteer duties - which may be good, because I anticipate that my work responsibilities (and hours) will be increased during the next couple of weeks.
I'm not looking forward to the next two weeks, but I know that I must rely on God for strength, energy, patience, endurance and peace.
He is faithful. I just have to remember that and dump my burdens at the foot of an old rugged cross.
And trust.

Blessings,

Tammy

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Help for overload

Ever feel like you're burned out?
Exhausted?
Stick a fork in you - you're done.
There are hamburgers that are less fried than you.
That's when you - and all of us - need to turn to the best source of energy and strength - our Lord.
The Scriptures say he never sleeps or slumbers.
And he cares about the things that matter to us.
Feeling used?
Jesus knows what that feels like.
Feeling isolated and like nobody understands?
Yep, he's been there, too.
Maybe that's why the Scriptures say "Cast all your cares upon him for he cares about you." 1 Peter 5:7.
The New International Version uses the word "anxiety."
Sometimes I think we carry a load of anxiety like a big duffel bag jam-packed full of rocks - then we add stuff like resentment, weariness, regret ....
It's time to dump the load and run to the cross.
Run to the Savior who understands burdens, who can handle them and who cares for you.

Blessings,

Tammy

Friday, April 9, 2010

Strength for the day

Today, I've been reading a couple of blogs of people who have cancer - or whose loved one has cancer or some other life-threatening illness.
One woman has an illness and so do two of her family members. She talks about how tired she is. I feel for her.
And it's at times like these that I love to recall the scriptures.
One of my favorites is: "They who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31.
And there's: "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28.
I call verses like these "Survival Scriptures." They're the ones you hang onto with both hands and a foot - to get you through the tough times in life.
If you're down, fill up on the word. Besides prayer and worship music, it's the best spiritual first aid I know of.
And PLEASE, visit fremonttribune.com and type the words, spiritual spinach, in the little white search box in the upper righthand corner of the home page. Then hit enter or the little magnifying glass.
It will take you to my columns - where you can read your fill. I pray that they minister to you and that God will use them to speak to you!
And, of course, you can visit my Web site at www.realspiritualspinach.com.
I don't mean to sound like a commercial. I just want to provide comfort wherever I can.

Blessings,

Tammy

Thursday, April 8, 2010

A virtue

Just recently, I was talking to a woman who was looking for a job.
She mentioned various strengths. And then she said something that I don't know if I've ever heard any job hunter say.
She said she doesn't get involved in office gossip.
Wow! I really like that.
In a society where celebrity gossip fills ever-increasing amounts of time on so-called news programs, I think we must be extra vigilant to avoid talk that's downgrading and - if nothing else - a waste of time.
We're so busy in my office that we really don't seem to have much time for outside-of-work-related talk.
That's probably a blessing.
But I know gossip can run rampant in offices and it's hard for even well-meaning people not to become pulled into the fray.
One set of verses has been particularly meaningful to me throughout the years. These scriptures are found in Psalm 1 and they read:
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers." - Psalm 1:1-3.
A pastor once pointed out some of the action verbs in these lines: walk, sit and stand. We, as Christians, have to make a dedicated effort to avoid the things that can get us into trouble.
It's not easy.
I know.
I hate to think about the times I've thoughtlessly opened my mouth - then wish I'd kept it closed. I've apologized and repented to God many times.
I'm so glad that we serve a gracious God who provides us with ever helpful reminders like those words in the first chapter of Psalms.
And he doesn't just say not to sit in the seat of mockers (ever been at a lunch with people who are cutting down someone who isn't there?), he provides us with something good to think about.
He talks about meditating on the law day and night and shows how beneficial it is to do so.
It's a lot harder to think something bad about someone if you're meditating about the goodness of God.
We're less likely to say something negative if our minds have been filled with thoughts of gratitude toward our Lord and the marvelous things he's done - and continues to do for us.
This seems to be a lesson that I never stop learning, but I love God and want to do better.
O Lord, please help me to become the servant that you want me to be. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.

Blessings,

Tammy

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Why aren't we cheering?

Recently, I wrote a story about a group of people who went on a mission trip to Uganda.
A couple of them told me about the open-air crusades and how they showed the "Jesus" film on a bed sheet duct-taped to the side of a van.
They told how 350 to 450 people would crowd around to watch the movie. They'd cheer when Jesus performed a miracle. They groaned when they saw him crucified.
And they cheered when he rose from the dead.
One of the mission trip members said it sounded like someone had made a touchdown at a football game.
It must have been amazing to watch the people's reaction.
It also made me wonder about something else: Why aren't we cheering?
Why do we just smile and nod like Bobbleheads whenever we hear about Christ's death and resurrection?
Has the story become so familiar that we've lost the wonder of it?
Why aren't we cheering things like: "Hooray! Jesus you did it! You went through all the terrible stuff, but you did it! You conquered the grave! You defeated death and Satan! You saved us! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
I got choked up the other night when I thought about it. I tried cheering a little tonight and was brought to my knees.
Thank you Jesus for what you did!
Thank you for saving me!
I don't know if we'll ever be able to grasp on this earth what you did for us on the cross, but I thank you!
You are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
And because of you, I have peace and stability in my life even when I don't always know what lies ahead.
Happy Easter everyone!
Remember to thank and praise the one who saved you!
He really is worthy of all our cheering!

Blessings!

Tammy

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Dealing with disappointment

What do you do when you're disappointed?
When things didn't turn out the way you'd planned?
We learned Wednesday that Zach didn't make it into the music school he auditioned for in February.
He didn't say much, but I was brokenhearted for him.
He told me that he didn't want my pity.
I said I didn't pity him and I told him about some of my own disappointments and how I believe God used them.
When I was a high school junior, I needed my English teacher's recommendation to get into a journalism class because of my low algebra grade.
She wouldn't give it to me. She said the journalism class was meant only for the top students.
I was really disappointed, but I had fun my junior year and took other classes. When I became a senior, I didn't need her recommendation. I simply could take the class.
I got an "A."
When I entered college, I thought I was going to become an artist, but my teacher told me that I was only an average artist.
I earned a double major of art and journalism and became a reporter.
I hardly ever won an award during my early days as a journalist and I remember the year that my editor submitted an intern's story for a contest over mine. She didn't submit any of my stories that year.
Years later, I have first and second place award certificates, most of which are stored in a plastic tub in the basement.
I hoped my son understood my "never give up" message. I told him something that a sixth-grade science teacher told our class: "Quitters never win and winners never quit."
It may sound like a cliche, but I think it's true.
Now as Christians, we know Christ's story of the persistent widow. We know the verse that says "knock and the door shall be opened unto you." We know the story of the woman who wanted Jesus to heal her daughter and said that even the dogs under the table get the children's crumbs.
That woman was persistent, too.
And maybe that's the way to deal with disappointment.
We just can't give up. We must continue, leaning hard on God for support, comfort, strength and peace.
We must cling to his promises: "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord of hosts, plans to prosper and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.
So I continue to cling, loving and trusting our faithful God.

Blessings,

Tammy