I really try to be uplifting and positive. My husband gets really annoyed sometimes because I'm always trying to find the positives in a situation, or in a person's attitude. I don't like to sling around negativity, because I know that it will come back and bite me in the armpit. With that being said, I am only human and I need to get things off my chest sometimes.
It has been brought to my attention that a "certain someone" has been calling me names for the last decade or so. I'll spare you the curse words, but it basically comes down to calling me lazy and fat. I think it's really sad when an adult person resorts to calling another adult person names behind their backs. Is it because I wouldn't do that? Is it because I try to be nice to everyone as much as possible that I can't imagine being this way, even behind someone's back?
So to this "certain someone", I just have a few things to say of my own:
I used to be pretty small. Not Kate Moss circa 1990, but pretty nice. That was in high school. These days, I am quite a bit larger, and yes, I guess I am a bit overweight. Do you know why I look this way? This body, that you feel you have the right to so freely criticize to anyone who will listen, has brought into this world three amazing children. They grew inside it's walls. It nourished them in their early days, and comforts them when they are hurt or sad. These arms that are still waving goodbye long after I've actually left the room, give the best hugs. My belly may not be made like a washboard, but it's nice and comfy when my kids need to cuddle. My husband doesn't dislike my body. I mean, we have three kids, so there must be some redeeming quality for it, right? If he doesn't have negative things to say about it, then what business is it of yours? My body doesn't hurt you, so why do you feel the need to try to hurt me? If I wanted to give you a taste of your own medicine, I would ask you what your excuse is? Being a man, you haven't had children, so I know that's not it...Hmmm...puzzling...
As far as being lazy, that's just plain ridiculous. I work a full-time job where I run my tail off all day every day. I then come home and chase after three children all evening, make them dinner, help with homework, play my toddler's favorite game "get me" where I chase her all over the place, then it's bath time and bed time. SO, basically, I am on the move from 6am to around 11pm Monday through Friday, and my weekends are just as busy. Lazy people don't clean the house, do the laundry, go grocery shopping and try to have as much fun with their kids as possible on Saturday, then get up early and have the whole family out the door for TWO church services on Sundays. I deserve some downtime every now and again, but rarely do I take it. Even on maternity leave I haven't been lazy. I've taken a total of TWO naps in the eight weeks I've been off of work. I have spent more time than usual on Facebook, however, where I see what you've been up to. I KNOW you aren't lazy. I've gotten a lot of requests for cows or corn seeds or whatever from you for Farmville, and boy am I jealous of your gazillion point high scores on all those slot games you play. Did you not know those are posted ALL. DAY. LONG. on my newsfeed? You're a pretty busy guy for sure!
I don't know if you are projecting your own insecurities on to me to make yourself feel better or what, but if you are, I think that is truly sad. I try to be a good person. I am the best mom and wife that I feel I can be. I work hard, I try to play hard, and I try really hard to love my neighbors. It doesn't matter what you say about me. It won't bring me down. Maybe one day, you'll need me to lean on. You know what? I'll be there. Because that's what the Lord has called me to do. I will happily give of myself to make you feel better. And maybe, just maybe, you'll remember how you tried to tear me down and feel guilty, and maybe you will be convicted in your heart to be a better person.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Sunday, September 7, 2014
No Excuses
Today, Pastor preached on not making excuses for not fulfilling the call of God in one's life. Some feel that they are not equipped for doing something for the Kingdom of God, some feel that they are going to fail, and some feel like they have had too much sin in their lives to contribute anything of worth.
Pastor read about Moses in the book of Exodus...Moses didn't want to go before Pharaoh and speak on behalf of God because he had "... never been eloquent.." and was "...slow of speech and tongue." Moses didn't feel fit to fulfill the call of God because he didn't think he was capable. But God answered to his fears by promising to help Moses speak and to tell him what to say.
In the book of Matthew, Peter denied Jesus three times. He denied knowing Him and denied being one of His followers. A short time later, despite this slight against Jesus, Peter was the one who preached the plan of Salvation on the Day of Pentecost in the book of Acts.
On our way home from service, Bryan and I had a really great discussion about feeling like there had been too much sin in our lives prior to coming back to the church and how that made it hard to do anything for God. Immediately a Scripture came to my mind: Psalm 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." When I first read these words as a young person, I didn't really understand the weight that they held. When I was a teen, Pastor had given an illustration to help better explain this particular text. (PS, I love when sermons stand out so much that you never forget them and you recall them years later when you NEED to hear it!) He said, and of course I'm paraphrasing, to picture the globe of the Earth. If you start here in Indiana, and head north, you will pass through Michigan, up into Canada and eventually you will reach the apex of the globe. At that point, if you continue on in a straight line, you will begin to head south through Russia and so on. However, if you start out heading east, you can circle the globe and never go so far as to begin heading west. You will always be going east. When you repent of your sins, God takes the sins of your past and casts them so far from you, that as long as you keep heading in the right direction, you will never again see them.
Like Moses, I am not eloquent. Like Peter, I tried to separate myself from the Lord so people wouldn't associate me with Him. And like everyone else, I have sin in my past that I feel will keep anything that I do for God from being of any worth. As far as God in concerned, there is nothing about us that will keep us from being used for His glory. Anything that we feel will make us incapable of doing a work for Him, whether it be a speech impediment or a physical disability or even the sins of our past, none of that matters to God. “...Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" (Exodus 4:11) God made all of us, and God doesn't make mistakes. He doesn't make junk. Use what God has given you, no matter what it is and no matter how insignificant it may feel. Because you may be able to reach a soul that no one else can reach.
Pastor read about Moses in the book of Exodus...Moses didn't want to go before Pharaoh and speak on behalf of God because he had "... never been eloquent.." and was "...slow of speech and tongue." Moses didn't feel fit to fulfill the call of God because he didn't think he was capable. But God answered to his fears by promising to help Moses speak and to tell him what to say.
In the book of Matthew, Peter denied Jesus three times. He denied knowing Him and denied being one of His followers. A short time later, despite this slight against Jesus, Peter was the one who preached the plan of Salvation on the Day of Pentecost in the book of Acts.
On our way home from service, Bryan and I had a really great discussion about feeling like there had been too much sin in our lives prior to coming back to the church and how that made it hard to do anything for God. Immediately a Scripture came to my mind: Psalm 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." When I first read these words as a young person, I didn't really understand the weight that they held. When I was a teen, Pastor had given an illustration to help better explain this particular text. (PS, I love when sermons stand out so much that you never forget them and you recall them years later when you NEED to hear it!) He said, and of course I'm paraphrasing, to picture the globe of the Earth. If you start here in Indiana, and head north, you will pass through Michigan, up into Canada and eventually you will reach the apex of the globe. At that point, if you continue on in a straight line, you will begin to head south through Russia and so on. However, if you start out heading east, you can circle the globe and never go so far as to begin heading west. You will always be going east. When you repent of your sins, God takes the sins of your past and casts them so far from you, that as long as you keep heading in the right direction, you will never again see them.
Like Moses, I am not eloquent. Like Peter, I tried to separate myself from the Lord so people wouldn't associate me with Him. And like everyone else, I have sin in my past that I feel will keep anything that I do for God from being of any worth. As far as God in concerned, there is nothing about us that will keep us from being used for His glory. Anything that we feel will make us incapable of doing a work for Him, whether it be a speech impediment or a physical disability or even the sins of our past, none of that matters to God. “...Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" (Exodus 4:11) God made all of us, and God doesn't make mistakes. He doesn't make junk. Use what God has given you, no matter what it is and no matter how insignificant it may feel. Because you may be able to reach a soul that no one else can reach.
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