I like the radio version of this better, but at least you can get an idea of how it sounds.
The Words I Would Say
Three in the morning, and I’m still awake
So I picked up a pen and a page
And I started writing just what I’d say
If we were face to face
I’d tell you just what you mean to me
Tell you these simple truths
CHORUS
Be strong in the Lord
And never give up hope
You’re gonna do great things
I already know
God’s got His hand on You
So don’t live life in fear
Forgive and forget
But don’t forget why you’re here
Take your time and pray
These are the words I would say
Last time we spoke you said you were hurting
And I felt your pain in my heart
I want to tell you that I keep on praying
That love will find you where you are
I know cause I’ve already been there
So please hear these simple truths
CHORUS
Say… from one simple life to another
I will say… come find peace in the Father
Be strong in the Lord
And never give up hope
You’re gonna do great things
I already know
God’s got His hand on You
So don’t live life in fear
Forgive and forget
But don’t forget why you’re here
Take your time and pray
And thank God for each day
His love will find a way
These are the words I would say
Does anyone know who came up with this phrase?
”Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
Does anyone agree with me that they were crazy? Words do hurt … words that are spoken … words that are not spoken … they hurt.
I need to be careful with my words …
It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important …
It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result. -Mohandas Gandhi
In any moment of decision
the best thing you can do is the right thing,
the next best thing is the wrong thing,
and the worst thing you can do
is nothing.
- Theodore Roosevelt
Many times I feel internally paralyzed. On the outside I’m moving about doing what needs to be done. But on the inside … I’m completely stuck … paralyzed. Sometimes the paralysis comes from fear … other times it’s simply uncertainty. I am not positive about much of anything and so I don’t move forward. I do nothing.
When someone is having a hard time, and I don’t know what to say … I say nothing. But I don’t just say nothing … I also avoid the person so that there isn’t even an opportunity to say anything. This not only doesn’t help … but it has great potential to harm.
I have to get passeed this paralysis. I have to speak … I have to act. I must risk doing the wrong thing when the right thing isn’t obvious … but I must do something.
I may or may not see the results of my actions … but I must act.
I may or may not feel good … but I can do good.
It is enough to be like Jesus … so why not start there?
Nehemiah 9 ...7 “You are the LORD God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham. 8 You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to giveto his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites. You have kept your promise because you are righteous.
9 “You saw the suffering of our forefathers in Egypt; you heard their cry at the Red Sea. [b] 10 You sent miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day. 11 You divided the sea before them, so that they passed through it on dry ground, but you hurled their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters. 12 By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.
13 “You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good. 14 You made known to them your holy Sabbath and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses. 15 In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock; you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand to give them.
16 “But they, our forefathers, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and did not obey your commands. 17 They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them, 18 even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ or when they committed awful blasphemies.
19 “Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. 20 You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. 21 For forty years you sustained them in the desert; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.
22“You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. They took over the country of Sihon king of Heshbon and the country of Og king of Bashan. 23 You made their sons as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into the land that you told their fathers to enter and possess. 24 Their sons went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you handed the Canaanites over to them, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased. 25They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness.
26 “But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they put your law behind their backs. They killed your prophets, who had admonished them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies. 27 So you handed them over to their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.
28 “But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.
I know this is a long passage, but it says so much. It says so much about us and God, and the relationship He seeks to have with us.
I look at the verbs of God … chose, brought, named, found, made, give, kept, saw, heard, sent, knew, divided, hurled, led, came, spoke, brought, told.
And then I look at the response of those He was doing things for … they were arrogant, stiff-necked, refused to listen, failed to remember, and longed to return to their slavery.
BUT God … the words in red are filled with hope. He is faithful when we are not, He is forgiving and compassionate when we least deserve it. He sustained them for 40 years as they complained and complained. After all those red letters of hope …
They responded with disobedience and rebellion, lawlessness and murder … even blasphemy.
BUT they cried out … and He heard them. As if He had been listening all along … listening hard for the first cry.
The line that troubles me the most: But as soon as they were at rest … I wish that were followed with something like “they realized their wrong and humbly turned to God, never to turn away again.” But that ’s not what it says. Yet, He continues to rescue when one of His children cries out. Time after time.
I hope that I never again experience the rest of God and then turn my back on Him … but I fear that I may. I hope that I never again put His law behind my back … but I fear that I may. I hope that I avoid disobedience and rebelliousness … but it’s not likely. Shamefully, my track record follows that of the Israelites … turn to Him, rest, turn from Him, cry out, turn to Him, rest.
I put my hope in His track record … I cry, He hears, He rescues, He holds, He gives me rest, He delivers with compassion … time after time.
Over the past two weeks I have been bombarded with people telling me to plan, plan, plan. Planning is everything. Planning will prevent behavior problems. Planning is key. I had just about had my fill of recommendations on planning when I heard something different. Something that struck me … and has been on my mind ever since.
A woman was telling a story about her daughter who runs cross country. Her daughter has been used to running the same course for several years but this year they got a new coach. The coach, being unfamiliar with the town, basically had the runners start running and meet her at the corner. She then, drove in her car, going from corner to corner until her odometer showed the required mileage. When the girl was telling her mom about it she said, “It was really hard to run when I couldn’t see the end in my head.”
Visualization is a strategy that is used in all arenas. Athletes visualize themselves winning a match, pianists visualize themselves playing the piece perfectly. What do Christians do? Do we ever visualize ourselves heading Home with Jesus by our side … do we visualize the day that we won’t have to worry anymore … the day that we will be called home to rest … for eternity?
From that story, the woman taught me to plan my lessons with the end in mind … and to let my students know what that end looks like. All week I’ve been thinking of that phrase, “plan with the end in mind”. Although I do dream of Home often … I don’t know that I plan with It in mind. I need to do that … I need to plan with the End in mind. That sweet End that has been promised to all that choose it will be worth the wait … worth the trudging … worth the pain.
Will my life be lived differently if I live with the End in mind? Possibly. It depends how I’m living now. I think for me, it’s hard to picture that Home because it will be so different than what we have now. So maybe I need to study. Maybe I need to figure out more about that Home so that it becomes a real place that I can hope for … that I can visualize.
What does that Home look like to you?
Yesterday I read that it was National Frozen Custard Day. I didn’t participate and today was feeling like I needed to make up for that. So I headed to my absolute favorite frozen custard place … Sheridan’s. I usually order ET’s Charming Cheesecake with a hot fudge add-in. Wow … it’s really good. It is not healthy in any way, shape or form … which is why it tastes so amazing.
My point is not really to get you salivating over frozen custard … although if that’s not happening by now, I want to know how you have such self-control. My point is this …
When the woman’s voice came over the speaker she said, “Welcome to Sheridan’s, how can I make you smile today?” Just the fact that she asked that, made me smile. After I told her that she could put a big smile on my face by giving me an ET’s Charming Cheesecake, I had to wait in line for a few minutes. As I waited I thought about her question.
When I was married I remember telling my husband that I wished that once in a while he would ask if I needed anything. I had suggested at one time that he make lists so that he could keep track of things he needed to do … I was shocked when he put me on his list. He literally wrote, “Ask if she needs anything.”
A complete stranger asked me how she could make me smile and it made me feel good. On any other day it probably wouldn’t have been a second thought, but today, it struck me. It reminded me that I don’t always pay attention to how my action or inaction might impact someone else. When I do things I’m not usually trying to make someone else smile, I’m usually looking to my own pleasure or benefit. So imagine, if I actually sought smiles. If I went about my day paying attention to how I make others feel.
How could I make you smile today? Is there anything you did to make someone else smile … or anything someone did to make you smile? Would it be possible for you to list as many things as you can that made you smile today?
This last week I had a once in a lifetime experience. At least I hope it only happens once in my life … 
I went to a place called Spirit Ranch. It’s a place that helps with team building. The school I’m working with paid for the entire staff to go. I had a horrible attitude and had no interest in attending. I knew that it would involve challenging myself both physically and emotionally and I just didn’t have the energy.
As I walked in I saw an old friend from college. I had forgotten that he worked there. Seeing him actually helped me catch my breath a little and helped me change my attitude. I decided to choose to be challenged and I chose to try and get to know the people I will be working with.
My friend did an opening speech and talked about a trip that he recently took to Africa. He described rafting down the Nile River and the difficulties that he faced. His instructor told him: “When you fall into the water you are going to have to hold your breath. Until you come up long enough to actually breathe out you will have to continue to hold your breath. You cannot take a breath upon a breath. You must first breathe out … only then can you breathe in.”
At the Open we talk a lot about breathing. We talk about breathing out so that you can breathe in. As much as we’ve talked about it I never really grasped the main concept … you cannot take a breath upon a breath.
When I moved back from Illinois I found a teaching job. It wasn’t what I wanted, but it was a job. I ended up quitting at the end of the year and then I got another teaching job. It wasn’t what I wanted, but it was a job. I made it until January and then I quit. I was suffocating … I couldn’t breathe.
After taking a break from teaching for about a year and a half I realize I was trying to take a breath upon a breath. I got divorced, quit my job, had to have my dog put down, moved to a place I said I’d never move, and then jumped right into a new life. I never took time to really breathe out. So many things changed … and so quickly … that I felt okay, but I really wasn’t. I was not breathing.
Thankfully God provides places for us to completely breathe out so that we can breathe in and keep going. He has done that through a “church”, a job, a blog, and especially through some people. I can see now what it took for Him to provide what I needed and only in hindsight can I see that He had a plan all along.
Thanks God … for providing me with breath. The breath of life that You gave through Your Son, the breath that you give me when I see a friend, and the deep, deep breath that You give me when I look to You for the answers … instead of trying on my own to take a breath upon a breath.
Last night we had a really good lesson on Proverbs 14:12 … “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” We talked about how things may SEEM right to us, but usually the road we’re on is leading to death.
Jesus said, in John 14:6 … “I am the way and the truth and the life.”
We talked about how when we follow the directions we’ve been given by God, we can KNOW for SURE that they are correct, they are true, and they will get us where we want to go.
The past month and a half I have been trying to collect some paperwork. Unfortunately, I was never given the full set of instructions on collecting this paperwork. First, I found out it was on the wrong form (no one had told me there was a right form). Second, I was told it had to be in original form, not faxes or copies. (I had already turned in 2 faxes before I was told this and no one had complained.) Third, I had someone give me the wrong information on the form. (I had to contact them to get it corrected, plus put on the right form, and in its original state.) Fifth, I had one woman refuse to rewrite it on a different paper and mail it so that I could have it in its original form. (Who knows how I’ll fix that one.)
Sheesh!!! It has been frustrating beyond belief, and embarrassing to have to keep going to people saying, “I’m sorry, but, once again I need you to redo this.”
Last night it became very clear to me that this all could have been avoided had I been given the correct instructions in the first place.
How many times in my life have I lived based on assumptions or opinions … looking to satisfy myself … only to end up in a mess of confusion having to apologize?
To be shown once again that the truth (I can trust it) and the correct instructions (I can know they are right) have been at my fingertips all along. There is no reason for me to wander aimlessly through my life wondering if I’m on the right path … I can KNOW for SURE.
When the bumps and bruises keep happening on my current path why do I stay on it? Is it pride or fear that keeps me from turning to God for the right directions? What about you … if you KNOW you have the right directions available … and that they are true and trustworthy … what keeps you from following them? What keeps you from seeing how much easier it would be His way? Have you ever done it His way and it turned out worse than it would have your way?
There is a blog that I’ve been reading lately that had a good post today about taking small steps toward stupid. The guy talks about some things in his life that may not seem like big deals now … but they are small steps that will inevitably lead to a big crash down the road.
I have a huge problem with this and his post really made me think. I equate his “small steps toward stupid” idea to what I learned to call “triggers”. Triggers in my life are things that might not mean much to anyone else, but for me they are things that trigger thoughts of the past or thoughts of habits that I’m better off not thinking – because I will eventually end up doing.
For example … music. The music that I listen to on any given day plays a huge role in my mood and mindset. When I’m feeling a certain way I’m drawn to certain music. There are times when I can get sucked into the music and set myself on a path of negative thinking, self-pity, and unavoidable depression.
I can do the same thing with movies. There are nights that I will purposely rent horribly sad movies and watch them over and over again … manufacturing a mood that I want to be in, however, it’s a mood that I should be avoiding at all costs. Why would anyone want to be sad? For me, it’s a comfortable place, a place where I excuse my behavior, a place where I can more easily shirk responsibility, and a place where I can live in self-pity without feeling so guilty.
My house has a wet bar in the living room. I have conveniently transformed it into a little computer station for myself. I use the built in wine rack to hold shoes and the sink is covered with a piece of wood that holds my printer. One night last week I was cleaning out one of the cabinets and way in the back there was a space where an airplane-sized bottle of Canadian Whiskey had fallen. The previous owners left it behind and without my knowledge it has been nesting itself there just waiting for me to find it for the past two years. Well I finally found it. TRIGGER!!!
About 11 years ago there would have been no question what to do with it. I would have gulped it down without even thinking. But last week it presented somewhat of a dilemma. I threw it away immediately. But funny, looking back, I threw it away right there where I found it. Not out in the dumpster where I couldn’t get it out. No, I just placed it carefully in the trash can within reach.
That was the first small step toward stupid. I won’t go into all the details, but it was a long night. I didn’t think about the bottle really … but I was in such a funk. While lying in bed hours later I remembered the bottle. I thought that I should probably go throw it out for good … but told myself to just wait until morning. Second small step toward stupid.
I tossed and turned all night. Good and bad memories flooding my mind. Good and bad thoughts flooding my mind. Thoughts of what that one little bottle could do to my life … on and on my mind raced.
Thankfully … I fell asleep … the thoughts relented … I threw the bottle away for real … and went on with my day. One huge step toward serenity. Thank God He allowed me to get back on the path I need to be on. Every time I start on the path toward stupid I run a risk of following it all the way to the end. That’s why it’s so important not to get on that road in the first place.
Proverbs 1:15 says when dealing with enticements … “my son, do not set foot on their paths” … steer clear completely because it may be a lot harder to turn around than you expect.
Taken any small steps toward stupid lately? Or better yet, have you taken any huge steps toward serenity?
I look out my window at work a lot. I would be embarrassed to calculate how many hours I have spent watching people get gas at Town & Country … steal water from Town & Country … sit at the bus stop … or tote big things to the pawn shop. I love to people watch and am fascinated by their behavior.
You know when you are at the store or out in a parking lot and you do something embarrassing? You look around wondering if anyone saw you … they most likely did. Because everywhere there are people like me who like to people watch. I know that is probably a scary thought … but you needed to know.
Anyway, right outside my window there is a bus stop. For whatever reason they’ve chosen not to have any kind of cover to offer shade to people … it’s just a bench sitting out in the baking sun, pouring rain, and freezing snow.
Inevitably, around this time of year people will begin to seek out the shade. It’s just too hot to sit on that metal bench baking in the heat. There happens to be a telephone pole right there that offers a tiny bit of shade. I have seen, on more than one occasion, someone squeezing into the shadow of that pole … seeking relief.
They never fit all the way … they have to choose which part of their body will hang outside the shade boundary because it just isn’t a big enough shadow to cover them.
As I watched a woman will herself to be smaller so she could fit into that shadow, I started thinking about how many times the Bible talks about us being in the shadow of God’s wings.
Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 17:8)
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. (Psalm 57:1)
How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 36:7)
Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 63:7)
He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.
(Isaiah 49:2)
I love the thought of being safe … finding relief in God’s shadow. Even better is the thought of how great and wide and massive His shadow is. I do not have to hope that I will fit under it … or will myself to be smaller so that my belly doesn’t hang out. I fit. You fit. We all fit. There is always room in God’s shadow.
And another great thing about His shadow … not only is there always room in it … but …
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
… it doesn’t change. Ever. No matter what.
So when your spirit is hot and thirsty … your soul is cold and tired … or your heart is experiencing a storm … find rest in His shadow … take refuge under His wing … and sing for eternity in the refuge - of – Him.
