Feeling selfish

When I finally woke up today, I felt a bit blue. Our family has a lot of stuff going on. Everybody does. It would be very easy to just stay in bed, pull the covers up over my head and just have a good cry. Easier, in fact, then getting up and doing the things I know need to get done on a Saturday. I'm even home to do them. Just not really feeling like it. My heart knows not to let my emotions rule. My head sometimes wants to just go back to bed. So, instead I'll write.

I also know that when I take time, even just a few minutes, to acknowledge and spend time with God it is never time wasted. I always learn something. I always feel better when I do. Sometimes I think God will be disappointed that He wasn't my first way of dealing with issues. I'm more disappointed in myself than He ever is.

I got out my Women of Faith Devotional Bible. I read a few different passages. I realized in the front there are different topics....Grace. Liberty. Hope. Joy. Faith. Love. Forgiveness. Truth. Purpose. Peace. Healing. Sovereignty. The one I am most interested in currently is healing. Mainly because cancer has come to visit our family circle again. Maybe even still. Is it ever really gone once cancer has showed itself? The person with a diagnosis seems to handle it better than the rest of us.

The passage I chose to read is in Revelation. The end, the last book of the Bible. (A fleeting thought goes through my head: Is this the end of life as we've known it?) I read Revelation 22:1-6
The River of Life
 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

When compared to life as we know it here on Earth, the river of life sounds pretty promising. Heaven sounds like a FAR better place than here. I start to feel a bit selfish. I know what I/our family wants to have happen. We want to keep our family member(s) here as long as we can. I feel thankful that we have been able to have our parents with us as long as we have. I know there are children that do not get to have their parents around as long. I know there are parents who have not been able to have their child with them near long enough if at all.

No matter what our future holds, I will remain sure that while our days here are numbered we are blessed to be able to be in each other's lives. I believe that God promises a "new heaven and a new earth" (Rev. 21:1) and Revelation 21:4-5 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”

In an effort of not being selfish with good news, I urge you to consider a relationship with God. Not religion. Relationship. God wants the best for you. I do too.

Now....to get to that laundry. Do One Thing, Do One Next Thing

The Gift.......Unopened?

Merry Christmas!  I hope and pray that your day has been blessed with times spent with family and friends....and rejoicing in the real reason we need to celebrate.  Christmas serves as a reminder that the world does not revolve around "me" or "us", but about sharing joy and love to others.

I started thinking of all the gifts that were bought for today.  Some with a lot of thought....some just to say it was done or the "perfect" gift could not be found.  Tomorrow the lines will start with the return of the gifts that might not be the right size.....or right color.....or just not what we wanted.

We were given a gift for Christmas, but it may not always look like what we wanted....or needed.  Sometimes we get so busy thinking about what we want we forget about sharing what we have already received.  A gift unopened is a gift not enjoyed by the receiver.......or the giver.   

The Unopened Gift by KL

Amongst all the wrappings and tossed off bows

Shining brightly in the Christmas light glow

Sits an unopened gift with a tag marked “To: You”

We all start to question, this gift is for who?

The gift has obviously been there awhile

We overlooked it while we all talked and smiled

The wrapping is beat up and covered with dust

The bow askew and slightly mussed

Upon looking closer I notice the “From:”

I start to cry softly as the others come

It was a gift to be shared

To show that Someone cared

I show the rest of the card

To:  You ……  From, God

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” - Isaiah 9:6

 Romans 6 (NIV) ²² But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

2 Corinthians 9 (NIV) ¹⁴ And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 

Revelation 22:17 (NIV) The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

Praying for us that when we are aware of someone that has not opened the gift of eternal life that we will not be afraid to let them know what happened when we unwrapped that gift.  Go tell it on the mountain and everywhere!