HA!
Boy, wouldn't THAT be nice! Lets take a look at reality: I hit my alarm 3 times. I finally rolled out of bed, almost falling into the wall. I took 2 Tylenol to relieve the pain and stiffness in my neck. Took a bath because, quite frankly, I was too tired to stand to take a shower. Looked 3 times for the pants I thought I had prepared the night before just to find them exactly where I thought I had put them. I spent 5 minutes digging for a matching pair of socks, then decided, eh, who looks at my socks anyways. I attempted to catch the weather as I was dashing back and forth from the living room to the bathroom to put on my make up. I couldn't find a clean work shirt so I opted to wear a casual button up shirt that, of course, needed to be ironed. Threw the dog outside, spent 2 minutes frantically searching for my keys, realized I missed the weather and couldn't find the belt I like to wear. Got in my car, buckled up and....crap, I forgot to eat. Oh well, and we're off.
By 8:30 I had finished my morning bus run and come home to get into a heated argument with my husband. Now, normally, I would just presume that I am right and he is wrong and that's what makes the world turn rather perfectly. However, in this case, there was NO presuming. I was right and that was that. So there.....HUMPH.
The argument didn't solve anything. In fact, a seed had been planted in my heart. The planter was none other, than Satan himself. He started with one little magic seed, Pride, and it very quickly grew like a weed. Within 30 minutes the Pride weed had grown roots and these roots were creating Resentment, Jealousy, Envy, Self-Righteousness and Anger. Our conversation ended with our great results. I tried to pull the roots but a voice in the back of my head kept whispering reminders of the argument and no matter how many times I attempted to pull those thoughts from my mind they kept coming back.
By now it was 1 in the afternoon. I was tired. I hadn't eaten lunch nor had I taken my daily cat nap. I was too busy being angry that I couldn't focus on what I needed for myself. I didn't get anyting accomplished that I had hoped to get accomplished. And then it hit me.
"No wonder I can't pull these weeds", I thought. "I haven't prayed at all today."
On any normal day I spend about 10 minutes reading a small passage of scripture and I make a point to get down on my knees and speak to my Holy Savior before I leave the house. By 1 in the afternoon I've prayed at least 2 or 3 times....sometimes more. But not this day. Today I left the house vulnerable to the Enemy.
I haven't met one gardener who throws seeds in the dirt, dusts off his hands and says "Well, I guess we'll see what happens". No! They get down on their knees and work the soil. Their hands get dirty every single day. They slave in the beating sun and work up a heavy sweat. They water and fertilize the seeds and pull the weeds as often as it takes. A garden takes time and patience and consistancy. All too often we forget how precious we are to God's emmaculate garden but in order for us to flourish we have to work everyday on our relationship with Him. It's more than just going to church. It's a consitant, daily routine of reading the Word and actually talking to God.
So, I prayed. Several minutes after my prayer I realized I was still angry. Those roots were still there and still growing. I decide that it was just going to be a bad day. Everybody has a moody day, right? Why can't I? And that was that. I had made the concious decision to be in a bad mood. So I allowed the weeds to start growing again. Now I'm driving my bus and just dwelling on my Self - Pity.
Then God started knocking on my heard-headed self. He said "I am the light! How can you be my Light if you're letting the darkness of the Enemy rule your heart?" I prayed again...this time a little less self righteous. This time, I made it a little more of an honest prayer. This time I didn't pray for my husband, but for myself. About that time I was sitting at a traffic light, still slightly moody. I must have had a 'stone face' look about me because the guy in the diesel truck next to me honked to get my attention. I thought "Great, now I'm stuck next to a creeper. What else can go wrong today?" I turned to him and he leaned up as much as he could in his truck and turned towards me so I could read his shirt. It said: "I don't have A.D.D....oh Look! A squirrel!" Now, I have heard that 'joke' a thousand times but for some reason this time it was hilarious. I caught myself laughing, genuinely laughing, for the first time all day long. The light turned green and I went my way as he went his and I realized that God had just sent this goofy man to do something weird to change my entire attitude. And I was immediately blessed because God knew exactly what I needed and exactly when I needed it.
Althought I still had Satan's roots planted I decided I wasn't going to be full of Pride, Resentment, Self-Righeousness, Self-Pity and Anger. God is good and anything that is not good is not of Him. So I began to sing:
I've got the JOY, JOY, JOY, JOY down in my heart, down in my heart, down in my heart
I've got the JOY, JOY, JOY, JOY down in my heart, down in my heart to Stay!
I sang over and over and over until the weeds started to fall away one by one. Within a matter of minutes I was back to my old self. Smiling and laughing and enjoying my time with those I'm surrounded with. I was able to visit with co-workers and bless a homeless man with the $6 in my wallet. I visited with my brother & sister in law then I came home to enjoy some time with my kids with a movie and cuddles on the couch. None of those things might've happened if I hadn't decided to allow God to pull the weeds of my heart.
Here's what I learned today:
1.) No matter how 'hokey' or how 'religious weirdiness' it might sound, we DO fight a battle everyday. Satan wants us just as much as God does and I have to make that decision to live in the Light and actually DO what God wants me to do every single day.
2.) Just because I'm right in my point, doesn't make me right in my attitude.
3.) I have a husband who is on my team. No matter what. He is willing to give up things if it means making me happy. (Because we all know "if mama ain't happy......")
4.) No matter what anybody says or does or how anybody makes me feel (whether it is on purpose or not) it is my job, my duty and my responsibility to control my attitude.
5.) If I decide to have a 'moody day' then others miss the opportunity to see Jesus' Light...and that's just not fair.
Psalm 37:8
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
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