I'm amazed at the vast amount of options in cold remedies these days. Even going through my own medicine cabinet recently looking for something to abate a summer cold my son was developing, the number of options were insane. Never mind going to a big box drugstore chain to look for something. I'd need medication myself for the headache I'd have after trying to make sense of all the options on the shelves! Not to mention the ones held behind the counter that you have to show ID for because some knuckleheads are abusing them. It's almost impossible to sort them all out and decide which is best suitable to tackle your symptoms.
Daytime, Nighttime, 6-hour, 12-hour, 24-hour. Pills, tablets, capsules, liquids, reditabs. Rapid release, slow release, extended release. Cough suppressant, decongestant, antihistamine. May cause drowsiness. May cause excitability. May cause me to go insane trying to figure it all out! SHEESH! When and how did we come to need so many options? I say take me back to the days when my Grandma Tucker would offer a dose of good old castor oil - for whatever ailed you! And you know what? Most of the time it worked. Or else we were too scared to complain again for fear of a second dose!
I'm so grateful that God is a one stop shop. No matter what ails us, no matter what our symptoms are, He is the answer to it all. Daytime, Nighttime, Anytime. Anxiety, Worry, Fear. Addiction, Cheating, Jealousy. Depression, Sadness, Heartbreak. Anger, Frustration, Bitterness. Disappointment, Hopelessness, Loss. He is the remedy for it all.
"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." ~ 1 Peter 5:7
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~ Phillipians 4:6,7
Friday, August 26, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Raindrops, Showers or Storms?
It recently occurred to me how many songs in the Christian genre reference rain. I'm sure we'd be surprised by the number if we were ever able to gather them all up, but there are three in particular that jumped out in my mind. And as I was thinking about them, I couldn't help but see the progression between them.
Laura Story is a fairly new Christian artist and although you may not recognize her name, chances are if you tune in to Christian radio, you've heard her beautiful song, "Blessings." The first line of the chorus asks the question, "What if your blessings come through raindrops?" Wow. Do we see raindrops as blessings? Perhaps. For a moment. If we've been in a drought. But if raindrops are all we're getting after a horrible drought, are we really satisfied? Or do we just argue that its not enough? Or what if we're looking for sunshine and we get raindrops? We're probably not too happy then either are we? In either situation, we're probably not viewing raindrops as a blessing. Unfortunately, we tend to forget that God knows exactly what we need, how much we need, and when we need it. So if raindrops are what we're getting, you can rest assured that it's what we need at that moment. Even if it's not what we were hoping for, are we thankful for the raindrops?
Then I thought about the lyrics to the old favorite hymn based on Ezekiel 34:26. The lyrics of the song read, "There shall be showers of blessing, oh that today they might fall..." and later in the chorus, "Showers of blessing, showers of blessing we need. Mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead." Isn't it true that sometimes we're getting the raindrops but feel we're really in need of the showers? Again, we forget that God knows just how much we need and when we need it. Or maybe you're experiencing showers of blessing right now in your life and have forgotten who sent them. Have you praised God for the showers? Or do you only go to Him when you're in need of them?
And finally, a favorite in our house is Casting Crown's song, "Praise You in This Storm." What about when the thunder is rolling and the lightning is striking all around us? What if our raindrops and showers have turned into downpours and the floodwater is rising higher and higher? The song says that even as the thunder rolls, God is whispering through the rain, "I'm with you." Do we rely on this blessed assurance when we're caught up in the storms of life? Or do we instead ask, "Why me?" and grumble and complain about the situation we're in.
Sure, it's easy to praise God and be thankful when the showers of blessing are pouring down around us. But what about when our blessings are disguised as raindrops or when we're in the midst of a terrible storm? Are we still so quick to give Him praise? Hebrews 13:5 reminds us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. No matter what kind of weather we're experiencing. In the raindrops, in the showers and in the storm, He is always there. The only question is do we always acknowledge Him?
"...and daily shall He be praised." ~ Psalm 72:15
Blessings
Showers of Blessing
Praise You in This Storm
Laura Story is a fairly new Christian artist and although you may not recognize her name, chances are if you tune in to Christian radio, you've heard her beautiful song, "Blessings." The first line of the chorus asks the question, "What if your blessings come through raindrops?" Wow. Do we see raindrops as blessings? Perhaps. For a moment. If we've been in a drought. But if raindrops are all we're getting after a horrible drought, are we really satisfied? Or do we just argue that its not enough? Or what if we're looking for sunshine and we get raindrops? We're probably not too happy then either are we? In either situation, we're probably not viewing raindrops as a blessing. Unfortunately, we tend to forget that God knows exactly what we need, how much we need, and when we need it. So if raindrops are what we're getting, you can rest assured that it's what we need at that moment. Even if it's not what we were hoping for, are we thankful for the raindrops?
Then I thought about the lyrics to the old favorite hymn based on Ezekiel 34:26. The lyrics of the song read, "There shall be showers of blessing, oh that today they might fall..." and later in the chorus, "Showers of blessing, showers of blessing we need. Mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead." Isn't it true that sometimes we're getting the raindrops but feel we're really in need of the showers? Again, we forget that God knows just how much we need and when we need it. Or maybe you're experiencing showers of blessing right now in your life and have forgotten who sent them. Have you praised God for the showers? Or do you only go to Him when you're in need of them?
And finally, a favorite in our house is Casting Crown's song, "Praise You in This Storm." What about when the thunder is rolling and the lightning is striking all around us? What if our raindrops and showers have turned into downpours and the floodwater is rising higher and higher? The song says that even as the thunder rolls, God is whispering through the rain, "I'm with you." Do we rely on this blessed assurance when we're caught up in the storms of life? Or do we instead ask, "Why me?" and grumble and complain about the situation we're in.
Sure, it's easy to praise God and be thankful when the showers of blessing are pouring down around us. But what about when our blessings are disguised as raindrops or when we're in the midst of a terrible storm? Are we still so quick to give Him praise? Hebrews 13:5 reminds us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. No matter what kind of weather we're experiencing. In the raindrops, in the showers and in the storm, He is always there. The only question is do we always acknowledge Him?
"...and daily shall He be praised." ~ Psalm 72:15
Blessings
Showers of Blessing
Praise You in This Storm
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Do You Need A Shovel?
I've lived in my home for almost 10 years. It's hard to believe that it's been that long, but it's true. And the only thing that's really irked me ever since I moved in is the azalea bushes in my yard. They had been here for what looked like decades prior to my arrival, and some had grown even taller than the house. I've never been fond of their daunting presence. Oh, I love the beautiful white, pink and purple blooms they offer in the Spring, and it's hard for me to even imagine Easter pictures without an azalea blooming somewhere in the background. But those couple of weeks of color in the Spring doesn't last long. And it certainly doesn't make up for the months that they're not blooming and are just overgrown and unsightly.
I've tried trimming them in years past, but they always come back with a vengeance - fuller and taller than ever before. With each new season they seemed to take over more and more. There was just no stopping them it seemed. Until yesterday. Yesterday they were dug up. Removed from the ground by the roots. They may have been ridiculously tall and overgrown, but they were no match for the backhoe! Within just a few minutes every one of them was out of my yard and on the pile of trash to be burned - right where they belonged!
I'm not sure why it took me nearly 10 years to finally become sick enough of them to order them gone. I guess the main reason is because I never could decide what to put back in their place. But you know what? I still haven't decided. Right now nothing is going back in their place. This morning I'm enjoying the open space that's been left by their removal. Sure the dirt is disturbed and the ground is a bit of a mess where they had been so deeply imbedded for years, but even the dirt is a prettier site to me than the azaleas were. Even without knowing what will eventually replace them - I'm glad they're gone! And the best part is they won't be coming back. They can't sprout new leaves and put on new growth and come back stronger than before. They have permanently been removed from my landscape.
The Bible tells us that the only way to get rid of sin and the things that cause us to sin is to remove them from our landscape. Permanently. If we just trim them back but keep them around, they are certain to come back stronger and more powerful than before. Just like the azaleas, they will keep coming back over and over again, determined to take over more and more of our lives each and every time. The only way to remove sin and the things that lead us to it - no matter WHAT those things may be - is to dig it up by the roots and dispose of it permanently, no matter what the cost.
"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[a]? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?"
~ 2 Corinthians 6:14,15
"If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell."
~ Matthew 5:29,30
I've tried trimming them in years past, but they always come back with a vengeance - fuller and taller than ever before. With each new season they seemed to take over more and more. There was just no stopping them it seemed. Until yesterday. Yesterday they were dug up. Removed from the ground by the roots. They may have been ridiculously tall and overgrown, but they were no match for the backhoe! Within just a few minutes every one of them was out of my yard and on the pile of trash to be burned - right where they belonged!
I'm not sure why it took me nearly 10 years to finally become sick enough of them to order them gone. I guess the main reason is because I never could decide what to put back in their place. But you know what? I still haven't decided. Right now nothing is going back in their place. This morning I'm enjoying the open space that's been left by their removal. Sure the dirt is disturbed and the ground is a bit of a mess where they had been so deeply imbedded for years, but even the dirt is a prettier site to me than the azaleas were. Even without knowing what will eventually replace them - I'm glad they're gone! And the best part is they won't be coming back. They can't sprout new leaves and put on new growth and come back stronger than before. They have permanently been removed from my landscape.
The Bible tells us that the only way to get rid of sin and the things that cause us to sin is to remove them from our landscape. Permanently. If we just trim them back but keep them around, they are certain to come back stronger and more powerful than before. Just like the azaleas, they will keep coming back over and over again, determined to take over more and more of our lives each and every time. The only way to remove sin and the things that lead us to it - no matter WHAT those things may be - is to dig it up by the roots and dispose of it permanently, no matter what the cost.
"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[a]? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?"
~ 2 Corinthians 6:14,15
"If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell."
~ Matthew 5:29,30
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
What are you Fighting?
Just in the past few years my father has planted grapevines in his yard. He's always had an affinity for all things green and growing but just over the past decade has he introduced fruit trees and grapevines into his landscape. He's got peaches, plums, blueberries, and just recently added a blackberry bush. He meticulously prunes and waters each one, hoping to produce a great fruit at harvest time. The same is true for his grapevines. This year in particular he took special care in nurturing them. He was attentive to them year-round and when they started putting on fruit, they were loaded. We were so excited - there were going to be more than enough grapes for all of us!
A few weeks ago my mother was walking through the fruit trees and noticed the grapes. They were full and plump and were looking just as they should. She picked a handful and realized they weren't quite ripe enough - but in another week they'd be perfect. The only problem was, in another week, there weren't any. In just a couple of days, actually. My father went back to check their ripeness - and they were gone. That's right, gone. Every single one of them. The vines had been picked clean and not a single grape was left for my dad's enjoyment. All of his hard work and dedication had been for naught. He was sick and we were all sick for him.
He immediately blamed the squirrels and birds that show up in abundance around his fruit trees and we all started talking about what preventive measures we could take next year to assure they stayed away. Ideas of placing scarecrows around the vines and maybe even using netting to cover them came to mind as we schemed about how to thwart the pesky rascals next year. Then we started hearing of sightings of another kind of prowler in the neighborhood. My daughter had seen one just the week before in my parents' front yard. My cousin reported seeing two in her yard, which is adjacent to my parents' property, and right next to the grapevines. Maybe it wasn't the birds and squirrels afterall.
Maybe it was deer. Yep, deer. We never would have thought deer, but they were apparently all around his property. Plus, it made more sense. The vines had been picked clean, every single grape completely gone, not just pecked like a bird would do. And there wasn't any remains left on the ground, and squirrels always leave a mess behind. It seemed the culprit wasn't the birds or the squirrels afterall - it was most likely the deer.
With a new enemy to blame, the plan of action changed as well. Scarecrows might work for the birds and squirrels, but they might not keep out the deer. But an electric fence would! Armed with more knowledge about his enemy, my father could better prepare for battle, beginning with the proper choice of ammunition. It seemed an electric fence was going to be his weapon of choice. (If you live in our neighborhood and happen to see a deer, you might want to warn him to steer clear of the grapevines next year.)
When we're fighting the enemies in our lives, its a much easier task if we know who it is we're fighting against. If our battle is with our weight, it's not going to do us any good to cut up our credit cards. And on the flip side, if we struggle with our finances, diet and exercise are not going to help us sort out our spending. If you're a compulsive hoarder, chances are that a Weight Watchers meeting isn't going to help you.
It's kind of like having symptoms but not a diagnosis. Doctors can only provide proper treatment for an illness if they know what they're treating. It won't do you any good to have an appendectomy if your gallbladder is the source of your problems. Knowing your enemy and facing it head on is the only thing that can help lead you to victory.
A few weeks ago my mother was walking through the fruit trees and noticed the grapes. They were full and plump and were looking just as they should. She picked a handful and realized they weren't quite ripe enough - but in another week they'd be perfect. The only problem was, in another week, there weren't any. In just a couple of days, actually. My father went back to check their ripeness - and they were gone. That's right, gone. Every single one of them. The vines had been picked clean and not a single grape was left for my dad's enjoyment. All of his hard work and dedication had been for naught. He was sick and we were all sick for him.
He immediately blamed the squirrels and birds that show up in abundance around his fruit trees and we all started talking about what preventive measures we could take next year to assure they stayed away. Ideas of placing scarecrows around the vines and maybe even using netting to cover them came to mind as we schemed about how to thwart the pesky rascals next year. Then we started hearing of sightings of another kind of prowler in the neighborhood. My daughter had seen one just the week before in my parents' front yard. My cousin reported seeing two in her yard, which is adjacent to my parents' property, and right next to the grapevines. Maybe it wasn't the birds and squirrels afterall.
Maybe it was deer. Yep, deer. We never would have thought deer, but they were apparently all around his property. Plus, it made more sense. The vines had been picked clean, every single grape completely gone, not just pecked like a bird would do. And there wasn't any remains left on the ground, and squirrels always leave a mess behind. It seemed the culprit wasn't the birds or the squirrels afterall - it was most likely the deer.
With a new enemy to blame, the plan of action changed as well. Scarecrows might work for the birds and squirrels, but they might not keep out the deer. But an electric fence would! Armed with more knowledge about his enemy, my father could better prepare for battle, beginning with the proper choice of ammunition. It seemed an electric fence was going to be his weapon of choice. (If you live in our neighborhood and happen to see a deer, you might want to warn him to steer clear of the grapevines next year.)
When we're fighting the enemies in our lives, its a much easier task if we know who it is we're fighting against. If our battle is with our weight, it's not going to do us any good to cut up our credit cards. And on the flip side, if we struggle with our finances, diet and exercise are not going to help us sort out our spending. If you're a compulsive hoarder, chances are that a Weight Watchers meeting isn't going to help you.
It's kind of like having symptoms but not a diagnosis. Doctors can only provide proper treatment for an illness if they know what they're treating. It won't do you any good to have an appendectomy if your gallbladder is the source of your problems. Knowing your enemy and facing it head on is the only thing that can help lead you to victory.
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." ~ Ephesians 6:12
Monday, August 22, 2011
Hold the Seeds Please!
I love lemonade. Good lemonade. And in my opinion, one certain fast food chain has the best. Their diet lemonade is my secret addiction. I could drink the stuff daily - and alot of times I do. I recently found out why their lemonade is so good. They use real lemons. No artificial flavorings or powders from which alot of lemonades are made. Just real lemons. Real lemons that are squeezed fresh daily. I'm sure it's not a fun job, but the use of real lemons is what makes their lemonade oh so good.
It's an understatement to say I'm a happy camper when I'm able to have one of these diet lemonades. I love the stuff like a fat kid loves cake and eagerly look forward to it when I know I'm going to get one. Such was the case one day a few weeks ago. I had been anticipating that cool tartness all afternoon and couldn't wait for the first sip. But as I sucked the first swig up through my straw, the first thing to hit my mouth wasn't that cool liquidy goodness I was expecting. Instead it was hard, sharp and bitter. It was a seed. That's right - a seed. And pulp. A whole lot of thick gooey pulp. My happy camper attitude quickly became more sour than the lemonade and my whole mindset towards the rest of the drink changed.
I took off the lid and peeked inside to find a thick, pulp-filled lemonade with seeds floating throughout. This was not the norm by any means and I was sadly disappointed. The standard had not been met on the lemonade scale of perfection. That's the only time I've ever not finished one of those lemonades. But after that first sip of stringy pulp and hard bitter seeds, I just couldn't stomach any more. I felt like a kid at Christmas unwrapping a present and hoping for the latest and greatest toy, but instead all he finds is underwear. I was more than disappointed.
I found out the reason for the faulty lemonade that day. Apparently there had been some trouble with the strainer and it wasn't working properly. It was getting clogged and alot of pulp and seeds were slipping through into the juice when normally they would have been filtered out. A couple of days later I was assured that the machine had been repaired and sure enough, my next lemonade was back to perfection.
I don't know about you but my strainer gets clogged and goes on the blink sometimes too. Things I wish were filtered out sometimes slide through. Words slip by that I later wish I hadn't said. Actions may get through that cause hurt feelings. I may be the hard bitter seeds in someone's lemonade because my strainer isn't kept working properly. Daily surrender to God is the only thing that can help keep it running smoothly.
"May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." ~ Psalm 19:14
"Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved." ~ I Corinthians 10:32,33
It's an understatement to say I'm a happy camper when I'm able to have one of these diet lemonades. I love the stuff like a fat kid loves cake and eagerly look forward to it when I know I'm going to get one. Such was the case one day a few weeks ago. I had been anticipating that cool tartness all afternoon and couldn't wait for the first sip. But as I sucked the first swig up through my straw, the first thing to hit my mouth wasn't that cool liquidy goodness I was expecting. Instead it was hard, sharp and bitter. It was a seed. That's right - a seed. And pulp. A whole lot of thick gooey pulp. My happy camper attitude quickly became more sour than the lemonade and my whole mindset towards the rest of the drink changed.
I took off the lid and peeked inside to find a thick, pulp-filled lemonade with seeds floating throughout. This was not the norm by any means and I was sadly disappointed. The standard had not been met on the lemonade scale of perfection. That's the only time I've ever not finished one of those lemonades. But after that first sip of stringy pulp and hard bitter seeds, I just couldn't stomach any more. I felt like a kid at Christmas unwrapping a present and hoping for the latest and greatest toy, but instead all he finds is underwear. I was more than disappointed.
I found out the reason for the faulty lemonade that day. Apparently there had been some trouble with the strainer and it wasn't working properly. It was getting clogged and alot of pulp and seeds were slipping through into the juice when normally they would have been filtered out. A couple of days later I was assured that the machine had been repaired and sure enough, my next lemonade was back to perfection.
I don't know about you but my strainer gets clogged and goes on the blink sometimes too. Things I wish were filtered out sometimes slide through. Words slip by that I later wish I hadn't said. Actions may get through that cause hurt feelings. I may be the hard bitter seeds in someone's lemonade because my strainer isn't kept working properly. Daily surrender to God is the only thing that can help keep it running smoothly.
"May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." ~ Psalm 19:14
"Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved." ~ I Corinthians 10:32,33
Friday, August 19, 2011
GO PACK GO!!
High school football is a BIG DEAL in the South. For some reason, more than in any other area of the country, we southerners love our high school football. Especially in a small town such as ours, where there is only one high school in the entire county. Literally everyone in town is cheering for the same team, our Colquitt County Packers. It makes for a very unique and cohesive atmosphere. An unparalleled feeling of excitement permeates the air in town when football season arrives.
My daughter is a high school senior this year and today is the first pep rally and home game of the season. Coming off of a year in which our team made it all the way to the State Championship, there's alot riding on this season. The town is full of high hopes and expectation. Everyone's praying that we'll make it all the way again, only this will be the year we bring home the prize.
I was amazed at the difference in my daughter's attitude towards going to school this morning. She was super stoked and hyper, as though she was going to a party and not to school. She suited up in her new black t-shirt which shows off her class's superiority by proudly proclaiming that seniors run the school. She fixed her hair in a pony tail and ribbons to reflect her playful spirit, and even decorated her face with eye black as though she were going to be out on the field herself. She was ready. And she was more than anxious to get to school and show some love and support for her beloved Packers.
I couldn't help but think as she left that it's a shame she's not that excited about going to school every day. Any other day she'd be dragging her feet as she headed out, dreading the day ahead. And then I thought that it's a shame that we as Christians don't always have that level of excitement about going to church. Don't we often feel like getting up and going to church is just like any other school day? That it's something we have to do or something that we're supposed to do? Don't we often drag our feet as we head out the door?
We as Christians need to be fired up about going to church to worship and praise God, just like my daughter is fired up about going to the pep rally and football game. Maybe we should hold our own personal pep rally for God. We should be amazed by the great things He's done in past seasons and we should be hopeful and prayerful about the things we anticipate Him doing in the next season. Just as we get ready to cheer on our local football team, we need to cheer God on and celebrate Him all the more. But we need to do it year-round...not just during football season.
Psalm 96:3,4 "Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. 4 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;..."
My daughter is a high school senior this year and today is the first pep rally and home game of the season. Coming off of a year in which our team made it all the way to the State Championship, there's alot riding on this season. The town is full of high hopes and expectation. Everyone's praying that we'll make it all the way again, only this will be the year we bring home the prize.
I was amazed at the difference in my daughter's attitude towards going to school this morning. She was super stoked and hyper, as though she was going to a party and not to school. She suited up in her new black t-shirt which shows off her class's superiority by proudly proclaiming that seniors run the school. She fixed her hair in a pony tail and ribbons to reflect her playful spirit, and even decorated her face with eye black as though she were going to be out on the field herself. She was ready. And she was more than anxious to get to school and show some love and support for her beloved Packers.
I couldn't help but think as she left that it's a shame she's not that excited about going to school every day. Any other day she'd be dragging her feet as she headed out, dreading the day ahead. And then I thought that it's a shame that we as Christians don't always have that level of excitement about going to church. Don't we often feel like getting up and going to church is just like any other school day? That it's something we have to do or something that we're supposed to do? Don't we often drag our feet as we head out the door?
We as Christians need to be fired up about going to church to worship and praise God, just like my daughter is fired up about going to the pep rally and football game. Maybe we should hold our own personal pep rally for God. We should be amazed by the great things He's done in past seasons and we should be hopeful and prayerful about the things we anticipate Him doing in the next season. Just as we get ready to cheer on our local football team, we need to cheer God on and celebrate Him all the more. But we need to do it year-round...not just during football season.
Psalm 96:3,4 "Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. 4 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;..."
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Worth the Wait
We discovered recently that my son is anemic. He had a severe episode back in the Spring that lasted a couple of weeks when all he wanted to do was sleep. He would stay awake for two or three hours, then he'd fall back asleep. He had no energy whatsoever and really startled us when he began to lose weight. We were convinced that he had mononucleosis, but after all the tests and blood work came back we were told that he had a bad case of strep throat and that he was anemic. Not wanting to be reliant on those nasty iron supplements that can mess with your digestive system, we were told that the next best thing would be for him to eat red meat. And lots of it. So when he would start feeling tired or lethargic, we would reach for a burger.
We're learning now to keep red meat in his diet regularly in the hopes of preventing another bad episode. Since school has started back and he's getting less sleep, more often than not we'll hit a fast food joint on the way home in the afternoons so he can have a "snack" of red meat. Most days 2 hamburgers and an order of fries are his "snack!" Sometimes we even add a chocolate shake. And yes, he'll eat supper, too...and probably a bowl of cereal before bedtime. He's a growing boy - upward, not outward - so as long as he can eat like that and maintain his teeny waistline, I say have at it.
Yesterday we had stopped by one of our favorite burger joints and we went inside to place our order. We were getting 3 sandwiches (2 burgers for him, a chicken for me), a small fry, a drink and a shake. We were the only ones at the counter, there were two girls working behind the counter, and no one else was around. Our order was placed and we waited while the young girl made the milkshake. The same girl then disappeared into the kitchen. After waiting a few minutes, she came back to tell us that the chicken had to be cooked. Okay, that was fine. Being a burger joint, I didn't expect them to have chicken cooked all the time. Besides, I'd rather have it hot anyway.
We waited the five more minutes it took to cook the chicken, and then as they were bagging our sandwiches, they realized something. They hadn't cooked any fries. That's right, no fries. We had to wait. Again. Another four minutes for the fries to cook. And yes we were still the only ones at the counter. No other customers had come in and only one had come through the drive-thru while we were there. It wasn't like they were swamped. The kitchen wasn't in the weeds. They had just simply made a mistake.
They both apologized several times and when the order was finally complete and we were handed the bag across the counter, we were told that they had given us two free apple pies for our wait. (And let me just say because I know some of you are thinking it - no, we were not at McDonald's!) We told them that was very nice of them, thanked them and walked out to the car. Once inside the car, my son opened the bag and realized that not only had they given us the two free pies, they had also upgraded our small french fry to a large. And everything was hot, just the way we wanted.
We didn't like having to wait nearly 15 minutes for our "fast food," but the reward we received for doing so was sweet! It was beyond our expectations. God offers us the same deal, doesn't He? Doesn't He promise if we wait on Him that our reward will exceed our expectations? Over and over in the Bible we are told to wait on the Lord, to put our hope and trust in Him. There are several passages in Psalms alone instructing us to wait. Here are just a few:
Psalm 38:15: " LORD, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God."
Psalm 40:1 "...I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry."
Psalm 130:5 "I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope."
And over and over we are reminded that our faith will be rewarded:
I Samuel 26:23 "The LORD rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness..."
Matthew 5:12 " ...Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven."
John 14: 1-3 " 1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
Talk about worth the wait! What a wondrous reward we are promised for waiting on God. What an awesome display of His love for us. While my son and I were just hoping for sandwiches and fries, we were rewarded with much more for our patience. Just as God promises that if we wait on Him, He will reward us with far more than what we hope for.
And to think, I was happy with 2 apple pies and a large fry!!
We're learning now to keep red meat in his diet regularly in the hopes of preventing another bad episode. Since school has started back and he's getting less sleep, more often than not we'll hit a fast food joint on the way home in the afternoons so he can have a "snack" of red meat. Most days 2 hamburgers and an order of fries are his "snack!" Sometimes we even add a chocolate shake. And yes, he'll eat supper, too...and probably a bowl of cereal before bedtime. He's a growing boy - upward, not outward - so as long as he can eat like that and maintain his teeny waistline, I say have at it.
Yesterday we had stopped by one of our favorite burger joints and we went inside to place our order. We were getting 3 sandwiches (2 burgers for him, a chicken for me), a small fry, a drink and a shake. We were the only ones at the counter, there were two girls working behind the counter, and no one else was around. Our order was placed and we waited while the young girl made the milkshake. The same girl then disappeared into the kitchen. After waiting a few minutes, she came back to tell us that the chicken had to be cooked. Okay, that was fine. Being a burger joint, I didn't expect them to have chicken cooked all the time. Besides, I'd rather have it hot anyway.
We waited the five more minutes it took to cook the chicken, and then as they were bagging our sandwiches, they realized something. They hadn't cooked any fries. That's right, no fries. We had to wait. Again. Another four minutes for the fries to cook. And yes we were still the only ones at the counter. No other customers had come in and only one had come through the drive-thru while we were there. It wasn't like they were swamped. The kitchen wasn't in the weeds. They had just simply made a mistake.
They both apologized several times and when the order was finally complete and we were handed the bag across the counter, we were told that they had given us two free apple pies for our wait. (And let me just say because I know some of you are thinking it - no, we were not at McDonald's!) We told them that was very nice of them, thanked them and walked out to the car. Once inside the car, my son opened the bag and realized that not only had they given us the two free pies, they had also upgraded our small french fry to a large. And everything was hot, just the way we wanted.
We didn't like having to wait nearly 15 minutes for our "fast food," but the reward we received for doing so was sweet! It was beyond our expectations. God offers us the same deal, doesn't He? Doesn't He promise if we wait on Him that our reward will exceed our expectations? Over and over in the Bible we are told to wait on the Lord, to put our hope and trust in Him. There are several passages in Psalms alone instructing us to wait. Here are just a few:
Psalm 38:15: " LORD, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God."
Psalm 40:1 "...I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry."
Psalm 130:5 "I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope."
And over and over we are reminded that our faith will be rewarded:
I Samuel 26:23 "The LORD rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness..."
Matthew 5:12 " ...Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven."
John 14: 1-3 " 1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
Talk about worth the wait! What a wondrous reward we are promised for waiting on God. What an awesome display of His love for us. While my son and I were just hoping for sandwiches and fries, we were rewarded with much more for our patience. Just as God promises that if we wait on Him, He will reward us with far more than what we hope for.
And to think, I was happy with 2 apple pies and a large fry!!
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