Ok, so I’m possibly about to divulge some information that I should keep to myself, but in the essence of honesty and keeping it real…here goes!
So, I have this habit. It’s a bad habit and I have no idea where I got it from or when it started. But I have it, and I do it, and I’m not proud of it. What is it? I pick my spots!
Sometimes they don’t even have to be spots. Blackheads will do! And I know that whilst I’m doing it, I shouldn’t be doing it! I stand at the mirror chastising myself whilst in the very act! But sometimes it’s just so satisfying, and sometimes it helps me de-stress. Is that so bad?!
As a large, sore, red lump appeared right on the end of my nose a few days ago I promised myself that I would keep my naughty little fingers away from it. Which I did…for a few hours! Somehow that evening I found myself in front of the mirror, far too tired to be carrying out such a technical procedure, but giving it a go anyway. What’s wrong with me?! Will I never learn?!
I’ll tell you what’s wrong with me…I struggle to leave things alone and let them take their natural course. I try to speed things up to make it better but often, in fact nearly always, I just make them worse.
The big red lump that had appeared on my nose was nowhere near ready to be touched in anyway. And all I did was make it redder, sorer, bigger and less likely to be coverable with concealer! Stupid me!
As I dragged myself off to bed, annoyed that I hadn’t listened to the first voice in my head telling me to leave it alone, I thought about the other things I struggle to leave alone. The other ways in which I try to ‘help’ things along. Or the things I loose patience about, waiting for them to take their assigned course.
And I thought about the things I might have stopped God from doing in and through me because I was in a rush to get it over and done with. And I thought about the damage and pain I had caused in the process by trying to do it my way.
Sometimes life is not pretty. And sometimes things in life hurt. But trying to speed up the process or deal with it our own way is not the answer and can bring about more damage and pain. God knows where we’re at and what life is like and He can bring healing and soothe our pains. We just have to take our hands away and ask Him to do His thing.
(Dear God, please take away my spots. Amen)
Thursday 29 October 2009
Friday 16 October 2009
Things I am loving about Autumn...
1. The beautiful golden, orange, red and yellow leaves on the trees. Much more interesting than just green!
2. The lovely sunny, clear weather we've been having. It just makes the beautiful leaves look more stunning!
3. The opportunity to wear snuggly clothes and scarves and not have your husband look at you like you're weird (I tend to wear snuggly clothes and scarves regardless of the season, hence the looks of weirdness!)
4. The ability to drink gallons of hot chocolate and be totally justified!
5. Hopefully the opportunity to take some photos of the changing season and the beautiful leaves!
This is my 100th post! I wonder what I'll write in my next 100?!
Happy Fridays x
2. The lovely sunny, clear weather we've been having. It just makes the beautiful leaves look more stunning!
3. The opportunity to wear snuggly clothes and scarves and not have your husband look at you like you're weird (I tend to wear snuggly clothes and scarves regardless of the season, hence the looks of weirdness!)
4. The ability to drink gallons of hot chocolate and be totally justified!
5. Hopefully the opportunity to take some photos of the changing season and the beautiful leaves!
This is my 100th post! I wonder what I'll write in my next 100?!
Happy Fridays x
Wednesday 14 October 2009
Today was the first...
...time I saw my baby!!!
I'm struggling to focus on work at all today!!!
Maybe by next week I'll have calmed down enough to organise a return to Big Word Wednesdays!!!
Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy Wednesdays xxx
I'm struggling to focus on work at all today!!!
Maybe by next week I'll have calmed down enough to organise a return to Big Word Wednesdays!!!
Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy Wednesdays xxx
Tuesday 13 October 2009
No Excuses
I read the article shared in yesterday’s post and I was humbled. I was encouraged. I was glad to be part of a humankind that still seeks to help and care for others.
This morning I stood in the shower and thought. I thought about all the things that Babar Ali could have used as excuses for not doing what he does. Here is a boy who is still young, has no money, no resources or equipment, no formal training in teaching. But here is a boy who has been given an opportunity, seen a need and has a passion to help.
The only difference between Babar and the other children from his village was the fact that he was fortunate to go to school. And how desperately the other children want to learn too. An education for these children is vital. For them it is the difference between having a future or not, sometimes even life or death.
Our salvation and relationship with God through Jesus means we have a future. It means we have hope and it means we have life.
Salvation for God’s people is vital. And God’s people are desperate for it.
But how often do we have the opportunity, see the need, and have a desire to help, but then find an excuse to not do anything? How often do we wait for money, resources or training before stepping out to help people? How often do we use our age as a ‘get out’ clause? Or how often do we wait for others with money, resources and training to help those people for us?
God calls us to reach out to those around us. To love them and to teach them the good news of His salvation. We already have all we need to do that. We have our salvation which we can share. And people desperately need us to share it.
God will fill the gaps. He will provide. He can take our inexperience, our inadequacies, our anxieties and He can use them for His glory. If we are willing to be used.
But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9a
So what’s stopping us? What are our excuses?
Or rather, what’s stopping me? What are my excuses?
This morning I stood in the shower and thought. I thought about all the things that Babar Ali could have used as excuses for not doing what he does. Here is a boy who is still young, has no money, no resources or equipment, no formal training in teaching. But here is a boy who has been given an opportunity, seen a need and has a passion to help.
The only difference between Babar and the other children from his village was the fact that he was fortunate to go to school. And how desperately the other children want to learn too. An education for these children is vital. For them it is the difference between having a future or not, sometimes even life or death.
Our salvation and relationship with God through Jesus means we have a future. It means we have hope and it means we have life.
Salvation for God’s people is vital. And God’s people are desperate for it.
But how often do we have the opportunity, see the need, and have a desire to help, but then find an excuse to not do anything? How often do we wait for money, resources or training before stepping out to help people? How often do we use our age as a ‘get out’ clause? Or how often do we wait for others with money, resources and training to help those people for us?
God calls us to reach out to those around us. To love them and to teach them the good news of His salvation. We already have all we need to do that. We have our salvation which we can share. And people desperately need us to share it.
God will fill the gaps. He will provide. He can take our inexperience, our inadequacies, our anxieties and He can use them for His glory. If we are willing to be used.
But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9a
So what’s stopping us? What are our excuses?
Or rather, what’s stopping me? What are my excuses?
Monday 12 October 2009
Tuesday 6 October 2009
Grow Slow, Grow Strong
Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue I don’t always have.
Sometimes I’m great at waiting. But sometimes I’m not.
Approximately 9 weeks ago I found out I was pregnant. And I wanted to tell everyone! Waiting for 8 weeks until the first trimester was over was very difficult!
Now that it’s all a bit more public, I want to have more of a baby bump. You know, to confirm that there is actually something in there and I’m not just making it up! I want to have the scan. I want to feel something (other than sickness!)
But I have to wait. I have to be patient.
It’s really easy to want things to happen quickly, to want the baby as soon as possible and to start the next stage of life. But there is a reason why it takes 9 months to grow a baby, and a reason why we go through life in seasons.
Howies used to have a series of posters that used the slogan ‘grow slow, grow strong’. (I tried to find a photo but had no success)
Sometimes in our modern culture we think fast is better but that’s not always the case. When trees grow slowly their rings are closer together and they produce a much stronger wood which will last longer. It’s the patience that gives the tree its strength and sets it apart from other wood.
I need to wait and let my baby to grow at the right speed because then it has time to develop properly and grow strong. And I need the next few months to prepare myself for one of the biggest changes in my life.
And while I wait, patiently, I hope to grow along with my baby so that we are both ready for the next stage of life. Growing together, slowly but strongly.
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
Hebrews 6:15
A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.
Proverbs 14:29
Sometimes I’m great at waiting. But sometimes I’m not.
Approximately 9 weeks ago I found out I was pregnant. And I wanted to tell everyone! Waiting for 8 weeks until the first trimester was over was very difficult!
Now that it’s all a bit more public, I want to have more of a baby bump. You know, to confirm that there is actually something in there and I’m not just making it up! I want to have the scan. I want to feel something (other than sickness!)
But I have to wait. I have to be patient.
It’s really easy to want things to happen quickly, to want the baby as soon as possible and to start the next stage of life. But there is a reason why it takes 9 months to grow a baby, and a reason why we go through life in seasons.
Howies used to have a series of posters that used the slogan ‘grow slow, grow strong’. (I tried to find a photo but had no success)
Sometimes in our modern culture we think fast is better but that’s not always the case. When trees grow slowly their rings are closer together and they produce a much stronger wood which will last longer. It’s the patience that gives the tree its strength and sets it apart from other wood.
I need to wait and let my baby to grow at the right speed because then it has time to develop properly and grow strong. And I need the next few months to prepare myself for one of the biggest changes in my life.
And while I wait, patiently, I hope to grow along with my baby so that we are both ready for the next stage of life. Growing together, slowly but strongly.
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
Hebrews 6:15
A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.
Proverbs 14:29
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