365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 130

The Holy Spirit has guided me to the topic of judging. In a negative office environment, with issues out of our control, it becomes very easy to judge individuals in the scheme of what’s happening. But the Lord is telling me to stop the judging and set the example of righteousness. I need to put on the rose-colored glasses of Christ each day that will help me view those that I work with in the way Christ viewed us. We are humans who make mistakes and we should forgive them. We are all uniquely designed by God and we must celebrate this uniqueness rather than put it down. And lastly, we all have a special place that God has designed for us that fits into his big plan for all of us. What is happening at my work or yours, in our homes and everywhere is being used by God for his big plan so we shouldn’t be judging but asking God to guide us in his special plan. So along with the armor of God, I will put on the rose-colored glasses of Jesus and view others without judgment but only with love.

James 4:11-12 Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 127

We were given Good Friday off at my work which is unusual but we were thankful. Unfortunately, the rest of the alarm industry was working away on Friday so come Monday morning our work was piled high and a power outage over the weekend created some trouble to work through. I was busy working away when I was called to the operations manager office. It’s either I did something wrong or they have something they want me to do. So, as she started to tell me it was about a customer who was given a permit but turns out is not in that jurisdiction, I started to feel the defensiveness kick-in within me. I immediately went into explaining how tedious the task is and how a mistake could be made. I had to go and re-check stuff and found no other mistakes which thankfully made me feel good and my office manager was happy to have that information to pass along to the jurisdiction. The jurisdiction contact is a very nice lady and responded with a nice email that basically said the same thing. We are human and with all the addresses and details we have to deal with, it is understandable that mistakes will be made. This seemingly instinctive defense mode I get into when someone is criticizing me or telling me of mistakes I have made is part of my temperament. It will be something I will be looking further at within myself and looking to the Holy Spirit to help me overcome this weakness and give me the means to be gentle in my response to criticism and not become defensive but have the confidence in who I am and what I do.

Proverbs 3:26 For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.  

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 67

My team lead walked in yesterday from meeting with our office manager and started saying in this down voice how she has never in all her years of working been written up for anything until today. What?! Apparently, there are too many mistakes being made and everyone has a negative attitude. Wow, and they are going to blame our team lead for that. Well, we ended up all having a meeting with our office manager along with someone from the payroll company because she wanted to here our concerns but not our complaints. We all agreed those were the same. She is now trying to work with us on figuring out what we need in terms of more man-power. We had a person that was brought back on a part-time basis but was let go a couple of weeks ago. That’s when I got all the mail duty. So, as I sat there in the meeting listening to everyone else voice their “concerns”, I said a prayer to God for peace and the right words to come out when it was my turn. I can’t say all is well but I feel at least I got to voice my concerns and now it us up to them. I really am at peace about the whole work load thing now. I am learning to let it go and just be thankful for a job and do the best I can within the 8 hours I put in.

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 62

A co-worker and I connected yesterday when I said I like to have my work look stellar. We were talking about the increased mistakes of all of us because we are so overloaded and we looked at each other with that “aha” we are the same expression. I told her it is in my nature to want to have my work look awesome and when it is not I am frustrated and angry at what I consider the cause, our boss. But it is time to let it go and know that God is in control, not my boss. I do the best I can do with what is given me and that is all anyone can ask. So, the peace of knowing that God is in control will pull me through. Thank God for helping me to see my weakness and give it to him.

James 1:19-21 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 50

We had such a great time watching the Bronco game yesterday. It was a bummer that it didn’t end well for them. I just hate it when a game comes down to a field goal and you know there were mistakes made along the way that could have made the outcome different. But that is what life is all about. Making mistakes and hopefully growing from them. I woke up early this morning and got up to go to the bathroom and get a drink and my mind ended up thinking about stuff at work. I was thinking on this stuff for just a minute when I realized I was worrying about it. So, I began to analyze why I was worrying about it and figured out that it was because of my need for approval and to show that I can do it all. I wanted to make sure that what the boss, owner and my co-workers thought of me was that I am the best and most capable person to do this job. I realized I was being selfish and immediately started praying to God asking for forgiveness and thanking him for helping me see this for what it is so I can grow. From what I have learned about temperament theory so far, there are weaknesses in every temperament. God designed us this way so that we would have the need to reach out to him. These weaknesses in our temperament can be overcome with the power of the Holy Spirit within us. One of the weaknesses within my temperament is worry and/or fear. I have come along way with my fears in this past year and now it looks like the Lord is showing me my worries need to go to Him too. After praying to him about this worry over work and asking for forgiveness, my mind was at peace and I was able to get back to sleep. I have not overly thought of work since. I am certain the Broncos will be re-playing the game they just lost over and over again to analyze what they could have done better, what choices could have been better, what mistakes need to be worked on. They will work on these and hopefully come back a stronger and better team next season. Mistakes, sins and their outcome aren’t on my list of pleasures but the end result of these can be growth in our relationship with the Lord and in becoming more and more as he wants us to be. That in itself is joy. Knowing that God is working on us, molding us, helping us become more like Jesus is the joy in the midst of the mistake or sins we do.

Psalm 43:4 Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and delight.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 328

Praise the Lord for a new day, a new beginning, a new everything. What a gift that is to be able to go to bed with the gossip you may have partaken in at work or the yelling you did at your kids or the lack of love you showed and wake up the next day and start fresh. Sins of the day before washed clean. Each day we can say we are sorry and know that we are forgiven. The Holy Spirit will fill us up and guide us in our new day but we have to listen. That is probably the hardest part. I got caught in the trap of talking negatively about someone with co-workers. I saw it coming and fought it internally but what I should have done is got up and walked away from it or even better stand up and say no more negative talk about anyone. I am thankful for the forgiveness given to me thanks to Jesus and I am thankful for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in helping me learn from my mistakes. Have you done something recently that you just knew after doing it that it was wrong? Stop and tell our mighty God you are sorry and pray for his help.

Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 110

Yesterday in church, our pastor was on fire with lots of passion. He will be leaving our church soon which is sad but he has to go where God is calling him. He was continuing with a sermon on the Gospel of Matthew which we have been into since last fall. We were at the part when Jesus is arrested. Pastor Singleton suggested that like him most of us at some time or many times have thought about 'what if'. What if Judas didn't betray Jesus? What if Jesus didn't have to die on the cross? And the what if's in our own life... What if I communicated better, we wouldn't have had that fight? What if I was more on top of Faith's homework, she wouldn't have missed doing and turing in a big assignment? And the list could go on and on... Singleton shared a story of his from 20 years ago when he said to his congregation 'you need to be bringing your own bible to church'. Later he was reamed by his congregation because as Presbyterian we don't bring our own bibles, we just use what's in the pews along with some other excuses. He doesn't remember why he said that or what context it was in but in his mind he had made a big mistake saying that to his congregation. Fast forward 20 years later... A man who was at that sermon 20 years earlier by chance ends up in our town at our church now and sees it's the same pastor from 20 years earlier. He goes up to him and tells him this story: I was not true believer when I was in church that day 20 years ago when you told us we need to bring our own bible to church. I went home and your words stayed with me. I finally went and pulled out my old bible from my childhood. It opened up to a page in Proverbs and out fell a letter from my mother explaining more about the verses on that page about God's love. I became a believer and have gone on to have a wonderful family and have adopted multiple children. What Singleton had thought was this mistake he made, God turned into something very good. There are probably thousands of stories around the world of examples like this. God can take the worst that happens, the worst we could do and make something good come from it. What we say or do no matter if in our minds comes out good or not so good, God will take it and use it for his good purpose of bringing others to his Kingdom. We don't have to beat ourselves over and over again for our past mistakes. God has used them for his good. No more 'what if's'.
Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 101

I have to confess I have a hard time with mistakes. When I make them, the world turns up-side-down. I treat each mistake like it's a deep canyon that I have fallen into and I have to try to climb my way out. Thankfully, I have my faith and all the tools that God provides to help me climb my way out. That first tool, is the bible. I found myself deep in the canyon the other night after choosing to react in a disrepectful and not-listening-to you kind of way to my husband. To make a long story short, I let the stress in my life direct my actions. After storming out of the room, I flew down straight to my bible. It was already open to Pslams so through my tears, I read and started to feel myself calming down. Prayer is another tool God give us to help us get out of those canyons but sometimes our minds are not capable of even forming the thoughts directed to the Lord. That's where I found myself the other night, trying to analyze the situation but not getting anywhere and just needing to cry out to God. My bible was opened to Pslams so I just started reading and came to Psalm 121: 1-2 which I know from a Christain song on the radio. That became my prayer, singing it in my head over and over again until I could relax, breathe, listen and finally head back to bed and to sleep. I am thankful to God for three things based on this experience the other night: the tools he gives me to help me, knowing that he loves me no matter what, and a forgiving husband. This, unfortunately has been one of those mistakes I have made over and over again so I am praying for God's help to just love my husband in all ways, respect him no matter what and let my love and respect direct my actions. Are you using the tools God has given us when you make those inevitable mistakes in life?
Psalm 121:1-2 I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.