Patricia, at Typing One-Handed, is hosting In "Other" Words Tuesdays today. She has a great quote for us to think on and write about.“What would happen if we stopped lamenting about the fifty things we can’t control and focused our attention on the fifty thousand things we can control? What would happen if we stopped whining about things we have the power to change and finally took charge of our lives and changed them? What would happen if we stopped borrowing sorrow from tomorrow? If we got in the habit of asking ourselves, “What’s on my plate today?”
Chocolatherapy: Satisfying the Deepest Cravings of Your Inner Chick by Karen Scalf Linamen
This quote really resonated in my heart of hearts. I literally felt the bells going off. Ding Ding Ding! Step back, folks, we have a whiner. Er, a winner!Of course, I was thinking about my mental to-do list. You know the one.
Will Kristyn and Corey's offer on the house will be accepted?
Try to understand why doctor's who don't want to perform abortions are almost at the point of being told they have to, regardless of their religious convictions.
Wonder if a sick co-worker is contagious and if I'll relapse with the same stuff I just got over.
The Greek word for worry is merimnaō. It's definition is:
1) to be anxious
a) to be troubled with cares
2) to care for, look out for (a thing)
a) to seek to promote one's interests
b) caring or providing for
How anxious I have been over these matters without even realizing it. Even a little selfish, I suppose, in dragging them with me. Selfish? Surely these are things I need to be concerned about, but in thinking about them, I realized I have not turned them fully over to the Lord. I need to lay them down and pick up the ones that concern me today.
Now that I have learned the difference between fear and concern, on my plate is seeking God first!
The Greek word for seek is zēteō. It means:
1) to seek in order to find
a) to seek a thing
b) to seek [in order to find out] by thinking, meditating, reasoning, to enquire into
c) to seek after, seek for, aim at, strive after
2) to seek i.e. require, demand
a) to crave, demand something from someone
Oh, the perspective I have been given! I'm back on track.
Figure out what's wrong with my sibling and why she's cut off all contact with the family except my Dad. - Turn her over to God and not let it crawl back off the altar and onto my shoulders. I am not responsible for the way she treats (or doesn't treat) me or the family. God will work His good, pleasing and perfect will in her life in His time and not my own. He will heal whatever hurts she has and I have to stop even asking my Dad how she's doing.
Will Kristyn and Corey's offer on the house will be accepted? - It might be if God wills it. I need to pray that their house hunt will be fruitful and that those precious Grands of mine will have a good, sturdy roof over their heads and that they know they are well loved.
Try to understand why doctor's who don't want to perform abortions are almost at the point of being told they have to, regardless of their religious convictions. - Pray about it, sign the petition and hope that God moves the hearts of Congress not to sign this into legislation.
Wonder if a sick co-worker is contagious and if I'll relapse with the same stuff I just got over. - Pray for his healing and think less about myself.
Is it okay to wear a black skirt to a wedding at night if I wear a really cute spring looking top? - Pray that they are happy I just show up!
Will my Uncle's cancer come back? - Continue to pray that God places a hedge of protection around Jimmy and that if it does come back that it's caught early enough that they jump on it and face with it with the strength God has given him the last what, 3 times? Our God is bigger than cancer and His handprints have been all over this situation, stomping out melanoma before it even settles in.
Is my grandmother aware that she's unaware that she has Alzheimer's? - Probably not. She always acts so happy to see me, as if we've just met. God will give her strength for the day and for the tomorrow's that come.
What am I seeking for today? What is on my plate today? What can I change today? My attitude! My prayer life! Trusting God. Not fearing. Being rightly concerned but not worry about things that are beyond my control. Sometimes you just have to let some things go and do the next thing while you wait for God to step in and handle the things beyond your control.
Only God's good and perfect will be done. I have no control over any of these issues, except perhaps the clothes for the wedding one, but even God says not to worry about what we'll wear. I'm trusting Him to be my Strength and my Provision for today.
Trusting in His perfect peace and not worrying over what I cannot change is so freeing. Changing the things I can change helps. Not whining/worrying helps. Leaning on God for strength for this journey through life helps. There is alot that I can do today that will have kingdom significance. Worry isn't one of them!
For more on perfect peace please click here.
For more In "Other" Words Tuesday's, please click here.
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15 comments:
Oh, too often thoughts keep assailing me and requests climb off the altar.
Thanks so much for this, Melanie. I needed to hear this today.
That was good. We definitely need to refocus and get it right. Letting go of what we can't change and pray for God to intercede instead of us thinking we always have to.
Laurie Ann,
This was FANTASTIC! I lovethe way you shared your worries and the ADDRESSED them!
Good therapy!
Hope you have a blessed day my friend.
Oh, I figured how to add my name!
Blessings♥
Oh, I love your post! This is very helpful for me. I love the way you took each "concern" and then wrote down a better way. I have many concerns and I keep praying about them, giving them over to the Lord. But I find that I take them back because I worry about them. And that is wrong. I do trust the Lord but my natural flesh gets in the way. This post has been very helpful, Laurie Ann.
Down to earth, practical post. I appreciate your sharing some of your personal worries and how you are refocusing with God's help.
This is beautiful, Laurie Ann. And I'm really glad you referenced your perfect peace post because I think I somehow missed that!
Laurie Ann, I never fail to be blessed by your words! You are so right about letting burdens crawl back on our shoulders. It becomes a faith thing: we decide we are better equipped than God to handle the burdens when we constantly take them back up. And then our concerns become sin because Jesus didn't just suggest that we trust God--He commanded it.
Thank you soooo much for participating in IOW today!
P.S. Please tell me what Bible/Bible dictionary you use to get your wonderful explanations of words. I want to add it to the books on my desk I keep at the ready!
Great Post, Laurie Ann. So personal and transparent. Wringing with the Truth that sets us free... Ding, Ding, Ding.
You are a winner! Blessings.
Laurie Ann,,
Had a few ding ding dings going off in my brain too. Thank you, sweet sister for speaking such an edifying truth here today!
Blessings to you!
Oh, the perspective I have been given! I'm back on track. My thoughts exactly! Now I am going to apply Matt 6 to what I'm worrying about! Thank you for the teaching. Have a great day.
Fantastic post my friend, love you.
Wonderful post! I love how you tackle these issues head on with God's Word! Blessings to you.
The "ding dong" went off for me too! Loved your take on this. Thanks so much for sharing! :)
Laurie Ann,
Great words and so much to ponder. Thank you so much for your prayers. Work has been not what I had hoped.
Jan is doing great. She has been feeling really good. Her counts are up right now, but I can see she's a little off balance, but I think like before it has to do with all the medication.
Love,
Cheryl
Laurie Ann, thanks so much for stopping by my blog today.. I really enjoyed your take on this quote as well, especially the way you addressed and re-addressed your worries!
Blessings!
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