September 24, 2016

Greetings My Friend, I am a person who loves to work from a check list. The list helps me to focus on the jobs I want to get done and I find I do not veer from it like I would if I had no list. Sometimes I take my list making into my faith walk and as I check off each act of kindness, witnessing or giving and serving I feel good about myself. At the end of the day though it is not how many items I checked off it is serving, giving from my heart and then giving God the recognition that truly matters. The thing God wants from me the most is not all the things I do that look good and right it is the times I entered into service for God with all of my heart, mind and soul. God wants my walk to be good in His sight not man's sight and the lesson I keep getting is God wants my heart and then He will be the happiest. If I think on this some I see that all the gifts of money and service mean nothing to God because He is the owner of all things. What makes Him happiest is to love God and do for God because I want to. I found this lesson in Ezekiel this morning "The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God." I hear God saying that He wants me to do things to please God and not to look good. I try to ask myself "Do I walk with God Monday through Saturday like I do on Sunday?" I often hear the thought where Sunday Christians leave all of their faith right there in church during the week and walk in the flesh seeking their unGodly passions and desires. These Christians then pick up their faith again the next Sunday at church and proceed to leave their faith there again after church. As I ponder this thought I find myself asking do I do this? I pray I do not and I strive to meet God each day during the week, to sit at His feet and then to go and do. I am learning that going and doing sometimes is working in the home keeping it comfortable for my family and enjoying the fruits of my labor of love. Sometimes I struggle with my disability walking without going in odd directions, tiring because my gait is off and relearning things I have not done in years. I can feel like I am not making any headway as I need to sleep a lot and I wonder how in the world am I able to be serving God. As I fuss at myself I sense the Holy Spirit reminding me that the way I deal with my struggle is a way to honor God. I could be angry or feel so helpless and useless or I can be thankful that I am able to do what I am doing. My attitude about being a housewife, a disabled woman are ways to honor God. I feel deep inside of me that I am able to deal with the mundane job of cleaning and cooking is honoring to God or giving myself grace when I tire easily due my gait issues wearing me out. The Holy Spirit reminds me frequently that how I conduct myself either at home or out in the world does way more than all of the words I can say. Once in a while I mention that I struggle with things in life and when I do I connect with someone who needs to tell their story and they feel safe to share with me. At times it is not easy to stop to hear a story when I am out and about trying to accomplish the task at hand. It is at that moment The Holy Spirit quiets me to listen to this person who needs comfort. If I listen and stop to share time with a person in need I find that my task was not that important to get finished. My last thought is I need to listen to that small still voice and do what I am instructed to do and is heavy on my heart. When I am able to let go I find I am grateful to be of service to a person in need. May God bless you and keep you make His face shine on you. Love Janet