The milk is poured, you’ve added a few ice cubes to make it really cold…..just as you’re about to go in with it….you accidently knock the glass of milk over! Really????? Spilled milk?? Ugh! Whether the glass was full or half full, when milk spills it requires attention and immediate attention at that! No one really within their right thinking would intentionally leave the milk spilled and neglect to clean it up Even though you’re mad at the accident, you’re not so mad, that you're not going to clean it up! Maybe you’re hurt because your expectation of enjoying the milk isn't happening now. But you're not so hurt that you won't ever pour another glass of milk to enjoy… You wouldn’t leave the spilled milk all over the counter or table to seep and ruin any papers or other objects on the surface. Right?? No, spilled milk, to say the least, smells if it stays out of refrigeration for any length of time….so, like most, you’re angry, but you take the necessary steps to clean it up. You’re frustrated because your plans got jacked up and now you’ve got a mess on your hands. But…you do what you have to do to clean up the spilled milk in spite of the emotions tied to the spill. In spilled milk, the necessity, reasonable and practical prevails over the mess and emotions associated with it….you gotta clean it up! I guess that’s where the phrase, “Don’t cry over spilled milk” came from. The message is you can’t change what has already happened, and to worry about unfortunate events which have already happened is fruitless. The crying over spilled milk analogy is applicable in most of life’s difficult situations. Say for example a recent post I saw from a beautiful young lady on a social media site. She posted from her heart; here’s what she said: Have you ever invested all of your time in one person only to come to the realization that they never really cared about you? Have you ever felt so used to the point where you're wondering where all of your time & money has gone? Have you ever felt a love so strong for someone & then realize that they never felt the same way about you all along? Yeah, that's me right now.— feeling emotional. My response: Yes I have. Cry, be mad, work through your emotions and seek healing. You've got stuff and people ahead of you that you need to get too. So don't spend too much time over the spilled milk. Clean it up and enjoy the clean counter where the milk use to be. Remember when you don't clean milk up right away after it spills, it sours and stank!!!! Love you. Nothing happens to you, it happens for you!
A betrayal, hurt or any set back that sets you back can be compared to spilled milk. There’s a mess involved and while you can regret it, analyze it, deny it or even try to reject it….the milk spilled, the offense happened. You have to clean it up. If you don’t, like the spilled milk, it will affect your other relationships, your opinions and your future. Besides, until you clean up the milk, the space it’s spilled on is useless. So when betrayal comes, or disappointments happen….clean up the mess and carry on.
To press this issue home; I was at lunch today with a great friend. Out of no where she said, I remember when my daughter was about 3, she spilled milk in a room in our home and we didn’t know it until we starting smelling the stench. TRUTH! Clean up the mess that you didn’t intend to happen, adjust your crown and carry on because others around you can smell the spilled milk that you can't see or don't wanna clean up. Julie
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When God wants to do something awesome through you, He has to get you from where you are to where He is. Perhaps the trial/hardship/temptation/your current situation is the way to where He is.
I know to our natural thinking and reason; that seems bizarre. How could a majestic, powerful, loving, all-knowing God take us the way of hardship to find where He is? I have to be ok with not knowing the answer to some of those questions. I have to trust in God’s Word, His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9) I choose to trust that God’s eternal plan supersedes my temporary plan. That God’s greatness for me is far greater and more meaningful than my current situation. When you hang tight with your faith, when you overpower the shadows of fear with faith…you’ll make it to where God is. You’ll find your destiny. And your current situation will be what you needed to equip you when you get there. Whatever season you’re living in, whatever your current situation is, if you will see with eyes of faith, you will see that God is whoo-ing you. He has a plan... He loves you and has an awesome plan for your life! Live each moment. Enjoy your current situation. Find the strength to live each moment. Find the determination to enjoy your current situation. Knowing that you know when God wants to do something awesome through you, He has to get you from where you are to where He is! Let me know when your current situation has led you to where God is, and what great things He is doing through you! Julie Did you enjoy reading this blog? Click Here to receive new blogs by Julie to your email. Why do we chase things? Why do we chase people? Because we believe the reward or bounty once we get it, will be worth the chase.
At points in the chase, you will have to pause, reflect and reevaluate if the chase is still worth the effort and time that you’re investing in it. Perhaps the once sought after bounty has lost its luster and now no longer holds the weight of the expected outcome. Then, there are those times that we just like to chase. We find exhilaration in the quest and that’s the factor that motives us to keep chasing. I don’t know what to do with that mindset; perhaps I’ve had it myself and just haven’t realized it. I find with this mentality, one really doesn’t care about the bounty of the catch as much as they thrive on the chase. I have been the one on the chase because I am seeking the outcome. I want the prize. When you’re on that path, it’s most profitable to check in with God often, to see if what you’re chasing is in line with what He wants for you. You will find that God will allow you to chase, as long as you’re willing to chase…but you’ll wear yourself out and become tired…very tired because it doesn’t seem the effort you’re exerting is gaining you any ground. “Wanna wear the t-shirt I got from this experience?” Have you ever feel like what you’re chasing are things that you shouldn’t have to chase? Me too! There are some things that just ought to be. That some things that are, should just be, as a result of knowing Jesus. Right?? Yet, they somehow just aren’t there. I have found that if I chase God and after God with the same tenacity that I chase after other “stuff/people/relationships” I would benefit greatly. In fact, I probably won’t have the need to chase the other stuff. I think by instinct that we have a need to chase; perhaps it’ part of our makeup at human beings that God gave us when He created the every fiber of our being. As with all things, what God gives, the world distorts and we stray away from things that will benefit us and bring Glory to God. Like chasing….I would say that God gave us that need to chase, because it’s supposed to be for Him. Well than, with that revelation, I’ve got some adjusting to do…how about you? (So this blog is intended for humor purposes and food for thought)
The Great Debate: What if we choose to argue about things that didn’t matter, like which way the toilet paper should go on the roll. Or like, do we say “on today” or just “today”? What if we argued about stuff like, which tastes better, eating fried eggs cooked in bacon grease or eating fried eggs cooked in butter? Sounds silly, but honestly, life is too fragile, temporary and enjoyable to be arguing about stuff that makes you more angry, bitter or fosters a sense of entitlement, breaking your peace and interrupting your joy. I’ve always heard the phrase, “Choose your battles.” There’s wisdom in this statement and it reminds me of Joshua 24:15 that puts all of us on blast, “choose this day, whom you will serve.” It seems it all comes down to choices, but at the foundation of all of the choices we are privileged to make, is the decision to choose Christ. Once you make that choice, everything else is secondary. I started this blog with the words, The Great Debate. So I will close this blog with this thought, The Great Debate may not be worth debating. Your peace and your devotion to God are presidential in your life. Avoid the things and situations and yes, even the people that rob you of your peace and loyalty to God. Not every opportunity presented to you for debate is worth the cost. Instead, laugh more, keep a proper perspective and propose the question of which tastes better, eggs fried in bacon grease or eggs fried in butter to the one who wants to debate you. LOL For the Ladies….
As I was reading the morning devotion on air this morning, the word “RECOMMIT” stood out to me. It grabbed my heart and rattled my mind….shook my spirit. (Did you feel the world stand still for that brief moment?) LOL Many of us ladies of God take hits from the enemy. Hits to knock us down to the depths of despair. Hits to sabotage our faith to the point of despondency. Hits to knock the wind out of our sail and leave us in the valley of low self-esteem and the hallway of insecurity. Hits to deceive us into agreement that this is only happening to “me.” The enemy is a liar. He lies 100% of the time. There is no truth in him. And he can never be trusted. Whatever is contrary to the Word of God is contrary to the Will of God and therefore, is resistant to the plan of God for your life and situation and needs to be burned! God is an all consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:29) So…this word “RECOMMIT”, what stuck in my spirit was that many of us need to do just this. We have been committed because our love for God is great. We are faithful and we are caring. We are devoted to living a life for Christ and we purpose to do that in our everyday choices and living. But…perhaps there’s a need to “RECOMMIT” to the One, True Living God. Re-commit implies again, repeat, a do over. As a married couple has been married for several years, they may have a desire or need to recommit their lives and intentions again in a renewing of their vows ceremony which shows the world that they still remain faithful to the original commitment they made at the beginning of their marriage. So it may be with us, ladies, we need to “RECOMMIT” ourselves, our minds, our intentions, our future, our expectations and ultimately ourselves to God again. Recommitment can strengthen what is already there, can fortify the borders and propel us. Perhaps, the missing element on your spiritual journey with Jesus is “RECOMMIT”. Ladies, you are a queen to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Remember at the beginning of this blog, I put the devil on blast in his tactics toward us. Once you identify the actions of the enemy in your life, the fingerprints of destruction are leaving a print in your joy, it’s time to “RECOMMIT” lady of God. Dust yourself off, adjust your crown, refocus, “RECOMMIT” and keep going! There’s a big world out there waiting for you! Go make your mark for Jesus. Commitment…
This word reads like any other word in the English language. In fact, we hear this word much in the Christian vernacular, so much so that perhaps, at least for me, I have lost the severity of its meaning. Perhaps I’ve lulled myself into a state of apathy regarding its meaning and expectancy. In my morning devotion today, it was centered about Titus 2:7 that lays out the challenge for us to be an example in everything….. We do that by remaining committed not only to God, but to the place we are. We understand, for the most part that being a follower of Christ requires or expects commitment from us. But somehow, that instruction of remaining committed proves to be a challenge because of difficult circumstances and trying situations. We know that we are to remain committed; but yet, often without intention or notice…our commitment weans. According to dictionary.com - commitment means the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself, a pledge or promise; obligation. Which mostly, is doable as long as things/situations and people are tolerable. Things and situations don’t even have to be favorable, but at least tolerable. It’s when things aren’t tolerable that the true test of commitment comes into play. I made a commitment to Christ on March 27, 1992. It was at the altar of a church that I surrendered my will, my life and my future to the One True God who met me at the point of humanness. I didn’t understand at that point, and how could I possibly understand the depths of what that commitment entailed. And all these years later, I’m still not fully aware of the depths of this word commitment. I know I have experienced really hard times that were way beyond my comfort zone and I have been pushed to the point of no return; so I thought and….God’s commitment to me has remained. In that, I find peace and prayerfully the power to remain committed to Him as well. I find myself complaining, grumbling and having a rotten and ungrateful attitude in my relationship with God. Because somehow, my intention is to remain committed to Christ; yet I want to leave the unfavorable circumstances as quickly as possible. How does that work??? Does that work??? Today’s devotion hit me with this: “A commitment means you’re to be where you’re supposed to be.” The same way Christ stands before the Father on my behalf, is the same way I am to stand where He has placed me. Through the hard and difficult times, through the turbulent waters that feel like they’re overtaking me, through the bowls of grief and bursts of frustration because it’s just too hard….I am to be committed to be where I’m supposed to be. In my commitment to remain…I am fulfilling my commitment to Christ as His follower. Surely, as you’re reading this…God could change the situation and circumstances in an instant and relieve me and you of the hardship, yet He may not. He may instead want us to remain committed to Him by being committed to the difficult times and hard places. Thank God for His grace which allows me another opportunity to do it His way and not mine. That same grace is afforded to you every time as well. May we, together, be resolved in our commitment to Christ by remaining committed to be where we’re suppose to be. God has an awesome plan for your life!! As I sit in the Texas Children's Hospital Infusion Center. I watch a young mom who looks barely over the young age of 20 flushing her 15 month or so, daughters IV. Lovingly holding her little hand in one of hers while she pushes the IV flush with the her other. The toddler is unaware of anything abnormal going on. Seemingly this is what every baby goes through on any normal day. The nurse comes by to finish the process and the mom willfully lets go of the responsibility and instead touches her child's beautiful dark hair in a loving way, offering assurance of her faithful love. The toddler still unaware of anything abnormal happening, makes "whoo" sounds while sucking her binky.
Around the corner, I hear words of encouragement from a nurse "You're a big boy, you didn't even cry" to another child who remains nameless and faceless to anyone except those involved behind the curtain of his treatment cubical. Next to my son who patiently waits for the medication to arrive from pharmacy, is a young girl who with such delight and excitement tells her nurse that tomorrow is her 13th birthday! The nurse along with the girls mom join in the celebration of the announcement and suggest ways that she can celebrate in spite of the fact that she will be sitting in the same chair tomorrow receiving treatment. Most girls her age should be having a pool party, a sleep over or anything else to signify such a beautiful event of turning into a teenager. Victories of celebration are dictated by the inconveniences of her medical condition. The kids present here are a small representation a host of thousands of kids who are sick. Here today, on this Thursday in July, while most people are complaining about their job, or lack of, while most are busy counting down the hours until they can be somewhere else except where they are...these kids accompanied by their parents or care givers are receiving their infusion treatments. Treatments that are necessary to sustain life and offer a glimpse of better health at least for the immediate time. My sons bag of IVIG arrived. The nurse comes cheerfully into my sons curtained area with a big smile and kind greeting asking him if he's ready to get started? I tell her that I see and appreciate the good care they give these kids. She says, "oh thank you." After she hooks my son up, she gives him a blanket, dims the lights and says, "I'll be back to check on you.". On to the next child, I assume who needs the assurance of her kind words and big smile as she hooks up their medication as well. By the way, the toddler is hooked up now, and able to get out of her stroller and bounce and makes sounds as she is receiving her treatment. The young mom looks at her daughter as any proud momma would and teaches her how to say simple words. Victories of celebration are dictated by the inconveniences of her medical condition. May this blog prompt you to pray for these kids and the thousands of others, maybe millions, who are dealing on a daily basis with so much more than most adults. May you remember the unsung heroes of these kids...their parents and or significant others who serve these children by walking along side them to ensure they receive necessary treatments. Those who sacrifice their time, effort, finances and resources to sit patiently with their child. Those Who monitor the vitals and all the necessary numbers, who take them home after their treatments to get them "back to normal" living as much as possible....until the next treatment. Victories of celebration are dictated by the inconveniences of their medical condition. Matthew 25:40 rings in my spirit. "Whatever you've done to the least of these, you have done unto Me." Jesus. From James 3:2-12 we hear how we ought to manage our mouth, learn how to tame our tongue because what we say does matter. If we can control our mouth, we’re perfect in the sense of being mature and healthy. Your tongue reveals what's going on inside of you, not just physically but spiritually.
In order to better understand how important it is for believers to tame their tongue, let’s consider the following: Your tongue directs where you go. If you wonder where you’re going to be in the future, listen to what you talk about the most. Your tongue has the potential to destroy what you have! Words can create a chain reaction and careless words have destroyed relationships, careers, a reputation, or the reputation of another, churches, families and most importantly...faith. Your tongue displays who you are. It reveals your real character. It tells what’s really inside of you because whatever is in the well comes out in the water. What would happen if we went on a fast to not speak anything negative, stop complaining and didn't allow any thinking that is contrary to the promises of God? Jesus said in Matthew 12:34 "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.." What’s the solution? New heart. Ezekiel 36:26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." Rely on God. Psalm 62:5 "I depend on God alone; I put my hope in Him." Think before you speak. James 1:19 "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." Let’s ask in prayer this week, “Jesus, take control of my heart.” |
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