the mouth trap

as i read through proverbs,
there is a lot of attention paid to the mess our mouths can get us in.

gossip, complaining, breaking confidences, & just being stupid,
it's all mentioned on the "avoid" list.

but, gosh, it's so hard to break those habits!

i've been trying to cut down on my negative word quota,
and i'm finding it would be a whole lot easier if it weren't for having other people around.
instant popularity is not found in saying,
"no thanks, i'm not into talking about other people in a slanderous manner."

however, my outlook is improving as i pipe up with thankfulness.
at the risk of sounding pollyannaish,
i'm looking on the brightside because it's a heck of a lot more attractive.

God rewards those who follow His advice.
i'm working to make my words more attractive to Him.
who wants to join me?

leaning on that which stands on its own

it's tough to keep track of what i depend on.
i have a list of plans:
plan a, plan b, plan c...
always something to back up the plan preceding it so i don't feel "out of control".

but these plans are really only illusions,
and this gets shoved in my face as often as God remembers to show love to me.

He doesn't like me depending on anything other than Him,
and rightly so:
there is nothing outside of Him that can stand on its own.

when i trust in something that lacks a proven perfect track record --
which seems to be everything, last i checked
-- i set myself up to be let down.

my Daddy disciplines those He loves.
not just when we mess up, but when we need to learn self-discipline.
the fruit of the Spirit, self-control.
He loves me & hurts when i choose another thing to lean on.
something inferior to Him.
how illogical to lean on something less dependable, eh?

so today i'm declaring that i'm going to put my trust in what works.
want to join me?
(hint: it's not money or career.)

the myth of achieving happiness

when i would ask my clients what they wished to accomplish through therapy,
many shrugged & said half-jokingly,
"to be happy."
it was hard to share in the joke;
happiness doesn't really lend itself to creating a clinical treatment plan.

this is why:
happiness is a byproduct of other things, not an end result in itself.

people want it, but we cannot achieve it if it's what we're pursuing.

i heard a pastor on the radio yesterday remind us of what we should pursue:
a life of gratefulness.
giving thanks at all times,
not just in the good ones.

if we are followers of Jesus,
our lives should show a steady stream of thanksgiving.
bitterness & complaining are not becoming characteristics for His kids.

sure, there are times when things suck,
just like i mentioned a few posts ago.
and we don't have to pretend that everything is rosy when it isn't.
God didn't ask us to be blind, naive, or inept.
but as we pray on our circumstances let's give thanks for what IS working right now & what may come as a result of tough times.

happiness will escape our grasp when we reach for it,
but thankfulness leads us into joy & peace by its very nature.

trees & such

i've been working with a friend on creating a film piece on trees.
God really seemed to have an affinity to that metaphor.
we're finding that we do, too.

the trees of our Lord are sturdy & dependable,
and they are dependent on Him for life & sustenance.
they don't run out of fruit -- ever!
and, gosh, does He ever love & care for them.

we're excited to make this piece to share His love of trees with others in His forest.
in the meantime,
let's all take a break & ask if we're really sticking to His job description for His trees.