A Distinct Difference Between This and Myself

I had intended to sit down at my computer forty minutes ago. My mistake was walking past the table where I'm working on a jigsaw puzzle. Just one piece, and then I'd head upstairs. It didn't take me forty minutes to find one piece. But what it did take was forty minutes of my prime morning time.

I enjoy working on jigsaw puzzles. I like the coming together of scattered pieces to make a beautiful whole. The process of thoroughly examining each piece and what the pieces are to become brings their details into focus, those small-scale markings that at first may seem inconsequential when viewed as a whole. Yet, comparing the subtle difference in shape of the piece or shade of its hue, and where it belongs in the overall picture is an aha moment. It finds its proper place and becomes part of an emerging picture that shows beauty, artistry, cleverly placed objects, or maybe even in some way speaks to my soul.

I still have many pieces to add, but on the table are partially-finished cars, a few leaves on a tree, a couple of completed signs, the pieces of a white house along the side. I haven't found where one of the signs fits in the picture yet, but I know it will because of the image that it is to become. It's in process.

And so am I. As I work with each piece of the puzzle, bringing them together to conform to the image that it's becoming, I'm reminded that God is conforming me into the image of His Son. He knows that each piece fits and brings good from them all.

There is one distinct difference, however, between the puzzle and myself. It is passive, with pieces that will lie on the table until the end of time if they are not moved. It isn't expected to do anything, it has no personal responsibility to bring itself into conformity to the image on the box.

However, I do. God calls me (and all His children) to be conformed to the image of His Son through the transforming of the mind. How does the transformation happen? We pursue Him through the Word that we've been given, and the Holy Spirit uses it to conform us more and more to the image of the One we bear. This is a mysterious interplay between the providence of God and our own responsibility. We are not to be passive. We are to pursue.

And not be distracted with jigsaw puzzles that can sap prime time. So I tell myself once again that puzzles are for the evening hours when my body and mind are pretty well spent for the day. But I do hope to finish it soon to return it to my Dad. We swap puzzles every now and then.  :-)

When a Poor Decision Becomes the Richer One

I've been thinking and praying the past few weeks about what God would have me do about something that's been on my heart for awhile. I took a step into it yesterday, and it seems to be a positive move forward. Not all of my steps turn out positively, though. Some do not move forward at all. And some have tended to bring doubt and misgivings about God's leading, because some of my 'urgings' (aka ideas) just lead to nowhere or turn out disastrously.

I've at times thought that there must be something wrong with my spirituality, my connection with God, that I couldn't discern His will. There were times when this inability paralyzed me into doing nothing at all. I so very much wanted to be in the center of His perfect will. How more spiritual than that could I possibly be? Nothing else would do. I sincerely believed that all I wanted in my life was doing whatever God wanted, and without full assurance of that, I was not to take another step. "When in doubt, don't."

I've realized over time, though, that what I really wanted was to be all-knowing, not full of doubt. I've since accepted that that's one of God's attributes, and is not communicable to me. It's not one that I can strive after. It is His alone. There are some things that He simply is not telling me, for whatever purpose there might be.

It was spiritually and emotionally freeing when I realized that more than being fearful of missing God's will in a matter, I was fearful of making a mistake, fearful of failure, fearful of where my failure might lead me. What I was doing was living my life in fear rather than in robust faith.

I've learned that being in God's will is not really about the doing. It's not about knowing what I should do every step along the way, although seeking wisdom in decisions is always prudent. God's will is rather about my being as decisions are made. Not what does God want me to do? But who does God want me to be? It's possible to make what seems to be the best choice in a decision, but if that decision is made out of fear or avoidance, what glory does that bring to God?

It's not about making better decisions, but about who I am becoming in whatever decision is made. The doing is often ambiguous. The being is clearly shown in God's Word. I am to be conformed to the image of Christ, transformed into His likeness, becoming like Him. A life lived in trust, knowing that in all my decisions, whether perfect or not, God will work them for good according to His purpose. And often in making a poor decision, I've learned much more about His love and care through its consequences. He is my provider, my sustainer, my sufficiency. He leads me in the paths of righteousness.

Yes, it's more than a little prudent to make wise decisions. Our decisions move us along a path through life.

But sometimes the poor decision can turn out to be the richer decision.

Image ~ Destiny, John William Waterhouse, 1900

public domain via Wikimedia Commons

The Driving Force

As mothers and grandmothers, would we say the same?

I am the Lord's servant.

The trust in this statement is almost childlike. Mary defined herself with startling simplicity: "I am the Lord's servant." She stated her life-purpose clearly: "May it be to me as you have said." Obedience to God's will was the driving force of her life. 

~ Susan Hunt, in Spiritual Mothering

God's Purpose or My Dream?

I've often considered over the years God's purpose for my life and made plans and preparations to fulfill it. I think it might have been too often, rather, that I was following my own heart's desires, because little or nothing came of many of my preparations, whether it was as simple as taking a meal to someone who wasn't home, taking a class in writing children's literature, taking a few counseling classes, or obtaining a graduate degree. But over time, I've come to realize that much of what I've done has been working out my own desires. That's not to say the preparations were unfruitful, but that the fruit was found in the process rather than in the outcome.

Sharing a similar thought from Oswald Chambers today.

We are apt to imagine that if Jesus Christ constrains us, and we obey Him, He will lead us to great success. We must never put our dreams of success as God’s purpose for us; His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have an idea that God is leading us to a particular end, a desired goal; He is not. The question of getting to a particular end is a mere incident. What we call the process, God calls the end.

What is my dream of God’s purpose? His purpose is that I depend on Him and on His power now. If I can stay in the middle of the turmoil calm and unperplexed, that is the end of the purpose of God. God is not working towards a particular finish; His end is the process – that I see Him walking on the waves, no shore in sight, no success, no goal, just the absolute certainty that it is all right because I see Him walking on the sea. It is the process, not the end, which is glorifying to God.

God’s training is for now, not presently. His purpose is for this minute, not for something in the future. We have nothing to do with the afterwards of obedience; we get wrong when we think of the afterwards. What men call training and preparation, God calls the end.

God’s end is to enable me to see that He can walk on the chaos of my life just now. If we have a further end in view, we do not pay sufficient attention to the immediate present: if we realize that obedience is the end, then each moment as it comes is precious.

~ from My Utmost for His Highest

Painting ~ A Pensive Moment, Daniel Ridgway Knight 1839-1924

Wiki Commons public domain

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Today I reflect on simple thoughts and simple pleasures. My leads are somewhat similar to other in The Simple Woman's Daybook group, yet a bit different as well.  

Sharing a Picture

On our anniversary a few days ago, we took a trip to a lodge in the mountains of West Virginia. As we topped the mountain near Thomas, we came upon these wind turbines. They spread for miles along the mountaintop. They're much taller than they appear--over 300 feet tall. 

As we travel on I-65 through Indiana on our way to Chicago, there are hundreds of them row upon row, mile after mile throughout the cornfields.

Controversial, to be sure, for those who believe they blight the landscape. I tend toward that thought, preferring natural beauty. But, then, I tend toward thinking tatooes blot the landscape of natural beauty as well.

Outside my window... 
A little bunny rabbit nibbling on the clover. Plenty of yummies in the yard, so please stay away from my flowers, little bunny!

Noticing the sound of...

Cawing crows. We thought at first it was the neighbor's grandsons blowing kazoos.

From the gardens... 
We finally decided what to do with a small area by the garage where we had a cherry tree cut down a few years ago. Can't plant much there because of the roots, so we moved some fountain grass, mounded some soil around it, and planted a few shallow annuals. Turned out rather nice looking.

Around the house...
My Beloved is working some more on an upstairs bath. Hoping to get the floor finished before Elizabeth and her family come to visit next week.

From the kitchen...
Thought about making a pie to take to a pie social at church tomorrow. Opted to buy an apple caramel walnut pie from Honeybaked Ham while we were there for lunch today. I'm sure this will be much more appreciated than my feeble attempt at making a pie.

From the sewing room...
More strip quilting practice. It's getting easier! Now I'm into log cabin blocks. Making a baby girl quilt for a new little addition to our church a couple of weeks ago.

Learning...
To measure and trim quilt blocks as I go so they'll end up the same size.

This coming week I'm looking forward to...

Having little Elijah come for a brief visit. Oh, yes--his mommy and daddy, too!

Thinking...       

About yesterday's phone conversation with a homeschooling friend from the past. Her daughter graduated a year early, a blessed occasion for this family. Probably more of a milestone than for most us--the mom was not expected to live through May. Mom and daughter worked diligently to get the schooling finished first. They made it. Now they're considering college. To God be the glory. Great things He has done!

Thankful...    

That my mother's CT scan showed no growth of a spot that has been there through a couple of scans. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of Lights.
 

A thought from my Quiet Time...
I've been reading through the gospels in my chronological Bible, and my attention has been arrested  over and again that after healing a variety of people, Jesus tells them not to tell anyone. Then off they go and tell everyone they know. I find this curious. Instant disobedience. Even more curious to me, though, is why Jesus told them not to tell.
 

Currently reading...

Almost finished with Decision-Making and the Will of God by Garry Friesen. It's not a quick read. Much food for thought. Sharing a bit with you today.

God sovereignly superintends every circumstance showing that He cares personally for every detail and decision in your life (Luke 12:6-7). So, on the positive side, sovereign guidance should give a calm sense of security and peace that God is working all the details together for good. He helps us make choices that are moral and wise. And when circumstances are beyond our knowledge or control, we can confidently place them in His hands, knowing that they are under His control.

[I]n noncommanded decisions made with God-given freedom, the goal of the believer is to choose the alternative that will best expedite and promote the revealed will and purposes of God. To accomplish that objective, we should seek for wisdom through the channels God has provided: prayer, Bible study, research, counselors, past experience, and personal reflection. The amount of time and energy invested in such a search should be in proportion to the importance of the decision (Eph. 5:15-16). If one option is recognized as the most spiritually advantageous, it should be chosen. If two alternatives appear equally prudent, either may be selected. 

We should be able to explain and defend our final decision on the basis of moral guidance ("God Word says...") and wisdom guidance ("It seemed best..."). The decision should be in harmony with the moral will of God in all its details. Then the decision maker should demonstrate that the decision is spiritually advantageous for promoting God's moral will.

Decision Making

The Youngest Son's Farewell, Adolph Tideman

What a delight to look at the front of the fridge and see children of friends who are growing up, graduating from high school and college, getting married, and having babies! Pictures and announcements and invitations to share in their joy. What a blessing!

Knowing all of them, each is contemplating a decision or has made a decision of one sort or another about God's will. I hope they've asked the right question. The wrong question--What is God's will for my life? The right question--What is God's will? There's a vast difference in the questions.

The wrong question--What is God's will for my life?-- has me as the focus. My life. My individual, personalized plan. There's a tendency to be concerned about ourselves and how everything affects us or applies to us. Surely, it's a good thing to know what God wants us to do in the big and small of life. We do want the best God has for us. Isn't the best place to be in the center of God's will? Isn't that where we'll find greatest contentment and happiness? But it's still really all about us.

The right question--What is God's will?-- has God as the focus. God's will. He gave us His will in His Word. If we focus on God and are continually in His Word, we'll begin to understand His will more clearly. And as we step into the light of His Word and walk in His ways, we begin to live out His will--for every follower of Jesus Christ.

It's the BIG things in life that we tend to think more specifically about God's will--Where should we go to college? Who should we marry? What job should we take? Where should we live? Should we move? We want something on the radar screen, specifically for us. But if we're living in the light of His Word, there can be several choices for us--all in the realm of His righteousness and moral will.

What job should I take, for example? In understanding the whole of Scripture, God's will for me is to be a keeper of the home, a nurturer of my children, a wife who does her husband good, a Titus 2 woman, especially to my daughters, but to other young women as well. Therefore, my job radiates from my home. I wouldn't have much time or energies for marketplace employment. But on the other hand, there are other considerations as well, all within the realm of God's purposes in His Word. My children are married, so I have some available time for other "ministries of reconciliation." And that could be a myriad of righteous choices. I might have time to join a quilting group for the furtherance of the gospel. Then on the other hand, my husband may want me more available to be his helper. And so the decisions go.

Thinking and living out the wisdom of God's Word. Knowing and doing the will of God. It can be confusing--if we don't ask the right question.

Painting ~ The Youngest Son's Farewell 1866, Adolph Tidemand 1814-1876

via Wikimedia Commons public domain