Entrusted Principle

How do I help a friend when her husband is acting like a snake with reptile dysfunction?

Just thinking of murder isn’t illegal ….. No, no, no……… that doesn’t lead down the right path!  Just as I was about to give up on this issue for now my computer dinged.  It does that when an e-mail comes in.  No time to check it now – I need to focus - back to staring at my page while God works.  Hummm 10 minutes, nothing!  20 minutes, more nothing!  Ok, 45 minutes and a whole lot of nothing!  I’ve either got writers block or my heart ears are plugged.  Off to the pile of unfinished devotionals for ya! Bye!!!

Hello, I’m retrieving my tossed devotional because I just read the best advice ever in Oz Hillman’s devotional.  It was one of those, “pop me in the middle of my head, I could have had a V-8” moments.  Not new but just said in such a way that really hit home with me. 

A woman of faith was struggling with a non-believing husband who wanted to make a large purchase.  They could not afford such an expense and it would wreck havoc with their finances.  She was completely opposed  to her husband’s plan yet wanted to be God’s woman in the heart of the situation.  She brought her dilemma to her Home Life group for their counsel.

Someone said, "You really only have a few options if you adhere to the principle that God has entrusted the man as the leader in the home. God has placed you under the umbrella of His protection as well as your husband. There are times when he will not make the right decision. Does that mean God is not protecting you? No. There may be several things working here. God may be testing your own obedience to this principle. He may use you to open up your husband's spiritual life due to your obedience and submissive spirit. Your obedience may cost your family something, but it will be beneficial in the long term. Your alternative is to rebel and pay him back for his decision by withholding your love from him, which is often what a wife does in this situation. It becomes a vicious circle of paybacks. My suggestion is to tell your husband how you feel about his decision and the impact you feel it will have on you and your family. If he still wants to make the purchase, you must let him do it and support him. What happens next will rest in God's hand as your ultimate protector."

A few weeks later the lady returned to her Home Life group. "I have some wonderful news. We did make the purchase. However, we were able to make it in such a way that we did not go into debt and I was able to support my husband. I have already seen a change in his attitude toward me by the way I responded to him in this. It has been a real lesson for me. I see him much more open to spiritual things since I made this decision and supported him, even though I disagreed with it." "Reprinted by permission from the author. Os Hillman is an international speaker and author of more than 10 books on workplace calling. To learn more, visit http://www.MarketplaceLeaders.org"

A pearl to string: Oz stated that God has made man and woman equal in His sight. Yet He has given each a different role to play in marriage. Husbands must answer to God for their leadership in the home. They will be judged for that leadership. When a wife submits to that leadership, God protects her from wrong decisions of that husband, although sometimes it may not appear that way at first.  You can trust God to protect you in your decisions that are made in obedience to His Word.

The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:24

Trusting in His Word,

                            Lyndi

Meet Yeahbut

I want you to meet my not such a good friend Mr. Yeahbut.  He appeared in my life the first time I didn't forgive someone a trespass. That's about the same time my "I'm right" mode kicked in.  Which by coincidence morphed into "my way".  Somewhere along the "my way", not sure when, "or the highway" got tacked on. That all happened before I was three. My expectations grew from there. Too many people along life's path did not live up to "my way" so I took a plethora of psychology classes in high school and college. That did give me some understanding into human nature. I gathered plenty of good advice from adults in my life but Mr. Yeahbut always seemed to step in with an "if".  Basically and fundamentally I kept running into the same "if others would quit behaving that way I would improve" wall.  Of course I had a choice not to keep running into that wall but apparently I liked bruises, hurt feelings and crying a lot. One cold, dark lonely night of my soul after repeated trips into the wall I heard a question, "how's this working for ya?"  Feeling compelled to answer I replied into thin air, "really not very well at all".  Knowing it was God and having an Adam think alike moment I added, "it's the people you put into my life, what's wrong with these people?". "Did you explain your expectations to them?"  came another question.  "That requires a two fold response I replied: Yeah but they didn't listen and No but they should know.... it's fundamental good behavior". (Nobut? Must be Yeahbut's cousin)  "Hmmm, they must have missed the publication of the 'book of you'. Try forgiveness!" came the word. "Yeah but they keep doing it over and over again" I protested. "Forgiveness" was the Word again and again.

In Scripture taken from The Message 20th chapter of John verse 23 another good question is asked. "If you forgive someone's sins, they're gone for good. If you don't forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?" 

When unforgiveness has had time to take root, it begins to grow into bitterness, anger, wrath and hatred, to the point that even love that had once warmed the heart, will become cold and distant. Words that were once tender and loving will become filled with negativity & curses. We need to realize that the license we've given ourselves to judge others can weaken us all. Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hope that the offender will get sick from it. The reality is it is making YOU sick and begins a slow death to those who will not release it.  Unforgiveness wreaks havoc with anything in it's path like a cyclone that sucks life right off the earth. Your expectations are off track, all relationships are at risk for doom and your thinking process become like murky water. So many people unknowingly hold on to their pain from the past. They have chosen to forget rather than to forgive, and there is a difference. Forgetting does not take the poison away, forgiving does. Unforgiveness is a huge obstacle in this life that keeps us from obedience and intimacy with the Lord.

A pearl to string: When you align your expectations, thinking and actions with the Lord and His Word it's not that people will suddenly behave better or that all your expectations will be met.  It's not even that you will personally improve with great strides. What you do is create an atmosphere for which forgiveness can be a way of living because it is most certainly the way of loving.

Living in His forgiveness

You are forgiven and you are loved,
                                              Lyndi

Never Discouraged

Imagine that I dump 10,000 plastic eggs in your back yard. I assure you that inside one of those hollow eggs is a check for $1 Million dollars with your name on it. Would you get discouraged if you opened the first 100 eggs without finding the check? How about the first 1000 eggs? Of course not!  You'd just keep opening those eggs, just waiting for the moment when you'd find the check.

Paul knew the meaning of the word "suffering." He had been beaten, stoned, imprisoned, shipwrecked, starved, and rejected and that was just on Mondays. And yet Paul said that his sufferings were nothing compared to the glory that would come. In other words, Paul had opened a lot of empty eggs, but he never gave up or got discouraged.  He believed that something great was in his future - God's glory revealed in him.

Perhaps it feels to you as if your life has been nothing but empty eggs.  You've already opened 9,562 of them and you're not sure you've got the will to go on. Let me encourage you today. Don't give up. I don't want to trivialize the challenges you are facing, but I do want to help you put them into perspective. They are only temporary, and God has something much greater in store for you.  Compared to the glory that will be revealed in us one day, our suffering doesn't merit discouragement.

A pearl to string:  I don't know who wrote that but it was certainly encouraging to me so I wanted to share it with you. I drove a VW when I was a kid.  I always knew when the gas tank was low I still had 3 gallons left in the reserve tank.  Just flip the lever and away I'd go.  God gave each one of us a reserve tank. Flip your prayer lever. Hang on. Don't give up. Keep going. One day God will replace your discouragement with incomparable glory!

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18)

Stay in His beautiful Sonshine

The rainbows of life follow the storms

Know you are loved,

                              Lyndi

Clipped Wings

Have you seen the Athenos Greek Yogurt commercial with Yiayia? (Greek, for grandmother)  http://youtu.be/JmD-wDEeOds   It opens with a charming young couple, all a flutter with love, sharing breakfast. The off camera announcer asks what their plans are for the day.  The young man eagerly replies while his lady love hangs on every word with coquettish adoration. The announcer breaks in, "That's wonderful" he says, "let's see what Yiayia thinks". Yiayia cuts to the chase.... with this sweet expression upon her face and a suspiciously syrupy voice to match Yiayia asks, "are you two married"? her voice rising at the end of her question.  Young woman looks at her man with flirtatious eyes, a little giggle and gives Yiayia a sheepish reply, "well no"!  Still maintaining that sweet expression Yiayia does the shame, shame, shame thing with her fingers and says: "but you are living together? ..........."    OK I'll cut in here: You go Yiayia... she tells those kids where they are headed and the expression on the young couples face fades rapidly to shock & bewilderment. Of course the announcer breaks in here and explains Yiayia approves of  the Athenos Greek Yogurt. Scene fades out with Yiayia helping a motorcyclist slow down.

Even our commercials present sin against God with such worldly beauty that what use to be wrong is now appearing right. What a cover up the deceiver has accomplished.  It seems to be perfectly acceptable for skimpily clad young women to parade about.  Young men wear ill fitting clothing and look permanently disheveled. The language and self serving actions follow any old whim that appears on the horizon.  Of course there are exceptions, like your kids, grandkids and mine but don't you just get irritated with what you see around you?  Each generation suffers the indignity and rejection of their standard operating procedure. I think I must be feeling the sting. Sometimes I just want to scream! Then suddenly a previously unknown section of my mind takes control of my mouth and immediately produces: "put some clothes on", "pull your pants up", "get a hair cut" and "use some words with more than four letters". "Try some good manners", "be kind", and  "be considerate of those around you". IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU!  But of course just like my generation, each upcoming generation knows best.  Where is all this headed Yiayia?

A pearl to string: Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity. It doesn't give you wings - it clips them. If God lives in us, then there's no way of keeping Him from "showing through". That's the essence of Christian living - living in such a way that people around will see God in our lives. Not shouting it or getting bonged on the head with a placard of love. Ok - I'll put my soap-box away!

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."  Matthew 5:16

Staying with a truth I can count on His truth never changes.

You are loved,

                 Lyndi