Rejection

While visiting with my niece this week, she told me a phrase she heard at church one time and I have been pondering it ever since. I am thinking maybe someone reading this blog this week will need to be encouraged by these words.

Rejection can be God's way of telling you "wrong direction".

We all have experienced rejection at some time in life. While I have not felt rejected recently, I can remember times where I have been. It hurts and we can become frustrated and angry. We look down on ourselves, feel worthless and at times all alone. We let their rejection of us or our thoughts consume us and we are consumed by what we should have done differently or how can we get them to not reject us in the future.

But what if the next time we are turned down or rejected, we realize it is simply God saying, "I have something else for you and going this way, will be going in the wrong direction". We don't feel the same way after those type thoughts do we? We feel encouraged, strengthened and more importantly we feel loved! We realize He cares and loves us enough to allow rejection to happen to stop us from making a much bigger problem in the end. That is just the opposite of what Satan wants when rejection happens to us. But God allows rejection so we can be on the path of where He wants us to be. He cares about us so much and loves us. He wants to open doors in the direction that will lead to where He has already planned for us and along that way, rejection will need to happen in order for us to follow the right path. Maybe the person who rejected you would have caused you to be a type person you shouldn't be or would have taken you down a path that would have led to trouble. Maybe the company that rejected you would not have placed you with the people and the work load that is right for you. Maybe the bank rejecting your loan application would have saved you from buying that car or house from a nightmare of unseen expenses! Rejection hurts and no one signs up for it and no one likes it, but maybe the next time it happens our attitude could help us see, that it would have led us in the wrong direction.

As I reflected this week on rejection and the times that it has happened to me, I am realizing with greater appreciation why it happened and that God used rejection to get me to where I am today. I will look at rejection differently from now on. It will still sting, I will not like it, but I will try and see that it could be God saying, "I have something better for you".

I hope you don't feel rejected this week, but if so, please know, it could be so you are turning in another direction for something better. If you come across someone who has been rejected, encourage them today so that that don't feel alone, unworthy or angry. Disappointed, certainly, but we have been to be thankful for when we are rejected.

I also want to thank you for your kind comments with my blog and for sending my link to others. My prayer is that people are being blessed and strengthened in their walk with Christ! See you next week!

Choices

My summer has being flying by as they seem to do. As I age, I feel as though they go faster and faster. The past few weeks, have been filled with important and time worthy things. Our kids got their wisdom teeth removed and needed help after surgery. Then one of them got a double infection and needed some extra appointments and care. We also had a camp at church, which I helped with and then we brought Maggie home. During this time I sensed something was missing. I didn't know what it was. It was hard to put a finger on. I wasn't sure if I was tired, so I took naps, still didn't feel right. Then I thought, maybe I am not eating enough because of caring for others. No, that wasn't it. Then I thought maybe I just had to get used to my kids being home more and not in school right now. Still not it. Then while taking a walk with Maggie, I looked at the spot I often sat and talked to God at. It is a small hill that looks out over our property and I enjoy the sunsets. It had been weeks since I did that. Then later that evening, I looked at "my chair". You know, the spot you curl up in and get caught up in the pages and lose all track of time. And it all came together. I had chosen the past few weeks to put off time with God. Yes, I prayed throughout the day and I read quick things here and there, but I mean a time with God. My heart ached for it and I missed it. I remember when I sat in my chair and opened my bible it was as if I was home. That feeling went away. I found what was missing. I get encouraged and renewed strength when I read scripture. No wonder I was tired. I was running on my own time. I also listened to my iPod for the first in weeks and took in the words. A song that kept coming to mind, played. It is one from years ago by Robin Mark. It is called: "When Its All Said and Done". If you are not familiar with the song, it asks the listener several questions. Some are: when your life is over what do you have to show for it? Did you live a life for truth and did you do your best to live a life for Christ? All our treasures mean nothing in the end, only what we did for love's reward will stand the test of time. God takes sinners and makes them saints. Heaven is our true home.

We also had our wheat harvested this week and it reminded me of the times in scripture things are compared to the wheat/grain being sifted. What is left, is of value, the chaff blows away.

Where am I going with all this? Well, I have prayed about what to write and I have two thoughts going through my mind, that I hope will challenge or encourage you. They are this. What type choices do I and you make each day? What are we choosing and why? In a matter of weeks, Satan had me so busy doing good things, I didn't realize how quickly I was not focusing on God. I was busy. Busy with stuff that mattered some, but some of it was just stuff. When my life is over I will need to answer for the way I spent my time. I am grateful that the Holy Spirit kept nudging me, till I realized what I was doing. I can have a full calendar with things that look great to people, but if God was looking at the list, would He be impressed? I can't do enough things to impress God, but I can feel at peace and not out of sorts when the things I am doing are His will for my life. I find His will by reading His Word and spending time in prayer. I see how people think they don't have time for God, but some day, they and I will need to answer for what we did with all the time we had. Some people think when they get older that is when they will give back to God. Or when life slows down then they will spend more time doing the things they know they should be doing now. But here is the part they are missing, how much time do I have? Some people have 20 years some 90 years. No one but God knows the amount of time you have. That was the part I kept thinking about after the song. When it is all said and done, what really matters and what have I done with it?

The wheat reminds me my deeds will be sifted. I want my time to have meant something. I want good things to come out of this time I have been given. I don't want them to all blow away like chaff. I am not perfect, nor would I try to be. But I think there are times we come to cross-roads in life and we need to every now and then stop and ask ourselves, "what does God want me doing at this season of my life". Maybe the answer is to keep on keepin on. Sometimes though, He has changes in mind and we need to be open to that. Sometimes we work hard at something with very little earthly return for our time. But we need to remember some day, we will stand before God and answer for what we have done. Yes, we are to take vacations and take breaks. Yes, He helped me get my puppy. Yes, I needed to take care of my family. But you know what, I spent hours watching movies and TV, when I could have and should have snuck away for some quiet time with Him. He gave me the options, and for weeks, I didn't chose Him, I chose stuff. We all makes choices each and every day. I am grateful to serve a God who understands and forgives us when we stray or avoid time with Him. He welcomes us with open arms. What type of choices are you making this week, ones that will stand the test of time or ones that will blow like the chaff of wheat?

Maggie

If a month ago, you would have told me my summer would be full of puppy moments and puppy training I would have looked at you strangely. As I have written about several times this past year, a dog was what I ached for and wanted so badly, yet the time wasn't right. My husband was honest with me and wasn't sure he wanted another dog in the house, I understood and would pray that God would remove the desire from heart to own a dog. I even begged for Him to please take the pain away or help my husband see how badly I need a dog in my life. I wasn't mad and I wasn't upset, but I knew the time wasn't right.

Then a few weeks ago, while surfing on the computer my eyes fell upon the words "Lab Puppies for Sale". I looked and the puppies were being sold by a family we knew for years. The mother is beautiful and I often would watch her when I went past their house and thought how nice she always seemed and played well with kids. Hmmm....could now be the time? After a lot of praying, talking and thinking it through we decided to call and see if any females were left? There were. One more piece of the puzzle, the last piece had to be put into place before I could call. I needed my husband's blessing on this. I could have gone out and bought the puppy, I could have made the choice on my own and I could have even had the kids on my side and I could have hoped that once he saw her, he would love her too! But you know what, that would be a miserable life. I needed to know he was okay with it, more than I needed the puppy, and I NEEDED the puppy! We had several heart felt talks and we both decided to pray about it. After several days, I had learned a few things, I never would have learned if we didn't handle it this way.  I learned that my husband sometimes does things for me, because he truly loves me, and he shared his concerns and I heard them. I realized that I need to step up to the plate and take more responsibility with caring for a pet. I cried when he said he would go with me to see them. We went as a team. The girls and I had gone earlier in the day to look at two litters. When we found one we liked he went with me in the evening. He liked her as well and we picked a puppy, she would be coming home in a few weeks. The time went fast and before I knew it she was home. Her name is Maggie.

I have not been this tired for years, but she is worth it. She wakes us up at early morning hours and plays hard. But she sleeps too! She is happiest when she is with one of us and she loves laying in front of a fan. She turned 9 weeks this past Wednesday and it was like a light switch, she plays more than she sleeps now and everything is an adventure. She realized she loves water and helps water plants in the evening. She also loves to eats my plants, which is not funny, but she looks cute doing it. She now is on a leash more because she wants to run.

 Notice the wet head? She loves my hanging basket and how the water runs out if I get too much in it. In the evening when we all sit down together to watch TV as a family, she likes to be right with us. That is one of the things I love about Labs. She also likes the cool kitchen floor and sleeps in some of the strangest positions. I would be stiff and sore when I woke up, but not her.

I have learned a few things this past month: don't give up on something deep in your heart that you always wanted, it may not be a no forever, just for a season. I waited and prayed for over three years for a dog. When the answer came, I wasn't expecting it! I also learned sometimes we need to say yes to something because of what it means to the other person. My husband loves dogs, just more outside then in. We had to come to an agreement. We compromised. Isn't that what we do in life. I also learned, that when you think you are so tired you can't move, someone will step in to help. Our teenage daughters help so much and love taking her for runs and walks. We are doing this as a family. Matter of fact, I have caught my husband talking to her and even laying in the grass with her. She runs up to his feet when he comes home each night. She saw his work clothes on the laundry pile and immediately the tail started going and she was all excited.

I know God was smiling with me on the day we picked her up and I even had tears in my eyes when we got her. I think He did too. He loves us and He gives us what is best at the time it is best. I had to come to true peace that if I never owned another dog, life would be okay. I had to let go of the disappointment and sadness of not having a dog. He gave me cats to fill the void for awhile, but then He gave me Maggie. She really is a gift. Speaking of the cats: "my dog", Snoopy, they touch noses now. Patches is getting better, but Toby, not so much.....

I think with time, they will stand each other, but I don't think they will ever be buds. So he gets one on one attention when Maggie is sleeping. Life is still good for the cats, they just had to adjust.

I hope you get to soon see one of life's many, many surprises and that you are able to praise the giver of all gifts, Our Heavenly Father.

What a Rainbow Means to Me

 This picture was taken last year at our home. The colors were so bright and it looked like if I walked to my neighbor's house I could touch it!

This past week has brought much rain and a few rainbows. One night this week, while driving, I noticed a rainbow across the pasture and stopped for a while and gazed at it. I didn't have my camera with me or I would have posted pictures from it. That is why I needed to use last year's pictures. But it was very similar to this one.

While I continued down the road I realized people were pulling over and pointing. I saw people coming out of restaurants and watching and pointing. I began to wonder, "why do we do that?" We see a rainbow and time seems to stop, it seems to take our breath away. It certainly isn't because it is the first and last one we will ever see. Does everyone who looks at rainbows know why they appear? I don't mean scientifically, I mean, do they believe in God and know that it is a reminder of the promise He made to Noah all those years ago? Is it something in all of us, that whether we believe or not, we know that only our Creator could create that and we need to just stand in awe of what He has done? If we stand in awe of what He has done, what will we do when we see Him face to face! The more I processed this thought, the more I came to the realization, not only does a rainbow remind me that He will never destroy the earth again with a flood, but that God keeps His promises. I like to think, that when we see a rainbow, yes, the moisture shining through the sun's rays causes the spectrum of light, but that it is God's way of reminding His creation, I AM a promise keeper. God's Word, is full of promises. He will never leave us or forsake us, He will never give us more than we can handle, He will give eternal life to anyone who believes in His Son and asks for forgiveness. He wipes our sins as far as the East is from the West, He promises to watch over us. I could go on and on. But I just simply had to smile on my drive home, even though I didn't have my camera to take pictures, because you know what, God is a promise keeper. I don't have to worry He will take back what He said. I don't worry that He will one day say, "I changed my mind, my Word, doesn't apply to you". What promises do you need to hear Him whisper in your ear this week? You are beautiful and I created you just as I wanted you to be, You are precious in my sight, I died for you, I desire fellowship with you or  I love you for who you are on the inside and I don't care what others think of you. Only you know what is heavy on your heart today, but I promise, He is watching and waiting to help you and encourage you. Have you asked for His help? Have you looked at His promises lately? Remember, He is a promise keeper and each time the storm comes and the sun begins to shine, He reminds us, I am still keeping my promise, are you?

If you look closely, you will see this is double-rainbow. Did you know that on the second rainbow the colors are in reverse order of the first. Another special touch by the Master. I challenge you this week to look at some of the promises He has recorded in His Word. Also, if you see a rainbow this week or in the week's to come, take time to point, stand in awe and thank Him for keeping His promises. He is worthy of our praise regardless of life's situations!