How's About a Dance

Life is such a tremendous journey. I have been overwhelmed the last couple of days with the way that God reaches out to us. I have gone through a particularly difficult couple weeks. For whatever reason, I have been challenged physically and emotionally. I found myself frustrated and just plain pooped.

I had gone to a retreat a couple months ago where God just really showed up. He revealed His love for me in such a tangible way. If you are sitting there at your computer today and you are doubting God's love, Don't. Just Don't. When I was at the retreat I found something that I had lost years ago. I had to go all the way to St. Louis to get it. My smile. I rediscovered it not because I won the lottery. Not because I got to meet Joyce Meyer personally, although I would love that, but because I sensed the overwhelming and indescribable love of Almighty God. He spoke to me in such a clear way that giving me my smile back was His job. Keeping it was mine. God gives us the victory but we have to choose to walk in it.

I was speaking to someone today about victories. It seems like we can have a victory and then loose it. For some reason it feels like when you loose it you end up farther back than when you started to journey to begin with. I can't quite figure out why that is. The only thing that I can figure is that the enemy is ticked off that you have made forward movement so his attacks increase. Maintaining victory is definitely a tough job that only God can give the strength to accomplish. Sometimes we have to walk in the victory even before we see its completion or feel like it is a win. It truly is all about faith. I have to choose to put on my dancin' shoes even when I feel like going to a pity party instead.

Today my son said a funny thing. My daughter was running around in her under ware, not uncommon in our house, and she ran and jumped in her brother's bed. He was quite unnerved by her actions and very sternly marched into his room. He pulled back the covers on his bed and said very sharply, "Put on your clothes. I can't see you like this." I feel like I have been running around in my spiritual under ware, forgetting what God tells us in Colossians 3:12, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience...And over these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity"(NIV). I've been cruising around in nothing. No fruit. No love. Then I wonder why I am so miserable. I need to put on my clothes because I know no one likes to "see me like this."

Psalms 105:3 says, "Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice." That word glory literally mean, "make into a fool, act madly, shine" (Strongs). There is one thing that I want to copy about my daughter's behavior today, I want to dance around in reckless abandonment to the God who died to give me joy. I want to be a fool for Him. Not because I feel like it, because I don't. Not because I have to, because I don't. Just because my God deserves the best I have to give Him. So come on and do a victory jig in your garments of praise and the battle that you find yourself in will seem far less overwhelming and really not a big deal in comparison to a big God.

No Regrets

I think there are songs and even books named "No Regrets." What does that mean exactly....because I seem to have regrets on a daily basis. For instance, today I felt crummy and was trying to get my daughter to school on time. I was walking through her school parking lot and a lady nearly ran us over. Now, mind you, she was in the wrong but then I found myself saying out loud, "Good grief lady!!" Now I said it so loud, partly because my head was clogged, but also because I was ticked off!! Oh yeah, I am in the parking lot of my daughter's CHRISTIAN school at my CHURCH! Ugh. By God's grace the lady didn't hear me. I overheard her say to her daughter, "Hurry up, we are going to be late." I completely understand her problem. But I had a regret - I opened my mouth.

If you haven't noticed, my mouth tends to get me in trouble a lot. My daughter, before we left for school today, actually asked me to my face (as it was three inches from hers because I was zipping up her coat), "Mom...um...did you pray today??" Yep, another regret. Not just the not praying, but the fact that my kid noticed.

I didn't clean my house like I wanted to today. I didn't get the reading done that I should have. I didn't play with my kids as much as I wanted to. I haven't scheduled that prayer gathering yet with friends. I haven't called that friend that was struggling last week. I should have gotten up earlier. I shouldn't have stayed up so late. I shouldn't have made such a big deal about that. I should have made a bigger deal out of that. Things didn't go the way I wanted them to. I didn't really pray today. My spiritual life isn't where I want it to be. I have enough regrets from the last 2 days to fill a Hefty garbage bag. So what am I going to do with them?

It is obvious that in life we are going to have regrets...at least in my opinion. I think that the more important thing is what we do with those regrets that is the issue. Am I going to tow them around and let them ruin my day, my week, my life?? Take it from me, I have spent too many years of my life wishing that I would have done this or wouldn't have done that or wouldn't have said this or that. I think that the enemy has just been dancing all over the promised land that Jesus died to give me, and you know what, I'm not going to let him stay any longer and I'm not going to let him convince me to tote my garbage around like it was a cute Coach purse! Throw it off and run away from it. Dance around in freedom and liberty. I was just reminded again today that we have liberty in Christ. We don't have to worry about yesterday. The sun went down on that day! There's no room in today for yesterday's garbage. The way to have no regrets is to lay them at the foot of the cross and let them be!

If you have been toting regrets, please, set them aside. Lay in bed each night and ask God to take them from you. We can learn from our mistakes but we can't just lay around in them and expect to have any joy. Thank you Lord that you cause all things to work together for my good. Take my regrets from today and help me to walk in greater freedom tomorrow. Ahh. That feels much better to set my sights ahead and truly FORGET WHAT LIES BEHIND. I can't change yesterday but I am determined to make the most of my tomorrow.