IT IS WELL

Do you ever find yourself in a situation and say that phrase. It Is Well?  I hope you say yes, but I rarely say that.  There not many situations that I can for certain say that It Is Well.  Too often my life is loaded with stuff - not all good either. Stuff accumulates.  Stuff happens, am I right?  Too often I don't take time to say It Is Well and to slow down and breathe.  Be at peace.
I love the hymn It Is Well with My Soul.  Why? The words penned so long ago are words we still need to hear and be reminded of today.
Horatio Spafford led a tragic life- by the world's standards. Early in his professional career his business suffered a terrible fire (which he and his family never recovered from). But at least he had his wonderful wife, Anna, and his four beautiful daughters. His business ventures later took him to Europe. There was a change in plans and he had to send his family on before him.  While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank.  Spafford received a telegram from his wife - "Saved alone!"
WOW!  What a horrible experience and pain that he must have gone through.  He then traveled to meet his wife.  While passing over the area where the boat sank he felt compelled to pen the words of It Is Well With My Soul.
I am not sure I have this much faith.  He truly put his faith in God and decided to look to Him. My favorite stanza in this hymn is the first.  The third line of this stanza reminds us that whatever comes our way, we should look to God and be ready to serve and say, It Is Well.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It's a hard day for many, me included.  However, I can still say It Is Well. I am loved. You are loved and be assured that it truly is a mindset to say It Is Well.  I am learning little by little to take time out for me and God, to cultivate that relationship. 
I mentioned in an earlier post about walking. Well, that's my time to commune - to be quiet and just be!  It's awesome.  During this time I pray, thank God for my life and those in it, and listen.  To listen is the hard part.  You sometimes hear what you don't want too, even if you know what you are hearing is best for you. It doesn't make it any easier.
So I am encouraging me and you to stop, listen, pray, and say It Is Well and this too is a part of life.  Whatever we go through, we don't go through alone but God is leading, we just need to listen.

Peace to you this day.

Here is a beautiful arrangement of It Is Well

Fat Elvis Is Leaving The Buidling

That's right, Elvis is leaving the building.  Ok, now that I have your attention, I will let you in.  I am losing weight- I mean, I am trying too. My cousin, Adam, is helping me.  In the course of the last year Adam has really lost some weight and I was so impressed, I was encouraged to do the same.
I have followed his plan (well, last night we had meatloaf at church, so I had to have that!), but otherwise, I have followed his plan.  I have also been walking about 40 minutes a day.  I would say that all in all I am doing a fantastic job.  Did I mention this is only day 3! 

If you are old enough to remember Elvis, you remember that when he was young he was trim, fit, good looking, and a wonderful singer.  You also remember that at the end of his concerts they would announce that "Elvis has left the building".  Well, I am trying to leave the building - my weight and my "old" self.  If you have tried to lose weight you know that it comes on faster than goes off. But, such as life.

2 Corinthians 5: 17 -Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Aren't we like this?  Aren't we trying to become new?  I am.  I am still trying. I don't mean just with my weight but in my entire life.  But, can you really become new if you don't shed the old?  I will not have new skin or a new mind by losing weight.  But, I will think differently about food, exercise, and about myself.
I am thankful each day starts new.  I can wake and decide to be different.  I can decide to be happy.  I can decide to make a difference in my life and to others (I wrote decide several times because that's what we have to do - DECIDE). 
See, I believe our newness doesn't come from just believing, but from deciding to make changes. 

One of my favorite stories is about the lame man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5).  By the time Jesus arrives on the scene the lame man had been in his condition for a long time.  Now, we don't know what is a long time.  We just know that this is nothing new for this lame man.  Jesus asks him, "Do you not want to be made well"?  The man answers; "sir, I have no one to help me to the pool and when I get there, many go before me".   This is interesting to me.  I often wonder if he wanted to be made well. I mean, if he went to the pool each day and others went in front of him that is frustrating but really,  EVERY time the waters would stir he couldn't get in?
This is what I mean that we have to DECIDE to be new. Things don't change because we will them too. God is working.  God has the power of miracles. But just like the lame man, we have to DECIDE we are going to the pool, jumping in, and being made new by the waters of new life in Christ. 

I have DECIDED to  shed some pounds.  Maybe Elvis would still be here had he done that, who knows? But I am jumping in head first to be cleansed.  You?

I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

 

Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

 

Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

Just a Closer Walk

It's been a long time since my last post.  But I'm back!


This past weekend I had a wonderful adventure. Hard, but wonderful.   I traveled back to Virginia to see my girls.  However, I did not take this trip alone.  My cousin rode with me.  I had a "mate" to travel with.  Before this past week, it had literally been years since I had seen my cousin.  What a wonderful time we had (well, at least I had a great time.  I talk a lot and he's quiet so, I'll just say it was fun for me!)
Even though I had him with me, it was still a very difficult trip.  I saw my girls, By the way, they are the cutest girls EVER! I also attended a wonderful gathering of friends from my previous church, and said some really hard goodbyes. The gathering was beautiful. We ate wonderful food, we sang around he piano, and most of all we laughed. But, it was still difficult and because it was difficult, I was and am thankful that my cousin was able to be with me.  He really didn't do anything extraordinary during the weekend but what he did do was show up and walk with me. During the rides and the long hours of the night and day, we talked, listened to music and just were.  There was silence. 
As we rode in silence for bit, I realized what a gift it was to have him there.  And, I wondered what the weekend would have been like if I had driven alone - very different. He was there to walk with me in the same direction, in unity, as I walked a very difficult road.


Proverbs 4:12

When you walk, your steps shall not be hampered, your path will be clear and open; and when you run, you shall not stumble.

When you walk with someone obviously you won’t be going in opposite directions. If you walk in a different direction you can’t listen to them, you can’t enjoy them, you can’t share things with them, and you won’t be able to understand them. When you walk with the Lord, your will is going to align with His will. Since you’re walking side by side with Him your focus will be on Him.

Life is hard and we need a walking mate. That mate, if we choose, is God. He is the one that has gone before us and cleared the path. After clearing the path, He then came back and is now taking us with him.

Are you taking him with you, daily? Are you helping to clear more paths of briars and other debris so that, you are walking undistracted and keeping your hand in God's and your eyes on the path that He has set before you?  I try.  I fail -most days.  It's tough to be with God and think that you are alone at the same time. 

So, go forth this week knowing that you are not walking alone. HE is walking with you and as He does - we are stronger.

Just a closer walk with Thee
grant it Jesus is my plea.
Dailing walking cloe to Thee,
let it be, dear Lord, let it be!