back to normal (whatever that is)

Well.  Last week was pretty horrible, as far as weeks go, so today I am loving the fact that everyone seems like they feel good and the sun is shining brightly.  We all ended up with the flu, or renditions of it, and after a solid week of staying at home in my pajamas, I am ready to join the land of the living again.  I even missed church yesterday...and Resurrection Sunday is my favorite church day of the whole year.

It's funny how easily you can become depressed when sickness strikes.  Am I the only one that's like that?  I seem to be so good at having pity parties, and then it's like the Lord gently reminds me that He is the lifter of my head.  When I focus on circumstance, I can easily get overwhelmed.  When I focus on Him, my perspective shifts and I become thankful again.

I have a friend who always says that praise is her weapon of choice for fighting off the devil.  I have seen that statement proven true over and over again, sometimes I just forget to give thanks in ALL circumstances.  Last year I kept a one sentence gratitude journal for most of the year (I forgot some days) and I think that keeping that made me a different person.  I loved looking back through what I had written, even on the days when I was at my lowest.

It's really easy to give God praise when things are good...when everything is going our way and when our lives are all neat and orderly.  But what about in the bad times?  Perhaps that is one reason why I love the character of Job from the Old Testament.  Even when everything around him was destroyed, still, he gave praise to God.  I try to remember that and I try to always thank God for everything, and every situation.  I said I try~I do not always succeed at this, hence the pity parties I am so good at, mentioned above.  But the enemy is at work when we are weakened, and he is after the resolve that we have to spend time with God each day.  Of course he wants us sick and tired all the time (like when we're physically sick) so that we only have strength to get up and go back to sleep.  I'm not saying that sickness doesn't exist, just that when we are not well physically, the enemy thrives in our spiritual lives.

Even this morning, he was at work while I was not even awake yet...I had every intention of getting up early again and getting back on track, but of course I didn't.  I chose to remain in bed, getting a few last moments of precious sleep.  We have to make a choice and then we have to have resolve to stick with it, even when we're tempted to give in.  For me, getting up early is one of my greatest struggles.  As a homeschooling family, we do not have to be up early to start at a certain time.  Because of that, the boys often go to bed late and we all are able to sleep in each morning.  But early morning is when I get the most bang for my buck, so to speak, in my quiet time.  I am not distracted, I am not rushed, and all is quiet in my house.  I did finally get up (when Toddley got up) and had quiet time, but it wasn't the same as I am able to have when it's early.  But the choice and the obedience starts the night before me~do I read a book and fall asleep quickly, or do I watch episode after episode of Army Wives and keep getting sucked in?

The struggle is real, I'm just being honest.

I certainly am not perfect and I know that time and time again, I will fail at all of this.  But my sweet Jesus...He is my strength when I am weak.  He is my forgiveness.  He is always at work in my life, and at this whole sanctification thing.  He convicts me of sin when I do wrong.  He gently reminds me of His word.  He renews my life and leads me along the right path for His name's sake (Psalm 23). As I write all of that, I am listening to Chris Tomlin sing Good, Good Father.

Well, honestly, this is not the post that I had planned to write, but in sitting down to start, He led me a different way.  I pray that there is someone who needs to see this and to reminded that no matter the situation that you are currently in, He is good and He is in control.  I pray this encourages someone today.  Love to all.