Barefoot!
Good Morning!
I have another great challenge and opportunity to take off my shoes.
Today I get to meet with the IRS auditor and with our accountant.
Barefoot and in His awesome presence,
Joy!
#253 Barefoot! Psalm 62.8
“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 62:8
Ben and I had a conflict over the weekend. We were both exhausted after a couple of late nights. (Our daughter Jamie was in town visiting!) the problem was the early mornings that proceeded the late nights. We were getting up at 4am due to Ben’s schedule for logging.
I came home Friday with a great need to talk about details of employee issues that happened during the day. When Ben cut off my conversation I got angry. And I said to myself, “He is not supporting me at all. I need his support and he is just not there.” I added to my story: “This happens a lot. And it will continue. I just need to get used to the fact that he won’t be supportive.” I went to bed angry and disappointed. Yes, I let the sun go down on my wrath…
I stood by my burning bush, but I forgot to take my shoes off! And then when I remembered, I had the hardest time getting those shoes off my feet.
It took me all day Saturday to come to grips with myself before God.
When I stand before Him grounded in humility I see the fire differently.
The fire is the brightness and intensity of His love. The fire is an opportunity to see His deliverance.
I was reminded of the meditation from a few weeks ago:
Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my sighing.
Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.
IN the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” Psalm 5:1-3
It is very humbling to admit some of my judgments and what I am worried and upset about to My King and my God. Suddenly I am struck with His Greatness, His far seeing wisdom, and my narrow vision and narrow mindedness. My certainty that I am right about this one’s motives, or that one’s opinion on how to deal with employees, for example, is suddenly up for grabs. My desire becomes not to prove that my thoughts are right and that my feelings are justified, but to truly seek to know His perspective.
The LORD started to rebuild my perspective as the day wore on.
Saturday afternoon, I came across a perfect wedding card for my niece Amy. It read:
It’s your story. Make it beautiful.
Fill it up with what you love.
Remember what matters. Forget what doesn’t.
Have a happy life together.
And I add to this:
Put the past in the past or there will be little room for a full- of- life-future.
This is wonderful advice for relationships!
What I realize now is that Ben came home with the need to eat, talk very little and go to bed. My need was to talk a bunch, and then go to bed. We both had strong needs. At first I could only see that he was not meeting my needs. As time went on and the LORD worked on my perspective I could see that the not- meeting-of-needs went both ways.
So I am working on being brief, and asking about a time when we can talk more.
When I am barefoot foot before God, in grounded humility before Him, I authentically and honestly pour out my stories and negative interpretations and they fall apart. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5! That leaves room for the world of His Possibilities!
Pour out your heart before God, barefoot! (Psalm 62:8)
I have another great challenge and opportunity to take off my shoes.
Today I get to meet with the IRS auditor and with our accountant.
Barefoot and in His awesome presence,
Joy!
#253 Barefoot! Psalm 62.8
“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 62:8
Ben and I had a conflict over the weekend. We were both exhausted after a couple of late nights. (Our daughter Jamie was in town visiting!) the problem was the early mornings that proceeded the late nights. We were getting up at 4am due to Ben’s schedule for logging.
I came home Friday with a great need to talk about details of employee issues that happened during the day. When Ben cut off my conversation I got angry. And I said to myself, “He is not supporting me at all. I need his support and he is just not there.” I added to my story: “This happens a lot. And it will continue. I just need to get used to the fact that he won’t be supportive.” I went to bed angry and disappointed. Yes, I let the sun go down on my wrath…
I stood by my burning bush, but I forgot to take my shoes off! And then when I remembered, I had the hardest time getting those shoes off my feet.
It took me all day Saturday to come to grips with myself before God.
When I stand before Him grounded in humility I see the fire differently.
The fire is the brightness and intensity of His love. The fire is an opportunity to see His deliverance.
I was reminded of the meditation from a few weeks ago:
Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my sighing.
Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.
IN the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” Psalm 5:1-3
It is very humbling to admit some of my judgments and what I am worried and upset about to My King and my God. Suddenly I am struck with His Greatness, His far seeing wisdom, and my narrow vision and narrow mindedness. My certainty that I am right about this one’s motives, or that one’s opinion on how to deal with employees, for example, is suddenly up for grabs. My desire becomes not to prove that my thoughts are right and that my feelings are justified, but to truly seek to know His perspective.
The LORD started to rebuild my perspective as the day wore on.
Saturday afternoon, I came across a perfect wedding card for my niece Amy. It read:
It’s your story. Make it beautiful.
Fill it up with what you love.
Remember what matters. Forget what doesn’t.
Have a happy life together.
And I add to this:
Put the past in the past or there will be little room for a full- of- life-future.
This is wonderful advice for relationships!
What I realize now is that Ben came home with the need to eat, talk very little and go to bed. My need was to talk a bunch, and then go to bed. We both had strong needs. At first I could only see that he was not meeting my needs. As time went on and the LORD worked on my perspective I could see that the not- meeting-of-needs went both ways.
So I am working on being brief, and asking about a time when we can talk more.
When I am barefoot foot before God, in grounded humility before Him, I authentically and honestly pour out my stories and negative interpretations and they fall apart. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5! That leaves room for the world of His Possibilities!
Pour out your heart before God, barefoot! (Psalm 62:8)
