Tag Archives: Proverbs

What Do You Do?

Uncategorized, , , ,

What do you do when someone close to you is telling you to do one thing, but something bigger than them is telling you to do another?

The thing the person is telling you to do is technically the most reasonable and sensible option. On the other hand, you know it is something that you will end up being miserable doing and all you can see is repeating the same mistakes you have made in the past.

Now, the other thing that you feel is right for you may not be the most logical. However, it is not only better for your mental health, but something is telling you that this is what you are meant to do.

What do you do when you feel like God is telling your heart to do one thing but your brain and logic is telling you to do another? God has a purpose for every single one of us. Some know almost immediately what that purpose is. Then there are those of us who have been adults for several years and are still unsure of their purpose.

I’m not exactly sure what it is, but something is giving me the feeling that I am right where I need to be right now. The situation I am in is actually due to faults and flaws of my own that I need to work on. These are things that I need to work on and that no amount of money is going to fix.

When my most previous job was being eliminated, it wasn’t even two weeks that I found my current position had actually just been created. It was smooth, stress free, and something just felt right. Something about it still feels right. I’m not one that sees the virgin Mary in a slice of bread, or that finding a penny on the sidewalk is a miracle sent from God. What I do know, is that he knows where we are supposed to be and how we are supposed to get there.

The job I have isn’t glamorous. It doesn’t come with a hefty paycheck that allows me to live a lavish life and right now times are tough. What I do know is that it is doable. It may not be perfect but I wholeheartedly believe this is what I am supposed to be doing. This is where God wants me to be.

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
— Proverbs 19:21

Mind Ya Business, Again!

Uncategorized, , , , ,

Working for a non-profit you see all sorts of people. The ones I dislike the most are the ones all up in somebody else’s business. Yes, we currently are accepting applications for a specific assistance and anyone in affected areas are able to apply. But, don’t look at what your neighbor 3 doors down got and assume you’re getting the exact same thing. That isn’t how it works. Don’t come in here like you know the damage they have just because you know their general situation. You yourself told us the story of their daily struggles, which by the way are completely legit struggles. You also said that you were proud of you neighborhood because it recently came together to help this family. So, how dare you stand here acting all nice and empathetic while trying to plant a seed in our minds that THEY cheated the system. YOU. DON’T. KNOW. Even if they did, what’s done is done. We can’t take money back. Like I said, we are a local NON-PROFIT, not the cops. Yes, it sucks if they did cheat the system a little, but it isn’t like they are hooligans that just don’t want to work. They actually need help, and the seasonal weather probably didn’t help matters. Instead of focusing on what your neighbors got, focus on your needs and what you will get.

In no way do I want to seem like I’m condoning cheating the system. However, it isn’t anybody else’s business, so just stay out of it.

“Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.”
— Proverbs 26:19

“And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,”
— 1 Thessalonians 4:10-11

Complacency

Uncategorized, , , ,

I am terrible about being a person that settles with becoming complacent. “Things aren’t terrible so I’m good”. If you find yourself saying this guess what…you are not good! The worst part is what I become complacent in. My walk with God has not been in something I seek to improve on. Even though there is no church services for me right now does not give me a reason to slack. I say a prayer every now and then, I sit in on the zoom meetings with my Sunday school class and I am still going through the motions, but I am not growing as a Christian. I can’t remember the last time I actually opened my bible. I carry it with me in my backpack. It goes to work, school, anywhere my backpack goes which is, for the most part, everywhere. About once a week I think to myself, “I’m going to start reading this and doing that”. Do I ever actually do it? NOPE! You know why? I have become COMPLACENT! Want to know what this leads to????? Complacency in other parts of your life. Think of it like an infection, if you don’t clear it out and get your butt in gear everything you do is going to be “not bad, so it’s good”. The worst part, it is going to spread to how you interact with your kids. “They aren’t bothering me so it’s fine.” Not fine. This is something I need to work on and I know it, but again, complacency. Another way to think about it is like glitter. If you ever do any arts or crafts with glitter then you know the problem. “A little dash of glitter will jazz this up”. NOPE! There is no such thing as a little dash of glitter. It spreads. A year later you will still find it in the floor and getting stuck to your feet. Same thing with complacency. “I need to clean the car. But it is hot and it doesn’t smell and nobody will know it is messy. I’ll do it tomorrow.” Then, a month down the road you still haven’t cleaned it.

What we don’t realize is that being complacent in your walk with God is actually hurting you and setting you up to fall on your face. The longer you go without growing in your faith, the more vulnerable you are to temptations. Your faith is like a muscle. If you don’t use it and work at it, it atrophies. Complacency is almost worse than turning away from God because you don’t know that it is happening. It just hits you one day that you can’t remember the last real prayer you said, or the last thing you studied. If you aren’t growing in your faith, are you even living in your faith?

“One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.”
— Proverbs 18:9

Slacking

Uncategorized, , , ,

I don’t know what it is about this year already. For some reason I have been slacking in sticking to my readings. Not only the readings, but I have missed too many Sundays already. I haven’t been praying like I should either. If you were to look at my life the past few months, you would be able to tell. It has been a roller coaster of ups and downs; mainly downs. The ups aren’t as big as the downs. It’s that whole “1 step forward, 3 steps back” type of thing. For instance, my car going out when we are about an hour away from home wasn’t pleasant. Finally getting it towed to the shop so they could tell me the transmission is just shot. Unfortunately, them ordering a used one is the same cost as having someone rebuild it; $2500, not including labor and fluid. Now, I don’t know how many of you can drop that kind of money just whenever, but I am not one of those people. So I started looking online, and there were some options, but though they may be cheaper, they may not be as good. So, do you go with the cheaper option that is only warrantied for 6 months, or the expensive option which is warranted for 3 years? Well, here is when I did that thing where you hit hard times and ask God for help. Never mind that you haven’t been keeping in touch like you should have been for the past 3 months. At 8:10 last night a text message comes in. On the outside it just seems like a dad helping out his daughter, but I know the truth. It was God, and he was saying “see what happens when you let me do the work”. He is really good about giving you those “I told you so” moments.

There is something about these times though. When you have been slacking in your faith, and then turn yourself around to find the light again, it’s refreshing. I can honestly tell when I have been getting sloppy and sidetracked from my path. I get tired, lethargic, lazy, moody. Just all around…..blah! When I start correcting these mistakes, the light starts shining on my face again. I feel more energetic. I get more stuff done. I’m just all together happier and more productive. When I am purposefully walking with God, even the bad things don’t seem so bad. Life becomes more “3 steps forward, 1 step back”.

When hard times come around, think back on when it started and take a look at your faith. Has it faltered, even just the tiniest bit? God knows we will stumble and fall, but He is always there for us when we try to get back up.

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” –Proverbs 13:4

The Kids & The Oxen

Uncategorized, , , ,

This week, at our Wednesday small group class, a topic arose. The topic of a clean house. One thing was pointed out, without kids our houses are clean and tidy. Everything has a place. Even when our kids are babies, the toys have a basket or something to go in. Then they get a little bit older and start doing things themselves and dumping whole toy boxes out. This is where things get messy. As our kids get bigger, so do their toys. So do their messes. However, if you take a look at it, a lot of it is just clutter. That isn’t a dirty house; it is a full house.

One thing we as mothers tend to focus on is the cleaning of the house. Picking up toys all day, along with socks and clothes that get left in the floor. Again, it is clutter. We need to remember that a home with kids in it is going to be full of this clutter. In these circumstances a cluttered home is a home full of play an laughter. Let the kids be kids and don’t worry about the clutter. Kids are the ones that you can truly say, the messier they are, the happier they are.

“Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.”
–Proverbs 14:4

It’s Been A Minute

Uncategorized, , , , ,

Hello all. It has been a minute since I have written anything. It hasn’t been for lack of topics, rather lack time and energy. Good news is, the new job so far is going great. Haven’t learned everything I need to, but it is coming along. I am starting to see the possible reasoning behind God’s plan to move me here.

When I started working at the Church over a year ago, I didn’t necessarily expect to be doing that job forever. After a few months I knew I wouldn’t be staying in that position specifically. I had a feeling God had a different place for me. However, I thought I would just be changing roles, not place of employment. Whenever they told me about the position being eliminated I wasn’t ready. I thought I still had stuff to work on before this point. I thought I would be in that position until time to take on a different role. Yet, now I think I am starting to see God’s plan.

I am now working at the local United Way office as an office assistant. Basically, the same kind of stuff I was doing at the church, but a little more involved. I am getting to go to events and sit at a booth and talk about what we have going on. I get to go to libraries to sign kids up to a free book program we have. I am in staff and board meetings. As like normal office assistants there is the paperwork I process as well. I was put here to get involved in things in the community. I am starting a single mother ministry, how could I be successful without getting into the community. God knew I would need this to reach those that need Him most.

One aspect of this job is the networking. I am getting to know people who give back to the community. I get to know more people in the community. God used the church job as my stepping stone to getting the ball rolling on a new ministry. To see the hole that needs to be filled in His kingdom. I believe that He put me here at United Way for me to grow, and for the vision I have for the ministry to come to life. I am here to make a difference and spread His light and love to the single mother’s that don’t know Him yet, or that don’t feel they deserve His love. I am here to lead them to a church home so that they can come to know Him and to love Him.

We never will know what step is coming next. As long as we step with God, He will lead us down the right path.

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
–Proverbs 16:9

No Coincidences

Uncategorized, , , ,

About 2 weeks ago I got news about my position in the office being eliminated. Well, after 2 weeks I now have a new job starting January 2 at United Way. What leaves me awe struck isn’t how fast I found a replacement job, but the circumstances around it.

We all know offices don’t just make hasty decisions like this. At least not this one. Everything gets prayed over for weeks before anything is decided. So, as my current employers were deciding to take out my position, my future employers were deciding to create a new position in their office. As my door was closing, another was opening.

Throughout those 2 weeks I kept saying that God just has a plan for me and I didn’t know it yet. God is taking me somewhere and using me for something. What that is, I have no clue, but I am going to follow where he leads. (Cue the Gilmore Girls theme song) Going through life without God is like hiking through unknown mountain ranges without a guide and compass. You are going to get lost.

5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” –Proverbs 3:5-6

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.'” –Isaiah 30:21

Thou Shall Bite Thy Tongue

Uncategorized, , , ,

This week included a couple of times that almost caused me to bite my tongue….off. Just an FYI even when you get the chance to say “see, told ya so!” to one of those people that it would be so satisfying to say it, you shouldn’t. All that is going to do is create frustration and anger. Probably in both of you. There is no good that can come out of you saying that. None, what so ever.

Another time it is good to bite your tongue, when you are dealing with someone ELSE’S family. Especially a friend’s spouse’s family. I do not care how much they are in the way of you carrying heavy boxes, it isn’t your place. The only thing saying something will accomplish is adding more stress to your friend. So, don’t be selfish. Don’t be causing problems you won’t have to deal with.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” –Ephesians 4:29

“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.”
–Proverbs 21:23

Lug Nuts

Uncategorized, , , , , ,

It has been an interesting week. Got a new tire Monday for the flat I had on Saturday. Well, had to go back to the shop cause that brand new tire has a slow-ish leak. The Lord is testing my patience. So, they pull my car around and I can see through the big glass window that there seems to be some trouble with my car. One of those pesky lug nuts won’t come off, which means it needs a new stud. Mind you, my friend’s husband, the mechanic, already replaced one cross threaded stud this past Sunday when we were looking for the hole in the flat tire. Now another stud that has to be replaced, I prayed it wouldn’t cost much cause momma is broker than broke. Well, they had to wait for the new stud to get to the shop from bumper and bumper; twice. They originally delivered the wrong stud. What should have taken maybe an hour, took 2. However, they did find the leak. It wasn’t the tire but the valve stem, which is connected to that sensor that tells you when your tire is getting low on air. So, new stud for the lug nut and my choice of replacing a $60 sensor plus labor or a free valve stem without a sensor. I opted for the free option. Finally, after 2 hours they tell me it’s ready and that I am good to go. PRAISE JESUS!! They didn’t charge me for a thing! Not one thing! My “low tire” light will be on until I get a sensor but, if I dealt with it being on for the first year I can deal with it a little bit longer!!

October 12, I got 4 new tires, an alignment, an oil change, and a replacement air sensor. The next week I had to go in for a new window motor. On that day the guy working the front desk made the joke, “Doing a lot of work on that thing. It’s going to be a whole new car before too long.” Well, apparently it is going to be a whole new car right down to the studs!

I thank God for blessing me with patience and a good attitude.

“A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.”
–Proverbs 15:18

“Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.” –Proverbs 14:29

8 “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.”
–Ecclesiastes 7:8-9

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” –John 16:33

Time Flies

Uncategorized, , , ,

Me and the little went and got hair cuts last night and let me tell you something, you don’t realized how much of a difference a haircut makes in a person. Me, not so much, just an inch off the bottom. Him on the other hand, went from 3 years old to 10 in about 5 minutes. Where did my little boy go?! My computer screen at work has a picture of him from last year and people can already tell a difference. His features are becoming more defined, he is actually making well put together sentences and everything!

It’s so funny to think how impatient we are with everything else. We wan’t the rewards instantly. We focus so much on making things happen now instead of later that we don’t realize what else is going by. If you hate the weather, you pray for the next season to come. Bored of the current sport, you’re ready for the next season to come. You like the holidays better than summer, you pray for the year to go by fast. Waiting on a job, or are in school, you can’t wait for the days to pass by. You are in the middle of potty training and you think “I can’t wait for them to get this down and I don’t have to buy diapers or wipe butts anymore.” But, with all this wishing that time would go by faster, you’re missing the littles in some of their best years. Suddenly, they aren’t afraid of sitting in the hairdresser’s chair alone. They are actually talking to people and having their own opinions. They are growing before your eyes and you can’t slow it down.

Starting today, we need to wish for things to slow down. Now days we get in such a hurry for everything to happen that we are missing the things that we aren’t ready to end. Our littles are only little for so long, then they are teenagers that are embarrassed by you, then adults and bringing their own littles into the world. Don’t worry about what is next, let God handle that. You just worry about your right here, right now.

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”
–Proverbs 27:1