Karen Moore's Blog, page 20

Directionally Challenged

People who know me well would be right to say that I am directionally challenged. My kids used to call me the “turn around queen” because I’d always have to change direction when we were trying to go somewhere. It was even worse when I thought I knew where I was going. My husband laughs because I will nearly always say to go left when we need to go right. I tell him to do the opposite of whatever I said, and things will probably work out well. I’m pretty sure God did not provide me with a gene for direction or at the very least, an interior GPS.

I’ve always envied the people who know every route on their path, never losing sight of where they are going. They go from point A to point B, never missing a beat. It’s awesome. Over the years though, I’ve taken this challenge to God, especially when I wanted His direction concerning what to do next or where to go from here. By now you’ve probably figured out that God is a master teacher and often seeks teachable moments to help us see something we’ve been praying about. One of those moments happened to me when I was considering a new job. It all occurred on a rainy, cloudy, seldom sunny highway.

I had spent the day interviewing for a job which meant that I would have to move to a new city. I was a single mother at the time, so my daughter would have to move too, which would make visits with her dad a little more difficult. As I drove along the highway, I began praying about the situation, seeking God’s direction as to what I should do. After I shared all the ins and outs of the new job in my conversation with God, I decided to ask for a sign of His will for me. I really wanted to know if this was a good decision or not. I asked God to show me a rainbow if I was to take the job. I would consider that His stamp of approval. It was a gray day and as I drove along, I didn’t spy a rainbow anywhere. I kept thinking about the job and the things about it that seemed so right for me at that point in time. 

I paused in my thinking and went back to my prayers. I told God it was okay if I didn’t see a rainbow because deep down, I already felt like I knew what to do. I believed already that it was His will for me to go ahead and make this move and take this job. I had been concentrating on the road ahead of me during the prayer, but once I was finished with it, I looked over to the passenger side of my car. I was dumbfounded! There was the biggest deep red foot of a rainbow covering that seat as I had ever seen in my life. I kept looking and realized the arc of the rainbow went from my car seat all the way across the sky. It was amazing!

As the tears started streaming down my face, I thanked God for affirming this new direction for me. I was so excited that He had given me such an amazing answer to my prayer. Whenever I feel directionally challenged in my life, I know there is only one thing to do. I have to stop everything and seek guidance. I have to go to God and ask Him to show me the way. I trust His GPS every time. 

May God guide all your steps today.

 

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Reaching New Heights

Sometime during your teen years, you reached your adult height. You may have had a growth spurt that catapulted you from 5 feet something to 6 feet something, but you ultimately finished the race to be taller than your brother or sister. It was a milestone that you may not have even recognized. Growing taller though was just a part of growing up. Growing up is just a part of growing in other ways, growing in skill, in knowledge, in achievements, and growing spiritually. You may not get taller, but you can keep growing no matter how far past your teen years you happen to be. One of the ways that you can reach new heights is spiritually.

Paul prayed that those who believe would see in a new way, that they would have the eyes of their hearts enlightened, opened, made bigger. Your spiritual vision is important because it gets clearer as you learn, and grow, and study. You are gifted with greater discernment, and you develop a greater sense of what it means to be a child of God. It’s interesting that Paul prayed for this kind of sight because he too was blind. He too was unable to see what God wanted for him, until he encountered Jesus directly. Once he could see again and something like scales fell from his eyes, he was a new man. He had spiritual vision like few others in his day. That vision caused him to work through enormous difficulties and setbacks. He never let an obstacle or a challenge deter him from his mission. He never allowed himself to imagine that his work was doen when he had had a good day.

So what about us? Do we imagine that we get to age out of seeking greater heights in our awareness of God? Do we think for a moment that once we’ve gotten to a certain level, it’s all over and there’s nothing more to do? If so, we might have to check our spiritual vision. We might have to see someone who can help strengthen our insight and our view of the world. You can still reach new heights, open your eyes and see more of what God has for you. When you do, like Paul, I suspect you’ll never want to be blind again. 

There’s something wonderful about standing in the light and shining so others can find their way. May the eyes of your heart be enlightened today.

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Here Comes the Applause!

Ecclesiastes 2:24 gives us some advice about living our best lives. It says, “The best that people can do is eat, drink, and enjoy their work. I saw that even this comes from God, because no one can eat or enjoy life without him.”

Solomon in all his wisdom realized that God is part of everything a human being can ever enjoy. It stands to reason then that God intended us to find ways to be happy and enjoy what we are doing. Our joy is His joy. It must please Him when we recognize all that He gives us to foster beauty and tenderness and dreams. What keeps us then from giving Him thanks continually? 

Imagine for a moment that you create a gourmet meal for your family. You get out the fine china, you pull out the candles and the silver. You’ve made something special to please each person at the table. When you’re finished, you’re so excited about your dinner, you can hardly wait for everyone to assemble. As they do, you anticipate the smiles, the looks of delight on their faces as they survey the scene. After all, you’ve outdone yourself and you just know they must be excited too. You are so happy.

But then, the family comes to the table, and no one expresses any particular pleasure in the effort you made to create such a beautiful setting. No one sees their favorite dish and sends you a smile of gratitude. In fact, one person gets a phone call and leaves the table rather abruptly. Another looks downright gloomy and says they just don’t feel like eating, and a third one asks why you put out the good china. After all, nobody special was coming to dinner. 

What happens? Your shoulders slump a little, you try to smile and act like it doesn’t matter that no one noticed. You make small talk, get through the meal, and clear the table. The air has gone out of your balloon, and the joy of all you’ve done, disappears. You’re still glad you did it, but you’re just not as sure why you try so hard.

I can’t help wondering if God feels a bit like that too. After all, He set our earthly tables with everything we need. He provides each thing that delights us and brings us joy. and He does it every day with every sunrise, year after year. He shows up for every special event and every gathering. Maybe He feels a little like we do when we go the extra mile, make a great effort, and don’t get any feedback, any applause. Maybe He wonders if we realize all that He tries to do to make us happy.

Since God created the ground we walk on, and gave us the talents to do what we do, let’s do a happy dance, tell everyone what He has done, and give Him the glory. Maybe even give Him a round of applause!  I suspect the air will be filled with utter joy!

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Just a Little Off the Top, Please!

Spring and fall often bring out the pruning shears. We look at the hedges and the vines and we know it’s time to take a little off the top, and probably the sides and a few other places too. It’s not easy work, and not particularly fun work. Usually when you’re done everything looks cleaned up, but a bit unhappy, a little skinnier as well. You know by experience though that in a few days, those shrubs and vines will actually come back to life and look better than they’ve looked in a long time. You’ll be proud to show them off and they’ll bloom beautifully.

This analogy holds for you too. Jesus is the true vine and God is the Gardener. They look for the aspects of you that stunt your growth, no longer serve you well, or simply don’t nourish your spirit. They look for the places where it’s time for you to blossom more fully and then they set to work, trimming off those old dead theories and ideas, and shining a light on some new ways of thinking. They work skillfully and thoughtfully, personally giving you the best opportunities to grow and become all that you are meant to become. 

It doesn’t always feel good, especially if God skims some of your favorite things off the top. He might pull you out of a tried and true activity and encourage you to do something new. He might ask you to step up and step out and take a little risk so that you can fulfill your life purpose and make a difference in the world. Don’t worry then if He asks you to leave some old habits behind, create some new relationships, or move into a new arena in your work life, because God knows you’ll grow stronger, more confident, and more intentional about the things you do for Him as you adjust to His pruning. God also knows you’ll be amazing and other people will wonder what it is that makes your light shine so brightly. 

Chances are, you’ll look back and know you experienced a little Divine pruning, and you’ve been flourishing ever since. Thank God for taking such good care of you. 

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The Gift of Yom Kippur

This year Yom Kippur began at sunset on October 4th and lasted 25 hours ending on October 5th. During those hours, believers fasted, anointed their bodies with oil, and ceased to wear leather shoes. “Yom” means “day” and “Kippur” means “atonement.” It is a day honored by generations of Jewish believers going back to Abraham. Many dress in white, seeking reminders of what it means to be pure in God’s sight. They spend this solemn timeframe recognizing God is Sovereign, and that God alone brings forgiveness for their souls. It is a day to push the world aside and remember all that God has done, and all that He is yet to do.

Perhaps others of us can find a gift or two in the celebration of Yom Kippur. What happens when we are very intentional about God? That means we choose to think about God and that we don’t care what the rest of the world might be doing. We simply want to stop everything, surrender our foolish ways, our stubborn spirits, our willingness to be a little bit crazy, and remember that we are not in this world alone. We are not in charge. We are simply part of the grand scheme of events that was begun long before we arrived. 

How does one step out of the world, you might wonder? After all, the world is too much with us as William Wordsworth once wrote. The world stampedes through our living rooms like the wild animals in Jumanji. Everything is spinning, suddenly in chaos, simply because we fill our minds with the morning headlines and the social media cacophony. Perhaps it would be refreshing for any of us to be focused, ready to concentrate on the One who created us and the One who redeemed us.

As we enjoy that focused, peaceful moment, we might also be pleased to realize that God still is. He is still in charge. He is still watching over every living being. He is still invested in the plans He set in motion. Nothing makes Him rejoice as much as knowing that we are doing what we can to get to know Him better. He loves it when we seek Him in prayer, wanting only to connect to Him, and be at one with Him. He loves us more than we will ever comprehend.

God seeks the faithful, those who can resist the foolishness of the world’s wisdom and remember to let His light shine. Be at one with your Creator and Redeemer. Let Him show you that He lives, and He sees you right where you are. Enjoy the gifts of this day.

Shalom!

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Be Happy

What makes us happy? Though variations on the usual drivers of our happiness quotient exist, here’s a few reminders of why you can smile again today.

Work: Whether you’re working away from home, or you’ve been retired for a few years, work that fulfills your soul makes you happy. When we consider the work we do as part of the call on our lives, it renews our energy and gives us a sense of purpose. Having a purpose makes most of us happy.  Scripture reminds us that any work we do with a heart for God is beneficial!

Friends: Friends love you just as you are, and it really doesn’t get better than that. They love you through the ups and downs of life, encourage you through your struggles, and always believe that good will prevail. They protect your spirit, guide your thoughts and hug you into happiness. 

Discovery: Whether you travel and explore the world, or get excited about visiting an antique mall, or discover new things through the pages of great books, exploring makes you happy. This kind of happiness is always available to you. You have the world at your fingertips and whether you watch the History channel or learn how great houses are put together on reality television, you’re always set to explore something new. Learning and discovery make you happy.

Inspiration: An incredible landscape, a message of hope, or watching an amazing movie can inspire your thoughts, adding joy to your life. They help you see yourself in new ways, embrace things that matter, recognize God’s hand at work, and desire to bring hope into each tomorrow. Your childlike faith and sense of wonder light up your world. 

Exercise: Okay, dance, walk, jog, listen to music. The things you do that cause you to move freely, feel the sun on your face, and the wind in your hair, are happiness bringers. They lift your spirits and give you lots of reasons to smile. Do a happy dance.

Faith: There’s a reason God set things in order and showed us how to find our way back to Him. God wants our faith to be a happy place. The eyes of your heart light up with joy as you walk in faith and love through each day.

Of course, our greatest joy comes from love…the kind we give one another, the kind we give our children, and the kind we give to ourselves. Jesus defined our happy place when He siad, “Love God, and Love each other.” Every day we can make the world a happier place. Love is free and the more we share it, the more there is to go around. Now what could make us happier?

Add your happy thoughts to the list and share your happy heart with everyone around you.

What a blessing you will be!

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