Spirituality Guide

Have you ever wondered about your time here on earth and what you’re supposed to be doing with it? Ever wondered if you were doing all that you could do within the abilities and skills that you have?

We were never supposed to feel like we can or should do EVERYTHING. That’s just not right. We are only supposed to do what we can and what is reasonable. Or, is that right? Is that all?

When Jesus walked the earth, He did for everyone. The deserving and the undeserving. But I have to wonder; did He ever say NO to anyone?

I think we get confused with the acronym WWJD. After all, although we are to be like Jesus, we shouldn’t expect to be Jesus. Think about it. Jesus wasn’t a parent so He didn’t have kids to shuffle around or homework to oversee. And just think…if we neglected our kids to go to the hospital and visit the sick or sit with the elderly all afternoon, what kind of parent would we be? Would Jesus be pleased with that? I don’t think so.

Yes, be like Jesus, but don’t try to be Jesus. Jesus was called, anointed and equipped to do a very, very special work. Once we realize that, maybe things would be easier.

When we think we’ve had enough is when we seem to get more. When we think we can’t take anymore is when it seems more comes. Just because your plate is full doesn’t mean you can’t get some more food!

What I am saying is this: don’t give up or become exasperated because you feel overwhelmed. Remember, God will not allow us to go through any more than we are able to bear. I have a story…

The other day I was sitting in the hair salon waiting for my turn to get my hair styled. I was next in line, so I would be in the chair maybe in the next 10-15 minutes. Then it happened: my cell phone rang. I looked at the number but didn’t recognize it. I usually don’t answer numbers I don’t recognize because, you know, ::telemarketers::. Anyway, I had to answer it because my kids are all in school and I didn’t know if it could be one of their schools calling. Well, it was. It was the little one’s daycare school. He’s three years old.

I answered it and right after the cordial “hello”, there was the director on the other end saying, “Your child, ____ just threw up. He was eating his lunch and just threw up. Sounds like he had a little congestion but he’s fine now. As a matter of fact, they are about to go down for a nap. But, you have to come and get him”. Now mind you although he is my son, and I do love him more than life itself, I DID NOT WANT TO GET UP FROM THE BEAUTY SHOP CHAIR AND GO GET HIM!!!!! There, I said it. I really didn’t. The time I spend in the hair salon is a luxury to me. I was simply exhausted anyway and when they called, I really just wanted to cry. Going to get him meant I would have to go get him and bring him back to the…(gulp)…hair shop with me! No, no, no I didn’t want to do it. That’s when I made the comment that changed my whole perspective that day.

A lady sitting across from me had heard my conversation with the day care teacher and asked if everything was alright. I said yes, my son is sick and I have to go get him. And I was supposed to be next in the chair and I was 45 minutes away from the hair salon. Did I mention that I was supposed to be next in the chair to get styled?

As I sat there for a few minutes contemplating my exit strategy, I made the audible comment that “if it ain’t one thing it’s another!”. Well, the lady sitting across from me didn’t think I needed to say or feel that. She promptly said this to me.

Don’t ever say if it’s not one thing it’s another. That’s not true. Things could always be worse, but they’re not. Don’t think like that or say things like that. Just be grateful for things the way that they are. Things will get better…but they can get worse.

Those words hit me and they hit me hard. I heard her loud and clear and mentally vowed to not complain anymore, ever again. Well, at least no more for the rest of they day. But it did cause me to stop and think. We only go through and experience the things we need to for the time that we need to. There is nothing that we go through that wastes our time and teaches us nothing. We are better each time we come out of a situation if we just stop and recognize what is going on around us.

So my new motto for the day is, “if it is one thing, I will become a better person for it”.

I have a “problem”. People come to me all of the time wanting help, answers to their questions, my advice and input. There are all sorts of things that I get thrown my way. What color drapes should I get? Where is the drycleaning? Do we have a PTO meeting tommorrow? What time are we supposed to have the meeting in the conference room?

Questions, Questions, Questions!

The thing is, is I don’t mind so much answering these questions. It’s just that I DON’T HAVE THE ANSWERS!!

Sometimes when we have questions about our lives, we ask everyone else but God. Counselors, Friends, Online Chat Rooms, even Oprah! But there is only ONE who has all of the answers to life’s complexities. If we just turn to Him, go to Him and depend on Him for everything and to fulfill our needs, we son’t have to worry everybody else about everything else.

Just ask Him.

There is something that I want to get off my chest today. That’s forgiveness. I wonder, how bad could it be if we never forgave a person for wronging us? I know, I know…the Bible says for us to forgive our brother seventy times seven. What if you can’t get past the first hurt, or even the second misdeed? What if that person just keeps on doing the same thing over and over and over and over and…you get the idea. What if that person just continually did the same thing and KNEW because you were a Christian, you would automatically (or supposed to) forgive them.

Does that give them a license to wrong you over and over again?

Does that let you Christian light shine through?

Tell me what you think…