A change and a holiday...

Don't they say that a change is as good as a holiday?

We just got back from a week's break. It was lovely. We didn't do all that much really but it was great. I know it was good because it felt more like a month than a week and I have come home feeling refreshed and as though a page has been turned over. It is always helpful to start a new page in life. So I guess a change is as good as a holiday!

Years ago I heard a saying 'There is no gain without pain', well that seems to be true. Let me just say that I am glad to feel like I am making progress again... Well at least I am on the move. I have come home with some plans to continue to bring balance into my life, better time management etc. Please God help me to stay on track. I started walking again and trying to drink water too, I even ate fruit two days in a row. Now the truth is coming out about me isn't it?

Change and holidays are both good things!

Blog the time away!

I have just spent the last hour blogging! I got home from work feeling motivated to cook dinner early so I cold relax later when the kids get home from school. I got in the door and brought in the shopping and then the phone rang - 10 minutes gone, I had lunch - 10 minutes more gone. What to do? I decided to have some 'quality ME time' and blogged away.

I checked out many different blogs and learnt you do need to be careful cos you don't know what you might see or read. I will employ more care in searching through next time! A lot of people are blogging and I think this is very good - its good to get your thoughts down on paper (well... computers are the new paper aren't they?).

So, heading back into the real world now, or is this the real world. Well it is the real world of my head anyway. Must dash now to go and get my son from school. I typed this whole blog and then lost it somehow.

Until next time...

The Oil of Joy & The Ease of Grace...

LIGHT FOR LIFE
JUNE 2004

Have you noticed that it's empowering if we do the things which are hard for us, and that are getting us down with JOY!!! Not always easy, but empowering. Serving the Lord with joy, making the choice to do it with gladness is a powerful thing. It keeps coming to me that its powerful to do these things - trusting, loving, and serving with joy - it's like sowing a seed for an answer, and it is trusting God. Once you have chosen to do the 'hard thing', it gets easier, it brings ease into the situation. We get many opportunities to practice this and I am not always successful but it is a goal of mine!

The picture that comes to directly into my mind is that of oil - slippery, smooth, shiny. Choosing to trust, do the right thing, love the unlovely etc, is like putting oil in an un-oiled engine. Think about it in this context, oil makes everything work well in a car, damage is spared, you get more mileage, you save money, you get places on time etc. WOW just stop and think about that - we all need to get somewhere on time!

When the car engine runs with oil it makes a beautiful noise, people notice the smooth machine, then people admire the vehicle but also they are impressed with the owner of the car. They know he is a good owner; he takes pride in the things that belong to him. The owner of this car cares about his vehicle, services it, washes it, maintains and repairs it. You would buy a car from this man!

By now you may be able to see that we are like the car in this analogy, we can run with oil, which I believe is the grace of God and then run smoothly drawing attention to the owner of the car, which is God. Other people, who also represent cars in my picture, will want to be owned by this Owner. Too many of them have had bad owners that have not even done the basic car care, never done any repairs, and to top it off have run this car into the ground, been in accidents, never washed it, crashed into things or maybe even totaled their vehicles.

There are two purposes in this message and two outcomes; one is for you and I, and the other is for God. Firstly, run with oil in your engine, which is grace, and bring ease to yourself, choose to put the oil in regularly. The 'Owner' has a plenteous supply of oil!!! A lady preacher I listen to says, grace is the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. Secondly, choosing to do difficult things brings glory to God and leads people to Him. We need to choose to do it first and then oil is poured forth and there is ease in difficult situations.

I don't know about you but this year so far I have NEEDED the oil of grace. I have needed it to help me change, to grow, to keep good attitudes and 'stay sweet'. I need it at home, with my family, in my ministry, for my dreams and goals, with my friends, with the things I am praying for, to not go backwards, to be a good friend, sister, daughter, wife and mother. I don't think I am alone. I cry out to God each morning, 'Please give me grace today', I need it if I am to be like Him. I need it to keep loving, to forgive, to overlook, to press on, to overcome, to stay sane, to move past, to move on, to reach my potential and accomplish all that He has for me. I have a choice but really there is no choice for me if I want to stay on track.

This month let us oil our engines with JOY!!!