Lessons from Moons Ago

Many moons and years ago, my very dear friend spoke a stinging word to me. Stinging because I knew she was right. “Sue, she said, you are a romanticist.” I won’t mention names, (Lol, Marilyn)  but the situation was that 3 of us, had a few bushels of peaches to can, and the decision made by two of the 3, was that we must start now. Now being 4:30ish, and we each had a Wednesday evening Service to attend at 7, mine being an hour away. 

My two friends had the process down and, in hind site, I’m sure had calculated the boiling time, the syrup making, and the processing, and divided it all between 3 workers.  (I’m not sure about the mess cleaning up time.) 

Rushing to cram in canning seemed to be the logical way for them to get it done.  Standing in the steam, over the boiling peaches, temporarily hid my tears while I mulled over my preferring to plan, and organize, and struggling to learn to flow with my spontaneous, ‘Mr. Be Early at all Cost’ husband.  “Why could this not wait till tomorrow, I stubbornly thought,” knowing they had already explained that the peaches had ripened so quickly that they wouldn’t last until tomorrow. 

Yup. She coined me right. While wrestling to be practical, I was impractical by “virtue of thinking of things in their ideal form rather than as they really are.” A romanticist with a wee bit of perfectionism. Maybe slightly more than a wee bit. 

Mornings like this one I struggle again with that ugly spirit trying to raise its head. Some of you know too well that spirit that seeks to destroy us. 

Those of you who have followed us on FB may also know of this remodel mess we are in. But since we have been having church on Saturday p.m, and next week we are to start Sunday mornings again, this morning, is the perfect time to make my hazelnut coffee, and snuggle in with some quiet time with Jesus, Looking at the dust and cluttered, unarranged living room, I thought, “in this mess?” 

I just so wanted to snuggle in the beautiful peace of everything in place, nothing pressing to do or finish, as I stumbled through the piles on the floor, over to the couch.  And then, in a moment the Lord dropped the thought into my spirit: "He is my peace in the middle of turmoil!" 

 In the middle. What was I waiting for?  Things to be perfect?

Today, again, I stepped on that ugly head and headed for the Word!  Thankfully I have learned that putting him under my feet is not a one time event. 

Psalms 98. Let the sea roar and all that’s in it, and rejoice!  “Joy to the World”, Your savior, your King, comes. Right in the middle of whatever turmoil, conflict, or condition you are in. 

We must continually arise over those things that distract us. He comes. We must simply stop and take the time to welcome and receive Him. 

You can do that right now.