Category: Life

Begin Again

Published on by Rebecca GilbreathLeave a comment

“Failure is an event, not a person”. – W.D. Brown

If things do not go my way this week, I will not “beat” myself up and hinder myself from moving on.

If I did not lose that one pound or gain miles on my Fitbit, I will not let it hinder me from continuing on with healthier choices.

If I didn’t, if I forgot, if I couldn’t do …I will not label myself a “failure” but simply see it as an event on a day in my life that can be easily overcome. And begin again tomorrow.

God will still be good, His love will still be present, and I will still be able to say, “The LORD hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad”. Psalm 126:3

God Heals the Broken

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Recently, I went with my dad to his VA mental health appointment. Because of some of the medication he is on, he is required to see this doctor every few months. She checks to make sure he is sleeping well, eating right, living productively, and that medications he needs are working for his benefit.  This doctor always tells my dad how wonderful he looks. He never drank alcohol, never smoked, never took drugs. Dr. L is always so glad to see him because his life has been lived by faith. She is encouraged by his many years in the ministry and that he is doing well in life. He has not forgotten the Viet Nam War, but he has worked hard to put the past behind as much as possible. We talked about when she was young in her career. She used to take it personally when she could not help every patient to the fullest capacity. She had chest pains early on in her work and believes that if she had kept taking on blame, losing sleep over what she felt were her failures, she would not be alive today. “One day”, she shared, “God spoke to my heart and told me I was trying to do His job. It is God’s job to heal. God put me in this place to be His helper, to pray for the ones He sends my way, and to tell people that God loves them.”

It is God’s job to heal. It is His job to bring back the wandering, to bind the broken, to strengthen those who may be spiritually ill.  We were put in a particular place to guide the broken in heart to the Heart Healer, to pray for the ones in need of the Great Physician, and to tell them that God loves them.  No matter our profession in life, we will never be qualified enough to make another person whole. When we take on that responsibility, we take the place of God which can lead to despair when results are not as we wish them to be. To reach out with care and compassion is what we are called to do. Pressure is lifted when we let God have His perfect place and when we are faithful to keep a proper perspective.

A Big Shadow

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Last week, I was posting on Facebook on the topic of ‘worry’ and I am sharing the thoughts, Bible verses, and quotes here as I hope they may be of benefit. I will say that by the end of the week and the reading/studying I had done, I felt a bit more relieved of my need to worry over things. A few points to consider when tempted to worry:

Look for God’s steady hand:

 When I fix my sights on trials we are going through, I tend to become insecure, anxious, worried. When Jonathan was little and would become restless, sometimes all it would take was for me to place a steady hand on his to calm him. A few verses to meditate on when we are feeling disheartened and needing a calm touch:
~ “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him..” Psalm 37:7a
~ “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7
~ “For I the LORD thy GOD will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” Isaiah 41:13

When I am tempted to let insecurity, anxiety, and worries rule my thoughts, I will look for God’s steady, calming hand and let the peace of God keep my heart and mind at ease.  Colossians 3:15, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts…and be ye thankful”.

Drag your thoughts away from your troubles:

“You’re a little upset by your troubles, and that’s natural enough, but don’t let your mind run on them any more than you can help; drag your thoughts away from your troubles—by the ears, by the heels, or any other way, so you manage it; it’s the healthiest thing a body can do; dwelling on troubles is deadly, just deadly—and that’s the softest name there is for it. You must keep your mind amused—you must, indeed.”

~Mark Twain, The American Claimant, 1891

Move from worry’s shadow: 

Move over from worry’s shadow to the place of peace… under His wings. Psalm 63:7, “Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.”

 

Instead of going to bed tonight with all the things that could possibly go wrong, what if I imagined all the things that God could possibly make right? Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

 

 

 

This study and these posts have helped in keeping my mind on God’s peace more than on my problems. Worry robs of joy, time, and energy. It can shadow thoughts and even conversations. When I ‘roll up my sleeves’ and choose faith, choose to trust God’s guidance, my hands are too busy to be wringing with worry. I want to go into this week stronger, confident, trusting. I want to rest words and whirling thoughts to listen when He invites the weary to rest, to let Him take the load of care. Let my words reflect that God is my strength. Let my thoughts echo the Redeemer when He says His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”

 

 

 

Whatsover Things

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Last year, I had set out to post once a week about the topic, “Think On These Things” based on Philippians 4:8. I had started this on my A Record of Graces Facebook page and had a good response. It was a great way to write a more personal post on good things that had happened during the week, and people always like to read positive posts. When I go by this ‘format’ of Philippians 4:8 to write about blessings, it does take some time and thinking to write specific praises with these specific six words. I only wrote a few posts last year this way, but I would like to get back into it as it helps me reflect on the week in a good light. This week’s “whatsoever things” were:

✔️ TRUE– There are people out there in place all over the world who shine a light on someone’s day. Monday evening, while my husband was in the ER waiting for answers, one of the nurses said to him, “God loves you!”. The other day while at a Dr appointment with my dad, Dr. L said, “God loves you!”. There are good people out there making a difference simply by sharing those three words.

✔️ HONEST – The sincerity in my son this week as he helped me take care of his dad fetching water and medication, washing blankets, and helping with meals. My husband is recovering from a thyroidectomy this week and has had a fever for several days. After a visit to the ER and some new antibiotics, he is starting to feel better.

✔️ JUST – We live in an unjust society and some days it is overwhelming the evil that seems to be taking over the world. But God is always just and someday all will be well and perfect and whole.

✔️ PURE – Friendship from those who personally sent messages on Facebook and e-mails asking how my husband was doing. They were asking if there was anything they could do to help even from thousands of miles away.

✔️ LOVELY– The compassionate messages and heartfelt prayers on our behalf from everyone who knew about my husband’s surgery and fever afterwards.

✔️ OF GOOD REPORT – We received a “NO CANCER” report for my husband today.

Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

When God Restores Joy

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Psalm 51:12, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”

How freeing it is when God restores joy; the joy of His salvation, the joy of living, the joy of His presence. And always, when I am weak and in need of a joy restoration, He is upholding me with His Spirit willing me to recover and aiding me in the renewal. This Sunday, may something be said in the sermon to help mend a difficult week. Today, may someone be near to help rejuvenate strength and spirit. We have an Advocate, a Champion, and an Upholder in Christ who gives His Spirit freely. May our eyes be opened to see Him and our hearts be eager to receive.

“Copy and Paste”

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In the social media world, I see posts all the time that “If you love Christ, copy and paste this post, and tag ten people”. Or, “I think you’re wonderful. Send this post back to me and send it to ten other women”. In this ‘copy and paste’ society, there is pressure to ‘love back’ the way someone else expects you to. I have thought about this as Valentine’s Day came and went with no flowers from my husband. No chocolate. No fancy dinner just the two of us. Was I disappointed? No, and I will tell you why. My husband is not a ‘copy and paste’ kind of man and it took me YEARS to accept him and love him for it and years to stop comparing my marriage to others. When Valentine’s Day rolls around, it rolls right past most years. And I am at peace with it because he buys me flowers often. He brings home my favorite dark chocolate often. He takes me out to lunch or brings home food so I do not have to cook often. He unloads and loads the dishwasher every night (which is HUGE because that is the one job I do not like to do. I will clean bathrooms all day, but I do NOT like to unload the dishwasher.) And on one ordinary day last week, he told me I was amazing.

The point I am trying to make is that just because someone’s love and affection may look different than what others are demonstrating,  it does not mean that their love is insincere . Just because there were no flowery Valentine’s Day Card by my bedside, does it mean my husband forgot about me? My Mr. Steady-low key-quiet- kind- of- guy is not going to go all out with flowery anything and I wish I had realized that much earlier in my marriage. (He did wish me a Happy Valentine’s Day.) As the wife to this man who is not a ‘copy and paste’ kind of guy, I need to be the kind of wife to him that is not a ‘copy and paste’ kind of woman. It has been a long lesson for me to love him as is, in deed and in truth for who God created him to be. He is the kind of man who simply does not feel the pressure to be like anyone else, or to love (show love) like anyone else or when everyone else does. And I would imagine that it was no easy picnic for him while I worked through my comparison issues and expectations.

To ‘love in deed and in truth’ is a beautiful thing in any relationship. Each relationship has it’s own unique traits and just because it may not look like what ‘everyone’ else’s does, it doesn’t mean that it is wrong or weird. Some friendships are crazy funny and we laugh a lot. Others are more serious and deep. Relationships with parents are different for everyone. Marriages look different to everyone, and when we do not succumb to comparing and we embrace what is in front of us, there is peace. The only kind of love we need to ‘copy and paste’ is Christ’s in that He gave all so that we might live. When we show love with our actions and in sincerity, we give so that others may better live and we can make any day a brighter day.

This Kind of Love

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I. Corinthians 13:4, “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up”.

Wrapped up in blankets, a box of Kleenex by our side, we have been ‘out of commission’ with the nasty crud. One by one, we were knocked to our knees with aches, pains, coughs, sneezes, and all that this ailment can bring. Valentine’s Day commercials go by us on the television screen and we look at them with bleary eyes with nary a spark of interest. No one wants to think of flowers, chocolates, or diamonds right now. Can someone start the hot water kettle, please??? And while you’re up, could you pass me that other blanket? This kind of love we are passing around right now leans more on the practical side. With all of us sick at the same time, charity really does suffer long. To make it through the day, we each need to show kindness and not worry about who is doing the most for whom.

This kind of love has no bragging rights. It doesn’t matter who empties the dishwasher of clean dishes and loads it with the day’s soup bowls, coffee mugs, and juice glasses. When the whole family is sick with the crud, it especially is of no difference who empties the trashes of used Kleenex and washes the living room blankets we have all been wrapped up in for days on end. Love is being on the same playing field, whether you are sick or not. We do for each other to make the next day a better day for everyone. Love is doing one kind act after another without announcing the grand deed or waiting for applause. Love endures. Love is kind. Love isn’t envious when doing for another who cannot do for themselves and it isn’t boastful. Kind love isn’t swollen with anything other than love itself.

A Step of Clarity

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My hand hovered over my cell phone as I was just about to sign up for another blog post series. I had just yesterday lamented over how many e-mails I had that needed to be deleted. I have several e-mail accounts, seemingly unable to just stick to one. I deleted well over three hundred messages yesterday on one of the accounts and I have just about that much on another one. What I was about to sign up for wasn’t bad, it was actually about organization and how to simplify in the new year. I already ‘follow’ this person on Instagram who updates simplification suggestions each day, so why do I need to see it in my inbox as well?

In 2016, I wrote a three part series on “Finding Your Even Place” on my former blog. Life gets out of control, papers pile up, e-mails multiply, leaving us depressed and unable to cope with even simple tasks anymore. And I am finding myself in this position yet again facing 2018, thus the update of the series on my new blog. I need it!

“My foot standeth in an even place” -Psalm 26:11.

An “even place”: Balanced, steady, continuous, unwavering.

“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us”, Hebrews 12:1

I am finding that, for me, it’s not where to START, but better yet, what to STOP or lay aside. It is in finding space to breathe, to think, and to restore. And the things that are taking up space that take my breath away due to frustration, I need to clear. This week’s focus will be to clear out old e-mails and to unsubscribe from sites I hardly ever read. They may be all well and good, but they are not needful.

Happy New Year! If you are seeking for clarity in 2018, maybe instead of looking to start something new, consider stopping something first; something that may be hindering your focus on what really matters in your life. Take a step back. Evaluate what is important. Clear some space. Breathe.