Sorting through some papers today, I came across an old forward someone had sent me about eight years ago. It was at a time when I was struggling with emotionally loaded job-related issues that I kept managing to bumble up over and over again, despite much prayer and best intentions. The e-mail arrived at work on a day that, according to my attached note, "I sat dejected and discouraged at my desk after 'messing up' yet again." I saved it as a reminder of God's grace and unconditional love.
Maybe you have faced some similar struggles? If so, here's hoping this lifts your spirits the way it lifted mine.
Subject: Pancakes
Six-year-old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor. He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving a floury trail on the floor which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten.
Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad. He didn't know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove, (and he didn't know how the stove worked!).
Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached out to push her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor. Frantically he tried to clean up this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas white and sticky. And just then he saw Dad standing at the door.
Big tears welled up in Brandon's eyes. All he'd wanted to do was something good, but he'd made a terrible mess. He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking. But his father just watched him. Then, walking through the mess, he picked up his crying son, hugged him and loved him, getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process.
That's how God deals with us. We try to do something good in life, but it turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky or we insult a friend or we can't stand our job or our health goes sour. Sometimes we just stand there in tears because we can't think of anything else to do. That's when God picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even though some of our mess gets all over Him. But just because we might mess up, we can't stop trying to make ‘pancakes,’ for God or for others. Sooner or later we'll get it right, and then we’ll be glad we tried...
I'm not sure if you can see it on this picture I took, but my Bibles are all marked up. I underline verses that speak to my heart, sometimes put little hearts next to them, and whenever one of the promises is actually manifested in my life, I put a little TP next to it (Tested and Proven). Then if someone comes along and tells me it's not for today, I can tell them they've come too late to let me know because I've already seen it happen.
As far as our assignment for the week is concerned, my focus has been on my feet and trying to get them in shape for summer when I'll be painting my toes and wearing sandals. I may be pushing 70, but I still like having pretty feet. Hey, that's probably the only part of me that doesn't have that crinkly look to it and that I don't mind the rest of the world being able to see.
And speaking about crinkly, that's one of the main reasons I don't enjoy wearing swimsuits anymore. On the few occasions that I do wear one, it's the same one I've had for the last 12 years, and I cover it up with a long tee.
At first I wasn't going to share this week because I didn't feel I had anything to contribute, but then maybe I do, because although I'm feeling a bit discouraged that cutting down considerably on my food and exercising more regularly hasn't caused my weight to budge, I did have an aha moment.
I have been trying to get into the habit of running to the Lord and His Word before running to food every time I'm frustrated, wanting an excuse to procrastinate, or in need of comfort. I've also been running to the Lord for help with my new blog, which leads to even more time spent in the Word. What I've noticed is that the more my focus has been on the Lord, the less it has been on food, and there have been several occasions when I've actually skipped meals, or had to rely on the "growlies" to remind me when it's time to eat. That was a most enlightening observation.
The first tool is a notebook in which I keep track of answered prayers, special blessings, and miracles. I decorated the cover to read Memories to Ponder on Difficult Days, and added the Awesome God chorus to remind me that that's exactly who He is.
measurements. But I also want to share about a revelation I had this week. It all started when I read Debbie's FF post in which she mentioned a free online study called The Lord's Table. I was curious to see what it was about, and so I checked it out, was interested in pursuing it further, and signed up so I could try it out.
It is a 60-day study you do with a mentor, and I'm not quite sure how to describe it. It's not a diet, or a food plan, or even about food as we think of it, but I can see how an overweight person would lose weight by the end of the study. The focus is on spiritual food, and feasting at the Lord's table.
Now I've known all along about the Word being spiritual food that noursihes our soul, but I think that was head knowledge, as opposed to heart knowledge or I would have made my time in the Word much more of a priority. I mean, it is a priority, and I do intend to spend more time in it every day, but things happen, and before I know it the day is over and much of that allotted time has been eaten up by other stuff. No matter how I plan, my days seem to escape me.
Well at some point this week a veil must have been lifted because it suddenly dawned on me that almighty God, the creator of the universe, was inviting me to come feast at His table. What an awesome privilege. And here I am letting other things stand in the way. What if this were the President of the United States inviting me for dinner, or the Queen of England, or some other prominent person? Is this how I would respond to their invitation? There's what I would call some good food for thought.
