I learned a lot this past year. I learned about God, and discovered I have so much more to learn! I also discovered that I need to learn more about myself and about others! I love to learn. That is a good thing when there is so much that needs learning!
Learning is a faith filled and disciplined task. To learn I must walk into uncharted territory. I do not know what might lie ahead in the search for understanding. I find that I often take small timid steps when I sense that the new knowledge will shake me to my bones or knock me off my feet. I need a strong faith to face what may come as a result of new knowledge. It also takes discipline to learn. Not all lessons are learned the first time I am exposed to them. I must take the lesson, do homework and repeat the new knowledge over and over to make it become a part of me.
The things I've learned in 2010 will be a foundation for the coming year. If the foundation is weak, I will walk through the lessons again till I make the structure of my knowledge of God, myself and others strong enough to support the new truths God reveals. I want that firm foundation. I want to live my life learning, believing, and trusting God for all truth, knowledge and wisdom.
Father, Author of Truth, Your wisdom and knowledge come to me when You are in Your rightful place in my life. I confess that though I love to learn new things I sometimes pride myself in the learning rather than setting You as the awesome Creator Revealer! Forgive me Lord. Knowing You is my deepest desire. I thirst to know You. Teach me Lord. Open my eyes and ears to You and I will be filled with Your knowledge and wisdom to be used for the sake of Your kingdom! Thank You for touching my life in deeper ways and with the nearness of You.
Showing posts with label lessons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lessons. Show all posts
Friday, December 31, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Dominoes
We have all seen the amazing domino constructions where, after hours of work, one little push makes everything tumble! I felt that way yesterday.
After working on the bathroom floor for two days, I placed the final peel and stick vinyl tile into place. My knees hurt from the hard floor and my back hurt from the bending. I was ready to finish up and clean up. We had a new toilet seat to replace the old one, and so we tackled that, thinking it would be a simple task. Unfortunately the rusted bolts burst our balloon of tired frustration and a hard tap of the hammer not only loosened the bolt but broke the toilet.
Renovation Realities! If something can go wrong it will! We bought the new toilet, but the installation stalled with wrong materials. So we wait and share one bathroom with six people for one more day....we hope!
The day did not end with only the renovation problems. A call from Patrick's sister informed us that his Mom is in the hospital for tests. The dominoes continue to fall all the way into the weekend. We will be going to see Mom in South Florida two weeks earlier than planned. More plans need to be changed.
Plans are changed everyday. Many are simple adjustments, but there are days when our plans fall like dominoes. It is hard to keep a good attitude in those times. I think it helps to remember that we might make our plans but God will direct where our steps will lead. (see Proverbs 16:9) Our plans my be laid out perfectly and yet, in Gods' sovereign way, He can help us grow in character and more like Christ through the plans we so carefully made falling over like dominoes. We may plan a bathroom renovation. He plans an exercise in patience and humility. We may plan a weekend of many activities. He may plan a memorable visit and time with those we love.
What are your plans for today? Are you willing to let the Lord lead you through those plans, even if it means a misstep in your estimation? The Lord is good and His ways are perfect. Look for the lesson to be learned and smile at His teaching method!
Rabboni, You are my favorite teacher, even when the lessons are hard. You are wise and good and I know You teach truth in all things. I don't always find myself being a model student. My spirit is sometimes unteachable. Please forgive me! Thank You for always being ready to lead and guide me through my plans. I want You to establish my steps in truth and on the solid foundation of Your word. Make me a teachable student!
After working on the bathroom floor for two days, I placed the final peel and stick vinyl tile into place. My knees hurt from the hard floor and my back hurt from the bending. I was ready to finish up and clean up. We had a new toilet seat to replace the old one, and so we tackled that, thinking it would be a simple task. Unfortunately the rusted bolts burst our balloon of tired frustration and a hard tap of the hammer not only loosened the bolt but broke the toilet.
Renovation Realities! If something can go wrong it will! We bought the new toilet, but the installation stalled with wrong materials. So we wait and share one bathroom with six people for one more day....we hope!
The day did not end with only the renovation problems. A call from Patrick's sister informed us that his Mom is in the hospital for tests. The dominoes continue to fall all the way into the weekend. We will be going to see Mom in South Florida two weeks earlier than planned. More plans need to be changed.
Plans are changed everyday. Many are simple adjustments, but there are days when our plans fall like dominoes. It is hard to keep a good attitude in those times. I think it helps to remember that we might make our plans but God will direct where our steps will lead. (see Proverbs 16:9) Our plans my be laid out perfectly and yet, in Gods' sovereign way, He can help us grow in character and more like Christ through the plans we so carefully made falling over like dominoes. We may plan a bathroom renovation. He plans an exercise in patience and humility. We may plan a weekend of many activities. He may plan a memorable visit and time with those we love.
What are your plans for today? Are you willing to let the Lord lead you through those plans, even if it means a misstep in your estimation? The Lord is good and His ways are perfect. Look for the lesson to be learned and smile at His teaching method!
Rabboni, You are my favorite teacher, even when the lessons are hard. You are wise and good and I know You teach truth in all things. I don't always find myself being a model student. My spirit is sometimes unteachable. Please forgive me! Thank You for always being ready to lead and guide me through my plans. I want You to establish my steps in truth and on the solid foundation of Your word. Make me a teachable student!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Hard Week Changed
It has been a hard week for me. I felt as if I were being squeezed by a python! All sorts of extra chores, extra frustrations, and to top it off I was not doing well handling it. My attitude was self centered. I deliberately disobeyed God and then was told by other Christians not to be too hard on myself.
I am looking back over my failed week only to see what lessons I must learn from these experiences. Here is what I've come up with.
* I must get more rest, eat properly and exercise .
* When my circumstances overwhelm me it is time to stop and get alone with God...not wait for a convenient time.
* Put more gratitude into my day.
* Let repentance happen no matter what others say.
I must say that this last lesson is an important one that I never considered doing otherwise. I was, however, surprised to think that believers could so easily dismiss sin in my life or their own! It saddens me when I confess my sin and the other party tells me not to be too hard on myself. I believe in balance and I believe it is my place to bring my sin to the cross, cry over my failures if I must and then allow Jesus to wash me in His blood and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.
It is not my place to shrug my shoulders and say, that it is okay because I am not perfect. I think that it is difficult to change our sinful behaviors without feeling the pain we cause God, others or self. I want to change and repentance is part of the change!
Change starts in me when I:
1. see my sin for what it is
2. truly understand what my sin is causing to God, others and self
3. cry out for forgiveness and help
4. receive the grace that God gives so freely!
Father, Thank You for letting me unload my sin onto Your Son! Thank You for being there to hear me. Thank You for loving me and accepting me even though I fail often. Thank You for healing me and setting me free from the bondage of my sin! You alone have the power to change my life! I choose You. Please live through me and in me!
I am looking back over my failed week only to see what lessons I must learn from these experiences. Here is what I've come up with.
* I must get more rest, eat properly and exercise .
* When my circumstances overwhelm me it is time to stop and get alone with God...not wait for a convenient time.
* Put more gratitude into my day.
* Let repentance happen no matter what others say.
I must say that this last lesson is an important one that I never considered doing otherwise. I was, however, surprised to think that believers could so easily dismiss sin in my life or their own! It saddens me when I confess my sin and the other party tells me not to be too hard on myself. I believe in balance and I believe it is my place to bring my sin to the cross, cry over my failures if I must and then allow Jesus to wash me in His blood and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.
It is not my place to shrug my shoulders and say, that it is okay because I am not perfect. I think that it is difficult to change our sinful behaviors without feeling the pain we cause God, others or self. I want to change and repentance is part of the change!
Change starts in me when I:
1. see my sin for what it is
2. truly understand what my sin is causing to God, others and self
3. cry out for forgiveness and help
4. receive the grace that God gives so freely!
Father, Thank You for letting me unload my sin onto Your Son! Thank You for being there to hear me. Thank You for loving me and accepting me even though I fail often. Thank You for healing me and setting me free from the bondage of my sin! You alone have the power to change my life! I choose You. Please live through me and in me!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
School Lessons
This may be the beginning of school, but it is not necessarily the beginning of learning. From the time of our conception our minds and our bodies have learned ideas, concepts, facts, feelings, and actions. It is the way of growth.
I always loved school. I was not an A student though I could have been. I loved school because I learned through instruction as well as my own daydreaming during school time.
Sitting at a desk for hours filling up papers is the established method that we think of when we envision learning. But what about sitting outside watching the path of a butterfly, or the learning we experience as we plant seed and tend it till it blossoms into a flower? What can we learn from work, or leisure, relationships, or loneliness? What might our experiences of celebrations or rituals teach us?
Learning is continuous, and yet there are special moments when learning is easier than others. It can be planned or unplanned, simple or complicated. In contemplating learning I am assured that it is a gift I am invited to embrace and enjoy to the fullest, or lay aside and miss some marvelous things in this world.
The question I have today on the eve of the beginning of a new school year is, what will I learn this year outside of the school room? At this time in my life I want to learn to love better, live more fully, and like who I am in the process. Seems like a tall order and a lot of work ahead. I'll need a good teacher.
All knowing Father, thank You for sending me the perfect teacher. Your life lessons are filled with love, wisdom and grace. I need You to present Your lesson plans to me daily and I commit myself to do the assignments as best I can. I someday want to hear that I passed and You are pleased.
I always loved school. I was not an A student though I could have been. I loved school because I learned through instruction as well as my own daydreaming during school time.
Sitting at a desk for hours filling up papers is the established method that we think of when we envision learning. But what about sitting outside watching the path of a butterfly, or the learning we experience as we plant seed and tend it till it blossoms into a flower? What can we learn from work, or leisure, relationships, or loneliness? What might our experiences of celebrations or rituals teach us?
Learning is continuous, and yet there are special moments when learning is easier than others. It can be planned or unplanned, simple or complicated. In contemplating learning I am assured that it is a gift I am invited to embrace and enjoy to the fullest, or lay aside and miss some marvelous things in this world.
The question I have today on the eve of the beginning of a new school year is, what will I learn this year outside of the school room? At this time in my life I want to learn to love better, live more fully, and like who I am in the process. Seems like a tall order and a lot of work ahead. I'll need a good teacher.
All knowing Father, thank You for sending me the perfect teacher. Your life lessons are filled with love, wisdom and grace. I need You to present Your lesson plans to me daily and I commit myself to do the assignments as best I can. I someday want to hear that I passed and You are pleased.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Love Learning
Learning is a lifetime chore or habit depending on how we look at it. Each day we are given an assignment in life and it is our responsibility to learn from what takes place. It is not always easy.
Watching my grandson learn to walk and talk, or my granddaughters to learn their math facts, is an expression of learning life's lessons of character, relationships and love. Sometimes it is trial by error. Other times it is just stick to it and be creative in how to make it work. And then there are the times when we just need to put our heart and mind into it, learn the lesson and move on!
Some of our lessons, like math, come in steps of harder challenges as time goes on. In math we learn the numbers, then adding and subtracting . We then move on to multiplication and division before we can ever understand algebra and trigonometry. Come to think of it, almost all lessons come packaged this way. Generosity is learned in steps of sharing our toys before we can come to the place of giving out of our own need.
One of my greatest gifts received from my parents was to learn to love learning! I have been determined to teach my children that same lesson and hope that it will be passed on to many generations. To love learning is to love living. It is an abundance of life we will receive when we embrace the lessons of each day and fill our hearts with gratitude for the adventure of the new experience.
My question in my March 30, 2009 blog is married to this one : Am I Teachable? You might want to check it out.
Thank You, Teacher God, for giving me lessons to learn and making it an exciting journey! You surprise me each day with something new! It makes life interesting and enjoyable! You are a grand master at teaching! You make even my failures a lesson to learn, a lesson in learning! I want to live every day seeing my experiences as assignments from You so that I can learn about life and life abundantly!
Watching my grandson learn to walk and talk, or my granddaughters to learn their math facts, is an expression of learning life's lessons of character, relationships and love. Sometimes it is trial by error. Other times it is just stick to it and be creative in how to make it work. And then there are the times when we just need to put our heart and mind into it, learn the lesson and move on!
Some of our lessons, like math, come in steps of harder challenges as time goes on. In math we learn the numbers, then adding and subtracting . We then move on to multiplication and division before we can ever understand algebra and trigonometry. Come to think of it, almost all lessons come packaged this way. Generosity is learned in steps of sharing our toys before we can come to the place of giving out of our own need.
One of my greatest gifts received from my parents was to learn to love learning! I have been determined to teach my children that same lesson and hope that it will be passed on to many generations. To love learning is to love living. It is an abundance of life we will receive when we embrace the lessons of each day and fill our hearts with gratitude for the adventure of the new experience.
My question in my March 30, 2009 blog is married to this one : Am I Teachable? You might want to check it out.
Thank You, Teacher God, for giving me lessons to learn and making it an exciting journey! You surprise me each day with something new! It makes life interesting and enjoyable! You are a grand master at teaching! You make even my failures a lesson to learn, a lesson in learning! I want to live every day seeing my experiences as assignments from You so that I can learn about life and life abundantly!
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