He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.
He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake.
Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.
Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.
Psalm 23 (Amplified Bible)
After spending nearly 30 plus hours thinking of myself as a failure, I decided that was enough. Now that the funk cloud of failure has lifted, I can clearly see that I really didn't want the job with company #1. It just didn't feel right. Neither did company #2. What I wanted was the stability of a consistent paycheck. Well, I have that.
The part time job that I will start on 10/20 will actually work very well for me. Because I still have two classes to complete my MBA, I will be able to work on my school assignments during my down time. The kids will be at daycare and that will free up my evenings to spend some time with them before bedtime. So it truly is all in how you look at it.
I wasted all those hours recapping every failure in my life. Well, what good did that do? What snapped me back to reality was the vision of Jesus on the cross. He looked defeated also but He knew the end of the story. Oftentimes He stated, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body" (John 2:19-21).
Jesus also told me, "In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world" (John 16:33, The Message). Walking around with my head hung down about a job that I didn't really want is ridiculous. So like Sandra Lee says, "I am going to put on a pretty little party dress" and be of good cheer.
I am reading a book titled, "Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyer and it is so good. I suggest everyone read it because how you see yourself in your mind really does control your actions and behaviors. "For as a man thinks in his heart, so his he" (Proverbs 23:7a) If I allowed my mind to replay failures, then a failure I would be. However, I "Do [not] fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies" (Phillipans 4:7-9 The Message).
Besides, who could stay in a depressed funk with this kid around.
1 comment:
Way to go.
And what an adorable face!
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