Saturday, January 10, 2009

A Mighty Friend - January 10, 2009

Good Saturday morning! Coming out of Walmart this morning, I thought that the same temperature in October would probably seem unbearable. However, by now we have become accustomed to the winter temps and this morning didn't feel so bad. We have an inbred ability to adjust to situations, some might even be on the extreme side (like using 'inbred' instead of 'innate', oops!) I can recall feeling fairly comfortable at times inside the walls of my cell at the big C; now I wonder how I ever made it as long as I did. The first week of my re-commitment to Christ has gone very well. I do believe that I wrote and studied more this week than I did in the previous month. The writing and research made me not a dime. I find the situation of sowing words in the hope of a future crop when the books are completed to be a strange state of affairs as compared to my previous twenty or so years of working. Should I be worried about tomorrow? No, Jesus says the worries of today are enough for this day. However, this requires me to learn some new mental discipline. The worries are out there, much like an encompassing herd of bison that very badly wants to trample me. This herd has a plotting master behind it and he sends individuals and groups of worries charging at me from time to time. My only defense is to keep my mind on Jesus and off the worries. Trust in God!

This morning I woke up with yet another good idea to write down, at 0400 this time. I read a line yesterday that had to do with the Pilgrim or Puritan settlers back in the day. They found that as long as their lives were centered on Christ, their physical location did not matter. This struck me with one of those peculiar mind blows that make a person's mental knees quiver. One of the charging worries that hit me from time to time is the temptation to throw up my hands and move somewhere. Never mind that moving is expensive and would provide a good three or four month interruption to my efforts at writing; the thundering herd is restless. You might be wanting to remind me here that some power might be trying to stop me through these temptations... noted!

The time to load the tax software has arrived; that's the easy part. The hard part is going through the paperwork to dig up receipts for this and that. Does this sound a bit like whining? Yes, it does and the task is not so difficult after all. At times I tend toward thinking that an unspoken complaint is less offensive than a spoken one. However, one tends to forget that God is always present in our innermost thoughts. Complain to Him, cry, moan, and offload on our might friend! He will show us the way to have joy and peace in Him. God will give you strength to get through the tough times. To borrow from Martin Luther just a bit... What a mighty friend is our God!

Have a wonderful Saturday in Christ Jesus!

Bucky

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