Tuesday, February 12, 2008

540 - I need you, You need me!

This morning is off to a very slow start. We have roughly 5 inches of snow and ice!! It was beautiful for the first 3 inches, but then it was just like in a matter of seconds it started sleeting as if it had never snowed. It messed everything up including my trip to St. Louis. Ugh!! So we are all at home today and even Daddy. He got up around 3am to drive to Chicago, but I guess better judgement got a hold of him and hopefully my prayers. He is asleep on the couch with his car all scraped off - but it doesn't look like he even tried to pull out of the driveway. Hmm!!

I have decided that if I need to go spend the night in Evansville on Wednesday night so that I do not miss my flight to Alaska that is what I will do. I am so excited i can hardly stand it! I used to live in the very tip top of New York State and we had many below 0 days, but I am not sure I can quite remember those. I am sure it will all come back to me very quickly! HA!

I hope your 40 days of concentrated............well I am not sure what to call it.............is going well. Did you know that I had no idea it was Lent when I made this challenge. I have never celebrated Lent and my denomination really does not discuss it too much. So that is a really cool God thing - right? Maybe He wants me to pay more attention to that celebration - I just don't know much at all about it. I mean I know the basics, but that is it. Can any of you give me more details? So anyway - things have been going pretty well for me. I have had some very weak moments or times that I knew better, but did not say a word. There is a pizza joint in my town called DiMaggio's. Incredible!! My fav!! Well the little waitress in there knows me for some reason - we will not discuss why - but as soon as she sees me walk in she brings me a Dr.Pepper. Well of course she has done that recently and I just didn't have to heart to return it. No, really I didn't have the will power to return it - I caved to Dr. Pepper!! Yesterday was another bomb of a day. One of my friends invited me to lunch - her name will go unnamed, but she is a really cute tiny thing that doesn't have to diet and teaches aerobics. So we went to this place called Gottzz - or something like that. They have incredible cheese fries and cheesburgers. Ugh - i dove deep and didn't come out of the trap and up for air for a good moment in time. Ugh!! It was Patricia's fault..........yeah right!!!!!! Oops - didn't mean to release her name. ha ha! So, I start again today. Grace - thank you Lord! How are you all doing? Please tell me.

"He who separates himself seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all wisdom." Prov. 18:1 NASB

Sometimes don't you just want to get away and be by yourself. I do. It is especially after those times of terrible decision making or times that things have not gone my way. And if i do take someone with me or have to have someone with me in those times of aloneness it needs to be one that can wallow in the pit too and one that can agree things will not change. How bad is that - horrible, but just the way I want to be at times.

This verse above actually warns us in a round about way to not get sucked into isolation. Isolation done in the correct manner and with pure motivation can be a really good and healthy thing. Jesus often got away to pray and seek solitude!! But if you are isolating yourself or myself to escape from whatever it may be is really dangerous.

When we isolate ourselves and we are in a bad way - there is usually no wisdom to be had. I can begin "sharing" with myself all the terrible possibilites that can happen. I get very irrational in what I actually think might have happened in a situation - it gets all turned and twisted. The end of this verse explains exactly what we end up doing..."quarreling against all sound wisdom". If you are prone to depression or if it runs in your family really guard yourself from isolation when you know you are in a bad way. And I am assuming you know when you are in a bad way!

This is why we need each other desperately. Or at least I need you!! This all goes without saying that Jesus is by far the most perfect friend, can heal any imbalnace in our lives, and can work through any situation. But there are very, very many times Jesus will send a friend our way to be Himself with skin on. Right off hand I can think of very crucial times when Dori and Valarie have been that way for me. Many others as well - Courtney, Patricia, Andrea, Alisha ........it goes on and on. I need friends and of course my momma! Oh goodness gracious my momma!! What would i ever do without her!!! And many blogging sister as well.

Ladies let's try not to separate ourselves from one another. But on the other hand when one does go into hiding AND the Lord prompts you, seek her out and be that wisdom of hope seasoned with much grace and mercy. It is crucial that the Lord has prompted each one of us to seek that sister out or we might be an enabler by the words we give. We need each other - I need you and hopefully there will be some day that you need me. Sisterhood is the best ever!!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

ALASKA? This week?? How can THAT be??? I had no idea this was Alaska week and yet do not find that surprising as I've been in "hiding." Not really -- just can't find much energy to blog. Not feeling real hot. Have a kid at home with something that is "flu-like" and I'm praying that it isn't the real deal!!!

Anyway, I can't believe you're going to Alaska! I can't wait to hear all about it and I'll be praying for you every step (or Moose track) of the way!!!

Love ya, girl!
Dori

Connie Barris said...

I needed this.. One of my ways of dealing with life when it becomes too much is "isolation".. I withdraw from the world.. and I cannot rationalize or make sense of anything...
thank you for keeping me focused..

blessings my friend
Connie

Fran said...

Hey girl..
Praying for you and Alaska! Very cool indeed.

As far as Lent goes, my limited knowledge is it is between Ash Wednesday (Feb 6th) and goes all the way to Easter. It is 40 days excluding Sundays. It is a time to focus on Jesus....His life, His purpose on Earth, and remembering and knowing what He desires for us.


That may or may not help.

Keeping you in my prayers friend.
Blessings~
Fran

Valarie said...

AMEN SISTER!! That was the basis of this whole Bible study so go on and SPEAK girl! ;-)

Girl, I can't believe Alaska is here!! WWWWAAAAAHHHHOOOOOOOO!!

I'm praying and I just can't WAIT to see what He does!! Bundle up!

Love ya.
V

Kathy Schwanke said...

Oh yeah! You hit it on the head. I know from experience isolation is one of our enemies greatest weapons, 'specially against us women. I have been there myself and the journey out was long and hard. The main thing the Lord showed me is the danger of withdrawl. I know a couple of ladies who go through cronic depression. It seems to go on and on. But I notice they give themselves permission to stay in bed or to quit doing ministry or whatever. From my experience, I had to fight those fleshly urges by doing what I didn't want to do or didn't believe I could do. All by the grace of God urging me onward. I spent 3 hours a day with our Wonderful Counselor. To Him be the glory He is my lifeline. And I spend alot of time now reaching out to draw women out of the darkness of isolation with encouragement and exhortation.

My mom said many times in my early walk with the Lord: "if my flesh doesn't want to do it...I do it!!"
I am very thankful for that wisdom and share it alot.

After having grown up Catholic, Lent was a huge legalistic event. I didn't celebrate it for many years. But now I can do it with freedom. The 40 days represent the temptation of Christ before His ministry. Of course we couldn't eat meat on Fridays or Ash Wednesday or Good Friday. We had to go to church on Fridays and go through the stations of the Cross. All that to keep us right with God.
Now I see it as a time to prepare for the celebration of Resurrection Sunday. And a reminder of self denial for the greater gain of the Presence of Jesus in my life...

Love in Christ,
Kathy

ThreeGirlyGirls said...

Yes, my friend we do need eachother so much!!! I am praying for your great trip and that God would use you in ways you've never seen before!!! I can't wait to hear all about it!!