 |
Mind
Over Heart Romantic love is usually pictured as a state of the heart, but in reality, it is the mind which nurtures and sustains it... or conversely starves it into nonexistence. Here's an example: My husband works 12-hour days and comes home to his easy chair where he dozes until dinner. He doesn't ask about my day; he sometimes doesn't even say a full sentence to me before he drifts off; and unless it's earth shaking, I know he won't remember a word I have said to him. Now, as I look at this lanky man sprawled and snoring in his beloved Lazy Boy with mouth agape and hair tousled, I have a choice. I can feel hurt and neglected and find the sight quite unattractive.. Or I can be flooded with tenderness, appreciate how hard he works and be touched by how much like a little boy he looks. I choose the latter, hands down! Two of the most damaging things in any relationship are unmet expectations and negative thought patterns. Again, these are more cerebral than emotional, and they are a matter of conscious choice. I am a fanatic about birthdays, anniversaries and the like and make a real effort to prepare so that cards and gifts are presented on time. Albert is just the opposite. He almost never remembers to honor me on special days. It used to cause major heartache for me and I would feel rejected and unloved... all because he did not live up to my standards and expectations, and because of that, my mood would be sour for days. I was miserable and making him miserable. No one was happy. I don't like being unhappy so decided not to be. Instead of grieving over a forgotten birthday, I concentrated on the utter kindness of my gentle giant; I thought on his tender way of brushing back my hair and his infinite patience, his love for children, the elderly, any and all animals, and me. I contemplated the many times he had cause to be upset with me but showed love and approval instead... Now, when he does happen to get me an anniversary card or gift (wonder of wonders) I am overjoyed... but I wisely choose not to expect one next year ;-) Albert didn't have to overcome any special expectations of me. Right from the start, he took me just as I was and seemed delighted to do so. I could shave my head and dye it purple and he would probably just hug me and say, "Well, it's different, isn't it... sorta looks like an Easter egg. I've always loved Easter." He doesn't get moody, either, and I've never seen him come close to snapping at anyone just because he's having a bad day. I've been trying to learn his calm and serene ways for almost 30 years now and am making some progress because he is such a good teacher, such a consistent example and so much like Jesus. Things
Aren't Always What They Seem Have you noticed that things in life aren't always what they seem? A co-worker remarked recently about a party tray we had received for the office. Her excited cry was "Have you seen those brownies?" I replied with my usual "I'm on a diet" tone, "I'm not looking"! That didn't stop her enthusiasm about the brownies. She was overjoyed that someone had made the most delicious looking brownies she had ever seen. Well you've probably guessed what came next. As she longingly retrieved the "prize" and popped it into her mouth, "Hey, this isn't a brownie", she exclaimed, "It's carrot cake!" She was totally disappointed. No offense to those who love carrot cake, but I think you are outnumbered by the chocolate lovers of the world. Imagine someone pawning off carrot cake for brownies! Did they think we would be fooled? Well, we were! We looked only as far as the outside and assumed that what we saw was a genuine, 100% chocolate brownie!!! We never considered the most important thing, the inside. But God has a solution for that. God's word says that God looks on the heart. He considers what everyone else overlooks. He saw inside that brownie before the first bite was taken. He knows the real us -- not the one in the mirror -- the one we don't show to anyone else. Maybe it's time to really take a look at who we are -- from the inside out. Do we really love and reflect God or are we "carrot cake" pretending to be a "brownie"? God's word tells us to "hide His word in our hearts" -the seat of our emotions. If God is truly in our heart then what is on the inside will be reflective. We will be genuine! Silver is the most reflective of all precious metals because it is 95/100% pure. It reflects because the impurities have been refined away. We must allow God through the Holy Ghost to refine us the same way. When He is finished, we will be a vessel fit for the Master's use and reflecting the genuine love of God to all we meet along life's way. Donna Enochs Mastering
Your Thoughts and Moods Like the old saying goes, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” That is how it is with our thought life and our moods. Which came first, the negative thought or the foul mood, or the foul mood and then the negative thoughts? No matter which came first, the two go hand in hand. You can become a master at controlling your thoughts and moods by practicing these ten exercises and you can fulfill this passage from Scripture at the same time, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2Corinthians 10:5, NIV 1. Memorize this passage of Scripture and put it into practice. “…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.” Philippians 4:8, NIV 2. Another good way to halt and change the direction of negative thoughts and bad moods is to stop and begin to thank God for all that is good or right in your life. It is hard to be in a bad mood or have negative thoughts when you start to list your blessings. Depending upon the severity of the mood, a short list will probably start to lift your spirits, but if it doesn’t, try listing the things we often overlook… dig deep in your heart for what you might have that others long to have (eyesight, hearing, food, clothes, shelter, the ability to walk, bend over, joints that don’t ache, etc). 3. Start a hope list. Think about all that you would like to have happen over the next year and write it down. Then think about all the things you would like to have happen over the next six months and write them down. Then make a list of the things you would like to have happen over the next month and write them down. Pick one item from each list and write steps that you can take to make these things a reality. Pray about your hope list and visit it often to make changes, mark progress, and add steps to help you accomplish these things. 4. Another way to change the course of your thoughts is to stop and ask God to take control of your day. Just give the day over to God and let him know you need His help. This usually provides some much needed comfort and the hope that things will begin to change. 5. Taking action is a great way to lift your spirits. It could be taking action against a dirty house (if you do this one, start with one room, and start with a small chore first so you can see your progress) or it could be starting to work on a project that has been sitting for a long time, or it could be writing a letter. The possibilities for this exercise are endless.. 6. Take a walk and use the time to either talk to God, listen to an audio sermon, the Bible on tape or Christian music. The walk alone should help give your mood a boost, and the time spent worshiping will be an added lift.. 7. Write down all the negative thoughts you are having and then spend some time looking through the Bible for verses that oppose your thoughts. A quick and easy way to do this is by buying a book that addresses every day problems with Scriptures. A good one is called “God’s Promises for Everyday” the New Century Version. 8. Say the Lord’s Prayer over and over again until you can get through it without having any other thoughts intrude (you might find that you have to say it up to ten times). Start over every time you catch your mind wandering. 9. Think about the people you know and the struggles they are having, or think about people in other parts of the world and their struggles. Stop and say a prayer for all those you thought about. 10. Sing your favorite Christian song from beginning to end. Keep singing it until you start to feel better. If you try all ten exercises, and you find that you still can’t shake those negative thoughts or a bad mood, then keep in mind that the real Master is always there to assist you and with His help and guidance, you will be tapped into the ultimate source of joy and strength. You can also call everyone you know and let them know that God created both the chicken and the egg, and the mystery is just His way of fowling around.
Graphics, Design
& Hosting by Web4Christ Ministries Home | Webzine | Archives |
Resources Author: Iona Hoeppner |
