In Udder Words ~~~~~~~ X Marks the Spot

 Colossians 3:1-3 if then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

 

 

It had to of served as some kind of target for the National Guard to use as something to aim for when practicing their drills. No matter what the purpose of the X was it did remind me of my school years when we use to put X’s on things and then say, “X marks the spot.” It was a game we would plan then but as an adult the game changed into something more to me.

 

When life’s storms were at their peak I would use the X to try and stay focused on God. At work whenever things got rough and rocky I would make an X on a piece of paper and would look at that while the politics of the office went on around me. It gave me something to focus on and to not be sucked into the negative magnetic force around me.

 

It was a trick that worked rather well at home and at work or wherever I was because it made me zero in on Jesus and thinking about things above. As the world tried to get me to focus on the negative, the bad things, the politics of the office, the bitterness at home I had a focus. A much better focus than what the world was offering me.

 

This is what the scripture in Colossians is telling us to do, to seek and stay focused. The challenge of this scripture is the fact that at times you wish they would list those “things above” so you could focus on them. In the heat of a moment, in the highlight of a dark time sometimes it can be hard to think, “Ok what are some of the things I can think of that are from above instead of what is going on down here on earth.”

 

First thing that we can think about is Jesus. He is definitely from above and is something worthy of focusing on. To prevent us from focusing on Christ this is where Satan likes to step in to interfere.  The thought of, “If Jesus cares and loves me so much then why is this happening in my life, why doesn’t He stop it. Why? Why? Why?”

 

STOP! You have just gone back to focusing on the things of the earth, the circumstances around you that are happening, the negative, the sad, and the difficult. God has put up an “X” for us to focus on, to get our minds off of the things of the world. That “X” is on His love, Jesus Christ, joy, inner peace, abundant strength, and everlasting guidance, forgiveness, grace, mercy, and life eternal in a place free of pain and suffering.

X marks the spot, but it’s up to us where we are putting that X. We can focus on the things of the world that will only tear us down or we can focus on the things from God that build us up. The one destroys, the other gives life. Which is it going to be? Where are you putting your X?

 

 

 



 

And The Winner Is!

Nothing irritates Satan more than us choosing God over our pain and suffering. We can endure everything if we know Jesus is sitting next to us. Joni Eareckson Totta



Have you ever been in a position where there was someone around you that was great to irritate or irritated you greatly? I would swear my brother liked to irritate me when we were kids but he would say it was the other way around. Just because I threw him between a barking dog and me after I “irritated” the dog my brother seems to think I like to torment him. Well maybe a little bit I do. Okay perhaps a lot.


With practice it doesn’t take much to figure out what buttons to push with some people to annoy them. Satan is no different. He knows what aggravates us and it’s important to know what gets on his nerves. The simple act of choosing God over our pain will do the trick.


Between kids, seeing who can irritate each other the most is a game they like to play. It’s a type of race to the top of the annoyance ladder to see who wins. However, when we choose God over our pain and suffering it’s not done in competition to get back at Satan for “picking on us first.” It’s not a game to play but more of a survival of the fittest. It’s knowing what works best and putting it into action.


What an awesome feeling it is to know that we can endure all things thanks to God. It is not because we outwitted, out annoyed Satan it’s because of our trust and faith in God that makes it possible. It is the knowing in our hearts that He is right there beside us as we live out that knowledge no matter what the circumstances surrounding us.


Too often we imagine God has abandoned us because we are experiencing “pain and suffering” but that isn’t the case. Instead of looking at pain and suffering as a weapon God is using to get even with us, we need to use it as a tool to further our growth as Christians. Christians who are willing to take a stand against Satan and his schemes and loudly say, “I choose God over all else.”


In my case, it doesn’t make sense to allow cancer to win in both areas of my life both physically and spiritually. I may never get rid of the bone and breast cancer my body carries but I can win spiritually by choosing a healthy life with God. A life strengthened in God, destined for eternity with Him and it begins with choosing God.


Most certainly opting God doesn’t get rid of the pain and suffering. I already had chosen God long before breast and bone cancer chose me but because I continue to make Him my number one pick I will come out ahead where it really counts, spiritually.


Indeed when we take the time to put the two on a scale it doesn’t take long to see which one out weighs the other: 1) Choosing the consequences of giving in to our pain and suffering or 2) Choosing God? And the winner is: God!  And thanks to Him we can be winners too.


© 2011 Karen J Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing

Let God do the Lifting

“Only when we understand that God has ordained our suffering can we begin to make sense of it. Only then can we be certain that He has a purpose in it. When tragedy comes, when adversity strikes, we will not be shaken. Yes, we will cry. Yes, we will grieve. But we will move on confidently knowing that God is on His throne, that we are in His hand, that our circumstances are His doing, and He is working them for our good.”
~Terry L. Johnson, When Grace Comes Home


The sad thing about suffering, outside of the pain involved, is the fact that people too often think God is out to punish them through it. Yes, they figure He ordained it alright to penalize them not to work it out for their own good. They figure they must have done something wrong and therefore they are basically paying the price for it via their suffering. They reason in their little minds that God must have abandoned them or didn’t think they were worthy of rescuing them from their current sufferings.

The last thing we think about when we are in this state of mind is the fact that God had a “good and godly” purpose behind ordaining it. That He knows what is going on and is using this time to shape us not smash us. To build us up not tear us down. To love on us not reject us.

As with anyone we could all name our sorrows and we can see the pain that went on but if we look close enough we also can see God at work. It’s inevitable that all will suffer. What isn’t foreseeable is how we choose to go through it. Our attitude going in will affect a great deal the outcome. As much as it may hurt we need to stop and ask God, “What do you want me to learn from this?”

With the correct attitude and focus on the right place we will not be shaken. Yes we are going to cry, grieve, wonder, worry, and feel all sorts of emotions but we can move on confidently that God knows what He’s doing. Just like a young child who doesn’t see any good in their parents making them eat the right food, go to bed at a decent hour, do their homework, or avoid certain situations we often don’t immediately see the good behind what God is doing through our suffering. As a child we have to trust that mom and dad know what they are talking about. As a child of God we need to trust that He too knows what He is talking about. We need to know in our hearts when He says, “this is for our own good,” that He means just that.

During the times of my greatest suffering I thought the scripture 1 John 4:4 had to be a miss print or something that didn’t pertain to me. It says, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” I didn’t doubt God’s promise here as much as I doubted myself. Evidently I didn’t fit into the “dear children” category. Evidently I didn’t qualify because what was on the outside seemed much greater. Evidently I must have been doing something wrong to not get this one particular promise from God.

Boy did I have it wrong. God was using my suffering to shape me as He put a girdle on my flaws to shape them into something of greater worth. He was walking me through situations not dragging me along by my hair. He was patiently waiting for me to grow up in order to stand on my own two feet to walk forward instead of always falling back.

It’s not always up to us to see God’s plan or goals for us. However it is up to us to trust that He knows what He is doing especially during our times of suffering. His hand is there. It’s not there to slap us down but to lift us up. Let Him do the lifting while we do the trusting.


Our host today is Jennifer on her blog, Scraps & Snippets Hi Jennifer! Everyone you need to get over there and participate in this fun weekly event.

© 2010 Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing

The Bridge of Comfort

“Sufferers want to be ministered to by people who have suffered. They are suspicious of people who appear to live lives of ease. He (God) has given a role to messy, wimpy people like me. He has made us His ambassadors of reconciliation, and suffering gives us credibility with a hurting world and demonstrates God’s sufficiency to meet our needs.” by Stephen F. Saint in his essay, “Sovereignty, Suffering, and the Work of Missions”


Not long after my 2nd brain surgery that took care of the remaining 10% of my epileptic seizures I thought, “Wow what a wonderful thing it would be if what I went through cured all epileptics world wide.” It wasn’t a thought of heroism but one of pity, concern, and comfort contemplating only one person having to go through what I did in order for all epileptics to be suddenly cured.

Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way and to this day my niece still suffers herself from seizures. What I went through cured only me but there is something I can do. I can comfort others dealing with similar situations and minister to them. Since we learn and mature from our struggles perhaps that is a better way to go.

Those who have survived the storms in life whether it is marital problems, financial difficulties, prodigal children, health issues and such make good bridges for those coming along similar roads. It’s our job once we are through to turn around and lend a helping hand to those who have yet to cross. One of the biggest things it does for them is to let them know they are not alone.

As fellow sufferers it becomes our task or witness to show others they can make it across. The example we set before them in this Suffers Anonymous club are part of the planks laid down to help others across.

Years ago when man was heading West the best way to go was to find a scout who had been there and done that and knew what to expect. It had to be extremely comforting to know that the scout leading them knew what they were doing because they had been through it before. Having an experienced scout never stopped a lot of the tragedies and heartaches that would occur but it helped in difficult times.

Once we have gone through our suffering of whatever kind we don’t have to go out looking for a little old lady to help cross a street or anything, the opportunities will come. In the midst of my greatest marital struggles I was surprised to see and hear from people I never even knew traveled the road I found myself currently lost on. They took me by the hand and guided me through some pretty rough waters.

Their suffering didn’t set up a cure for all married couples who followed them but what they got out of their own journey would help another along. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians told them, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Cor 1:3,4 (NKJV).

Believe it or not our idea of comfort in suffering is to not have to suffer. We figure if God really loves us and wants to comfort us then He should take our troubles away. People, people, people when will we ever learn.

Suffering needs to be used as a tool to teach us what we need to learn in order to pass on that knowledge to others traveling down similar roads. It’s not a time to kick those who are down and think of ourselves as a failure. A failure is someone who when they fall they stay down. Comfort sets us up on our feet again, it’s the pit stop needed to gain strength in order to finish the journey not quit it. It’s the mile-marker used to see where we are and how far we have yet to go. It’s a light in a dark tunnel that gives us hope.

Comfort can go a long ways, may we use it wisely but most importantly may we accept it just as well. Too often we want to wallow in our self-pity and refuse to be comforted. Boy, I’ve been there and done that and it didn’t work. No, the better thing to do is to accept it, use it, and make a bridge out of it to help others across life’s roughest waters.

The only toll on this bridge should be the price we had to pay to learn what we did in order to pass it along.


Our host this bright and sunny day is Kathryn on her blog, Expectant Hearts. Hop on over there and read and share with the gang on today’s fantastic quote.

Prepared for the Rain

November 18, 2008 IOW In Other Words Tuesday

“And I don’t regret the rain,
And the nights I felt the pain,
And the tears I had to cry some
of those times along the way.
Every time my heart would break
It was just something that I had to get through
To get me to you…”
Sung by Lila McCann “To Get Me To You” (Hope floats Soundtrack)


Reading the words of this song reminds me of an elder at my church once. Just a few months before he passed away from his cancer he told me he never regretted having the disease. To him it was his cancer that drew him and the Lord closer together. He had always been a God-fearing man and to him his battle with cancer was that final testing ground of where his faith in God stood.

Cancer or not the same is true for other situations. Like the woman who told me how she felt about her past struggles. She said if going through what she did was the necessary steps it took to get her to her second marriage and two wonderful children she now has she was glad it happened as it did. God had seen her through to get her where she needed to be.

God doesn’t create these situations as if He’s up there trying to pick the best 8 out 10 people to get cancer or have their marriage fail. They are situations that just happen whether they were our choice or not.

Back in the good old days when I had epilepsy people would ask me if I thought God had done this to me. No, it was kids goofing off on a school bus that did it. He wasn’t there coaching the girl when the right time would be to strike my head.

What God is looking at is how we handle the situations we find ourselves in. Any situation can make us either bitter or better. It depends on the choice of whether we are going to turn to God or turn against Him blaming Him for all our troubles. When we choose to go with God eventually we will see that any situation that leads us to closer walk with Him or even a new walk with Him is an awesome thing.

In the midst of the storms we need to close our eyes and grab hold of the hand of God and let Him do the leading. Giving up our right to protest, to blame, to drag our feet, to put off till tomorrow, to wallow in self-pity, or to complain where we are going and how long it is taking to get there. We need to allow our faith and trust to take over where the path we find ourselves on seems dark and dreary. When we do this we will never regret the rain (the storms, struggles, difficulties) in life as they lead us closer to God.

Often what we regret is our behavior during these times, the momentary lack of faith like the disciples on the boat that night during their storm. Matthew 8:23-27 (NKJV)

23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

We aren’t perishing or going to drown as the world would like us to believe, not if we have faith in the one who will see us through. We may end up in the water a time or two but it’s never over till its over. God isn’t asleep at the wheel of our life. He is there beside us walking us through the storms in life. Our job is to allow Him access, handing over our right to over-ride His commands as we take hold of the hand who cares, the Hand of God. As we do this we find ourselves able to boldly stand in the rain and shout “Praise the Lord for the rain” as it takes us to a closer relationship with God.

We can prepare for the rain or leave our raincoat at home, the choice is ours. God is my raincoat, the one who has seen me through many storms. The One whose wear is not worn out but is strengthen by every drop that continues to fall. I love you Jesus, I love you!


Copyright 2008 Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing

Beauty Treatments that Last

November 11, 2008 IOW In Other Words Tuesday

“To possess true beauty, we must be willing to suffer…if Christ Himself was perfected through His sufferings, why would I believe that God would not do the same with me? Women who are stunningly beautiful are women who have had their hearts enlarged by suffering.” Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul” by John and Stasi Eldredge.

The cosmetic industry now-a-days is loaded with promises of “true” everlasting beauty. Use this product, use that, is the sales pitch used on us. Everywhere you turn the secret of true beauty is being told as if it was no longer a secret anymore. The catch of course being you have to buy “their” product to get it.

Imagine finding a bottle on the shelf at your local Wal Mart store that says, “Sufferin’ guaranteed true beauty or your money back. Take two pills twice daily for the rest of your life.” I don’t think the Walton’s or anyone else would get rich off of it. The definition of true beauty is so different for many people that you would think it would be hard to get people to try any beauty product. However, it seems like some people are so strong in their pursuit they will try anything.

Well anything but suffering. The idea of suffering doesn’t appeal to very many people. I’m probably safe to say it doesn’t appeal to anyone. The path of our choice would be to find a way to get from square one to the end without suffering. When my grandkids came along I prayed they wouldn’t have to go through a lot of suffering in life. Shortly after praying that God talked to my heart and made me realize what a selfish prayer it was.

Selfish in the aspect that its through our suffering, those times in the belly of the whale, the fiery furnace, the desert that we get our true beauty. As Peter put it in 1 Peter 3:4 The incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is very precious in the sight of God.

Our prayers for each other need to be ones of preparation for the beauty treatments ahead. That we will allow whatever is applied to take hold. Such as the perm we paid for, or the nail polish just applied. Things that need to set or dry before we can go on. The beauty brought out in our sufferings is no different.

If we think it’s worth the smell of the perm or nail polish on something that will last a week or two or perhaps 6 months at the most then why not something that will last for all eternity. Why turn up our noses at the thought of suffering when it’s something that can enhance our beauty within if we allow it.

As with Jonah, it wasn’t what was going on in the belly of the whale that was as important as what was going on in his heart. We don’t need to go looking for beauty treatments, they will come to us. It’s up to us to be prepared by filling our hearts with Christ, his strength, his encouragement, his design for what creates the picture of true beauty. A picture not even the best of artists could ever capture embedded in the body of our hearts, stored in the vaults of Heaven awaiting more.

Copyright 2008 Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing