Expectations

Expectations, we all have them.We expect certain things from people in our lives.Our spouses, friends,coworkers,even more from our pastors.We will have a thought stuck in our minds of how this person will react and the sad thing is most of the time,they do not respond how we had hoped.

I think of a friend ,it was her birthday.She had many friends and relatives.All day she waited for them to call her or stop by to wish her a happy birthday.But the phone did not ring,nor did the doorbell.And so by the end of the day she sat crying on her bed,the thoughts running through her mind that no one cared,here were people she had known for years,why even her best friend did not call.She had expected them to remember and they had let her down.

It was not that these people didn't love her.There were many that did.But our lives are so filled to the brim with commitments,stress,and distractions that we do forget the little things like birthdays,or making that phone call when we know friends that are struggling with life and could use some encouragement.We put things on the back burner so to speak and charge forward each day trying to get everything done that is on our to do list.We are running at break neck speed and we disappoint people or forget to make that call or stop in for that visit.

Someone had told me years ago.If they are human they will let you down.But Jesus will not.He is the only one in your life who will always be there.Someone else told me in life we need to lower our expectations when it comes to people.We are all flawed,we may have good intentions but we will always at some point drop the ball in the game of life.This makes us wonder if everyone is going to fail us in some way why bother to have friends,Why set ourselves up for a fall?

Jesus did not put us on this earth to go it alone.Think how boring that would be? We would never be hurt or let down but im sure spending time with just ourselves would get old real quick.I think of the people in my life that will say" I don't need people".How sad is that?The real reason behind that comment is fear.Fear of rejection, fear of being hurt, we are vulnerable,giving a bit of ourselves that yes, might possiblly be hurt at some point.Why they might even let us down and then that would be painful wouldn't it? So they keep to themselves,growing more bitter and more alone each day.Without God and other people the heart can start to wither and become hard and cold.If we start to keep track of the times people have let us down,we will quickly become angry,the bitterness will begin to seep in.One by one we will start to distance ourselves from others.

Jesus wants us to have a life full of joy.He wants us to surround ourselves with others who can encourage us when we need it.To be there when we are suffering.We cannot go it alone.We are all flawed in some way.We will all eventually let someone down.But the fact is that we are human.The only perfect one is Jesus.He will surround you with people who will love you and be there for you,but we cannot expect them to be perfect.We need to look at others through His eyes.Forgive those who have not done what was expected.Jesus forgives us over and over again.How wonderful is that? Today why not ask him to give you his eyes and his forgiving heart,your day will be one filled with blessings and wonder.
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls for he has no one to help him up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10


Blessings Dee

At this moment my living room resembles a recording studio.I have a drum set in one corner,five guitars leaning against the fireplace,one large piano and an organ all crammed into a house the size of a postage stamp.My children both love music.My oldest son can be seen walking around with a guitar strapped to him at all times,I have actually found him asleep with the guitar still attached,pick in hand.My youngest will go from the piano to the organ,to the drums and this will continue through out the day. They both have amazing talents when it comes to music.

As a parent I realize this and try to encourage them ,but with that comes the noise.Cymbals that cut through your ears like a knife.Try to complete a task while the guitar amp is cranked up as high as it will go.I dare you to try and remember what in the world you are doing and why you walked into the room.The only thing to do in this house is to take a walk,or find some ear plugs.Even though I will most likely need a hearing aid in the future due to blown out ear drums.My children will never be able to say they were not encouraged and that I never let them express themselves.Believe you me,there is some expressing going on in this home daily.

Loud music reminds me of our thoughts.At times we can't block them out.We try to focus on other things,but the thoughts continue on.Did you ever sit in church praying,all is quiet,all of a sudden the strangest thought pops in your head.You open your eyes and look around and think" where in the world did that come from"?You close your eyes,start to pray and here comes another one.I find that while I am driving the strangest things pop into my head.It is usually things from my past that I would like to forget.That long since been forgiven,but there they are.At times they make me cringe.How many times have we had some really rotten things run through our minds?

Each day thoughts run through our minds like the thousands of cars that drive the freeways.Zooming through,some stay and continue to swirl in our brains.They usually are the negative things that have happened to us.Why is the positive ones pop up occasionally but don't stick around like the negative ones? How many of us can recall a mean comment that someone said to us in grade school? Most likely all of us.They embed themselves in our mind like a splinter in our foot.Hard to remove and the pain it can cause here and there hurts.

Jesus wants us to protect our thoughts.Do you know He can do that for us? He can help us guard out minds.He can be the filter that lets the negative go in one ear and out the other ,so to speak.But if we meditate on the positive, after a while it sticks around.We can easily recall positive happy thoughts rather than the debilitating mean or negative ones.If we immerse ourselves in Scripture we can leave no room for the negative.In with the good,out with the bad.

Remembering scripture is not one of my strong areas.I have a better chance of learning how to become a trapeze artist or an Olympic athlete than retaining scripture,But if we take one verse a week and try to remember ,it is like having a shield when we are in a war.The more scripture the bigger the shield.

Each morning we have a choice,one is to go through this day with positive thoughts,being on the lookout for the negative ones that settle down in our brains with the plans of staying for a long time.Like the cousin that comes for a weekend visit and never leaves.Or we can choose to let those untruths swirl in our heads,where they grow and change and then birth new negative thoughts.How many times have we had something pop in our heads,we then dwell on it and in about a minute it is a full blown horror story,we then become fearful and that will stay with us throughout the day,and possible the next ?

We start out the day positive,our self esteem intact but by midday if we listen to the whispers,we are not so positive,our self esteem is starting to plummet.Sound familiar?

So today why not ask Him to protect your mind? He made the heavens and the earth do you think that He can't help you change your thoughts? Read scripture and it will be your shield that will protect you when the whispers of Satan start to settle in your thoughts. Now go and prepare for battle,you have Jesus on your side and there is no way you can lose.

Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”

Blessings
Dee