Wearing Woes!

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8

We need to remember that everyone has problems, fears, anxiety, betrayal, and this list is endless. No one is immune to difficult circumstances. No one has the monopoly on problems and issues in this world either. There is enough to go around. We can't control the difficult circumstances that come into our life and we can't always control how we wear our woes.

woes

definition

1. grievous distress, affliction, or trouble.

All the positive thinking in the world will not work to help overcome the wounds life may bring but God can heal us in ways we don't expect.

When in the midst of conflict or problems in my own life, God sends reminders to me of all that is good. For example, I can hang around one of my grand kids who hugs me so tenderly and tells me they love me and all is well in my world. My husband and I have moments when the young adults at church will say or do something for us that our hearts become overwhelmed with joy. God has provided nieces and nephews in our life that lift us up just by hanging around them. We thank God constantly for the sweet relationships He gives us each day. My husband and I remind ourselves to take time to reflect on all the good that God has provided and we want to wear our gratefulness. Is our life perfect? Of course not, but most days it feels pretty close because of the relationships God gives to us who become the hands and feet of Jesus in our life.

My prayer today is to thank God for all that is good today and to trust Him with all that is not...

 This picture was taken by my mom in Spain of a poppy field in 2006.

Courage

This is a picture I took of a page from a journal I was making for my grand girls this past month August 2020. I placed the picture on a painting I did with acrylics and tissue paper on a background of book pages I decoupaged together. The small embellishment was a technique called dentritic monoprinting on top of book pages covered in a plastic bag from the grocery store. I wrote this devotional in 2006 which is when my boss Jared Hawkins set up my blog site Hurricane Empress and asked me to begin blogging. I had no clue or desire to do this but it was now part of my job description!
 

Vengeful Counsel

Now afterward David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.  David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm you’? I Samuel 24:8-9

Saul listened to the negativity in his head and the negativity from people who liked to stir up trouble. This is a parents worst nightmare when it happens to their own children usually in the teen moments of life. The hormonal changes tell them their parents are out to destroy their life and their fun. Wrong influences of friends begin to feed your children the same lie. Television, music and all the negative things of this world that bombard our kids to believe more negative than good. Unfortunately, it also happens in adults too.

Our families and society are being crippled much like Saul was at that time where all he wanted to do was to hate and destroy a man who had never caused him any harm. His mind and his poor counsel had led him to believe that he needed to destroy an individual who had actually always been good to him. What deception our own minds can be and added with the negatives of those we choose to listen to and anything is possible. 

As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you. I Samuel 24:13 David chose not to hurt King Saul but instead treated him with respect because of his position of authority. He trusted God more than his own thoughts and especially more than the vengeful counsel of others.

This picture was taken when we visited Longwood Gardens with our niece Theresa, October 2014.