My dad used to always say to me....if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. I know we have all heard that saying before. Because he taught me this growing up, I think of this all of the time and do catch myself stopping mid-sentence before saying some things, especially if I am with a group of people where gossip is in the making. (I wish this worked every time, because I have definitely had my share of sticking my foot in my mouth!) This can also apply to our thoughts. If you catch yourself going down the wrong lane of thoughts, stop and turn around. Nothing positive can come out of something negative and negative thoughts will indefinitely lead to negativity in your life.
Well, back to where I was going with this....my "blog thoughts" are good for me because when I find myself thinking, "I could share this on my blog," it is usually something that encourages me and lifts my spirits even if it is just for a moment. Sometimes that is just what we need in the middle of a busy day that could be filled with receiving bad news, feeling sorry for yourself, feeling negative toward someone, coming across a person that was just plain out rude to you, or just waking up feeling down. Next time you have one of these days, don't block out the "blog thoughts" that God sends your way as these can be that little reminder that He is with you. And no, you don't have to have a blog to "think" them! When you feel even just a little bit of encouragement inside, I can almost bet you that it is your loving Savior just squeezing your shoulder saying, "get up....keep going....I am with you."
These "blog thoughts," are great, but on the other hand, we all go through seasons of life where we feel God is passing us by. Can you relate? We know that God never leaves us, but there are definitely times when we feel alone. I came across an old CD a couple of weeks ago that I had forgotten all about. My favorite song on the CD is Pass Me Not. It is an old hymn that has such a strong message. Hopefully we will do it in the praise band at church soon. Because I came across this hymn, I have looked into it and the true meaning of the words. So many times I have sang hymns such as this one and never really known what I was singing about. This song goes along with exactly what I spoke of above and I am speechless when I think of how God brought this all together. By reading the lyrics of, Pass Me Not, Oh Gentle Savior, you can definitely tell that it was written during the 19th century. We might overlook songs such as this because of the way they are written, but thank God, I didn't this time.
- Pass me not, O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry; While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by. Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry; While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by. Let me at Thy throne of mercy, Find a sweet relief, Kneeling there in deep contrition; Help my unbelief.
When I read this, I can definitely relate to Fannie Crosby, even though it was written so long ago. She is basically talking about how God makes calls to others and she pleads for Him to hear her cry and not to "pass her not." Have you ever felt that God is not near? Have you ever felt that our Savior is in hiding? I think we all have. I believe that these feelings do occur, but just for us to trust God even more. I know that He never leaves me (even though I have felt that way) and regardless, I trust God. That is faith. Sometimes we just need something to jump start it.
Praise God that through our unbelief, God is still there and the ONLY thing that is always believable. He is unchanging. When God sends those "blog thoughts" your way, don't shut them out. It could be something that your hear on TV, a thought of something that happened in the past, circumstances of those around us, something you read in a book, or just a simple thought that reminds you how blessed you are. Whatever it may be, these are little bits of encouragement from God. He speaks to us in all sorts of ways and He can be in any shape or size. Never underestimate His power. He may seem distant, but He is always just a prayer of faith away.
I guess I better go see what my girls are up to. I hear them in their room. I can only imagine what I will see when I open the door. Lately they have surprised me and pulled everything out of EVERY drawer and had a dress up show and Pate likes to get right in the middle of them! Here are a few pictures that are sure to bring a smile to your face! What blessings they are to me.....miracles.
Kam
Hadden
Pate
We can never get a picture of all of them together. This is the best we could do:)
