Is this going to be one of those happy, bouncy, think positive and the whole world will come calling blogs? Overblown offers that promise you endless riches in 10 days if you only buy this book, or all your wildest dreams if you will write out what you want on a postcard and stick it on your mirror? No, thankfully it’s not.
Let me tell you how today’s blog started out. In the last six months, we have moved 6,000 plus air miles from the UK to Singapore – to new work for my husband, new school for the kids- figuring out how to start again here. Meanwhile I got offered the opportunity to ghostwrite/edit two 50,000 word books, with 4 months to complete both. Then my husband’s Mom died after a prolonged and difficult illness. I’ll skip my gruesome dental related experiences 
Oh, and then my husband went for neck traction and ended up in hospital with excruciating head and neck pain. To date he has been off work (his brand new j0b) for 3 weeks. I know, it never rains but it pours…
When life throws torrential rain, or even every day rain that just never seems to stop, there are plenty of opportunities to stumble or fear, re-visit the past with a critical eye, to what if and why me. I have found myself by turns sad, angry, worried and really frustrated. So 1 minute in, where is this better life I was promising? Well if I’m honest, it is not really me who is doing the promising.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Matthew 6 v25-27, NIV
This really works. In fact, what a blessed relief to be free to live like this. To live life, to fully live your life, without constantly worrying about the outcome. To be more focused on this day than the day before or even the day after. To lay down those nagging fears of disappointment, failure or lack and believe that today, this day is good.
“To action alone hast thou a right and never at all to its fruits; let not the fruits of action be thy motive; neither let there be in thee any attachment to inaction” from the Bhagavad Gita
It is easy to let the ghosts of yesterday haunt us, equally, to be overwhelmed by the towering giants of tomorrow. Unless we choose to live like this. If we cease to pay attention to the ghosts or the giants and instead turn towards now – what I can do with today – we are free to look for light instead of concentrating on darkness and foreboding. If we turn our full attention towards today, it is much easier to encounter risk without timidity and challenges without frustration. In short, we do not have to be concerned with all the ways today does not stack up.
“Happiness, knowledge, not in another place, but this place, not for another hour, but this hour…” Walt Whitman
So here’s something. Why not spend the next 3 minutes focusing on this question – how can I get the best out of today? This question, in my case, helps free me to care for my husband without agonizing over all the what ifs , to write when I can rather than getting frustrated when I can’t, to help my kids make the transitions they need without wishing everything was neatly sorted. This question stops, better still replaces, all those why me and if onlys.
So 3 minutes in, this is no happy, bouncy, think positive and the whole world will come calling blog. But it does contain the makings of a better life, starting with this promise, not mine but God’s -
“Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6 v31-34, NIV
He believes in you.
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Oh, Claire, I didn’t know you were in the monsoon season! I’ve been there. I can fully understand. This is a great post – a great reminder. Years ago, The Holy Spirit spoke this to me as I read this portion of Scripture: “If seeking God’s Kingdom is not your life’s priority, nothing in your life will flow according to God’s plan and provision.” I keep it on my fridge.
Congrats on the ghostwriting contract! And I’ll be praying for your husband. Hugs to you.
Good words Claire. This reminds me of Jesus saying, “The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. ” I don’t think he was crass in this statement but rather redirecting the audience to what was at the heart, outside of circumstance. The circumstances will change, poor times, neck traction, unplanned things, but Jesus remains and is unchanging. The Bible mentions this interchange 3 times. Why? I think because in His gentleness, He knew we would need to remind us to focus our eyes.
As you were recently touched by my story of a friend going “home,” I am moved by your post and all the things you’ve been going through. You are in my prayers too, for comfort at the loss of your mom-in-law and the peace of His eagles wings holding you and your family up through it all, my friend.
Miracles? Oh, yes. I started my day with tears – and then I found your blog. Or rather – He led me there. I happened upon it by accident? Some might say so. Not me. I’m now going to take those three minutes, and give thanks that I can. And I understand the challenges of setting up in a new home thousands of miles distant from your old one. I was brought up as a UN brat, my late father a career officer with WHO. As an adult, I worked my way to some of the countries. I lived/studied and in the latter four countires worked in the Philippines, Malaysia, Honduras, Kenya, Switzerland, Lesotho and South Africa. With your attitude and your faith, I know you will enjoy your experiences. I admire your strength and your faith. May your husband heal quickly and strongly. God’s blessings. Thank you.
Thank you Judy. May His love find you in a special way today. Love shaped just for you. Some times my strength and faith fail but when we are weak, guess what, He is strong! His power is perfected, fulfilled, made complete in our weakness.
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12 v9-10, NIV
When we reach the end of our rope, He is ready to catch us.
Claire, I came over from Hope’s newsletter. I couldn’t resist the words “tea party.” Read several lovely posts before I came to this one featuring some of my very favorite verses. I certainly hope your life has settled down a bit since you wrote this post! But it’s always something, as they say! Tea is my favourite beverage, and afternoon tea is my favorite type of party. I blog about tea and tea foods a lot.