He Has Made Me Glad

As I write this, I am spending some time on my hammock trying to relax - watching the clouds, listening to the wind in the trees blowing the dying yellow and orange leaves ... that's right, be jealous!  But as I try for the elusive relaxation, I am also contemplating this past week.  It's been a tough one for me, especially the last few days.

Friday night I was fortunate to be at the Walton First Baptist Church packing party for OCC - their first ever!  I have had a lot of fun getting to know their new Project Leader, Debbie, and have enjoyed watching and feeding on her passion for this ministry.  WFB has packed about 150 or so shoeboxes for the last several years.   Debbie wanted to do more - a God-sized goal.  So she set their church goal at 500!  After what I saw and felt in that church basement on Friday night, 500+ will definitely be coming out of that congregation and we will have many years of partnership ahead!  It was such a pleasure to share more about OCC with these lovely people and to help them visualize what their efforts mean to God's Kingdom.  Thank you, ladies! I had a blast and my excitement renewed.

Now, here is where I allowed myself to climb into that nasty mud-filled pit!  I don't think I go into a time of depression on purpose.  I truly think at the time that I'm walking along just fine and then WHAM!  But that is not realistic, is it?  Satan doesn't want me happy; he doesn't want me serving the Lord, but complacent, ineffective, wallowing and focusing on myself.  Well, then he has been very pleased with me the last few days!!

A few years ago we had a particularly great retreat and one of my team members turned to me and said, "Okay, start watching for that ole' devil to attack!"  She was right. It wasn't even 24 hours before he did.  I forgot that this time and shifted my focus on self for just long enough that my joy over what God did Friday was cut short.

It's so easy for us to dwell on the rough things going on in our lives:  bills to pay, loved ones that are sick, difficulties at work, crazy schedules ... we can make it very easy for satan to worm his way in and whisper, "Hey, yeah, those 500 shoeboxes were great, but ... "  I listened to the BUT ... so today is a new day -

Satan wants me weary, distracted, ungrateful, unfocused, sad, lazy and burning the candle at both ends. That's how I was yesterday, but not today!  Today God has given me victory over those negative things.  Today I am on my way to resting in His promises to never leave me. Today I am focused on Kingdom building.  Today I am grateful for where I am (especially this sunny deck and hammock!).  Today I am organized and productive.  Reminds me of that children's song ...

"I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart.

I will enter His Courts with praise.

I will say this is the day that the Lord has made.

I will rejoice for He has made me glad."

So hang in there with me! Rejoice in the day He has made ... no matter what that day may look like!