THE NEW EWE

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"

Luke 15:4-6

July 26, 2023

LIFE IN THE FOLD

We've all had plans, then have them disrupted or things not work as we thought they would. Sometimes it's minor and just an inconvenience, but other times it could be life-changing.

On Monday morning my plan was to can homemade tomato sauce. I had to run to the grocery store to pick up a couple ingredients, so did that as soon as Jon left for work. I got back home and started to get all the supplies out that I needed. I couldn't find my big stockpot, which I needed to cook down the sauce. I happened to remember that I had loaned it to my nephew back in March, and we had both apparently forgot about it. So I had to go over and pick that up.

My goal had been to be finished and have the kitchen completely cleaned up before Gunsmoke comes on at noon, so I could sit down and watch it while eating lunch. That didn't happen!

But I did get the tomato sauce canned, kitchen cleaned, showered and was finished by early afternoon. It was fine -- just not what I had planned.

This was really something very minor and unimportant. There have been other times when I've made plans, only for something unexpected to happen that completely changed everything. Over the years, I've worked on becoming more flexible with my time and trusting God to work out the details.

Proverbs 27:1 says, "Don't brag about tomorrow, since you don't know what the day will bring."

James 4:13-15 says, "Look here, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there for a year. We will do business there and make a profit.' How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog -- it's here a little while, then it's gone. What you ought to say is, 'If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.'"

It's okay to plan what we're going to do today or tomorrow.... plan vacations... plan for the future... But we need to understand that God's plan may be different from ours. If it is, accept it and trust that His plan is for our good and He has a reason why things happen as they do. We may not understand why things happen or it may be difficult to see God's hand in it, but if we are faithfully living our lives to glorify Him and trusting Him to direct our steps, then we can know that He is with us.

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

I heard decades ago a quote, "Stress is defined as the difference between expectation and reality." I searched, and found one article saying the same thing, but didn't say where it originally came from. So, I'm sorry I can't give credit where it is due.

Whoever it was that said it had a great point. It isn't the only source of stress, but it can cause a lot of stress and anxiety when we fully expect something, and it suddenly changes. Expecting things to go wrong isn't really a fix. It just swaps anxiety for depression.

I remember one day in particular where it seemed that everything that should have been easy was hard. Almost every single expectation I had turned out wrong. After about the third major wrong turn, I realized this looked more orchestrated than random. I started wondering what God had in store for me that day. For one thing, it made the rest of the problems more interesting than stressful. But mainly, when God did show part of His plans, I was receptive to it, and able to respond in thanks instead of feeling bitter or entitled. All the things I thought were going "wrong" were really "right" if I had known what God had planned.

I've written about it before... That was the day my truck was stolen, and recovered a few minutes later. I think it was in a newsletter around January 2018.

But that can apply more than once. When you start seeing things go "wrong", be open to the possibility it is really "right" from God's perspective.

ON THE MENEWE:

Cherry Fluff

Stir all ingredients together. Sprinkle nuts on top, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

Church Bulletin Bloopers:

The peace-making meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.

The missionary from Africa speaking at Calvary Memorial Church is Bertha Belch. Come tonight and hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.

Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of several others.

Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch.

A new loudspeaker system has been installed in the church. It was given by one of our members in honor of his wife.

Glory to God to all and peas to his people on earth.

The sign-up sheet for anyone wishing to be water baptized on the table in the foyer.

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

Worry is like a rocking chair;

it keeps you moving but doesn't get you anywhere. - Corrie ten Boom

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org