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

August 14, 2024

LIFE IN THE FOLD

Life is filled with interruptions; some minor and some are pretty big. Some can mean a change of plans, some can be a tad frustrating, and some can be life-changing.

Over the past few years it seems as if God has been teaching me how to be flexible and adapt when interruptions occur. I can plan what I "think" my week or day will look like, but I cannot tell you the number of times that those plans were changed. I'm not sure that I ever have a week that is without some type of change taking place.

In all honestly, I feel like I've become flexible and can adjust quickly to changes regarding my time and schedule. In fact, Jon and I often joke about it. He will sometimes ask, "What does your day look like tomorrow?" My reply is generally, "Well, I THINK I'll be ......, but as we know, that could change!" We will laugh about it, because my schedule does often change.

There have been times when my mother-in-law has called and needed me to take her to urgent care; or I received a call that she was being taken to ER (thankfully, that's not happened for a while!). She has prescriptions that need to be picked up at the pharmacy or groceries from the store. I do what I need to do to make sure she's taken care of.

I get my nephew's two youngest kids on the school bus in the mornings. They have four kids and I've received calls that one of them had got sick at school and needed picked up, so I'll go do that so their parents don't have to leave work. Another nephew's wife homeschooled their kindergartener last year and had another son in daycare. They've needed me to come watch the kids for various reasons. I got a text from my niece this morning asking if I could pick up her daughter from work the this morning and tomorrow. I've waited at homes of family for repairmen or deliveries.

I love that I'm available to help my family out and enjoy my life! I wouldn't have it any other way!! But it's made me learn flexibility and to be okay with interruptions to my day.

And to be honest, I struggled with this a few years back! I didn't really like it if I made plans, then had to change what I was doing. I found it frustrating and sometimes irritating. I've been a work in progress to get to where I am today! But I truly do feel as if I've finally come to a place where I'm flexible and can easily adapt to schedule changes and interruptions to may day; and it's okay and I'm fine with it! It's been a lesson that was taught and learned!!

Proverbs 16:9 says, "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps."

Proverbs 19:21: "You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail."

Psalms 37:23 says this: "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their life."

It's not only our daily routine that can experience interruptions, but sometimes plans that we make for our life can be changed and end up completely different than what we think.

What's our response when that happens? Do we become angry, because we feel like God is not being fair or not giving us what we want? Do we try to figure out how we can get our way and remain on the path we're on? Do we fight against change and resist against what God may be trying to do in our life? Do we need an attitude adjustment?

Or do we trust that what happens is God directing our steps and setting us on the path that He knows is best for us? Saying yes to God and being willing to obey is not always easy and can bring about big changes; but it will be the most rewarding life we can live! Allowing Him to interrupt our plans and being willing to follow Him fully and completely will not only bring peace to us, but could be life-changing to others.

Some may not always like the changes that take place within us or understand the call that God places on our life or the path He leads us to. But obedience to God is more important than what friends or family think.

When Jesus began His ministry and went back to His hometown, He wasn't accepted there. The response of the people was, "Who does Jesus think He is?! He's the son of a carpenter." I believe that there were many who missed out on spiritually learning, because they weren't willing to accept who He was and listen to Him teach. Many may have missed out on being healed, because they remembered that boy who had grown up running around their village or building alongside Joseph, so failed to really understand or recognize Him as the Messiah. Some failed to understand the changes in Him and were not willing to accept those changes.

There may be those who will remember you from the past, so will fail to recognize the call of God on your life. But that doesn't make that calling any less. Some may not be willing to listen to you. Some don't like change, so don't want to see changes take place in their family or friends.

I encourage you today as we begin a new year to be willing to listen to God and obey what He asks you to do. Be willing to be flexible and adapt to changes that may interrupt your life. In fact, recognize the blessings that can happen in those interruptions.

Do you know what I love about my crazy schedule and those interruptions? It gives me opportunities to spend time with people that I love! It keeps me from becoming selfish or self-centered or focusing on myself, and changes my focus to helping others. I feel as if I get to be a blessing to my family, by being available to take them to appointments, dropping off groceries, picking up the kids from school then getting to love on them and take care of them until their parents get home, or chatting while they're in the car with me, or singing them to sleep, or picking up lunch for them, or just being there and spending time together.

My life is overwhelmingly full and blessed and I'm so very grateful for God allowing me to do what I do! I'm grateful for the path He has me on and for directing my steps.

Ask God to help you change those things that need to be changed, be willing to adapt and be flexible, and to see the blessing in the interruptions that occur in life. None of us know what the future holds. But regardless of what happens, let's make it our goal to allow the Lord to change our plans, when needed, and to direct our steps! Hold fast to your faith in the Lord and never let go!!

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

Sometimes as soon as God teaches us a new skill, He puts it to the test. That's a normal pattern through school, too. This Monday, we took our car in for a very minor repair. We dropped it off early, so we could expect it to be done by the end of the day. As of Wednesday morning, we still don't have the car back. That's definitely a change in plans we didn't want. It may be that this change will have some unexpected, but wonderful result. We may never know what it is, though.

Some of the unexpected changes we endure are to put us in situations where we need to be or where someone else may need us. Sometimes, they are to give us an experience or lesson we need, or to test lessons we've received before.

But some of those unexpected changes are to change our lives, behavior, or attitude, and redirect our paths.

He guides us like a shepherd. Loretta quoted two verses (out of many) saying He directs our steps or path. It doesn't always mean He points where we should step, and we obey. Sometimes it is more like how I train our puppy how to "heel". I give him a calm command, then a stern command, then a gentle tug, and finally (because the first three rarely work) give a yank on the leash. Then he heels well for a little while. I show him a little more patience when I'm turning. I usually tell him, "let's turn, now.", then have to guide him in the change. But sometimes, he stubbornly heads straight, and I have to give him a tug. Not that different from myself, if I'm honest.

ON THE MENEWE:

Corn Casserole

Mix all of the ingredients together and pour into a greased casserole dish.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

My sister and brother-in-law pastored a small church in Arkansas when their boys were growing up. Their four boys are very close in age, with only about 6 years between the oldest and youngest. When they were young, they kept their parents on their toes. I'm sure my sister could write a book about being a mom to four boys!

When one of the boys was little, he was a biter. One time, he crawled underneath the church pew and bit one of the elderly women on the back of the leg. Needless to say, she was not happy! Another time, another one of my sisters had just bought a car. Back then the dash was hard plastic with foam underneath. My nephew bit out chunks of the dash of my sisters car. She, also, was not happy! There was no way to make repairs. Another sister was always good in art and in high school had done a pencil drawing, going off a school picture of one of our sisters. It was very good! This nephew somehow got a hold of the picture and scribbled on it. Again, another person not very happy with him. But he grew out of being quite so ornery and ended up being the brother that sang in church and loved to go on visitation with his parents. Now he is married with a couple of teenagers of his own. For the past several years he has been over the chaplaincy program of the children's hospital in Little Rock, AR. He definitely has a tender heart for hurting kids, as well as their parents.

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

He who is not contented with what he has

would not be contented with what he would like to have. - Socrates

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org