No Matter What...I Choose Jesus!

                   You can either practice
                         being RIGHT,
                      or you can practice
                          being KIND.
                                 -Anne Lamott

Sometimes the word "stressful" is used to cover a multitude of situations. Your work is stressful. Your health is stressful.
Your family is stressful. Usually when I start to see life as stressful, I am trying to tackle life all on my own. I am trying to control outcomes instead of turning it all over to Him. I am focusing on fear and what ifs and what thens.

When I get like this, and it isn't very often, I am always so glad to go to church and feel that sense of community. I may cry through the entire church service, but then I can surrender to God's will and let Him fill me up again with His love for me. Today is Sunday and I am taking kleenex to church, just in case.

What I know for sure is in the midst of all of this, He never leaves me or forsakes me and that He is right here holding my hand. Right this very minute.

At times like this, I must repeat this phrase many, many times a day...
                                    Just trust Jesus.

Trust Him with everything! Trust Him to take care of me and all of those I love so much.

I'm a pretty tough cookie, a bit like the Little Engine that could.
I just keep going. I don't quit. I don't give up. But I also know
that there are times when life just flows smoothly and I feel joyful and optimistic. Those are great times. Yet  right now, if I'm honest with God and myself, I feel pretty tired. I also feel like I am fighting some battles where I am struggling with the difference between being right and being kind. 

Bottom line, I'm asking God just what He wants me to do right now. What's His will for my life.

A bit of the back story. Since Bert's stroke we have added lots and lots of medical appointments to our already busy schedule.
I want to be at all of those appointments, and Bert can't drive since his stroke, so we are busier than ever.

On top of that, and our usual life circumstances, our new computer program at the college where I teach has caused lots of unforeseen problems. There is a huge amount of tension at work.

I love to read Anne Lamott at times like this. She is so, so real that it makes me laugh. Her unrefined, tell-it-like-it is style
reminds me that life is not always smooth and easy. There are unexpected bumps and some of those may make us sad or mad.
God can handle all of it. After all, Jesus experienced all of the joys and deep pains of life. Anne's book Help, Thanks, Wow
has a quote that I have been praying about all week...
           
              Faith includes noticing the mess, the emptiness,
                  and discomfort and letting it be there until 
                                   some light returns.

And there's that word LIGHT again, my word for 2016.

While I am tired, I am not discouraged. I know that the Jesus
I know and love and serve is right here with me. He will strengthen me when my own strength is in short supply.
He is my LIGHT!

No matter what, I choose Jesus!!!

Today and every day I am grateful for His love! 
God Bless!
Love, Linda