Thursday, August 28, 2008

A Good Busy and a Not So Good Busy . . .

Just about everyday for about the last two years my hubby and I have shared a VOTD (Verse-of-the-Day). I write it out and put it in his lunch. Prior to that we worked together and saw each other all day (we worked side-by-side in the same office). When that season ended, I needed some way to feel connected to him through the day. We missed each other greatly.

So I just really felt God laid on my heart to start a VOTD. So every morning I get up and fix lunch for him and write out the VOTD. Well, since Dick bought me The Message Bible for my birthday I've been doing our verse out of that version, and today's verse spoke to me especially.
Before I give it to ya and how it spoke to me this morning, a little background. I have been extremely busy lately doing things that I feel are COMPLETELY from God!! I've been very busy with my mom and getting her to appt's and helping her with other things she has need of, and we finished our summer Bible study, but I've started another study with a neighbor that came to SBS because I just really felt from the Lord that we needed to continue her and I. She had expressed how close she felt to God during SBS and felt that she might not stay with it if she didn't have a study to do, so I asked her if she'd like to continue just her and I and she did, so we're doing "The Frazzled Female" by Cindi Wood -- Great Title HuH?!?!!!! on Tuesdays. And then of course school as started back with all it's own brand of craziness and our CYC group is up and running again and so, yes we're very busy right now. Well, after an extremely hectic day, I was sitting on the couch looking especially pitiful when my husband looked at me and said, "but it's a good kind of busy, right?" OH YES IT IS HONEY -- OH YES IT IS!!

That question got me to thinkin' about being a good kind of busy, and how that feels, compared to a bad kind of busy. Because you know there are both kinds!!!!

Yesterday was a hard day for me. Oddly enough I wasn't really busy at all except for housework (yep it's own brand of busy :0) and I had a lot of time to think, which it is becoming very apparent that will be the case over the next five weeks.

Five weeks from today is when we leave for Mayo, and Dick and I have decided, given my current knee pain and swelling, knee cap tightness etc., that I'd best take it easy. Huh yeah I AM TERRIBLE AT TAKING IT EASY!!!!! I MEAN LIKE REALLY BAD AT IT!!!!!!!!!!!! But we both agreed that the more I could stay off of it the better we'd both feel. So yesterday was my first pitiful attempt -- let me just stress PITIFUL attempt!!!!!!!!!

I couldn't get how I needed to stay off of my legs off of my mind. Isn't that weird. The more I thought about it, the more I did the opposite of stay down. The more laundry I started doing and the more house cleaning I did, all the while knowing I agreed on the days I could, I'd be parked on the couch. Well, needless to say that by evening time I was pooped and my knee was swollen and tight and throbbing. YUCK!!!!!!! Lesson learned?!? We'll see :0)



So we've established the good kind of busy, doing the things that God is calling me to in this season, and doing it to the absolute BEST of my ability. Now let's talk about the bad busy, and that would be what happened yesterday. The busyness of yesterday left me exhausted and feeling helpless, not exhausted yet smiling.

You see the worst part of the bad busyness from yesterday took on the form of worry. I got to sitting around thinking about the next five weeks and all that wouldn't get done, and all the ways I was about to fail my family (no they do not at all feel that way -- I put all that on myself), and I worried about not getting my packet of info in the mail yesterday, and I worried about how it would all work out and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and on and on. . . . . . . . . .

And then this is where the Lord led me this morning for the VOTD (no we don't follow a book, just our hearts on VOTD)

Philippians 4:5-6 (The Message) "Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns."

And then I read on and it says this: "Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

Wow that is exactly what I needed!!!! Why worry when you can pray? This passage out of the Message Bible was my scripture prayer in quiet time this morning. God is so ministering to my heart as I type this and I'm late getting ready to pick up mom for yet another appt. But I feel so overjoyed in my heart that He allows me the priviledge to minister to others including my mom in moments like these.

If you are worrying about something today, I encourage you to pray this passage and release the worry to God. He is all-knowing and all-capable, He loves you child, beyond measure!!!!

Have a blessed and peaceful day in Him,
Dawn

9 comments:

  1. OK, I'm pretty sure we were separated at birth! I can't take it easy either. And, I am certainly prone to worrying about all the things that won't get done, or all of the things that won't get done "right." Thanks so much for posting this.. I obviously needed to hear it! You are such a blessing. Please let me know what you find out at your mom's appointment!

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  2. I am not familiar with The Message Bible, but I am pretty sure after reading this post that I need to get myself one! That verse was exactly what I needed to hear today, too. My husband is unemployed and it seems like every door that appears might open, slams right in his face. I have been worrying a lot lately and have had a bad case of the "What If's"!! I needed this reminder that as my worries become prayers, "a sense of God's wholeness...will come and settle me down"!! I need for Christ to displace the worry at the center of my life. Thank you for sharing your heart today, my friend!

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  3. Isn't it amazing how easy worry can by the quickest "thing" we turn to in our idle time! I do the very same thing you describe. I'm so glad God spoke to you through His preserved word. Be of good cheer my friend!!

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  4. I have devoted most of today to worrying about a medical issue I am faced with. News I got this morning. I find it most fitting that you are the last blog I am able to read tonight. Thanks
    Blessings,
    Linda

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  5. I have a little something for you. Come on by my blog.
    Blessings,
    Linda

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  6. Dawn, Thank you for visiting! Feel free to come back whenever! I will read your blog right now!!

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  7. Perfect!
    Thank you for all your prayers and blessings!
    Have a wonderful Labor Day,
    kari & kijsa

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  8. Thanks for this blessing and reminder today. That is one of my favorite verses, but I love hearing it in the message version. Hits ya right where you need it to!!!
    I will be praying for you as you take it easy! (I am bad at it, too.)
    I am eagerly expecting great news from your trip and appt!

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  9. Dawn,

    So sorry to hear that you are going through a difficult "storm" right now. If I can be of any help, please do not hesitate to let me know how I can pray for you. If you prefer to email me: emiliedavis@mac.com.
    As the song on your website is singing right now, "all of our hope is in You!".
    Praying for you today.
    MiMi

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