Becoming HIS Tapestry

Christian Lifestyle Blogger

TAKE BACK THOSE LEMONS!

Hey friends, how are you today? How was your weekend? How have you adjusted during this quarantine? Or have you made any changes, at all? The sun is out today, but it’s a mere 36° in the ‘shade’ (maybe a bit cooler there [in the shade, that is]).  But the clouds are minimal today, the skies are blue today. Today the leaves on the trees are signaling the signs of life, as spring forces it’s way through, in spite of the chill.  

The birds flitter from tree to tree in search of a good spot to lay their young, as their internal clock reminds them that now is the time.  Creation marches to the dictates of its Creator, in spite of its outward circumstances.  They trust that their Creator knows its springtime, even if it does not feel like it.  They believe that in spite of what they ‘see’, their Creator will see them through this time.  Therefore, creation follows and obeys their Master. It’s really not that hard for them, they’ve been there before, this is not their first rodeo.

It’s my birthday on Sunday; I know right? It’s also Mothers’ Day.  I’ve told you before, I love birthdays.  All birthdays, my husband’s (although he would prefer us doing nothing; not gonna happen) the girls’ (well they are their mamma’s kids). We always make a big deal for birthdays. I believe birthdays should always be celebrated.  Can you see now? My coffee as I wait in my bed. Usually I would go to Cheesecake Factory, but ‘quarantine’ won’t let me be great.  

That new pair of shoes and that special handbag, I bought, to celebrate (let’s not tell Benny, although uhhh…. Yes, he will read this. Hey honey, I bought a new bag and shoes…) mocks me.  When we began this ‘stay at home’ event back in MARCH, it was inconceivable to me that eight weeks later, we would still be there. From winter to spring, who knew? I most certainly did not.  But life’s curve balls very rarely give any warning, right? Depending on our outlook, these lemons can taste very bitter at times.  

Truthfully though, as another birthday, quickly approaches, I do like the rest of creation and praise my Father, in spite of the hardly idle circumstances.  My God has been and continues to be good to me. Nancy DeMoss and her husband Robert Wolgemuth wrote this book, ‘You can trust God to write your story’.  I absolutely love this book.

It tells the story of everyday people both from the Bible and in this time, who chose to trust the Lord during their ‘bitter’ moments.  They allowed the Lord to write their story because they trusted in His perfect love for them. Life is unpredictable but our God isn’t.  He is steady and faithful and trustworthy. The Lord has taught me so much about me, especially during the last year; let me share with you what He said…

He showed me, I’m not as good as I thought.  I know right? It was an absolute shocker to me too.  I have always been told, by most people (except my mom, I wonder what she knew?) that I’m a nice person. Well, in their defense, this is usually the image I want to present to the world.  I like people to like me, so I become what is acceptable in their eyes (usually… don’t push too far, which bring me to point #2)

I can be mean (yeah… at this point I was flabbergasted too).  Really Lord… they pushed first, I just pushed back harder, that’s all).  

Oh! And I usually justify and defend my wrongdoings.  At this point, I was done.  Did I get anything right? 

Well… I did do better with the amount of words spoken out loud (although that could be due to quarantine).  I did not always say what was in my head.  I tried to ensure that the words which came out of my mouth would encourage and edify.  Most times I was successful, although there is still room for improvement.  

I also became a bit more organized and less impulsive, but again there is always room for improvement (see paragraph two). 

I picked less battles to fight and I surrendered a tad bit more, not necessarily faster, but I demonstrated more trust in the Lord, but of course, say it with me (there is still quite a bit of space for improvement). 

I’ve gave more control to the Lord, which brought me more peace.  Although at times, I believed that lack of control leads me to forget that surrender does not mean idleness. 

Teach me to number my days, Lord, that I may gain a heart of wisdom Psalm 90:12

I also learned quite a bit more.   I learned to be more grateful and thankful and complain less.  My favorite verse this past year, allowed me to see and enjoy the beauty that surrounds my life.  

My God chose to remain faithful to me, throughout the past year, in spite of my unfaithfulness.  He chose to be kind and gracious, especially when I did not deserve it.  And He did not give up on me, even on the days when I gave up on me.  His steady presence kept me and I trust Him to continue to keep me.   

The Lord also told me quite a bit of Himself and His standard for me, but that’s for another time.  How are you doing? When is your birthday? Do you usually reflect on your birthday? How do you usually celebrate this milestone?

Let’s continue the conversation over on Instagram. Follow my Instagram and I will follow back, just let me know in the comment section. I would love to meet you 🙂

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35 responses to “TAKE BACK THOSE LEMONS!”

  1. Yay. Happy mother’s day and happy birthday to you. 💃
    May you experience a great year. Do enjoy the day. 🤗
    And yes we need to trust God more than we have ever done which is what nature teaches us. Your hubby will love the bag and shoe too. 😀
    Have a blast!. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  2. This was so good! I saw myself in so much of this post. I too am a nice person, but the mean is under there and comes out on the people I care the most about. I’m so thankful God doesn’t shy away from the ugly under the surface, and He’s faithful to complete the work he began. Happy birthday and Mother’s Day!

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. Happy Birthday and Mother’s Day all in one, a bit early!! I should definitely reflect over my past year when my birthday rolls around (October) this isn’t something I do but it is inspiring 😀
    Love what you said here because this has been what God is working in with me:

    “I’ve gave more control to the Lord, which brought me more peace.  Although at times, I believed that lack of control leads me to forget that surrender does not mean idleness.”
    Such an important reminder ❤️

    Liked by 2 people

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  5. Oh wow! What a joyous read that was but, sneaky too! I got to the end and found out I had learned stuff and been blessed…thank you sister. God bless you.

    Liked by 1 person

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  7. Happy Birthday, Brenda! What a celebration you will have, not only with your family with your God! It is hard to be human. We all falter. I thank Him for His patience and forgiveness almost every day. I had a birthday in February, before this virus business. But we still did low-key. The concert tickets my husband got will need to be refunded as it was scheduled for summer. I look forward to all God will do this year for His people in the midst of this virus. Blessings, Julie

    Liked by 1 person

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  9. Love the post! Happy Birthday! I pray it’s blessed. When I was 34, I nearly died and although my health has been interesting, I’m still here and every birthday is a celebration of God’s amazing grace! I’m 43 now and praising God for every day I get. God bless you and your wonderful family.

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. I love your picture of the pink flowering tree! Do you stand under it for whiles at a time, just breathing in the lovely scent?
    Like you, my God is gently revealing to me and convicting me of areas of my life that do not line up with His holiness. One of the revelations was that I had been secretly hoping that, as I got older, I wouldn’t have so many sins to confess, or have so many changes to make. Egad. I thank my Savior for His chastening and cleansing and forgiveness and guidance.
    And I thank God for you.

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