Alright Already!

Have you ever felt like just telling God, "Alright, alright. I get it, already. Stop with the testing and stuff, ok?"

Dude.... you have no idea. Like come ON already!

Like it seems I just finished taking a test and then BAMMO! He gladly gives me another one just to make sure I actually got it this time.

Ya see, that's the trouble when you ask God for wisdom and the "P" word. I'm not gonna say it cause then I'll get another test. So if I'm quiet and I don't actually say the word then maybe God won't hear me and test me with it.... again. I don't even think I am over this test yet.

Have you ever played or watched the $10,000 pyramid... ok well it's a word that means waiting.... be still .... someone’s in front of me and it's not my turn yet so I have to be .... I'd really like to tell you to be quiet but I will have be "blank" and wait for you to be quiet on your own .... you are trying my ....
I think you get the picture =D

Well, so there's this person. They tend to talk about things that have no relevance. And to top it all off, they think they are in the right and justify themselves all the time. But here's the kick in the pants, they think what they have to say is The most important thing like ever. And I think God is ... like ... testing me with the "P" word again with this one ... since I ask him everyday to help me figure out this "P" word ....

Plus, get this ... I ... like .. just so happened to have asked God to also help me love one another this year. That was my New Year's resolution last year "TO LIVE LOVE OUT LOUD" well, um. I kinda like forgot. SO I think God is holding me accountable to it this year. Thanks God. Really, no, I mean it, thanks. I'm enjoying it. (NOT)

Really, all kidding aside. It is a very difficult journey to like ... LOVE everyone. AND actually show it. What a challenge. What did I ask for. Holy canolli. I thought it would be easy. That is until just recently ... I discovered there are many tweaked individuals out there ... and I can't believe I thought it would be easy ....
Boy oh Boy! Oh boy!

Ok OK . So ... like .... I get it. Some people are just egocentric, stuck-up, self-centered, insensitive, insatiable, inconsiderate prigs.

So what to do .... what to do.
Ummmm.
Ummmmmmm.
OOOmmmmm.
That's me doing meditation ... yeah right! I have another bridge for ya.... it connects California to Hawaii ...

Well, I've been asking God to show me what love looks like around me and in his word (the Bible, for those of you who didn't know what "the word" is).
It's hard. It is really, really, really hard.
When I could actually show someone love, someone who is bugging the bees-wax out of me, I find myself wanting a way out ... I find myself trying to come up with excuses to leave.... or say something ... What is wrong with this picture..... AUGH!
That's not what I want to do.
And then in hind sight. .... I can see what I should have seen and then I can't say what I should have said. ....

I feel like I'm in the middle of a country western song ....

What I could've said
I didn't say
What I should've said
I didn't say
What I should've done
I didn't do
What I would've done
If I could've done ...

Well you add some twang and geetar to that and you gotch yerself a country soung....
Hey, ... I love country .. really.

What I have found is this: Life is full of challenges and God is there for each of them. Some people have unhealthy ways of dealing with their stuff; yet seem to be holding it all together. God created us so differently and yet He is the same. Isn't that cool! I think that's so cool. He doesn't change. He keeps his promises. It is difficult for us to understnad because we are merely human. But God helped us understand through his son Jesus.

Jesus came to Earth to help us understand who God is as well as how to live life God's way. He showed us. Ya see, before, all the people had was a bunch of books and the high priests. Then Jesus came: A living, breathing testiment of who God really is. WOW! I wish I would've been there. I think I would pick the time when Peter walked on water.

Why? Well, because I don't think he took his eyes of Jesus. Hear me out ... I think the waves blocked his view and he couldn't see Jesus, therefore, causing him to panick and sink.
Matthew 14:30 says "but when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'"
Here's what I think. When the wind came, it stirred up some waves, and even though Jesus wasn't far, Peter lost sight of him and freaked!

We live near Cocoa, so the beach is so enticing this time of year. However, I have been wading; my calves haven't even gotten wet and I've been knocked on my kisser my waves. They are unpredicatable and can be very large; even near the shore. When a wave comes, depending on your perspective (key word there and another P word), the wave can blind you. You may not be able to see over it and therefore can not know what's on the other side of the wave once it passes.

I think Peter was in the same situation. He was walking on water towards Jesus. The wind kicked it up a knotch and caused some waves to block Peter's view. He panicked because he couldn't see Jesus through the wave. Where did Peter think Jesus was gonna go? I don't know, but he's Jesus. I probably would've freaked out myself. I mean, after all that Peter had seen Jesus do, how was he supposed to know that Jesus wouldn't do a Houdini and disappear; or be like others in Peter's life and leave him.

That was Jesus' point when he said in reply, "You of little faith. Why did you doubt?"
Isn't that the point of all our testing? To really trust God even in the middle of a wave.
I mean, come on. We ask God for something. He says, "Okeedoekee" and then when he gives it to us, something doesn't go as we planned and we panic, wondering where he's gone ...
Peter probably thought walking on water was going to be a cake walk. Just like I thought asking God to help me love people by showing it and teach me patience (ooops, I said it) was going to be easy. No prob right? ... wrong. God was testing my faith in him to see me through; to see if I would follow through with him; to trust him. To know that he is there with me even though I can't see him over the waves.

Jesus didn't go any where. He was so close, in fact that the Bible says he reached out his hand and (I love this part) and caught him. Jesus caught him before he fell.
I love that!

I think in life, we let our problems and people and jobs and money and people and distractions and disappointments and people and mistrust take our eyes off Jesus. We focus on the wind and the waves keeping us from Jesus. But that's what we think.

We allow it to happen because we don't actually believe that Jesus is on the other side of the "wave". We don't actually believe he is who he said he is. We think that Jesus could actually treat us like some people we know and leave or betray us. Well, that wouldn't be Jesus then, would it?

It's ok though. Jesus is right on the other side of the wave. Our problems and people and all the other stuff that try to blind us from seeing him are only temporary. Jesus is right there, even though you can't see him through the waves in your life, he's there, ready to catch you if you just call out to him.

SO, like ... maybe my resolution for next year .. I'll ... like ... ask God to help me with .... um .... something a little easier this time. Like maybe .... the "D" word ... and I don't mean Dallas..... No, not that one either. It's my least fave "D" word .... Diligence. That should be easy .... right?

Yeah right! How much for that bridge? Well, let's see here ....
;o)

Take it easy!
Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy.