Jumble Puzzle

By Elaine James –

My mind was jumbled with circumstances. It was like I had four words to unscramble in a Jumble puzzle and I needed to get to the solution phrase at the end. For many years I had been involved in a certain family’s life, but they are just not including me lately. I was coming up with a bunch of ideas as to how to convince them that I am qualified to be in their lives. What do you do when you want to be a part of something or someone’s life and they don’t call you?

I wasn’t getting anywhere with my thoughts. I really did not like myself. I felt as if the fruits of the Spirit weren’t operating in me at all. No matter how many times I forgave, I felt the anger rise up within me. Pride and jealousy were creeping in my soul. I chuckled to God, “I am not quiet enough am I?” LOL!

I heard, “No.”

I quieted down. I was able to hear the voice of TRUTH. He whispered, “You know when someone does not get invited to an event, or tries out for a play or team and does not get picked? How about when you have an interview for a job and you really feel qualified but do not get it? Even more painful is getting fired from a job when you don’t feel it is justified. You just are not called to that family. It has nothing to do with you. You will not be able to understand. Stop reading into what is going on.”

The whisper continued “I cannot explain now but I promise: I am your shepherd, I lack nothing. I make you lie down in green pastures, I lead you beside quiet waters, I refresh your soul. I guide you along the right paths for My name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:1-3 NIV).

I want to write the final solution phrase at the bottom of the Jumble puzzle. It would say: You Will Be Included. But God, the master of solutions, was leading me, for His name’s sake, down a different path. His scriptures were the clue words and His solution phrase was: YOU ARE CALLED ELSEWHERE. God helped me solve my negative thoughts with His solution.

Prayer: God in heaven I know there are circumstances in my life that are all scrambled waiting for Your solution. Please help me to be quiet and wait for Your solutions to come to me. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

PLOP! PLOP! FIZZ! FIZZ!

By Elaine James –

I was feelin’ good about my clothing choice and pink lipstick for the day. Stepping out into the fresh air, I prayed my ritual prayer with a gentle whisper “God let me be in the moment and be in the right place at the right time for You.” I was digesting my breakfast and the scripture of the day:

“Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for He grants sleep to those He loves” (Psalm 127:1-2 NIV).

I was heading to the local coffee shop in response to a friend’s e-mail stating “We should get together for coffee. I want to toss around the idea of a prayer group for parents…what do you both think?” The “both” was referring to my longtime girlfriend and me. I was actually thinking “Really, God? Another prayer group?” Poor attitude. Shame on me!

To make a long story short, this lady was in fear of the bad influence the world is having on our children. So legit! I too can work myself up into a mind loop of despair questioning “What if they take that influence and make bad choices themselves?”

My friend and I shared many scriptures that morning. I took out my phone Bible and read the above scripture. Side note: taking a verse from the morning into the day is so important. If we don’t put Jesus first everything we do will be done in vain. I didn’t make this stuff up; God did. We prayed together and she invited Jesus into her house (heart). The day denoted a new birth for her future. We left committed not only to pray but study the Word together. She was convicted that a prayer for a new beginning and the prospect of learning the Word dispelled darkness of fear and shed light on her new found path.

If you follow my devotions you can sometimes expect to get a jingle out of me. The one that comes to mind at the end of this God story is this; PLOP! PLOP! FIZZ! FIZZ! Oh what a relief it is!

Jesus plops scripture in front of us and fizzles our anxious thoughts into a pool of water that gives medicinal relief.

Jesus loves you! You can love Him back with this simple prayer of relief!

Father in heaven I want to follow you today. I am a sinner. I know Jesus died for me and rose from the dead so that I can eternally be with You. Thank you for calming my anxious thoughts. From this day forward help me to rise early and build my house with You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

ZONK! KAPOW! SPLOOSH!

By Elaine James –

Holy heart failure, Batman! I blurted out just like Robin would blurt out his one-sentence opinion of the situation after hopping out of Batman’s Batmobile. I am pretty sure a fiery dart with the label reading “rejection” just pierced my heart. I was overcome with tears of sadness. I haven’t had this response in quite a while. I ran into my office to hide and pull the dart out. “God we need to sort this out. I just prayed this morning that no weapon formed against me would prosper. I declared that I was fully armored and ready for today. I’ve been hit! What is going on here?” More crying. No response. More prayer. “God give me the lowdown here.”

What occurred was a whirlwind attack right at the frontlines of my house. I can assure you that God and I took care of it immediately. That is the point! It doesn’t matter how frequent I am taken by surprise. For me what really matters is following the leading of the Holy Spirit. I calmed down. I was thankful. I felt compelled to continue my day as planned. I know now that God meant for me to stand firm. Without telling the whole story I just wanted to share the outcome. Everything went as planned and the day ended well.

At some point I wanted to tell the person who rejected me “you hurt me.” I thought if I said that maybe they would think next time and we wouldn’t have a repeat of the situation. I decided to pray about that too! I heard in my head “be quiet for now.” Later that day I was with the person and others. The subject of what went on earlier came up. With a light heart and humor (being indirect) I told the person that I was worried and hurt about the situation. “Why?” they asked. I explained and they accepted my explanation and we moved on to another conversation.

At the end of the day back at the Batcave. Batman would recap “There may be troublemakers, Robin, but they’re still human beings. … Our job is finished.”

For now, I am in my Batcave and I am finished too…THE END. Thank God!

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2 NIV).
PRAYER: Lord I need You. I can’t live without You. Holy Spirit guide me with Your wisdom. Thank you for your guidance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Stinky Soul Condition

By Elaine James –

I walked past the bathroom and smelled Lysol spray in the air. Oh boy. Someone just used the bathroom and stunk up the joint. It’s never pleasant. But thank goodness for the spray to give a mist and erase the odor.

When my daughter had the flu, I used that same spray as my arsenal to attack those germs on anything she touched. My family began to beg me to stop spraying, screaming “Mom, the spray is going to make us sick before the flu does.”

I often do things that stink up the atmosphere. I said something I should not have to my friend. I watch TV shows and movies that probably stink up my mind. I even wore a pair of shoes recently that I did not like and I took them back. I am tempted and my decisions are not always clean. I wish I could have had a magical can of spray to get rid of that odor when I screw up and feel condemned. I’m not perfect. No magic spray for this stinky soul condition.

I have been reading about the life of Abraham and Sarah. Sarah, out of impatience to have a child with Abraham, gave her maidservant to her husband so she could carry the baby. She later felt guilty, but made things worse by mistreating that maidservant, Hagar, while she was pregnant.

That decision still bears consequences to this day, as the entire region that came from their son, Ishmael, remains in unrest.

Still, God was patient with Abraham and Sarah’s impatience, and chose to accredit them with righteousness.

I identify with Abraham and Sarah. I can be impatient, quick-tempered, striving, doubting, worried and lacking peace. Just plain old stinky!

But Abraham and Sarah held their own son, Isaac, in the end and laughed. Their journey was filled with some odor yet the fresh scent of God’s spray (which was His promise) refreshed them and gave them joy. He loved them no matter what.

As I completed their story, I had a fresh spray of perspective. Just as Lysol works on eliminating nasty germs and odors, God sanitizes me and cleans up my mess. With both, I receive a fresh start and have renewed confidence.

PRAYER: God I know I stink up life at times. Thank You for Your covenant with me. Your word is truth. Help me to be refreshed by it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers” (Genesis 17:1-2 NIV).

Mi Pooky

By Elaine James –

“MI POOKY” were the words on the car license plate I was driving behind. The phrase reminded me of all the endearing salutations I look forward to from my husband each Valentine’s Day. Admittedly my favorite is Honey Bun. I have to celebrate the day, don’t I? I feel guilty even questioning it. I regretfully think of the pressure of squeezing another thing into my already full schedule. It’s bittersweet. Love is what makes the world go round, yet I just got finished paying off my Christmas debt.

It drags me down when I start thinking about Valentine’s Day and the commercialism. Emotions rise up within as another Hallmark Holiday rolls around. But then the license plate caught my eye. Exchanging words of endearment with our friends, family and significant others should cost me nothing! Years ago, I started a tradition of preparing a red meal. Everything from the plates to the drinks and food is red. It’s a challenge but my family is hooked. Especially when they receive homemade love coupons that can be redeemed for back rubs.

The Holy Spirit gently guides me back to God’s love command so eloquently stated in the King James Version. “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7).

My computer wants me to auto correct this verse. For me seeing it in this version causes me to read it slowly. Love! It reassures me and allows me to rest as I put my head on my pillow. In my waking moments it permeates my soul with a desire to continue living.

A Google search of the origin of Valentine’s Day reveals it started with a Roman Saint named Valentine. The world’s blitz of love symbolized in red, pink and white celebrates a tradition that dates back nearly 2,000 years. Our greeting card, the Bible, emphasizes its greatest symbol of love “The Cross” with its origin occurring over 2000 years ago.

PRAYER: Bless me with the ability to love you Lord with thine heart, soul and with all thy might. Help me to express this love to others that you put on my heart right now. May it give you glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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