Posts Tagged ‘anxiety’

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The Importance of Keys

September 12th, 2011

I know it’s a Monday.  Not only is it a Monday, but it’s a Monday with a full moon.  How do I know this you say.  Well, let me recount the ways.

After a surprisingly non eventful start to the day, Amy and the boys went off to work.  Following suit, I prepared my self for a day at the ol’ milestone, feed the cats, loading my bags for the post-work activities into my truck and reached in my pocket for my keys.

Except  they were not there.  Nor were they on the nightstand, of the kitchen counter, or my desk.  no, they were in Amy’s purse – that was in Amy’s classroom at Amy’s school.

Not only that, but remember last week when I had no power ( yes Ben, I had no POWER!!!, and it went out again last night!!!! – I think I have moved to a third world country).  Anyway,  remember last week, when I had no power, and no laptop.  You do!  great, because the laptop problem has returned.

So, here I sit, at home, with a laptop complaining about a hard drive it can’t read, and two , count them two cars in the garage which I cannot start, because I have no keys.

Well, actually, I do have one key – I have a key to the car Amy drove to work today.

Oh, it’s Monday!!!

So, what does this have to do about anything, apart from my complaining?  Well, I think it shows how important something foundational or something essential is to the whole works.  Without  a key those vehicles are just big hunks of steel.  Although they are completely functional, they are missing the one element that keeps them going.  It sort of reminds me of these words from John 15:5, which we will put in Red letters

   5“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5New International Version (NIV)

The Christ himself says that he is really the key to you running properly, otherwise, you are just sitting in the garage!

Also I think this is gentle reminder about how to handle something we all deal with everyday – anxiety.  In the end, this whole deal this morning is actually a small thing.  I do have a 11ish appointment that I should be present in the office for, and I do need to get this laptop fixed, which again requires heading to the office, but in the end, being anxious and worrying will not help at all.

 22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Luke 12 NIV

 

So, Stay Calm and keep hold of the Key!

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Driving Lessons

June 24th, 2011

Last night I took my oldest son out for his first real driving lesson. So off we went to the Battlefield so that we could tackle several kinds of roads with limited traffic. Phew, I couldn’t believe how tense and nervous I was in the passenger seat. He was doing a fantastic job for his first real driving experience, but dad on the other hand….

So, I spent some time trying to figure out where my anxieties were coming from. I mean, this wasn’t the ‘send him off for the first time’ type of experience or the ‘driving on a crowded road’ type of experience. I think this had to do with control, or the lack of control. It is an interesting experience as a parent to continue to loosen the hold of control and allow your children to go on their own way. It’s really quite a painful experience – in so many ways!

But I think this goes further then the control of the parent, this was really turning over control, and I think that is a problem that we all deal with. In this case, maybe it was justified, I mean this is a case of an experienced driver turning over control to an inexperienced driver, allowing the inexperienced driver to drive the vehicle directly into a tree or something. But in our lives, we want to keep control, when we are more then likely the inexperienced driver. The experience of the Holy Spirit sits beside us ready to guide us, if we allow control to move over to it. So here is a simple lesson for a Friday.

7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

New International Version (NIV)

That’s correct give it over to Him, allow him to worry for you and there is a great deal of peace waiting for you!

That’s a pretty good bit of driving advice, and a great conclusion from the first of many driving lessons.

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A Riddle About Time

June 15th, 2011

Well, let me first apologize for no email yesterday.  There was a post, but as you can see from the post, I was in an awkward spot when I was composing that one, plus I was posting later in the day.  As things were turn out  I was unable to change the email delivery time remotely.  But I am connected again today.

And today my time started on the wrong side of the day, or I should say my clock thought it was the evening when I needed it to it to think it was the morning – all of that riddle to say I am rushing just a bit this morning, as I head off for a remarkable day of discussing the merits of process modeling.

Anyway, I think if you subscribe by email you will get a double dose today, so make sure you check out both.  And if on this ides of June you are rushing around as I am take a moment and consider this verse.

19 When anxiety was great within me,
your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:19 New International Version (NIV)

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Mobile Liberation

June 7th, 2011

Yesterday I traded in my old Windows Mobile Phone for an iPhone, and immediately I felt like I have been released from the throws of mobile phone captivity.  This iPhone is so easy to use, so nice to read, and just so, well,  so freeing.  Gone are the days of a user interface that was odd, a misbehaving ‘touchscreen’, and the limits of only having access to limited applications.  I want to shout from the mountaintops, or maybe just tweet it and post it to Facebook!

Yes, freedom.  When bonds are released and new limits are opened it is such a fantastic feeling.  The feeling of freedom and the joys of freedom are something I write about quite often - because it is so nice.  However, when it comes to spiritual freedom, sometimes, we want to stay in our bondage.  But look at this, the creator of the world says, give me your bondage:

7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 New International Version (NIV)

This spiritual liberation, that comes oddly enough though a complete surrender is a really good thing. It makes the joy of the iPhone look like the joy you can get from a lead balloon.

Cast you anxiety on him and enjoy freedom. (oh , and then tweet about it!)

11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:11 New International Version (NIV)

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The Ever Changing Schedule

April 26th, 2011

Well, I thought today was a work from home focus on work sort of day, but with a quick 15 minute phone call, an examination of my calendar and a sleepy teenager, my day has completely taken a new direction. I even had a great idea for a post today which the changing direction of the day pushed off to later.

It’s days like this when I can tell my patience and ability to listen to God are tested. I start thinking about me and “all the stuff I have to do” and how inconvenient these changes are etc. It’s so easy to get into a position where the world revolves around you and then “boom” the hammer drops and you are in a the place that you didn’t want to be. Maybe its a little road rage, maybe it’s a quick hurtful word to a co worker, maybe it’s just not thinking about others correctly.

It’s days like this I go back to an old favorite in my mind.

    25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

   28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:25-34, New International Version, ©2011)

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