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I’ve written multiple times about my proverb which is Proverbs 16 as my birthday is January 16. It begins, “To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.” Proverbs 16:1 This verse is why I KNOW this proverb is for me. I am a planner, I like to know ahead of time what is going to happen because I planned for it. Unexpected events can be unsettling for me, and I suspect they have the potential to disturb us all.
In 2003, I was dissatisfied with my OB/GYN and decided to see a new doctor based on friends’ recommendations. It was at my first visit that I unexpectedly learned that I was 14 weeks pregnant. I had missed the whole first trimester! This unexpected news brought tremendous excitement and joy. There were so many things to do in preparation for the baby, I was beside myself with thoughts and expectations. Now, my firstborn, seventeen years old, wants to graduate earlier than expected. Rather than wait and graduate with his class in June 2022, he would like to graduate in December 2021 and expedite his entrance into college. I was expecting to have those additional months to finalize the college finance plan, but it looks like those plans will need to be expedited. He told me this past week, “Mom, I called the Office of Admissions and they did not discourage me. I think I’m going to do it. See, I’m being responsible!” Unexpected events happen everyday and they can be helpful or exciting, such as when we receive a phone call or text from an old friend, or when we receive flowers, or good news! Unexpected events can be scary or even traumatic. We may receive the news of an accident, or we may be involved in an accident or experience a devastating weather event. Who knows what a day may bring? Our theme for this year’s Bible study is “Unexpected.” We will study Matthew’s account of the unexpected King. Imagine living your life day in and day out, taking the good with the bad, and one night this unexpected star appears in the sky. It stands out and draws more attention than the other hundreds of stars in the sky. People begin to speculate the meaning of the star, and some suggest the farfetched idea that it could be God’s announcement of this birth of His beloved Son. While Jesus’ birth was unexpected by the people of the time, it was not a surprise to God. Nothing surprises our God. When we read the Old Testament, we see suggestions of a king to come. John 1:1-5 tells us Jesus (the Word) was not only a part of God’s plan in the beginning, but was with God in the beginning. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Last year, we all began to experience the unexpected affliction of a pandemic. While we didn’t expect it, it did not surprise God. While it continues to disrupt our plans, the pandemic has not impacted the plans of our Heavenly Father. His plans proceed, He is not surprised, and what He said still stands. We can all be assured of these facts. We are not privy to all of His plans, but quite a bit is revealed in Scripture and through the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit. What can we do as we live each day into our unexpected future? Understand that trials, expected or unexpected, produce perseverance. I trust that everyone reading or watching has experienced trials of some sort. Many of us are in the midst of a trial today. While trials are unpleasant and uncomfortable, they give us experiences we can draw from in the future and they help us empathize and sympathize with others. Sometimes when we emerge from a trial, if we have been listening and being obedient through the situation, we have a testimony we can share about the goodness of God through the trial. (see Romans 5) Be obedient. We should all seek to live like Jesus - sure we will fall short, but we should all make the effort everyday. Always do the next right thing. Yes, the unexpected will happen, but we must practice self control and operate with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 4:12 tells us we serve a living and active God. He is still speaking to us telling us what next steps to take. If you cannot hear Him, you may be surrounded by too much noise. Maybe you need to spend more time in the Word. Don’t worry. “25Therefore 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?’ 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Mat. 6:25, 34) If you are a planner, unexpected events can cause you fear and worry - both of which are a waste of mental energy. Trust the Creator of the Universe. It was unexpected by you, but He has not been shaken. He is not redrawing His plans. He loves His children with an unfailing love. He is good all the time. He is ever-present. He understands, and understands more deeply than we do. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 As we continue our lives experiencing the unexpected, we must realize that we are not trying to gain the victory - you already have the victory! Jesus took care of the victory for you and me when He overcame death. AMEN! Thank you so much for reading! Have a blessed week and don't let the unexpected shake you! Kim
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A couple of weeks ago, as teachers and other school district employees prepared for the students to arrive, we had a guest speaker, Adolph Brown, III. He said something that stuck with me, he actually said multiple things that stuck, but one thing was this: Don’t believe everything you think. He was addressing stereotypes about race and culture, and advising teachers to get to know individuals rather than making judgments based on appearance. When he said this, it struck me as profound, my head probably cocked to the side like my dogs do when they are trying to decipher something strange. Don’t believe everything you think. Well, what else would I believe, if not what I think? I’ve been pondering on this statement and it really is a helpful piece of advice.  How many times have my thoughts been wrong? Where shall I begin? I used to think 40 was old - it’s not! I used to think laptops were inferior to desktops - I would never be a laptop owner - I am! I had written at least 4 books before I realized I was a writer! I used to think people divorced over toilet seats left up - no, it’s way more than that! I used to think it didn’t really matter who held the office of POTUS - it does matter! Last year I thought COVID would be over by now - wrong! Don’t believe everything you think!
I used to think Scripture was for Sunday, the Lord’s day, and as long as I went to church I was in good shape - not true. While it’s true that once we are saved, our soul is saved for eternity, but everyday we think and make decisions and if those are not Scripture-based, Godly decisions, then we find ourselves in trouble. I used to think it was impossible to actually hear the voice of the Holy Spirit - that was wrong. Now, that I’ve heard it for myself, I believe it’s real. 1 John 1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Some people do not believe they are sinners. Because of that, they do not believe they need a savior. This thinking is incorrect. Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. All includes everyone. Those who subscribe to thinking they are an overall good person and believing in Jesus is just taking things too far, may find themselves in a heated situation they cannot escape. We should never minimize our sin because we have used our own thinking to justify it. Don’t believe what you think. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1) Romans 12:12 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. We must study our Bible to be able to discern between scriptural and cultural beliefs. Among other things, our culture would have to believe we live for ourselves. When we live for self we focus on personal gains, gathering and saving money and material goods. The Bible tells us in Colossians 3:23, Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. In 2 Corinthians 5:15 we learn, And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. In this world, in our culture, it’s difficult to find truth, nobility is rare, what’s right is subjective, and purity is nonexistent. John 14:6 records the words of Jesus, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” We have to read and study our Bible in order to find the real truth. We can’t believe everything we think. We must subject our thoughts to prayer and meditation and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us to His noble, excellent, and praiseworthy conclusions. Amen. Thank you for reading, and please share! Peace and Blessings this week and always! Kim When I run into people I don’t frequently see face-to-face, but often see on Facebook, I say, “Look at you, people I only see on Facebook!” That comment always gets a laugh! Now, what’s happening are encounters with people I’ve only previously met on Zoom. Last year at this time, we started the school year with all meetings conducted online. All of last year’s new teachers, I met through Zoom meetings. Many, I have never seen face-to-face until now. During my 8 week blog break, I began attending a morning workout class. Most mornings, it’s a similar group of people. Sometimes the trainer will ask that everyone find a partner. One morning, after being a part of this group for several weeks, the lady next to me became my partner, and as we introduced ourselves we realized we were colleagues. We have been on Zoom calls with each other nearly every week for the past year, and had worked out together many mornings, but were just realizing it! A local park held it’s grand re-opening and as I walked the boardwork, I spoke to a lady and kept walking, but something about her seemed familiar. I mustered the courage to ask her if her name was Tina. She said, “Yes, are you Mrs. Massey?” We embraced briefly! We have shared many Zooms, but had never seen each other outside the Zoom box! I was excited to finally see another teacher this week for the first time! She and I have Zoomed, we have talked by phone, we have FaceTimed, we’re FaceBook friends, we’ve chatted on Messenger, texted - all of it - but this week we were finally face-to-face. She made this post. She is right, we should have taken a picture! I don’t know if you have experienced any encounters such as this, but it is pretty exciting! Zoom has been a great solution to the need for collaborating while social distancing, but it’s no substitute for face-to-face interaction. We are all more than our little square can convey. While it’s exciting to encounter one another, I don’t have the words to describe what our encounter with Jesus will feel like when we are finally face to face with Him. We have read so much about Him in Scripture. We read about the woman who believed if she could just touch the hem of his garment she would be healed. ”Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” 22Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, ‘your faith has healed you.’ And the woman was healed at that moment.” (Matthew 9:20-22) We know who Jesus is based on His words recorded in the Gospels. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28) He also said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” (John 14:1) Do you believe in Jesus? Do you look forward to that day when you can touch the hem of His garment. Do you look forward to sitting at His right hand? What an encounter that will be!  Photo by Ashim D’Silva on Unsplash It’s not too often that my 17 year-old son begs me to watch something, then sits beside me on the couch so the two of us can watch a video on his phone. Although it was not something I wanted to watch - at all - I watched because moments like this are now very rare. Somehow he has become interested in Hoarders, Buried Alive. He is fascinated watching how these people live and how their family hurts and suffers through the mental illness, but cannot get them to see the real issues. “Mom, I know it’s gross, but you gotta listen to the back story. There’s a reason these people are sick like this. They are coping. Mom, watch.” If you have not seen the show, concerned family and/or friends of a hoarder reach out to the show for help. They investigate and determine if it’s show-worthy. If so, they arrive at the person’s home with cameras and crew to document the condition of the home, record interviews and on-cite counseling with the person, and the resolution of the issue. Usually family, friends, and professionals will clear and haul away all the stuff that was hoarded. I don’t like the show because it saddens me. I’m a bit of a minimalist and seeing all that stuff makes my blood pressure rise. I yell at the TV. I am also afraid of rats and at any moment, they could show a rat. I did, however, watch with my son. One lady, Carol, said she was interested in lots of things, so she collected them, and she was always searching for that “special thing.” She lived with her husband in a 3 story mansion that was so full of stuff she collected that no one could enter. The weight of the stuff on the third floor was so great that the ceiling on the 2nd floor was cracking. The city had sent letters about the condition of the home as it needed to be condemned. Finally their adult children stepped in to help - for various reasons, it had been 21 years since they had entered the home. They didn’t show a rat, but there were traps, and they found a fossilized rat skeleton that died in the kitchen. Another lady, Althea, and her husband Julius had been building their dream home when Julius died. Eight years later, she was still buying stuff and holding onto things they bought, with the plan to build this dream home. Althea had also become isolated from friends and family because they could not visit her due to all the stuff inside and outside the house. She even had a trailer bed in the yard that was full of stuff. The city was condemning the property. When the show came to her rescue, she fought them about everything. In eight years, she had not thrown away any of Julius’ things - didn’t even want to throw away his socks! She had not grieved, she was living in a false reality. They say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I don’t think that’s Scripture, but there’s some truth here. Neither of these women set out to become hoarders. Neither of them disliked family or friends and set out to make them uncomfortable. Carol was buying things that made her happy and she said she was always searching for the elusive “special thing.” Althea had not accepted her husband’s death - she received counseling for her hoarding, but she was eight years beyond the need for grief counseling. Last week’s message was about how I evaluate my own mental status, and my routines to ensure I maintain a healthy headspace. I hope you are evaluating yourself, too! We can slip into unhealthy thoughts and feelings through multiple triggers. I’ve known people who partake in “retail therapy,” shopping to relieve stress, and that can become problematic in the long run. God created us to be in relationship with family, friends, and with Him. We should not be so surrounded by stuff that our relationships are harmed. It’s just stuff. For about a year, I have been in declutter mode. I have severed my attachment to stuff. Last year, around this time, we had not decided to move, but I had decided that if we were going to move we needed to start sorting through the 15 years worth of accumulated stuff in our home. I cannot say how many trips to the recycling centers and Goodwill were made, but the workers there know my car! I value space, empty space, I love opening a cabinet and seeing nothing but the back wall. There are 2 empty drawers in my dresser - and I like it that way! Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 Amazon and Facebook Marketplace do not sell peace, joy, or happiness. These are found only in Jesus. He also said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 Evaluate yourself and decide if you believe these words. Evaluate yourself and decide if your lifestyle indicates that you believe these words. Poor Carol was buying everything trying to find that “special thing.” That special thing is a relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. That special thing isn’t a pair of shoes, a purse, a set of DVD’s, or a bottle of perfume, it’s Him. He loves, He understands, He comforts, He gives us peace and joy that surpasses all understanding. When we are feeling down or discouraged, we should go to Him in prayer and meditation. We should have friends and family members we can visit or invite to our homes. When we are feeling down, we should go outside and enjoy God’s Creation. Sometimes I am fascinated by the cloud formations - He doesn’t have to give us that spectacular show everyday, but He does. Right now with all the flowers blooming, I enjoy walking through the neighborhood to see what my neighbors have planted and how they have arranged it. Our joy, our peace, our understanding should be centered in Him. Evaluate yourself this week - are you living as if you believe Jesus is the center or your joy? All the rest is just stuff. You cannot take stuff with you; and stuff will not reserve your seat at the Father’s table. That “special thing,” is a relationship with Jesus. Amen. Please pass this message along! Amen. Thank you for reading! Kim |
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