Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The Cost of Worry

It has been a great week for me. This third round of chemo has gone very well. I was able to get some canning done in my kitchen for the first time. We now have applesauce and green beans to enjoy over the winter months. I am eager to receive chemo this morning. I am hopeful things will go as scheduled, but trust that the Lord knows best. I get to see the oncology Doctor this morning as well.

The sunrise was glorious this morning! Beautiful colors - no clouds just the sun and all it's glory welcoming a new day. Rejoice and be glad for this is the day the Lord has made!

A word about a lesson I am in the process of learning...hope you can learn along side me in this.

Worry. Does it get you anything? Maybe an ulcer, headache, fatigue? I have a lot on my plate right now that causes me to worry. Let me tell you a secret I have been learning over these past four months. I think it is a lesson I will continually be learning this side of glory. I am human after all and a stubborn one at that. It seems that the big lessons in life God wants to teach us keep coming to surface and smack us square in the face and heart. If we don't see it right away it begins to eat away at out hearts. This is not an easy lesson for me. I am self-sufficient. I am confident. Yet I am also weak due to illness and medications. My hope is in Christ - He is my strength. Here is what I am learning: I need to ask for help. Why? Worrying about the things around me that I simply can not change does me no good. I am helpless to change circumstances. But I can change the way I feel about them. I can ask others to help me in my time of need. It boils down simply to pride. Yes I said pride. We all think we are strong in the name of "Christ" to keep a happy face on, but deep down we are sinking. Admitting you need help is the first step. The second is then even more painful - asking a friend or family member to help you. I am so humbled by the overwhelming response of my family, friends, church family and extended community to help me during this season of my life. It is a humbling experience to have people come into your home a fold your socks and under ware -- clean toilets and mop floors. This is what God wants to happen. In the midst of a trial, hardship or illness God wants us to reach out and ask Him first for strength then second He wants us to ask others for help. "For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 When I ask someone to help me, instead of worrying about how I can get my stuff accomplished two blessings occur. In this process I am allowing the Holy Spirit to move in a mighty way in their life. If I continue to keep control of all my stuff I would be missing out on some of the good works God has prepared in advance for me to do as well as others. I have my ways of folding laundry, cleaning floors and cooking meals. But the Lord gently reminds me - does this really matter? "Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life..." Matthew 6:25 I don't want to miss the blessings God has for me during this season. I don't want others to miss the blessings God has for them. I can already name so many huge miracles the Lord has done for myself and my family over these past four months. I am working on building more barns to store the blessings! We are called to live by faith, we are new creations, the old self has been crucified with Christ. We are to consider others better than ourselves. We are to lay our pride down. We are to live a life of love, being imitators of Christ. Here is our opportunity to find out what pleases the Lord. Listen to the Lord -- and when a name of a friend or loved one comes to mind act on it. Don't wait. Follow through by writing the card, making the phone call, make the meal, go and visit. This is truly the blessings God has stored up for those who love him, that He so eagerly wants to pour out! God is truly glorified in this act. I am learning to not be worried or afraid of what others might think. It is not a sign of weakness, but greatness. I don't want to miss this blessings. I am learning to ask more often for the help I need. You never know -- I may be coming to fold your laundry soon!
"Therefore, as we have opportunity let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." Galatians 6:10

It's About Time

Christmas 2022 Luehrs Family This past year has been filled with many planned activities and some of them were a surprise. Once again our fa...