convenience will cost you

 So I was in a hurry.  I paid way too much!!!!  I had an honest motive but I was in a hurry.  I wanted to bake a dessert for homegroup and I was tired.  I was home from work at 5:45, dinner cleaned up by 6:30.  I was searching through the cookbooks for ideas, list made and off to the store. It was 7:30.  I just wanted to relax and usually baking is relaxing for me…..normally.  But, I was in a hurry. I paid way too much for premade cookie dough.  I had no coupon & it wasn't on sale. Let me truthfully tell you all these ingredients I had at home.  They were ready and waiting, they just needed to be combined together in the proper order, a little time and I would arrive at the same result as that package of dough from the store. 

As I was unpacking the groceries, eager to get the dough baking, the Lord speaks to me, "Convenience will cost you."  Why did I do it……..pay that much?  I used tiredness as an excuse. I really did want to make a dessert for homegroup.  I was just going about it the lazy way.  I would have had to clean up the kitchen again and I just wanted the easiest path to arrive at the same promised destination. Convenience will cost you.  Did I end up with a dessert? Yes.  Could I have arrived there with less of a price tag? Yes. 

I even bought other products that trip on a whim, no forethought.  Items I could have clipped a coupon for and didn't. Or waited till they went on sale.  Why, too much time…… Did I have the money, sure.  I didn't bother to simply wait AND the items cost me MORE!

I joke about cookie dough…….I don't joke about sin.  Are you guilty of rushing the Lord's plan for your life?  He might have cookie dough for you (i.e. job, spouse, home, dream) and you might rush it too quickly.  Will it cost you?  Just ask King David.  Did God bless him, sure.  Did it cost him? Lots!  Pray for wisdom, guidance and God's timing most of all. 

Nobody signs up for a commitment and says "Yes, I can't wait for the really hard part where my patience and dedication are tested. Oh, I can't wait to see how much I can endure."  No we say, "Where is the short cut?  Where is the convenience of the microwave?" Or store bought cookie dough.

Oh, and I'd bet the quick, store bought, cookie dough didn't taste as good as the homemade recipe would have.  Enjoy God's recipe, it's worth waiting for. 

what does love look like?

I don’t have all the answers, not even half of them.  However, two people who taught me what the very word LOVE means, what it looks like and how they showed me love have a pretty good idea.  So I’ll share some of their wisdom that they lived out and I was blessed to witness. 

What my momma taught me……..by eliminating words?

Respect (honor) your husband.

This one alone is so priceless, I can’t even begin to thank my Mom for showing me what respecting your husband looks like, sounds like and should be lived like. 

I’m just going to be bluntly honest ladies - we need to just learn to keep our mouths SHUT!  So I haven’t had the practice in respecting a husband for quite some time now.  I realize this.  I also think since I have been single I have been more aware of how women talk about their husbands.  It’s a pretty sad score I have to admit.  I realize I don’t know all your husbands faults (he’s human, we all have them).   But, it is heartbreaking to see a good husband be so disrespected.  The Bible doesn’t say we are to love our husbands.  That tends to come easy for us women.  What they need from us is RESPECT.  I think God also knew this would be a challenge for us.  He’s so good at growing us.  Complaining about your husband is just disrespectful.  Padding it with a prayer request, well, check your heart first.  God knows.

What my daddy taught me………by not defending himself?

Love does NOT have to prove itself right.

My Dad has verbally repeated this phrase over and over and over to me throughout my life. He also has showed me by example that proving you are right is not love.  Having to be right isn’t love.  Having the last word in isn’t love.  Having to defend yourself isn’t love.  In other words, love doesn’t insist on it’s own way. 

I have wanted to scream at others on behalf of my Dad when he has so quietly kept his mouth shut.  The strength in his stance on not having to prove himself right is remarkable.   

I know I haven’t past these tests yet, so I guess I’ll get to retake them.  That’s the beautiful thing.  God doesn’t give up on us.  He doesn’t grade on a curve though, we each have to stand before Him and answer for our test grade.  Not anyone else’s. 

So whether your husband needs respect or you have been wronged and don’t deserve it, remember what love LOOKS like and SOUNDS like.

i feel the need…..the need for speed

True confession, no lie, I like to drive fast.  Not only could this mean the maximum number on the speedometer but also might mean how quick can I get to that number.  Really, I’m telling all my business with this one.

Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows I love cars.  I have for a long time.  Even back in my upper elementary years I owned a Lamborghini sweatshirt.  Back in the day my brother and I had many discussions about Lamborghini vs. Ferrari and which one was better.  He was the Ferrari fan.  Boo. 

Horsepower!!!!  My true love is a Shelby Mustang.  A five speed, black Shelby with either flat black racing stripes or faint hot pink flames is my goal to own someday.  Choosing which year to get is the toughest decision.  Of course with a pony interior and a good amount of chrome.  My license plate will read ESTRGIN.  J  As you can tell I’ve thought a lot about this. 

When I owned my first car that had a V6 engine one of my first comments to someone about it was, “Finally I have a car that can keep up with me.”   My Dad pointed out while I was shopping for a car and was looking at this V6 that it wouldn’t get as great of gas mileage that I was use to.  I replied, “Good gas mileage isn’t any fun.” 

Let me clarify though, I don’t try to intentionally speed.  I never on purpose set my mind to go a crazy number of miles per hour over the speed limit.  HONEST.  Now, I’m not saying my foot doesn’t get heavy, especially if I’m jamming to some really great music. This doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy going fast, I just know it isn’t wise and it is illegal.  I like my insurance rates and I really don’t like the consequences of getting pulled over.

One day I was accelerating ever so quickly on the entrance ramp onto the highway and my son says to me, “Mom, this isn’t a NASCAR race.”  Isn’t he funny?  I said back to him that I wasn’t even up to the speed limit yet.  I also commented to him that I don’t try to intentionally speed.  I inadvertently said, “This is why I use the self-control button.”  What I meant was the cruise control.  Quite honestly though, for me the cruise control is using self-control. 

Don’t you wish it were just that easy?  I mean if I could set the “self-control” button in every area of my life that needed it, my flesh wouldn’t be a problem.  In a sense we have access to a self-control button with our lives.  Galatians 5:22-23 says when the Holy Spirit controls our lives (this is a choice) he produces this kind of fruit, self-control.  We all can ignore the Holy Spirit’s prompting.  He will never over-ride our choice but rather we need to make a choice to use His guidance. 

So remember, this isn’t a NASCAR race and set your self-control.  If you can help it you can avoid the consequences of getting pulled over. (Maybe I should learn to drive like it's "Saturday" - read previous blog)