"AND LET US RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE GOD HAS SET BEFORE US." Hebrews 12:3a

Some days I just feel like a frog in a frying pan...

There's a story that's been told about two frogs who fell into a vat of cream. These frogs knew they would soon die if they didn't keep paddling as fast as they could yet, try as they might, they could not jump out. It was not long before the first little frog became too tired to go on. He gave up, and, alas, he drowned in that vat of cream. The second frog persevered until he eventually churned that cream into butter. He was able to stand on top of the butter and hop out of the vat safe and sound - though very, very tired!

I remembered this little fable often during the time that my brother was sick. No matter how much pain he was in or how bleak the future looked, he kept leaning on God and fighting the good fight. When it took 3 1/2 years to receive his transplant - he kept fighting. When he developed complications from the transplant - he kept fighting. When he spent 9 months in the hospital away from his family and friends - he kept fighting. When his body literally petrified, leaving him paralyzed - he kept fighting. When he was in excruciating pain - he kept fighting.

It was not long before the mantra FROG - Fully Rely On God - began to have a deeper meaning to us. He was still leaning on God and fighting the good fight until God answered our prayers to heal him by taking him Home. That was eight years ago, but I still miss him dearly. And every time I see a frog, I think of him and feel challenged to Fully Rely On God - to fight the good fight - no matter what life throws my way. That's what this blog is about - the things God is teaching me and the tools He is giving me to walk that walk. Or should I say hop that hop - because sometimes life just feels like a great big frying pan!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Break My Plans; Shape My Heart

Wow! What a magnificent Easter service we had at Valleydale Sunday morning! Personally, I had never heard of the singing group This Hope before, but I am extremely thankful that I know about them now. It was evident from the very start they didn’t come to entertain us; they came to bring us a message. That message has reverberated through my mind all week.
This Hope has a music video you must see! You can google “Break My Plans by This Hope” or Stephen and I actually have a copy of it. It is powerful stuff. In the meantime, here are the lyrics to the chorus – read them closely.
Break my plans; shape my heart.
Take my will to where you are.
Move my mind through your Word.
Till all that I am lives to love you, Lord.
I have been haunted by this song the past couple of days as I have taken the lyrics apart and examined them along side various aspects of my own life. I am nothing if not helpless planner. Having a plan IS a good thing; however, I have a tendency to get carried away. I want to know what the next 10 or 20 years hold. AND I’m audacious enough to think I get to decide the game plan. Age and experience – and a lot of falling flat on my face – have taught me I really don’t want to rely on my own wisdom to make my plans because, left to my own devices, I’m not that good at it! God, however, sees the big picture and knows how to put this whole crazy “puzzle” together.
Having faith to put your future in God’s hands is one thing, but this prayer is life-changing on so many levels! Some of us are at a crossroads right now. Do we have the courage to pray this prayer? Many of us have kids who are making decisions about where to go to college or what to do after graduation. It is such a confusing and frustrating phase of life! Do we have the courage to pray this prayer for them? But really, when you stop and truly think about it, is it really courage we need or faith – for all we are doing is laying our will in the hands of the One who loves us (or our kids) above all else. Shouldn’t it be a no-brainer? In theory it should be, but, Lord, I need you to “take my plans, shape my heart. Take my will to where you are. Move my mind through your Word till all that I am lives to love you, Lord.”
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