The Decision......

I have had a great day today~ A day I got to go and see my new "kids" at school for lunch. Got to see some smiling old faces from last year. Got some extra hugs and high fives - after 3 weeks the battle over my OLD hat has begun as well as my Lunch Sticker - and breaking all the rules- I got to sit with my new kids at the lunch table with them. I told my sons teacher today after she reminded me where the parents table was and I just smiled and said - I dont like that table much because I come to have lunch with my kids...all of them!!! SO if you dont mind - I know the no talking rule and I can help with opening milks and icecreams and play by most of the rules. I tell you - no matter what is on my heart or how troubled I am with something - KIDS bring me to a new level. My kids are awesome.......and I look forward to getting to know them all in the coming year.
But I have to be honest - I am troubled by something today. Even with all the good taking place all around me - God moving within my church and taking us to new places and folks are experiencing LifeChange right before my eyes..Carol and Kyle are both doing well and life itself is just awesome ... there are those in my life who are close to me but choosing to stay where they are. Stuck in a time frame that they wont move from. Selfishness and self centeredness is at an all time high level. I am struggling with what to do with that. I am ticked one second and ready to wash my hands of it all and then I am reminded that God saved "This Sinner" - ME. Maybe they dont understand where I am coming from, what I am about, why I am investing my time in church and folks around me and not them. I have lived on the side of the fence they currently are on - I have chosen, loved ones, to live on this side - the side that God has me on and I am not going back. Sometimes the wedge that is built between folks is there for a reason and a good one. NO OPINION of anyone on this earth will keep me from Gods love and knowing Gods purpose for my life. When my time comes to stand in front of Jesus and account for my life - (which you will also!) I won't be thinking about ticking someone off because I didnt do this or do that.... I dont care who is right or who is wrong - its just I am not happy with WHERE WE ARE right now. How and why is not a factor to me but I am interested in what to do from here.... and I don't want to do a disservice to Gods TRUTH. There are far too many religious folks out there screaming from their soap boxes - we all need to come down and do what Jesus would do. Love each other regardless of who is right, who is wrong and who wants to have the last word in a stupid argument over something stupid and silly. Does it affect our destination in eternity? It might...... for the one that DOES NOT KNOW JESUS.

James 1:22
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. DO WHAT IT SAYS." And James also said (James 2:12) "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.
Mercy triumphs over judgment!"

SO with my promises and obligations to not only Jesus when I accepted Him as my Lord but also to my momma - I will pick up my mat and walk. By Gods grace and love, I will get through this season. Our Father in Heaven looks at us when we royaly mess things up, wants nothing more than to pull us close to Him - love on us and comfort us. He does not want to push us away and ground us or punish us. Some lessons in life are hard to learn. My priority in life belongs to Jesus first.... family comes second because that is the order in which keeps everything right. Everything else falls into place behind those 2 things. Work, exercise, homes, cars, money - all of it can take a back seat.

Does God demand people to feel the way I do about Him? I hope I am not sending that message out...! But God wants them to, but He's not going to demand anything - a true relationship is built on love, which is a voluntary action. But how are people going to want a relationship with God if His children (ME) are constantly on the attack? Judging and screaming from our soap boxes.....
Someone has to be the bigger person. Peacemakers are hard to come by and I think God has a special place probably in His heart for them.

Our expectations of people who are not believers should not be the same as our expectations for those who are. As a matter of fact, 1 Corinthians 1:18, the message of the cross (Jesus) is foolishness to those who are heading for destruction. In other words, those who are not believers in Jesus Christ think that those who do believe are, - nuts!
SO I am a nut.......and I am going to look internally and pray for those changes in me before I try and make changes in you. People have to change themselves, see a need for change and ask God to change them. I cannot do anything except to live as an example. Sometimes we can't even do that very good....we are human as well even though we are saved by the blood of Jesus.
God would handle this with love and not a bad word or whip...... so my decision has been made.

Gods plans over my own.....works every time :)

May grace, love and mercy be with you today.
Randy~