Misplaced J-O-Y

If you are at least in my generation, you have grown up hearing that the way to true joy is to put Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself, last- hence J-O-Y.  In this crazy life we have created for ourselves, it seems the only way to get everything done would be to have a few more hours in every day and a few more days in every week.  I read a devotional not too long ago that pointed out God is not going to reward us for being busy. I found that kind of sad because I'm not busy to try to impress God with my busyness, but I am busy because I'm trying to do my best to be a good steward of what He has given me.  I then decided maybe there should be a disclaimer that if our being busy is centered around what God wants us to be doing then yes, He will probably reward it--or at least expect it.  I can already hear some of you, "God is not going to expect you to work yourself into a state of being sick", (or maybe that was just the two people who showed up in my office yesterday morning to remind me the same).  After all, we have also heard all our lives that idle hands are  the Devil's workshop. There are tons of verses in the Bible about not being idle. Of course, Proverbs 31, that describes that "as close to perfect as a human can get" Christian woman tells that "she does not eat the bread of idleness" (vs. 27).

So, we all seem to be busy, and hopefully we are leading Christ-centered lives but when it comes to who gets the short-end of the stick, I am afraid it is ourselves--or the Y in J-O-Y. If you know me personally, you know I have struggled with weight all my life. I remember my doctor telling my mom when I was about 8, "She will never be a Twiggy". It didn't keep me from wanting to be though. As I got older, got married, and had my son, I fell straight into the dark hole of taking care of everyone else. Something had to give and that something was usually taking care of me. That was my excuse on and off for about the first 18 years or so we were married. I would get everything else done on my list but when I got to the exercise part, I would declare I was too tired and it was just for me so no big deal, and wipe it off the list. Big mistake!

We all know that our ancestors had a lot harder road than we do. The thought of any of them needing to go to the gym after a day of manually pushing a plow is absurd. It is, however, the price we need to pay for having all these modern conveniences; we have to find a way to keep our bodies fit. I also know, they had a lot more "self" time, or maybe "God" time than we do. I know just the time I spend mowing the yard, I can gain so much clarity of what God is wanting from me. I can't hear the cellphone, I can't hear music, I am just alone, me and God. I think we so often forget that God tells us to "Be Still and Know that I am God". I can mentally see myself like an anxious 5-year-old wanting to tell his parent something, or probably more often, asking his parent for something, "Can I please, oh, can I?? Huh, huh?" When all along, just like the parent, God has the answer all figured out. And just like that child, he needs to say, "Wait, let ME talk".  I love when I know with all certainty that God has given me clarity on an issue. You have a peace with it that you never imagined. Not going into too much detail but there was something in my life a couple of months ago that I had prayed about, HARD. I knew what I wanted, but God immediately told me to sit back and think about WHY I wanted it. He sent me to some particular verses, Philippians 2:3-4. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interest of the others."  I was so convicted, I printed it off and have it clipped in a place I can see at work; reminding me several times a day. The next week, as I was at Holy Yoga, would you believe Susan, our instructor, read those very verses. That was my confirmation that God wanted me to hear it.  He sent me answers, He sent me clarity, and most of all, He sent me peace. I knew I was asking for something for the wrong reasons and thus, it became a non-issue. I truly no longer wanted what I thought I did.

I have quiet time and Bible Study every morning, but somehow God talks to me differently if I am doing something like mowing the yard, or walking on the treadmill---which brings me off of the rabbit track and back to my main point, :-)

As a result of my own crazy life, I have developed Ulcerative Colitis. Nobody will say it is caused by stress but they will tell you stress irritates it.  This week I had a colonoscopy--the results were not what I wanted to hear. I was expecting to hear things were better than 3 years ago--instead they were worse. On the way home though I really got to thinking about the fact that I was once again neglecting self-care. A couple of years ago, I got on a really good roll and lost 50 lbs. (which is now back plus 20).  I was eating right and exercising. I made the statement on facebook at the time for young moms to make sure they take care of themselves, it isn't an option, it is necessary to be able to take care of everyone else. One of my lifelong friends who lost his mom when he was young commented that if his own mom was here, he was sure she would say the same thing.

So, starting today, I am putting my focus back on taking care of myself and though I am certainly not throwing out the J-O-Y acronym, I just have to remind myself, that PART of putting Jesus and Others first is taking care of myself so I am able to put them first.

I am also going to give you with a few more verses to ponder.

Philippians 1:6 says, " Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath done a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

He is basically telling us He brought us into this world exactly the way He wanted us. We all know we have free will so we need to work harder (or I do anyway) on taking care of the very first thing He gave us, our lives.

We also want to remember Psalm 139:14, " I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

and lastly, 1st Corinthians 6:19-20 "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price, so glorify God in your body."

This takes us back to we are HIS.

We need to remember being a good steward of what He gave us included taking care of our bodies.

I'm starting (over) today!!!

I am leaving you with Jason Gray's Remind Me Who I Am. It touches on a lot more than just not taking care of yourself--or maybe it doesn't. Maybe all of the people in the video really started with not taking care of themselves too.......a final point to ponder.