Thanks for all the kind birthday wishes and sweet comments about Michael in my previous post. I love that kid! Is it obvious? :)
I'm sloooooowly reading through The History of Islam volume 1 and feel like I'm back in the Joshua days of the Old Testament with all the battles going on! Today in my reading Damascus was the target of the invading Muslim armies!
Have y'all noticed I've not said "Damascus" or "Syria" much these days outside of references to them in books? I call that progress, don't you?
I read this earlier and thought it was good:
"Lean times are God's invitation to believe Him. When we're facing financial insecurity, we realize what's always true: our only real security is in the Lord and His Word. We basically have two choices: hold on tightly to the little we have and do our best to make ends meet, or release our grip, acknowledge our helplessness, and accept His offer to supply our needs."
~Deborah Bate; pg.29 of In Touch, March 2010
I also liked this:
"Take a deep breath. Stop being so anxious. God is faithful; you can trust Him."
~ Paul Baloche
Definitely something I needed to hear. Have I ever shared how fear is often a (bad) companion of mine? My preacher says it's normal to feel fear. Really we cannot help our emotions, can we? When we hear sad news, we feel sadness. When we hear of injustices, we feel anger. And when we are in a scary situation or perceived or imagined scary situation, we often feel fear. Or at least I work that way. Maybe you are just weird. ;) You know what has been looming nearby ready to take me out in fear?
A phone call.
More specifically a bad phone call. One of those that rocks your world. I sometimes imagine getting one of those and wonder how I'll react. Will I crumple to the floor in disbelief and sadness? Will I scream or burst into tears? Will I experience the peace of God that passes all human understanding?
I hate thinking this way! Hate it! Yet it's there. Here lately more and more as if it's ready to pounce on me.
I think kittens are cute and all, but you know what trait I don't like about them? They pounce! And I just don't like pouncing things. I don't like to think of this bad phone call pouncing on me and making me miserable and sad.
Is there any wonder I don't like the phone very well?
Is there any wonder that I needed this quote? For some reason the Fear of the Bad Phone Call has been haunting me lately. I've even been praying, "Please, God, no bad phone calls tonight. I am so tired," as I've stayed up too late watching the Olympics. I needed this reminder.
"Take a deep breath. Stop being so anxious. God is faithful; you can trust Him."
What is your struggle right now or past ones that you've overcome? Anything you want to share?
5 comments:
Muhammad
What can I say on your day
When every day is your day ?
O Muhammad ! O Taha ! O shafi’na on the Last Day !
From the day you stood to say :
O Man ! I’m but a man
Sent to save you, sent to tell you
The way that’ll lead you away
From the one who led you astray
To the One Who made you ’n the best way
And gave you beauty and bounty in every way
And will yet give you joy where you’ll stay
For ever and ever, as you say !
From that day,
O Muhammad ! O Taha ! O shafi’na on the Last Day !
Men came to you on foot and horseback ;
They said as you said
And prayed as you prayed
And when attacked, they fought back.
You lived in a shack
While your beauty was brighter than the moon ;
You ate with your hands
While one with your beauty would use a gold spoon ;
You sat on the sands
While one with your glory
Would build himself storey upon storey :
And that’s why your story
Has gone as far as Brunei and Zinjibar
And London and New York
Where people eat with a knife and fork,
They too say as you said
And pray as you prayed
And when wrongly questioned, they answer back.
O Muhammad ! O Taha ! O shafi’na on the Last Day !
What can I say on your day
When every day is your day ?
From just a few those who came to you
Filled every hill, swamped every dale,
They made Time stand still till their tale
Made the mightiest kingdoms frail
And brought the Muslim flag as close as Prague !
The Arabian Nights tells of made-up knights
And of Harun al-Rasheed
Whose life the Truth of your Message
Made eed upon eed !
And yet someone came to draw
A pic of a man whose peer he never saw,
And papers and commentators
Seeking cheap money and fake glory
Made every story
Out of the Story of the man whose glory
Defies all Posts and all Tribunes and all Times !
O Muhammad ! O Taha ! O shafi’na on the Last Day !
What can I say on your day
When every day is your day ?
When your name has brought fame
To a Dane who became insane ?
What can I say on your day
When night and day
Souls repeat your words
As if they were songs of jungle birds !
Peace be upon you and all those who followed your way !
O Muhammad ! O Taha ! O shafi’na on the Last Day !
Oh my..I've dealt with those foreboding thoughts (premonitions of evil and bad things happening) for most of my life, even as a small child. So I totally relate to this post....
yes, peace that transcends all understanding. Girl, this IS what I've been experiencing these last 17 months..I can't explain it, it DOES transcend all understanding..SIGH...
I thought of you when I saw that picture. :-)
I like pouncing kitties. I think it's cute when they do that, even if it does make me jump. lol But I don't like bad news to pounce on me. Not at all.
I struggle with fear too. In my current situation, it's hard not to be afraid.
May God bring you peace.
Mohali, thanks.
Angela, great to read your comment though I'm sorry you could relate to those evil premonitions. Thankfully you've also experienced that wondrous peace! :)
Niki, thanks for the picture! I think kittens are cute when they pounce, but it's the suddenness and scratches to my feet or hands that I could do without! ;)
Yes, may the Lord give both of us peace. Hugs!
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