Timing is Everything.

Timing is Everything. (Christmas Season 2012)

For many things in this life, timing is absolutely everything.

Take this morning, for example:

Mom and my sister Rosie decided (against my advice-giving) to go to WalMart. Not just any WalMart though. The one on Normandy Blvd on the Westside of Jax.

Pretty sketchy. and risky, if you ask me.

Questionable in the daytime.

Not-an-option past sundown.

Not even ten minutes into their trip, Rosie texted me to say she overheard some man, who happened to track down a stranger-woman he previously saw at a yard sale, ask if he could buy some artwork off of the woman.

The woman's response? "No. I don't even know who you are."

The man's response? "Yeah, but I remember you. You bought the painting I wanted at that yard sale!"

I love that story. Rosie and I laughed for a while about it.

But then, this thought came to mind:

Timing. Is. Everything.

And isn't that the truth?

If that guy had been at the yard sale earlier…

If the lady in Walmart had only gotten through the line and out of the store earlier…

If my sister wasn't off work and eaves-dropping in WalMart today…

Where would the painting be?

Would the man still have reason to hope?
Would the woman be stalked for the rest of her life until the painting was handed over??

Would this second-hand story still be told? 

I don't know the answers to the "what if's" and couldda, shouldda, wouldda's of that story. much less do I know the answers to the "what if's" and couldda, shouldda, wouldda's of life.

But I do know this to be true.

Timing is everything. Every part of your life is planned with precision and vast amounts of behind-the-scenes detail, whether you like it, agree with it, complain about it, try to control it, avoid it, tamper with it, accept it, or not.

With that said and the rest of the day's shopping experiences fresh in my mind, a few thoughts surface:

1. Stop fighting over the yard sale paintings of yesterday. (Deal with the disappointments of your past, yes. But then, let. it. go. already.)

2. This Christmas season, simply enjoy today.

"Today is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad IN IT."

3. If you find yourself shopping in Kohl's anytime soon, walk past the Valentine's and St. Patrick's day displays with ease, and don't buy anything from them. It's not time for that yet. Everyone knows it. Someone needs to tell Kohl's to pipe down. (Don't rush into your future...)

the
timing
is
everything.
:)

A Work in Progress

This note is coming straight from one work in progress (me) to another (you).

I don't know about you and your mom, but my mom likes to pop impromptu life lessons upon me unawares - like in the car ride to the credit union today. 

Today's words of advice? the 11th commandment.

"Be ye content."

Although, if you know my mom, this is pretty funny, the subject of contentment itself really isn't all that hilarious. It's sobering. and sometimes even painful.

What is contentment?

I'm glad you asked. I actually googled the definition of it and got a slew of synonyms…. Ready?

Contentment. 

Satisfaction. 

Joy. 

Happiness. 

Ease of mind.

Peace.

Yup, that's (in a nutshell) what contentment is.

Being satisfied or conTENT with the CONtents of your life. (notice the pronunciation difference #grammargeek)

Everyone wants that.

Some seemingly "attain" it at certain seasons of their lives.

Others outwardly "obtain" it through one venue or attainment or other.

But few perpetuate it as an ongoing basis or a way of life.

Why is that?

What does it take to be content? To be satisfied? To have ease of mind, happiness of heart, and (to quote an oldie-but-goodie Sunday school song from my childhood) have "the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart (where?) down in my heart to stay"….?

Contentment doesn't come with a job. People who don't have one, want one. People who have one, want to get out of the one they have or exchange it up for another "better" one.

It's not wrapped around a relationship. As I've found over the years, miserable single people translate into miserable married people. And miserably married people sometimes sadly translate into miserable divorced people. And on and on it goes.

It's not a geographical location. An amount of money. The right style of clothing. Or any other substitute that some people use to numb the stark reality of their lives.

It's a choice. A matter of the mind. A decision of the heart. A steadfast fixation on the Creator of your heart and mind.

As my mom used to say when I was growing up, "You can get glad in the same pants you just got mad in." And that's true. Nothing outwardly needs to change for contentment to occur. Simply because this is true: it happens in your heart. your mind. your will. It's who you are (or are not) at the core.

Stop looking around you, putting your life on hold, or waiting for something or someone to make you content. 

This Christmas season, take inventory of yourself and ownership of your heart's attitude. 

You are the only one responsible for your level of contentment.

If it's not up to par today, perhaps, you should start with thanking God for Who He is. Not to mention thanking Him, one by one, for all the things He continually does on your behalf. 

When He says, "No."

The Israelites crack me up.

Actually, no they don't.

They sadden me. a lot.

They're just so very dumb that it borderline annoys me.

If the Old Testament were split into tracks instead of chapters, it would pretty much go like this:

1. God provides.

2. Israelites screw up.

3. God provides more.

4. Israelites screw up more.

5. God continues to provide exactly what the Israelites need.

6. Israelites complain that the provision of God isn't what they wanted.

7. God provides exactly what the Israelites wanted.

8. The Israelites still choose to be miserable. with a capital M.

I mean, seriously, what's up with that?!

I'm currently going through a Bible study surrounding the Israelites and all lesser things and gods they sought after apart from (and in place of) God Himself. No wonder they were so miserable, right?

Well, today, I stumbled upon a verse that not only caught my eye, but it also caught all of my heart's attention.

It's in Psalm 106:15, and it reads like this: "He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul." In short, the Israelites wanted what they wanted SO VERY BADLY that they exchanged the eternal, important things for the temporary, unimportant (or lesser) things.

You know what upsets me the most about the story of the Israelites? 

It hits too close to home. I could very easily remix the tracks above, put my name in place of the Israelites, and describe my life story. And, if you're honest, maybe (?) you could too.

All being said...

Know when to ask God for things.

Grow to know when to stop asking God for something.

Realize that "no" is a valid answer for God to give to your prayers.

Don't make Him, like Psalms says, give you your request at the exchange of the health of your soul.

Love Him enough to trustingly ask Him for things.

Yet, trust Him enough when He lovingly answers you "no."