My Patch, My Tailor

Minor Burn, Car breaking down, missing hamster, lack of writing words and work issues in less than a month – people call it “Life”, I call it “A Rough Patch”.

Lately, I have been going through a really rough patch and I am still in it. It also got me thinking....is this God working in me, with me, trying to teach me a lesson or remind me of something I have forgotten? OR....is it the Devil, trying to get me on his side, tempting me to do things I know deep down is wrong in the eyes of my Lord? But one thing I know for sure is if it is the Devil, he ain’t gonna win!!!

It also got me thinking about an actual cloth patch. What is a patch used for? You rip your favourite pair of jeans. Those jeans that fit you perfectly, feel great and you don’t want to get rid of. So you decide to patch it. A piece of material is cut to fit past the rip and then you sew it. If you run your fingers over the patch you can feel the rough cotton and the smooth material. From the front, the patch looks completely smooth yet the rip edges are rough and visible but it is sealed. The patch is there so you are not exposed (or a body part at least).

In life, what is a rough patch used for? For me, it is clearly to make me re-look at things, reflect and consider changing things. Yes, it gets me down, makes me tired, stressed and then I go to training – my escape, my release. But like most things in life, you can run away but at some point you have to return and face it head on.

What does God tells us about rough patches? Aren’t we a rough patch in His eyes? Maybe because we are rough patches, we experience them as gentle reminders that this life is short and material things no matter how we might need them aren’t as important as nurturing our relationship with God.  How many times has God “patched” us up?

In the Bible, it tells us that we are the clay and God is our potter but for the sake of this post, I also like to think that we are God’s favourite pair of jeans and God is our tailor. He tailor made each of us and like me, I am sure that many of us have caused tears in His material. But being the loving God He is, he cuts a patch out of His material and gently weaves the cotton through our pain and suffering, patching us up so we are not exposed anymore.

It also makes me wonder, how many times we have “ripped” open the same patches and how God never complaining, always teaching, keeps weaving the cotton, healing us, sealing us in His protection and love.  He continues to wrap us up in His royal silk.

So in closing, I might be going through a rough patch but I dwell on the thought that even though I don’t understand why (at this moment), I know that God, my tailor, is threading His glorious needle, getting ready to weave His cotton and “patch” me up...yet again.

He is YOUR Father and Maker,

Who made you and formed you.

Deut. 32:6

(and won’t stop patching you up)

The Mother's Mystery

May is the month for Moms and it got me thinking about Mary, the Mother of Jesus. As a Mother, we always say we have the best and hardest job around. Being a Mother, is a selfless, tiring, rewarding and loving role. Our grey hairs and wrinkles are earned by raising our children, loving our spouses and often forgetting about ourselves in the process.

I wonder how Mary must have felt. How honoured and scared she could have felt, knowing that God, our creator gave her the responsibility of carrying Jesus and then raising Him. I would be overwhelmed and terrified. When you are pregnant, you naturally worry about staying healthy and growing a healthy child in your womb. Now add to that the fact that you are carrying the only person who can save mankind. Overwhelmed yet?

So what is a Mother's Mystery? It is the mystery of Mary, our Mother of Jesus.

A Mother smiles at her child no matter how that child has hurt her. A Mother judges herself as a parent regularly but doesn't show that disappointment in herself because to a Mother, weakness is often not an option. Like Mary, a Mother keeps a lot of her emotion inside while still sharing other emotions like love, faith and hope with her family. Like Mary, I'm sure, sheds tears in hiding, never wanting to let others down, never wanting to cause others heartache.

A Mother's love doesn't compare to other love. A Mother's hug always feels right, taking your pain or hurt away. The scent of a Mother can give comfort and relieve stress. The touch of a Mother reassures and gives hope.

Like Mary, we are raising God's children and with that comes the overwhelming task of doing it right, not knowing where God will take them, when He will take them and if we will be with them.

God gave us Mary to show us, Mothers how to love unconditionally regardless of what happens. How to be compassionate and gentle. How to always walk in faith while still being able to shed a tear, feel heartache and grief.

To be a Mother is to be like Mary. Not always in the front but always there.

My child, listen to your father's teaching

and do not forget your mother's advice.

Prov 1: 8

Happy Mother's Day!

May God continue to bless you. 

Who are you?

Who are you?

I'm not the face that the mirror shows

I'm not the heart that no one knows

Who are you?

I'm not the tears that gently fall 

I'm not the soul that built the wall

Who are you?

I'm not the body that seems to be

I'm not what people think they see

Who are you?

I AM God's child

Who are you?

1 John 3:1

Respectfully speaking!

This week-end I was reminded that respect is important, never-ending and needed. We should respect everyone regardless of their mistakes, choices and opinions. God created us in His image which should encourage us to respect ourselves and others because we deserve it.

Many people say "I deserve respect" but what they are really meaning is that they want people to "fear" them. They want people to do what they want and never disagree with them and "bow" down to them all the time but that is not what God intended the meaning of respect to be. God wants us to have "respect for all people; Love the brothers and sisters of God's family, respect God, honor the King" (1 Peter 2:17).

A wise woman in my family likes this saying, "I don't have to like you to love you". In other words, I might not like certain things about you but I love you because God wants us to love each other regardless of our judgements of them. We all have different perspectives and they all need to be respected. It's not easy but we all deserve it.

But I'm sure some of you are saying, that's fine but why do I have to show respect in order to get it? I deserve it! Yes you do deserve it but sometimes we have to show respect first to get some respect. We often forget that some learn, practice and understand life lessons before others.

I know many of you will got into a shop and greet the person behind the till and not get one in return. But trust me, one day you will forget to greet and that same person will look up and greet you first because you had God's knowledge and understanding to show respect first. Remember God blesses us in His time, not ours.

So, in God's view, how do we show respect? We do so by loving each other as we love ourselves. We don't have to "bow" down to someone to show  respect. Think about how you would like to be realistically respected and then respect others in the same way. A greeting, a smile, eye contact can convey respect. Using your manners all the time, addressing people as "Ma'am, Sir" can also convey respect.

You might not always thing a person deserves it but deep down they do and God wants us to treat each other in the right way, His way. You might want to consider that that person might not have the tools they need to respect themselves and therefore don't know how to show you respect.

People can also see that you are worthy of respect by showing respect to those around you like your parents, your children, your family and friends.

Every one of us want to know that we matter to someone, anyone. By showing respect to a person you are conveying that message. Who knows, that respectful greeting you give to a complete stranger might be the deciding factor they needed to save or harm themselves. The smile you give could make a sad person feel warm and valued inside. Eye contact can say "I see you, I respect you".

I know sometimes it seems that the more we try, the less is returned but God wants us to keep spreading His character, not expecting anything in return because He will bless us in eternity. 

The world and everything that people want in it are passing away, 

but the person who does what God wants lives forever.

1 John 2:17

One Way Mirror

Who would be your lawyer if you were sitting in an interrogation room? Who would be the cop? Who would be behind the one way mirror?

Where will God be, in the room or behind the mirror looking in? Is there a chance that Satan could be there too?

We have all seen crime shows where interrogation rooms have one way glass. We watch how a suspect gets questioned by a cop and how others watch and listen behind the one way mirror. As you know, a one way mirror is where a person can look into the room but the person in the room can’t see you watching him/her.

How many of us keep God behind the one way mirror. How many of us keep standing in front of it, seeing our own reflection, hoping we can see who stands behind the one way mirror?  How many of us keep standing in front of it, seeing our own reflection, asking God to come through it and help us, knowing that we have put that mirror there in the first place.

How often does God put his nose against the mirror with tears in His eyes, hoping we ask him to be saved, sense His presence? So, you ask why doesn’t God walk through the one way mirror and step into the room with us. After all, He is God.

He is a loving, un-intrusive and patient God. He gave us the free will to choose. He wants us to come to him because He desires it. He wants us to invite Him in and He hopes that He doesn’t have to cause us to suffer to realise we need Him. We keep asking Him for things, keep asking Him why for everything but how many of us first truly invite him before we start “interrogating” Him.  

If God is in the room with you, who will He be? Is God the cop urging you to tell the truth, asking for you to face your sins, urging you to repent or is He your lawyer standing alongside you, guiding you, advising you, believing in you, fighting for you. God knows where he needs to be for you but He will only help you if you ask for it.

I pray that Christ will live in your hearts by faith and that your life will be strong in love and be built on love. Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love.

Then you can be filled with the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3: 17 & 19

Happy and loved while being alone and single

Since when did being alone or single become a bad thing?

It seems lately that people around me don't want to see me alone anymore but I don't feel alone. To me, being alone or single is not a bad thing. I don't feel sorry for myself or feel I need a partner to be complete. I don't need a "Jerry Maguire" to "complete me".

Yes, I know that they just want to see me loved and happy but who says I'm not loved and I'm not happy.
I also love the fact that they have such great love and wishes for me to want this.

It also got me thinking....since when is God's love not enough to fill us with complete love and happiness to makes us feel that we need to have a partner. I also wonder if people realise that you can also feel completely alone even in a partnership.

Right now, I am happy being single. I love the fact that I can go out, have fun and don't need to have someone next to me to do it. I get so much love from around me, from family and friends, that being single is not an issue for me. I am so blessed and I feel loved everyday.

And to be more honest, sometimes having a partner to me feels like having another child to look after and almost another "job" to do. I don't have the patience for this and I also feel I need to be a bit more selfish and do things that make me happy.  It's time for me to look after me and accomplish things I want to do.

"I will give her peace that will flow to her like a river."

"I will comfort you as a mother comforts her child."  

"When you see these things, you will be happy and you will grow like the grass." 

Is. 66: 12 - 14

God's love sustains me and keeps me company more than many know. My faith gives me reasons to smile, to laugh and to be silly sometimes.

If it's His will, God will send me the person He chooses at His right time to me and all I can ask from those around me is that they pray that my eyes and my heart will be open to receive God's blessing for me.

Two Houses, Two Doors, Two People

I stand in the middle of the street, looking up. On the vast incline, in front of me stand two houses, two doors, and two people.

On the left is a woman who lives in a house with seven columns. She likes to entertain people and regularly prepares her food and wine. She sets her table and tells her servant girls to go out the house and shout to the city below, “Come in here, you uneducated people! Come and eat my food and drink the wine I have prepared. Stop your foolish ways and you will live; take the road of understanding.”

Whether they listen or not, no one makes fun of her as she always finds a way to insult them among the people. She will often tell you not to correct those who make fun of her as they will hate you. She tells you to correct those who have knowledge and they will love you.

She likes to teach and teaches the knowledgeable so they will gain more. She teaches good people so they will lean more on her.

It is said that she begins by respecting the Lord and her understanding begins with knowing the Holy One.

Out of her big window, she talks just loud enough to be heard and to anyone who will listen, “Live wisely and you will live long. Knowledge will add years to your life. I will reward those you are knowledgeable but those who make fun of it will suffer”.

I watch the people around me, some listen, some ignore and some, like me, stand deciding. I find myself listening often to these words; the words to my left and the words to my right.

On my right is yet another who shouts to the people below. She is loud and possesses no knowledge. She, unlike the other, sits at the door of her house, shouting aimlessly, also to anyone who will listen below “Come in, you foolish people! My stolen water is sweeter, and food eaten in secret tastes better”.

There are no servant girls who shout for her, just her lazily sitting on her chair, always loud and rambunctious. Her ways seem to entice many.

I watch often and notice that the people that enter in this door never come out. This choice often leaves them deep in despair or in the grave.

On the left lives Wisdom, who is always prepared to share, to teach and help people gain understanding.

On the right lives Foolishness, who only shares to gain whatever she can from others for her own selfish gain.

Is good vs. evil, God vs. Devil not the same?

God wants us to learn from Him, gain knowledge, prepare ourselves for his blessings and then share them with others. When we do good things, we can feel the impact it has in ourselves as a person. It makes us warm inside and makes us smile outside.

The Devil entices us to short cuts, easy “way outs” so he can then turn it around use us for his own enjoyment and gain. Evil makes us feel powerful but for how long? Eventually we either get caught or the feeling of emptiness returns.

In our life, we often have difficult decisions to make; we too have voices to our right and our left ear, telling us which way to turn. Would it help if, in our minds, we were standing in the street, looking and listening to the houses on the incline?

Which door would you choose - Lady Wisdom or Lewd Foolishness?

Proverb 9