Dreamer
Member
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2005
- Messages
- 2,134
"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!' On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensible, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." I Corinthians 12:12-26
Hey, I don't know about you, but I have a problem with balance sometimes.
And something that happened to my ankle yesterday reminded me of these verses I posted above.
I was hurrying out of the Dollar General store with milk, fabric softener, and more importantly, my 18 month old son in the cart. I thought I'd save time by walking through the parking lot a different way instead of up on the curb. Ha!
Twice, the cart nearly tipped over, spilling my darling boy's head on the pavement, but the second time, my leg curled under and I stopped the cart, but I twisted my ankle rather badly and slightly pulled a muscle in my left calf.
Well....off I went to keep doing my duties, even though I was limping and my ankle was throbbing, I went to my grandchildrens house, stepping on the gas with my bad ankle, and gave Dylan the $20 in a nice card, the twenty dollars that my husband and I had forgotten to give him on Christmas amidst all the other children getting a gift. Dylan smiled at me in a charming, sideways manner. "It's okay, Grammie," he said endearingly.
'Good! Fixed that mistake!' I thought hurriedly. My heart was warmed, but my ankle was hurting.
In the house, I instructed my daughter to lay Caleb down for a nap, looked for the stretch ace bandage, and settled for an old bath towel and some brightly colored clippy things that we use to shut cereal bags and such.
I rubbed some icy hot generously all around my ankle and wrapped the ankle tightly with the green towel and the metallic clippies with their bright holiday look. I placed my foot on the big soft footstool and my daughter handed me the remote for the t.v.
There was a show on that I really like, but I've never actually watched a whole episode, because it's an hour long and I never have time. It's about a married couple who are both little people, and they have 3 normal-sized children and one child who is small like them. It's sort of like a reality show, but it has a nice family touch, because the mother is a christian, and she and the father are wholesome, and trying their best to be good parents.
Anyway, I became mesmerized by the mother, Amy, as she held down a job (a pre-school teacher) and kept things organized at home, loving her husband and each child. She was so very short! It amazed me to see her doing laundry, running after her children, etc., when I saw how short her arms and legs are! But her love is what really shines through. I mean, the lady is full of love and good sense, and so much motivation and energy! And she loves her husband and is really supportive of all he does, even though she does get upset sometimes at his positive outlook or rose-colored glasses he seems to wear.
I watched with great interest, forgetting somewhat about my ankle. Then, when the hour was up, along came a continuing episode of the same show.
I listened to how she gave extra attention to their youngest son when he felt left out from the others. I saw Amy praying and striving to do her best. I thought then, "Who am I? What am I complaining about? Why can't I get it together? I may only be 5 foot 2, but, my word, I have great physical health, and God has given me all sorts of blessings to work with, like a loving husband and children. So, because God allowed me to get off-balance and watch this show, I focused in on how I needed to balance my life.
Two weeks before Christmas, I became confused about my life and my priorities. God has nudged me to stop spending so much time on some things, and others, He has nudged me to return my heart. It's about His priorities, not mine. I am learning to let Him direct my day, instead of choosing to do what I want or like.
I wasn't able to run my miles yesterday, or today, because my ankle still hurts a little bit when I walk on it. But....just to keep things balanced.....there are plenty of other things to do around here while I can't run....like put away the laundry I folded 2 days ago, and spend some one-on-one time with each of my children. See what I mean?
The ankle needs the leg needs the eye needs the ear. And most of all I need Jesus. Just like the church is nothing without the Cornerstone, I am nothing without my Savior and Director. Amen?
The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!' On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensible, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." I Corinthians 12:12-26
Hey, I don't know about you, but I have a problem with balance sometimes.
And something that happened to my ankle yesterday reminded me of these verses I posted above.
I was hurrying out of the Dollar General store with milk, fabric softener, and more importantly, my 18 month old son in the cart. I thought I'd save time by walking through the parking lot a different way instead of up on the curb. Ha!
Twice, the cart nearly tipped over, spilling my darling boy's head on the pavement, but the second time, my leg curled under and I stopped the cart, but I twisted my ankle rather badly and slightly pulled a muscle in my left calf.
Well....off I went to keep doing my duties, even though I was limping and my ankle was throbbing, I went to my grandchildrens house, stepping on the gas with my bad ankle, and gave Dylan the $20 in a nice card, the twenty dollars that my husband and I had forgotten to give him on Christmas amidst all the other children getting a gift. Dylan smiled at me in a charming, sideways manner. "It's okay, Grammie," he said endearingly.
'Good! Fixed that mistake!' I thought hurriedly. My heart was warmed, but my ankle was hurting.
In the house, I instructed my daughter to lay Caleb down for a nap, looked for the stretch ace bandage, and settled for an old bath towel and some brightly colored clippy things that we use to shut cereal bags and such.
I rubbed some icy hot generously all around my ankle and wrapped the ankle tightly with the green towel and the metallic clippies with their bright holiday look. I placed my foot on the big soft footstool and my daughter handed me the remote for the t.v.
There was a show on that I really like, but I've never actually watched a whole episode, because it's an hour long and I never have time. It's about a married couple who are both little people, and they have 3 normal-sized children and one child who is small like them. It's sort of like a reality show, but it has a nice family touch, because the mother is a christian, and she and the father are wholesome, and trying their best to be good parents.
Anyway, I became mesmerized by the mother, Amy, as she held down a job (a pre-school teacher) and kept things organized at home, loving her husband and each child. She was so very short! It amazed me to see her doing laundry, running after her children, etc., when I saw how short her arms and legs are! But her love is what really shines through. I mean, the lady is full of love and good sense, and so much motivation and energy! And she loves her husband and is really supportive of all he does, even though she does get upset sometimes at his positive outlook or rose-colored glasses he seems to wear.
I watched with great interest, forgetting somewhat about my ankle. Then, when the hour was up, along came a continuing episode of the same show.
I listened to how she gave extra attention to their youngest son when he felt left out from the others. I saw Amy praying and striving to do her best. I thought then, "Who am I? What am I complaining about? Why can't I get it together? I may only be 5 foot 2, but, my word, I have great physical health, and God has given me all sorts of blessings to work with, like a loving husband and children. So, because God allowed me to get off-balance and watch this show, I focused in on how I needed to balance my life.
Two weeks before Christmas, I became confused about my life and my priorities. God has nudged me to stop spending so much time on some things, and others, He has nudged me to return my heart. It's about His priorities, not mine. I am learning to let Him direct my day, instead of choosing to do what I want or like.
I wasn't able to run my miles yesterday, or today, because my ankle still hurts a little bit when I walk on it. But....just to keep things balanced.....there are plenty of other things to do around here while I can't run....like put away the laundry I folded 2 days ago, and spend some one-on-one time with each of my children. See what I mean?
The ankle needs the leg needs the eye needs the ear. And most of all I need Jesus. Just like the church is nothing without the Cornerstone, I am nothing without my Savior and Director. Amen?
