If you've seen the movie 'Up' you will understand the title of this blog. For those who haven't - there is a dog in this movie who is easily distracted by squirrels in a very humorous way.
I think I have embodied this character over the past week or so! The way I envisioned sticking with Surrender December daily has gone AWOL lately. Whilst even the phrase "Surrender December" has helped me in moments of panic to hand over things to Jesus, or remind me to stop and spend time with Him, the plan to devote myself to time with Him each morning through the Bible has not gone so smoothly.
Why?? Answer - DISTRACTIONS!! It's amazing the sorts of things that i can wake up thinking about or wake up feeling motivated [or unmotivated] to do - such a vast range. And sadly I have let some of those things get in the way.
So here I am asking you for some HELP! What things help you be disciplined and NOT distracted when it comes to important things in your life?
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Life Interrupted - Surrender December
Life has been interrupted a lot since I committed to Surrender December! So many unexpected things have happened and it has changed the way I have spent my time. The reality is our life gets interrupted on a daily basis, whether it be the dreaded telemarketer who won't let you get a word in, the urgent need someone has for you to fill, the sick family member, the weather's mood swing [it's been pretty moody lately], or a nail in your tire...
Well I am actually glad my life has been interrupted over these past 2 weeks, and not because it means the interruptions have let me off the hook on other plans I didn't want to follow through with [cause that is certainly not the case]. As I have Surrendered December to Jesus - He has refreshed my perspective on the interruptions.
Life Interruptions are really mislabeled Wake Up calls
They remind us that we are not actually in control of every aspect of our life
They provide an opportunity to look outside ourselves
They are a chance to see from a new perspective or attitude
They test our values and character
Amidst the noise of our own desires, and the shouts of our environments, 'Interruptions' beckon us [whether gently or abruptly] to Choose Life
Most of my so called interruptions these past few weeks have mostly been people related. Though they meant I missed out on some hours of sleep all up, I missed out on doing some of the things I wanted to do, I had to spend time catching up on work... I DIDN'T MISS OUT ON LIVING in fact I found myself ALIVE.
I had a telemarketer call me and we talked for quite a while. I got to encourage her, and as I thought about Zac and a friend of mine who is intentional about sharing Jesus with Telemarketers, I took the opportunity to share with her that Jesus was the reason for my attitude towards life. That was new for me.
All the opportunities I was blessed with to be there for people I love, actually renewed my love, renewed my desire to love even those I don't know. And as God spoke through me, he encouraged and spoke to me too.
Love is Life. Giving is Receiving. People Matter. God Provides. Somehow - and I will definitely give credit to God for this - I managed to still do all the other life things necessary and to feel refreshed or at least have enough energy to get through each day on whatever sleep I had. And many people uplifted me in prayer during those mornings when I wasn't refreshed and didn't know how I was going to get through the day apart of God - God showed up each of those days and strengthened me!!
These so called interruptions helped me to Surrender December. Living with Jesus in charge is Totally Worth it! :D
Imagine if you started seeing the 'interruptions' as wake up calls, as opportunities to dive into deeper depths of Life, trusting that your out of control life is in the Great, Powerful, Loving hands of God... Choose Life
Well I am actually glad my life has been interrupted over these past 2 weeks, and not because it means the interruptions have let me off the hook on other plans I didn't want to follow through with [cause that is certainly not the case]. As I have Surrendered December to Jesus - He has refreshed my perspective on the interruptions.
Life Interruptions are really mislabeled Wake Up calls
They remind us that we are not actually in control of every aspect of our life
They provide an opportunity to look outside ourselves
They are a chance to see from a new perspective or attitude
They test our values and character
Amidst the noise of our own desires, and the shouts of our environments, 'Interruptions' beckon us [whether gently or abruptly] to Choose Life
I had a telemarketer call me and we talked for quite a while. I got to encourage her, and as I thought about Zac and a friend of mine who is intentional about sharing Jesus with Telemarketers, I took the opportunity to share with her that Jesus was the reason for my attitude towards life. That was new for me.
All the opportunities I was blessed with to be there for people I love, actually renewed my love, renewed my desire to love even those I don't know. And as God spoke through me, he encouraged and spoke to me too.
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| Picture from http://www.open-mike.ca/2013/06/08/day-159/ |
These so called interruptions helped me to Surrender December. Living with Jesus in charge is Totally Worth it! :D
Imagine if you started seeing the 'interruptions' as wake up calls, as opportunities to dive into deeper depths of Life, trusting that your out of control life is in the Great, Powerful, Loving hands of God... Choose Life
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
The Inbetween Matters - Surrender December
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| Image borrowed from http://denisebscott.com |
As someone who isn't great at always finishing what I start [cause I get so excited about too many things and start a lot at one!] phrases such as: 'it doesn't matter how you start, it's how you finish that matters' stick in my head a bit. But then there is 'you've got to be in it to win it' and 'you've got to start somewhere'... so how we start matters and how we finish matters. Or perhaps it's more THAT we start rather than HOW we start which is important... [my analytical mind now wants to say and/or matters just to be difficult].
For me, today it was the very fact that I CHOSE to start with Jesus that mattered alot because it was tempting not to, especially with my schedule. Starting with him gave me more probability that I would keep going to him through the day. I found myself giving credit to Jesus more through the day for the positive good outcomes at work. When I had walked too long in my pointy heels that were NOT made for walking [well not up and down the streets of Parramatta... an aside TIP: a tall building that looks close tends to be alot further away in walking distance than you think], when the pressures built up and the 'crappity crap crap' phrase either went through my mind or out my lips it was easier to turn to Jesus and get some perspective. And now, it's time for me to finish my day with him.
Stand out OBSERVATION today = the Inbetween matters just as much as starting and finishing because what we do and choose Inbetween impacts how we finish.
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| Mmm oreo's - without the Inbetween you could no longer call this an Orea... get my drift? Image borrowed from http://lensofhistory.com/2013/09/21/history-got-country-now/ [thanks to google search] |
What might walking with Jesus during the whole day look like for you today/tomorrow? Start the day asking God to help you live the Inbetween with Him leading you as he walks beside you. I will pray that for you tomorrow when I start my day.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Surrender December Day 2
6.30am the alarm sounded, I grabbed the alarm feeling awake and ready for the day
6.31am a wave of exhaustion hit me - sooo hard it knocked me back into bed!
Umm...not really how I imagined day 2 of Surrender December starting... but it was actually a great opportunity for me to turn to God in my weariness and trust him for the strength to face the day. So after a bit more dozing in sleepy thought, I turned to Isaiah 42v1-10 in the Bible - one of the Bible readings from Church last night - a prophecy about Jesus which was fulfilled as we see in the New Testament accounts of Jesus' life, death and resurrection:
As I surrendered my plans to him I felt more at peace. Trusting him with my work load and 'agenda' actually made me more available to follow his plan. It was definitely a more satisfying day today. My weariness did not last all day either - in fact I became more energised through the day as I experienced doing life WITH God, rather than on my own.
I'm excited to keep growing closer to God through this!
God provided a way for a group of young people and I to meet together to share our grief and encourage each other As we prayed together and shared, we were all so inspired by Zac as we reflected on his life, that we were energised to really live passionately for Jesus, to love and rejoice in Him. This was a gift, and it reminded me that God's people are a gift from God to help us draw nearer to him - we need each other. So please ask someone trustworthy for help/support if you need/want it. And ask God at the same time - he is able and willing to provide - after all, it is Surrender December so it's a good time to go to God first [anytime is really ;)]
6.31am a wave of exhaustion hit me - sooo hard it knocked me back into bed!
Umm...not really how I imagined day 2 of Surrender December starting... but it was actually a great opportunity for me to turn to God in my weariness and trust him for the strength to face the day. So after a bit more dozing in sleepy thought, I turned to Isaiah 42v1-10 in the Bible - one of the Bible readings from Church last night - a prophecy about Jesus which was fulfilled as we see in the New Testament accounts of Jesus' life, death and resurrection:
“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”
5 This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6 “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6 “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
8 “I am the Lord; that is my name!
I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
9 See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you.”
I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
9 See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you.”
10 Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise from the ends of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,
you islands, and all who live in them.
his praise from the ends of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,
you islands, and all who live in them.
Bottom Line for me as I read this - This is the heart, character and power of the God in whom I put my trust... YEP I'M HAPPY TO LET HIM TAKE CHARGE TODAY!
As I surrendered my plans to him I felt more at peace. Trusting him with my work load and 'agenda' actually made me more available to follow his plan. It was definitely a more satisfying day today. My weariness did not last all day either - in fact I became more energised through the day as I experienced doing life WITH God, rather than on my own.
I'm excited to keep growing closer to God through this!
God provided a way for a group of young people and I to meet together to share our grief and encourage each other As we prayed together and shared, we were all so inspired by Zac as we reflected on his life, that we were energised to really live passionately for Jesus, to love and rejoice in Him. This was a gift, and it reminded me that God's people are a gift from God to help us draw nearer to him - we need each other. So please ask someone trustworthy for help/support if you need/want it. And ask God at the same time - he is able and willing to provide - after all, it is Surrender December so it's a good time to go to God first [anytime is really ;)]
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Surrender December
Tragedy brings perspective - the realisation that we need to let go of the things that are meaningless and life-draining, in order to cling to the source of Life.
This year I've faced many big changes in my life. As exciting as they were, they were also scary and quite stressful. Being the passionate, energetic person I am, who loves new things and possibilities, I dove right into my new work and surroundings with dedication. Though I started out with passion, and a desire to bring honour to Jesus through what I was doing, the stress and demands of juggling all the new things made me anxious and fearful. The craziness of my life swept me up and I doggy-paddled hard with my own strength just to survive. But survival is now the full life Jesus saved me for - he saved me for a fulfilling relationship with him. I've been growing increasingly more dissatisfied with the way I am handling my life, so I've been started making steps to put ALL my life back in Jesus' hands.Yesterday a young guy, who's path I had crossed various times back in Port Macquarie, was killed by a shark while he was surfing with some mates. His name is Zac Young. A family member of a friend, and a great friend and inspiration to many other people I love. After hearing the news and now hearing so many stories of his influence in people's lives from the great love he had from and in Jesus - the passion, dedication and deep trust he had in Jesus - it was even more evident to me that I need more Jesus in my life and less of me. I was inspired by Zac to treasure Jesus more and seek Jesus' first.
Tonight as I sat in church, the phrase 'Surrender December' rang so loudly in my ears - so here making a conscious decision to dedicate December to re-learning one precious gift of a day at a time what it is to surrender my whole life to Jesus, the one who gives LIFE in place of my so called version of 'life'.
I wanted to share this with you because maybe you've been facing some anxious times, or been working hard to make life work and it's just not working [notice that menacing word 'work'!] Maybe you have found life in Jesus, but have let some things come before your relationship with Him. Maybe you turned away from Jesus or have never known Him. Wherever you're 'at' right now, the days coming towards Christmas are a great opportunity to make space for discovering or rediscovering this God Man who satisfies the soul, brings healing to the broken-hearted, can reconcile the seemingly irreconcilable, and love like no other. Perhaps this Christmas will end up being an even more meaningful and treasured time in our lives because we Surrendered December to Jesus.
If you want to join in you are very welcome to - you don't even have to tell me, but it would surely be an encouragement to have some fellow travellers or at least people cheering me on to stick with it.
So let's start - I'm starting by surrendering 'Surrender December' to Jesus, asking him to take charge of this idea and to strengthen me to stick with it each day, as well as making it such a transforming time that it will last beyond December.
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