Hang in there {A Girl in the Middle}

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Hang in there!

(google it)

Philippians 4: 6-7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication  with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I had just finished a photo session when I was getting back in my car and looked up. Allergies in my home foster a love/hate relationship with spring time. But spring is definitely in the air, longer days are on tap for us to enjoy more outside time and the pollen abounds as it does its job opening the budding tree leaves. It’s beautiful!

Putting my camera away I noticed something kind of out of place in my bright spring frame, so I adjusted my focus and took one more shot.

I’ve overlooked the photo a few times while in my editing program, it’s not perfect-maybe even a bit tainted, but it’s so fitting for life.

At least for me.

A  lone leaf dangles lifelessly amid the blossoming buds.

I’m glad that spring brings promise of new life. I love the colors decorating the trees and skies from what an old crayon might deem, “Dead Brown.”

That does get old.

But that old, dead, brown leaf hanging in there by its last breath causes me pause.

Life leaves us hanging a lot, and if you’re like me, we goggle it.

Engine Light comes on: google it.

Fever in baby: google it.

Taxes: google it.

Cancer: google it.

Classmate dead: google it.

Amber alert: google it.

Tons of traffic on familiar route: google it.

Don’t get me wrong, google it is not a bad thing, but ‘bad’ is so easily accessible.  Social media is filled with details of others’ demise that have nothing to do with our lives, and yet leave us with ill-effect. It can steal time from where time should be spent, and it all too often really does steal our joy.

Where you should be. Where you can, and need to, make a difference. Where life’s purpose is well spent. Where it matters most. Be there. 

That leaf reminds me of what unnecessary, unuseful and unimportant information crowds into my heart as it ushers in fear.

And silently steals my joy and peace.

I need joy and peace in my life.

How are you feeling with the time you’re spending on social media?

How often to you expend energy to google something,  something you have no power or responsibility to change?

Do you ever catch yourself saying, “This is a waste of time?”

At what cost?

Who did you ignore, what needful conversation wasn’t had,  what did you not take time for in lieu of  spending your energy foolishly?

What feelings and thoughts are evoked in your heart as you scroll Facebook, IG and the like? 

I recall a time the Lord clearly showed me how  I was being judgmental about what I was reading from some people (Fruit Loops instead of Captain Crunch-how dare she?).  I jest, but barely. It wasn’t good for my heart. It wasn’t good for my relationship with anyone, let alone the one who matters most. 

It wasn’t a matter of  right, wrong or indifferent. It was affecting MY life in a negative way. It was not drawing me closer to the Lord, my inward or outward actions were not bringing anyone to the Lord.  Simply, it was not edifying in my life. 

That’s not ok!

Do I think there’s good to be had on google and on facebook, instagram etc?

YES-a resounding YES!

I love hard. I’m a loyal friend and I FEEL my friends’ hurts deeply.

I also rejoice with them greatly as they share things, often wishing I was there to jump around and hug their necks in the process.

I see photos that etch images in my mind and across my heart.  I recall those faces in prayer-often.

I foster relationships with those I hold dear, and I make new friends.

If you know me, you realize I don’t treat my friendships lightly; I’m no fair-weather friend.

My facebook has been a lifeline to my heart this past year as my family has needed so many prayers.

There’s a legion of prayer warriors on my friends’ list. Oh, thank You, Lord!

Life wouldn’t be the same without them.

Truly.

So, yes, yes, yes, there is so much good to be had, and I know when there’s something the Lord wants to use for our good, there’s a battle to ruin it. Sometimes a very camouflaged  battle.

That’s why I want to encourage you to check yourself.

That leaf hanging on for dear life is fragile.

Fragile.

It could be representative of someone in your life who needs prayer, who needs a miracle, who needs to see the Lord in you…

I implore you to protect your heart and prayerfully spend your limited  time wisely. Be that light.  Send a note. Deliver a meal. Take time for coffee.

Make that phone call. Pray-really pray.

Maybe you emphasize most with the dried up, hanging on by a stem, leaf. 

It could be you; overwhelmed, over tired and over extended.

Reach out to someone personally. Real in a bit and spend alone time with the Lord.

Turn off the computer.

Rest.

That leaf in the frame of surrounding beauty could be a distraction.

Are you  missing spring’s beauty all around you by getting stuck on winter’s past. On what you see drifting away but you don’t want to go?

Flashing stories scroll down your computer screen faster than pollen through the air right now, and all you see is “Dead Brown” all around you…but that’s not reality.

Reality gets clouded by what’s so easy to see when we take our focus off  what’s eternally important.

We don’t take lightly the reality of broken or troubled relationships and hurt all around.

God is able, and He is faithful.

But, don’t set yourself up to ‘hang in there’ if there’s just too much heaviness on your heart; it’s ok to need and to get help.

Even so, we should watch where we fix our gaze. We are wise to be careful  where we idle our mind.  Don’t miss the beauty that envelopes about. There is  good in the, now.

It’s a tough balance.

I want to be faithful to use the gifts the Lord has given,  for His good, and I think you probably do, too.

That requires personal sacrifice and determination.  It will require  an alignment of responsibility, faithfulness, and priority in our dedication to love and obey the Lord.

It’s a tough commitment.

Impossible venture  without the power of God in our lives, yet this- and more- is completely  possible when we live in and with Him.  I can, you can, do all things with Christ.

That is what I pray for  myself, and that is what I pray for each of you tonight.

Faithful. Responsible. Relationships. Honoring to the Lord. 

Good goal.