cheer up buttercup

You know, we all have so much on our plate. So many responsibilities with so many people depending on us. I feel the pressure too. But the good news is we are here for each other! So many of you commented, in my last blog post, that it helped to read the thoughts that each sister shared and what y’all are facing. So cheer up buttercup! Together we are going to face some of these life-issues, heart to heart, with a little sass thrown in! That’s right Sistah! We aren’t gonna take these things lying down! NAW-AWW! Nope! Not even! We’ve got God on our side!  Yee to the Haw! He didn’t give us His Word just to look purdy on paper! No! His Word is alive with power to move mountains! ( Matthew 17:20) We need to grab hold of God’s Word with faith as if our life depended on it…because it does. Here are some scriptures I depend on and say all the time:

  • “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13)
  • “Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4)
  • “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.” (Isaiah 54:17)
  • “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Here’s the thing! I’ve learned that there’s something God wants us to learn in every situation. A lesson if you will. It’s an opportunity to trust God, have faith and gain a little-bit-O-wisdom! A golden nugget of wisdom that we can use as a stepping stone to help others down the road.

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During the summer I gained a little-bit-O-wisdom that would have otherwise gone over my head like lofty clouds floating in the summer sky.

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Here’s what happened: In the spring I planted my container garden just outside my kitchen door: tomatoes, peppers, basil, parsley, mint, rhubarb, and strawberries. But then in early June I left on a trip for ten days. And it rained and rained and rained. When I returned I could not believe the weeds that had grown everywhere! Even in my containers! Lord-a-Mercy! (As my mama in law would say!) Of course coming home from a trip I had to restock the house with groceries, unpack and do laundry. No time for weeding so the weeds kept growing. It rained some more. The weeds kept growing. I pulled a muscle in my back and was out of commission for a week. The weeds kept growing. Then it rained some more. Finally, on a bright and sunny day I was able to get out on my deck to tackle the tangle of weeds and to prune my overgrown tomato jungle.

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I noticed that my rhubarb plant hadn’t grown much. It was very clear why. The weeds had begun to choke it. The weeds were taking over and consuming all of the nutrients, space and water.  Then it struck me. That is how life is sometimes! When we get our priorities out of sync, the wrong things start to grow, choking out the best that God has planned for us.

  • At home, when we neglect to keep some kind of routine to maintain household order, eventually everything becomes cluttered, disorganized, dirty and out of control: the laundry, the closets, the rooms.  Then that disorder affects our emotions, our peace, our joy ( been there, done that, got the T-shirt!).
  • In our relationships,  when we are distracted or when we say “yes” to too many things, leaving no time for nurturing our husband or kids, then the weeds of tension can easily grow.
  • When we allow the weeds of busyness to fill up our day, leaving no time to spend with the Lord, we miss out on closeness with Him, His comfort and clear direction.
  • Worry, discontentment, ungratefulness, unforgiveness and bitterness are weeds that choke out the goodness in our life.

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“Control your environment or your environment will control you”

~ J. Duplantis

When our life is overwhelmed with so many “weeds” what’s a gal to do?

1. Get back to basics: First, decide what’s most important. Take some time to take inventory of your life. Answer these questions; what kind of person do you want to be. How do you want your home to look and feel. What kind of wife and mother do you want to be? This will give you a target to aim for. This will help you create priorities.

Then create a checklist of standards (a rule or code that you want to live by) for yourself, your home, your spiritual life, your health, your relationships. Keep it really simple.

Then once your standards are listed and it’s time to implement them, don’t allow your “I don’t feel like doing that right now” feelings control you. These are “weeds” that will interfere with your best life.

We have to tell ourselves that we made a commitment and we are going to stick to it. That’s called discipline and integrity.

For example, if one of our spiritual standards is that we are going to give God the first few minutes of each morning and we make a committment to get up early for devotions, then we can’t allow ourselves to hit the snooze button to sleep in. No one says it’s going to be easy, but the rewards will bless your life more than you can imagine!

I love what Andy Andrews said “Can you make yourself do what you don’t want to do to get the result you want?” Yes we can!

2. Seek wisdom. There are so many tools out there that can help you get rid of “weeds” in every area of our life. Of course the best source of wisdom is The Bible and along with that there are books, podcasts, sermons, and blogs. I listen to podcasts and audiobooks every single day and I can’t even tell you how they have changed my life for the better.

3.  Start: Pick an area in your life that needs attention and start small. Focus on it. Be consistent. Pull those weeds. Clear away the stuff that is hindering you from living your best and most fruitful life.  “Mile by mile it’s a trial; yard by yard it’s hard; but inch by inch it’s a cinch.” ~unknown

4. Practice gratitude. If you want a life filled with goodness, thank The Lord for the goodness He has already blessed you with. Keep the weeds of complaining and discontentment out of out of your thoughts.  There are people right now laying in a hospital bed, wishing, hoping, praying they could have their “normal” life back.

5. Think good thoughts. Be mindful of what you’re thinking about. Our thoughts determine whether we will have a positive or negative attitude. Our thinking creates the pathway to success or failure. What you think about yourself has such a significant affect on your life. “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.” Proverbs 23:7  You need to be your own best friend and speak to yourself with words of encouragement. Give yourself a pep-talk every day!  “If you’ll change your thinking, you’ll change your actions, and that will change your outcomes which will change your life.” ~Michael Hyatt

“Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].” Philippians 4:8  Look for the good in people and in your life.

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Whatever you’re going through—trust that God has a plan. Don’t allow the weeds of doubt to grow in your heart.God never says “oops!”. He already has everything all figured out. Keep Him first in your life and trust Him. GOD LOVES IT WHEN WE TRUST HIM!

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Be willing to work for what you want.

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“Let us not become weary in doing good,

for at the proper time

we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9


You my Sugar Pie are strong, brave, precious and beautiful. God has given you the ability to accomplish great things! If you feel like a failure you’re not!! We all fall down sometimes. Don’t give up!  Pull up your cute cowgirl bootstraps! Get back on that horse… you have an amazing destiny waiting for you! Happy Trails darlin’! 

God Bless your darlin’ heart!

Aunt Ruthie

 

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