"The Woman I Want To Be" series (5)

 The woman who is sensitive to the needs of others.

  We are instructed in 1 Peter 5:7 to cast all our cares upon you because you care for us. I want to be able to truthfully say I care for others just like you do Father. Let me live out the evidence of my love for you by taking active measures to feed your sheep as well as attend to those yet to become members of the fold. I refuse to be a self-centered, self-serving, self-absorbed waste of your creative energy. I refuse to lay the negative example of seeking to satisfy my wants and what I assume are needs, prior to doing what you desire. Use me as your instrument of encouragement, replenishment and healing, that my arms may ever be open to those you send to me and my heart ever unbiased to attend to them effectively. Let me make conscious effort to prioritize the well-being of your creations over my comfort and convenience and let me not turn away any person whom you have put me in the position to help.

I see humanity the way You do and do all I can to get them closer to fathoming your love.

I can say that this was probably one of the toughest for me...but then, that's why i'm not doing it on my own. I've met folks who feel insulted when you try to help them, and then there are others who have so many trust issues that any gesture just has to have an ulterior motive. Some imagine they can take advantage of you and make you their doormats while some others want to be spoon-fed till their old and gray.

And i could go on and on....

For awhile, i really struggled with trying to figure out how to handle each situation in the best way possible. Problem was, i had no idea what the best way was. Now though, thanks to a better understanding of God's word, i've realised there's always an answer in scripture with directives on how to respond to some tight situations where you're torn between being a 'good Christian' and just getting yourself frustrated. There are several occasions where a thorough analysis of the situation and careful plotting of an appropriate reaction doesn't help none. Just let Him lead you. Whether you're clueless or feel you can handle it yourself. My recommendation is that we just get into the word. Get in deep until we know it on a sub-conscious level so that when some cases arise and we're not-so-sure how to handle it, all the Holy Spirit need do is remind us of the things already buried in our hearts and give us guidance on how to apply them to the situation.

Well, i hope the series so far has been an encourager and blessing to someone. I might not complete it till October though, for variety sake. ;)
Anyway, I totally look forward to an amazing September with you all. Peace! :D

xxx, Kwiksie.~

Take My Son

Hi all! Happy not-so-new-month of February. I hope the month's been going real smooth for you, and if it hasn't...hang in there.

On this post i just want to pass across a very important message (many of you might have heard it before--but i know there are tons who are yet to.) ^_^

To be very honest, i wish i could say i came up with this story illustration---but i absolutely did not. :D I happened to be privileged enough to stumble across it a number of years ago and decided to share it. But then, i digress....;) Look, all i can tell you is it's beautiful (at least to me) and the ending is so very unexpected...

Take my Son

 

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war.  He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door.  A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life.  He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art."  The young man held out this package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man.  He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me.  It's a gift."

The father hung the portrait over his mantle.  Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings.  Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel.  "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?"

 

There was silence.

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one."

But the auctioneer persisted. "Will somebody bid for this painting. Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?"

Another voice angrily. "We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!"

But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

"We have $10, who will bid $20?"

"Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters."

"$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?"

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son.

They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!"

A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now let's get on with the collection!"

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over."

 

"What about the paintings?"

"I am sorry.  When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will.  I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned  Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.

The man who took the son gets everything!"

God gave His son over 2,000 years ago to die on the cross.  Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: 

"The son, the son, who'll take the son?"

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son...gets everything.

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE (John 3:16)...that's love.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You know what's so striking about the truth? The fact that it IS truth!!!

Too often we find ourselves trying so hard to 'get in' on all the amazing, desirable, 'good stuff' God has made available to us on earth; yet,we try even harder to skip out or avoid the things that please Him the most. Our selfishness makes it easy for us to make zero effort at valuing that which our generous and extra loving father holds dear to His heart; all too many of us are interested in is 'getting' and the only things some of us give a second glance at are the flashy, mega-flambuoyant and impressive trimmings of things that often lack any real substance.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Please, think on it. In the end, our individual relationships with Christ is all that really matters. Plus, the only way we're going to gain access to everything that's worth anything, is through Him.

It's pretty short and simple story. Hope you enjoyed it and kindly SHARE IT WITH SOMEONE (PLEASE)!

You never know just who might need to hear these words----right about now. :)

God bless.

xxx, Kwiksie~