Deo Volente

Now listen, you who say "Today or tomorrow we will go to this city, spend a year there, carry on business & make money" why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say "If it is the Lord's will, we will live & do this or that".  James 4:13-15

Deo Volente or "God willing" might just be my first tattoo.
But probably not. Still working on that whole commitment thing.
Ok seriously though, I am such a fool! *smh*
Thinking that my future is in my control...oh Annie...
It says right there in James that it's even the Lord's will that I live today!
yikes.
Good thing he isn't holding yesterday against me.

I worry like it's my job, hold onto anxiety like it's a soft, cuddly blanket, & I let fear of the future get me in one of those half-nelson holds (thats a thing right?)
And that's no way to live. Trust me.
Whenever my life has been a wreck or my circumstances seem overwhelming, it's because I took myself there.
It's because I told God, "Move over buddy, I can drive this vehicle" (right off a cliff I can drive it).
When life is messy, it's because of me.
When life is beautiful & clear it is because of him.
Therefore, his will > my will.

Which is why I need Deo Volente tattooed somewhere that I will always see it.
Apparently I need to be reminded of this on a daily basis or I start drowning in anxiety.
He's got this! Why would I hold on when he will do it for me? That's absurd!
God willing, I will live a long & happy life.
Doing what, I have no idea. And that's ok.
Today I am thankful he willed me to wake up, eat a bagel, drink some coffee, read his word, & type a funny blog entry.
Hope tomorrow goes just as well.

THE END

Listen

I'm so busy listening to what other people say about me or the things I think about myself, that I have forgotten how to listen for the Lord.

His voice should drown out all others. His words ringing clear. They are life-giving words.

What he says about me is the only truth. 

Christmas: The Best Defense to Satan's Offense

I've made a major life decision.

Growing up, Christmas season didn't begin until the day after Thanksgiving.
It was all I knew. Tradition.
I have been a follower of this reasoning until this year.
Until two days ago actually.
But then, I decided that starting Christmas season before Thanksgiving didn't slight turkey day in the least!
In fact, now, the holiday is included in my most favorite kind of season! Christmas season!

I decided to go ahead & begin listening to Christmas music, to buy some presents, plan a few parties, put up decorations earlier this year all because it is something that brings great joy into my life.
These days it gets dark outside by 6pm (which is super depressing) & I'm not going to find myself in the same dark place (literally & figuratively) as last year.
It's going to be a happy winter for me & I don't know a better way to kick it off than by stirring up a little Christmas spirit!

After all, Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ.
Christ who saves me daily from the filthy pit of my own mind.
Who gives me the strength to battle Satan & the deteriorating thoughts he fills my head with every day.
By embracing Christ, his birth, his life, his death, how will I have time to buy into the lies that Satan is forever whispering in my ear?
I won't!

This fight for my peace of mind, for my sanity, for my happiness is really a battle for my life.
In her book "Battlefield of the Mind" Joyce Meyer says this about Satan's war tactics:
     Satan begins by bombarding out minds with cleverly devised patterns of irritation, dissatisfaction, doubts, fears, & reasonings.  He moves slowly & cautiously (after all, well-laid plans take time).  he is never in a hurry to inject unholy, self-centered thoughts into our heads.  If we don't kick them out, they stay.  and Satan can continue his evil destructive plan.

I'm not letting him own my mind anymore.
I'm fighting back.
And my first move is to bring Christmas around early this year.
No one can be full of anxiety or worry while listening to the N*Sync Christmas album!
Plus, Charles Dickens says to keep Christmas in your heart all the year.
Who I am to argue with Dickens?!