The Armor of God

June 8, 2017

Have you ever noticed how fleeting a good mood can be? You wake up with a smile on your face, you only had to microwave your coffee once, and no one spilled juice on the floor during breakfast. You're in a great mood! Then...bam! It's gone. Someone calls and gives you bad news. One of your kids smacks you in the face with a toy "by accident". There goes that juice in the floor. Whatever happens to kill that wonderful mood you started out with happens quickly and is such a bummer.

My mood killer today was insecurity. I work with family, and it's easy to take things to heart when you work closely with those you love. Instead of taking criticism or instructions like a big girl, I have a tendency to assume the person giving them isn't treating me as they should. As a result, I go from "best day ever" to "no one loves me and everything is terrible" in 3.7 seconds.

Now, I'm not one to blame Satan for everything. Yes, he loves to wreak havoc, but he is not the sole reason for every bad thing that happens to us. Today, however, I am calling him out. Not only did I wake up in a good mood this morning. I woke up feeling the Spirit. I was ready to go out into the world like I had just had breakfast with Jesus. I was ready to be a light for others around me. He knew this, and was determined to throw as many of his flaming arrows at me as possible. After multiple phone calls, employees with bad attitudes, and a headache that just won't quit, he broke through. The good mood was gone, and I felt so defeated.

In Paul's letter to the Ephesians, he warns us who the enemy really is and how he tries to wriggle his way out of the dark into the light. Our struggle, my struggle, is not against flesh and blood. It is not against employees or family members. No, my struggle is against the devil and everything he uses to bring me down. Thankfully, I believe in a God that saves me over and over again on a daily basis. He equips us with the armor we need to deflect the enemy. All we need to do is remember to put it on.

As my demeanor continued to deflate, I stopped to pick up what God gave me -- the helmet of salvation and the shield of faith. In her study Armor of God, Priscilla Shirer points out that "our head can be stuck on an idea or a pattern of thinking that is detrimental to us, or rationalizing specific behaviors.  Our head can be stuck and we just can't seem to get it free." This was me this morning with my "woe is me" attitude. My mind controls every action I make - both physical and emotional. Therefore, I should guard my mind with the helmet of salvation and walk in the freedom my salvation gives me. My attitude and outward actions should be a direct reflection of Christ and the victory I have in Him. No wonder Satan was trying to drag me down! What better way to lead me astray than to take my mind off of Christ and everything He's done for me than to infiltrate my mind with an idea that just won't quit.

He is cunning, but we can outsmart him and out gun him. Paul tells us to "take up" our shield of faith. When we put our faith into action, we can deflect and extinguish Satan's fiery arrows before they're able to penetrate or even get close to our minds and hearts.  Faith in Christ is knowing that He is the Truth and the Way. Actively living in this faith, or rather willingly following God's word, allows us to defeat the scheming enemy. When we're living in faith, we're walking in the light. When we're walking in light, we're leading fruitful and righteous lives out of reach of Satan's weapons. 

So, I'm done with dodging darts and arrows today. I've got a God that equips me for battle and takes all of my worries and grievances, no matter how trivial. After thanking God for this armor and equipping myself through prayer and gratitude, the good mood is re-established. All the droopiness has been lifted, and the smile I woke up with is back. It also helped that the girl in the McDonald's drive-thru made my iced coffee perfectly. Don't even try to tell me He wasn't listening because getting an iced coffee that doesn't taste like pure sugar from McDonald's is definitely a miracle. :)

Coffee Talk

April 15, 2017

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting 40 days and 40 nights, He was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. 

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'. 

Every morning, I either wake up to a toddler holding my face and telling me he's thirsty or an 11 month old yelling from the nursery - don't worry, they're cute. So, it's totally worth it.  As I attempt to get my eyes open and become coherent, I drag myself out of bed to get the toddler (and myself, who am I kidding?) to the potty. We go greet the little one, change diapers, get dressed for the day, and go downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast. After grabbing juice, milk, yogurt, Puffs, and feeding the cat, I finally get to start a pot of coffee - the life juice that keeps me going.

When I started to think about what to give up for Lent this year, coffee wasn't even on my radar. I've tried giving up food/drink before, and I failed miserably. I was trying to think of something that would bring me closer to the Lord. Something that would remind me to reach for Him - not something that might trim a couple of inches off my waistline or be an afterthought. I thought about this for days, never once consulting God.

On a random day in February, I was headed home from errands and had just gone through Starbucks for a venti iced latte. Both kids were snoozing in the back of the van, so it was actually quiet. I started to think about Lent again.  This time I actually decided to talk to God about it. What can I do, Lord? With a sip of my latte, He answered me. Coffee.

It's the first thing I do for myself in the mornings. When I'm tired or stressed, it's the first thing I reach for throughout the day. When I want to reward myself, I drive through Starbucks. I could feel the Spirit nudging as I took that sip. God wants to be what I reach for at the start of my day. God wants to be what I reach for when I'm tired and stressed. God wants to be what I reach for when I'm happy.  It was like getting hit with a ton of bricks. (I'm still in shock that He answered me. We all want God to speak to us like He did with Moses or Samuel. The fact that I got a push from the Holy Spirit has me awestruck.)

So on the first day of Lent, I was in Disney World. Every park has a Starbucks. I had even packed a custom Disney Starbucks shirt. (I'm not kidding either. #obsessed) But, I stood strong. No coffee. No espresso. I even passed up the French press coffee at Victoria & Albert's that I had been waiting for since we made the reservation last year. It was rough, but it made me lean on God. After returning home, my coffee pot looked so lonely. (As did the Chip coffee cup I bought in Disney.) When I passed it in the mornings, I was reminded to thank Jesus for resisting Satan's temptations in the desert. Every time I drove by Starbucks, I was reminded to thank Jesus for my salvation. It may sound trivial, but to me it was a revelation. Because of this one, insignificant sacrifice I made for 6 weeks, I now remember to reach for God and give thanks in all instances.

Today is Easter. The baby woke up about an hour earlier than usual, so I came down to the kitchen to make the him a bottle. My eyes were half open, and I'm pretty sure I may have missed a couple of steps on the way down from my room. As I poured the milk, I looked out our kitchen window. The most beautiful, pink sunrise was coming up over the mountain. Standing in awe of His glory, I prayed - bottle in hand - and thanked God for giving us His only son. The coffee pot was empty behind me, but the greatest sacrifice ever made was the only thing on my mind.

Thank You for this wonderful day!

January 12, 2017

Today has been a day that just makes me want to throw up. Everything seems to be going ok. I'm up on time, I'm ready on time, both kids are in a good mood...then BAM! The day turns upside down.

7:45 AM: I get the first call in from the restaurant. Story of my life. No big deal. I'll go in and handle it. At least it's not one of the core positions.

4:34 PM: The first shift dishwasher quits because of a misunderstanding.

7:30 PM: Oldest son pees out of his pull-up and refuses to leave the restaurant kitchen.

7:40 PM: Husband thinks I'm angry at him. (I'm not.) He insists I am "bitching" at him. (His words. But, I'm definitely not - though in his defense, I tend to have a rushed/impatient tone. I'm working on this, but I can see sometimes how it would come off wrong.)

7:41 PM: I immediately start crying in the restaurant parking lot upon hearing that I'm "bitching".

7:42 PM: I immediately start choking on phlegm from all the crying and cry more.

8:05 PM: I make a busboy cry. (Ok. This one wasn't my fault. It was his girlfriend's fault, but I accidentally and completely unintentionally set it off.)

My anxiety level has been through the roof. If you look at my FitBit app, you can see my heart rate spike in between 4-5 PM and 6-8 PM. Even now, my resting BPM is super high.

I'm so ready for this day to end, but I need to reflect. As Lysa TerKeurst would say, I need to find thanks in the yuck. This is the day the Lord has made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

So what. It's been a bad day. Most people would look at this day and tell me to suck it up. Heck, I'm looking at this day and wondering why I'm being so whiny.

Philippians 4:4-7 says, " 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

So, let's stop whining and come to God with thanksgiving. 

6:53 AM: The baby wakes up and wants to eat and play. I didn't set my alarm and needed to be up by 7 AM. Not only did I get up early, but I also got extra baby snuggles. 

7:20 AM: The skinny vanilla syrup I made yesterday doesn't suck, and my oatmeal turns out tasting like my great grandmother's used to taste. Yum!

8:45 AM: The toddler wakes up in a great mood! Huzzah! 

9:40 AM: Contemporary Christian Radio on Pandora is really on point today. (I am currently obsessed with Big Daddy Weave.)

12:45 PM: The corn on the buffet is ridiculously good. Freshly shucked corn tastes magical. 

2:00 PM: I get to start a Bible study I've been wanting to try. It starts beautifully and gets me into reading Psalms. Again, I realize how much I love reading the Bible. God's holy word is so refreshing and such a blessing. I'm so glad I chose to stop saying "but, I don't get it" and start reading and making an effort outside of church. My life has changed so much because of it. 

4:40 PM: Regular customer sits at the table where I've been doing my study and wears my glasses as he waits for me to notice he came in while I was in the kitchen. It literally took...like...10 minutes for me to notice he was there, and it was hilarious. 

5:30 PM: The best father-in-law returns to the restaurant and gives me a hug. He's been doing this for 37 years. He totally gets it. 

6:45 PM: We're finally busy! Thank you 60 degree weather in December!

8:09 PM: We close. That speaks for itself after this day. :)

Look at that. That's a good day. Thank you, Lord! Thank you for this wonderful day. I come to you humbled and tired. I come praising you in all your glory. Thank you!

Every single day, I wake up and thank God for another day on this earth. If I could only remember to carry that thanks with me, I will overcome those minutes that make my blood pressure measure off the charts (literally). It will be a learned habit for sure, but it will be greatly needed and comforting.

In the words of my all time favorite on-screen heroine, "Afterall, tomorrow is another day." (Scarlett O'Hara)