“…for I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able to keep
that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
2 Timothy 1:12
It is so easy in this life for me to over commit myself. Mary, will you do this? Sure, I’ll try. Mary, can you help with ________? (fill in the blank) OK, no problem. There is this committee meeting and that practice and before you know it, I am pretty irritated with the entire mess! But fortunately, my true commitment isn’t on this earth! It is with Him and to Him. Praise the Lord!
I read the most beautiful post this morning, written by Stephanie at A Defined Life. You know, it is easy to keep STUFF. We might need it. We are emotionally attached to it. It might come in handy one day. Yes, all of these things are true…but sometimes, it is good to get rid of stuff. It is good to rid our homes (attics, storage units, etc. included) of the emotionally charged items that really no longer serve a purpose.
A few years ago, one of my sisters and I went to visit our parents and help them go through some things. We did not get anywhere near completing the task, but we did make a small dent. (Now they can use the garage for the intended purpose!) It was an emotional process, but a good one. So, I ask myself…what am I holding on to that I should let go of? Where is my real commitment? It isn’t on this earth…”for I KNOW whom I have believed!” Thank you Stephanie, for a beautiful reminder!
Lord, I am so grateful for the reminded that my commitment lies in and with you. Thank you for the gentle reminder I had when I read Stephanie’s post. Thank you for the blessings that you have given me and the opportunity I have to be on vacation this week. Please bless my family, especially be with Andy and please bless my blog friends.
What about you? Where is your commitment? Do you find it easy to “over commit?
Have a blessed day!
A few years ago, one of my sisters and I went to visit our parents and help them go through some things. We did not get anywhere near completing the task, but we did make a small dent. (Now they can use the garage for the intended purpose!) It was an emotional process, but a good one. So, I ask myself…what am I holding on to that I should let go of? Where is my real commitment? It isn’t on this earth…”for I KNOW whom I have believed!” Thank you Stephanie, for a beautiful reminder!
Lord, I am so grateful for the reminded that my commitment lies in and with you. Thank you for the gentle reminder I had when I read Stephanie’s post. Thank you for the blessings that you have given me and the opportunity I have to be on vacation this week. Please bless my family, especially be with Andy and please bless my blog friends.
What about you? Where is your commitment? Do you find it easy to “over commit?
Have a blessed day!
A wonderful reminder, Mary! It is good to examine ourselves and our faith. I am certainly in that process and eager to let go the things that are blocking HIs plan for my life.
Hey Mary, first of all, I love you blog design–so cheery yet so tastefully done, and the title, so creative, so clever, so, so TRUE! Where in the world did you get that idea or did I miss a song or poem or something along the way? smile
Love your post for today. I had way more trouble with this when I was younger and had more energy. It gets easier to say "no" as you get older–don't know if that is a good thing or not.
About the stuff–I wrote a post about that very thing sometime ago and need to go back and hunt it up. Yes, we should be about the "incorruptible."
I have boxes and boxes from after our parents died that I still need to go through and it has been 16 years and 13 years–so you see, it does no good to keep all that "emotionally charged" stuff–in fact, sometimes it drains life out of us just knowing we need to go "through it." I am not referring to ALL of it–just the bulk of it.
What would I do without quotation marks?
Thanks for your visit to my blog today. This was a great post–can't wait to get over to Stephani's!
Love,
Dianne
Learning to say "no" with grace is something that you learn to do over time. It's OK to say no and not feel guilty. By accepting every request, you may be keeping someone else who really needs that job from doing it. I know it hard to say no, but sometimes you just have to do so.
Mary! Thanks so much for your kind comments. I'm so glad you got something out of my post. I am amazed by what God can teach me through the simplest things if I will just keep my heart open to him. He's teaching me much these days. This life is preparing us for the next so I think it's important to not let things go by unnoticed. God can use anything to mold us into the people we were meant to be! ~ Grace and peace!
Hello Mary,
I've just been taking advantage of some down time here to catch up on some blog reading. I've enjoyed catching up on what has been going on with you over the last month. I've missed you…but so glad to read how the Lord has been guiding you through the times you understand and the times you don't. Especially glad to learn that your dad is doing well. I pray he continues and I know how grateful you are that your brother lives close that he can check on your dad.
Glad also that you will have some down time of your own to be able to put your home back in order before you start your new job. Looking forward to hearing how the new job is going once you do start. 🙂
And yes…I find myself over committing. It is something I struggle with, but am S L O W L Y learning that it is best to say, "I'd love to, but I'm not able at this time" rather than making everyone else around me a nervous wreck because I have extended myself beyond my abilities.
Great to be back in touch again! I still have one more trip to Maine (we live in WV) to be with our granddaughters and one more visit from our grandson before the summer is over. After that it will just be back to our normal routines of caring for our parents.
Yes, yes, yes!!! I have not popped over in a while and need to catch up. Needless to say, I am praying for you.
Did you get my email response to yours?