Skip to main content

Not the Cup I Asked For

"Lord, you're so good. My cup is so full...it's just...it's not the cup I asked for."

That's what I prayed one evening this week. If life is a party, I had asked for a Shirley Temple and received ginger ale. Ginger ale isn't bad, it just isn't what I asked for. 

Maybe you feel the same way. Maybe you asked to live close to your family and you live across the country, or you wanted a career as a plane pilot and you're working as a used car salesmen. It's not bad, it's just not what you asked for. 

When that happens, we have two choices: give thanks for what we have or stew about what we don't have. This week I was frustrated with the hard parts of my story that I have to deal with...like budgeting and taking out the garbage. So, there I am, telling God about all these things I don't really like, and then my phone buzzed with a kind text message from a friend. Just like that, the Lord reminded me that yes, my life is full and kind of overwhelming sometimes, but there is so much good in it. 

I like every job I currently do. I have good friends and I love my family. My home is perfect for me. I am able to do everything that God has put before me. I am well loved by many, many people. The Lord has not only abundantly provided for all my needs, He has also blessed me with so much that is pleasant and lovely. 

My cup is full. Filled to the brim full. Close to overflowing full. 

"Lord, help me see your goodness. Help me see how good you are to me. I'm sorry that I don't always see it. Please forgive me. Thank you for my friends and family, work and home. You are so good to me. I love you. Amen." 


What I'm Reading Lately 

    • The Unquiet Bones. My mom got me started on a series of books by Mel Starr about a surgeon named Hugh of Singleton in medieval England. So far, I've enjoyed the first book more than the second. 
    • Beautiful Beast by Lucy Anne Holland has been a pleasant, easy read. I believe Lucy is a new author and some foreshadowing would have been helpful to understand the nature/breaking of the curse her heroine is under. But overall I enjoyed this. 
    • The Way of the Wild Flower is newly released by Ruth Cho Simons. It's beautiful and I'm slowly working my way through it. 
    • The Westminster Catechism I've been reading this along with my Bible reading in the morning. It is beautiful and deep and grounding. 

What I'm Enjoying Lately 

    • Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner. I know, I know, natural is supposed to be best...but bleach does kill germs and with cold and flue season I'm a huge fan of dead germs. 
    • Steffany Gretzinger's album The Narrow Way. especially the second track "No Turning Back. 
    • Beeswax candles. 
    • Not buying clothes. Okay, I'm not really enjoying that, but I decided in order "not to be mastered by anything" that I wouldn't buy any new clothes till January. I started in the middle of August. It is teaching me about self control.   
    • Wearing mascara. My sister-in-law generally wears mascara and I've been reminded that putting some effort into looking feminine is worthwhile, so I've taken a page from her book and begun applying mascara in the morning too. 
    • Soup for lunch. 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Actually, I'm engaged

If you are a Christian you are part of the greatest love story every told to mankind. This story begins with God speaking and it ends with an "amen". It's found between the covers of this book called "The Bible" and if you haven't read it I suggest you begin immediately because you will be amazed at the love recorded there. If you are a Christian you are described as a member of God's church and if you are a member of His church you are also part of the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5). You might say that Israel in the Old Testament was God's church and He made His love story very clear to them as well...though not because they deserved it. Song of Solomon tells the deep, intimate love of Christ for His church and the adoration of the church for Jesus; it's the story of how it should always be . Sadly, in a few books later we read a story that is heart wrenching. Ezekiel 16 is titled "The Lord's Faithless Bride" because this bride, t...
2 comments
Read more

a different perspective

Henry was walking quickly down the sidewalk one sunny summer afternoon. He had finished his chores and so his mother had let him go out to the park to play baseball with his friends before Dad came home for supper. Henry was quite excited about this adventure but he stopped suddenly when he passed the white church and saw his pastor sitting on the steps with a downcast expression on his normally joyous face.      "Hi Pastor Clay," Henry greeted him as he came to a complete stop just on the other side of the white fence.      "Hello Henry," Pastor Clay's answer was sad.      "How are you today?" Henry asked again, hoping all was well so that he could go play.      "Oh alright," Pastor Clay answered.     With all his might Henry wanted to nod and smile and be on his way...but he couldn't. Instead, he lifted the gate's latch and walked over to the step. Once there, he seated himself beside the pa...
2 comments
Read more

The lost art of JOY

In my parents' household there is almost always someone smiling, laughing, or doing something amusing. This isn't to say that we don't have serious talks and ponder deep mysteries, but in general there is a lightness about their home that is both welcoming and relaxing. This, however, is not a popular trend in today's culture.   The gift of joy, being able to laugh, and finding pleasure in normal every day things seems to have been drowned in the bottomless pit of  work, raising a family, school, money, and stress. Life is busy and I think everyone can agree with that, however, I don't believe the business is the problem. The issue really is selfishness. Sometimes it takes effort, a lot of effort, to step outside of your stressed out, busy mindset and listen to what your child is saying and laugh . Yes, that's right, it is OK to laugh at the silly things that happen.   I believe my father is becoming a master at this art of laughter.  When the...
2 comments
Read more