It's Not About Me

“Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.” –1 Corinthians 1:31

Our youngest child celebrated her 26th birthday this week. Of course, I remember the day well! I also remember the day before and the excitement leading up to her birth. Yet for me and most moms, when the child is born none of what happened before matters any more. We turn all our focus on the child. All the celebrating is for the child, and we thank God for her. Moms know, “It’s not about me.”

Think about what actors, musicians, and professional athletes say when they receive an award or win a game. They’re proud of their win and are also usually quick to thank their families, their teammates, and everyone else who helped them reach success. Some of them thank God for the talent that got them there. They don’t brag about themselves; they know, “It’s not just about me.”

We can adopt this same attitude regarding our achievements. Our Lord created each of us and gifted us with a particular set of skills and talents. He has placed people here to journey with us. We feel proud of our achievements, and we thank God for the opportunities, ability, and drive to achieve what we believe He wants us to at each stage of our life. We know we don’t do it on our own. 

We praise God for His gifts, thank Him for everything, and say, “It’s not about me.”

John the Baptist could have said, “It’s not about me.” John’s mission was to direct people to Jesus. He could humbly say he succeeded if all of his followers left him to follow Jesus. 

Jesus could have said, “It’s not about me.” Everything Christ did, He did to bring us closer to the Father. He praised the Father and thanked Him for hearing Him when He performed miracles. He didn’t do anything for His own glory. He showed us how to love as God loves: to sacrifice for each other, to show kindness even to those who aren’t kind to us, to love even those who don’t love us, and to forgive those who hurt us. Christ teaches us that imitating Him will bring us closer to the Father. He wants us to experience the Father’s immense Love and Peace.

Let’s follow these examples. Let’s give God credit for His gifts, His guidance, and His Love. When we celebrate any milestone or achievement, let’s turn our focus on Him, thank Him and say, “It’s not about me.”

“Thank You, Lord.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

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p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

Take a Day to Unwrap Your Gifts

 

“The sabbath was made for people…” –Mark 2:27

When our four kids were little and I was a stay-at-home mom, I needed to make Sundays different from the rest of the week. Otherwise, the week would feel like one long continuous day, without a break. So, Sunday was the day for church, an easy supper, and no laundry. Church: I set aside one hour a week to formally thank God for everyone and everything we have. Supper: The family God gave me needed to be fed, and on Sundays I kept it simple. Laundry: This never-ending chore could be done the other days of the week. Making Sundays different helped me feel a bit rested come Monday morning.

What does this verse in Mark’s gospel mean, ‘the sabbath was made for people’? Look at it this way: What would happen if you didn’t insist your toddler take a nap or go to bed at night? Is it cruel to demand that he stop playing and go to sleep? No; you know that the child needs to rest to have the energy to run and play when he’s awake.

God designated the sabbath as a day of rest for our benefit. We slow down to relax, talk, listen, and laugh with each other, and thank God for gifting us with each other. Also, He wasn’t talking about neglecting the people around us (see Mark 3:4). For example, there’s much work inherent with raising children that could be called Love in Action: tasks like feeding them, reading to them, hiking and playing with them, and teaching them. If you love to cook and it doesn’t feel like work to you, then this could be the day the whole family shares in the creative fun of preparing dinner together. And if your employer requires you to go to work on Sunday (or Saturday if that’s your sabbath), and not showing up would cause you to lose the job that allows you to provide for your family, then you may designate a different day as your sabbath. 

There’s more to it than not working, too. It’s acknowledging that God created all people and all of nature. It’s ‘taking church outside’ by making space in our hearts for the people around us and seeing the wonders of the natural world as exactly that – wonders.  

The point is to set aside time to rest, recharge, and refresh our bodies, our minds, and our spirits so as to strengthen our relationships with each other and with our Lord. 

It’s taking one day a week to unwrap and see as new the countless gifts God has given us, and thanking Him for all of them.

“Lord, thank You for insisting we take time to rest.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

You Don't Have to Have all the Answers

“I delight to do Your will.”  –Psalm 40:9

There’s something about hanging up the January calendar that offers us a bit of tranquility, along with hope and anticipation. The rows of empty squares are a welcome sight after the holidays: the hustle and bustle are over and we settle back into familiar, comfortable routines. Also, you may be looking forward to discovering what the new year holds; you may look inside yourself and contemplate what you’d like the months ahead to look like. 

Even if you’re content with life on the outside – your job, home, and leisure activities – there’s something deep inside of you that wants to BE more (see the reflection I wrote last week). You know from past experience that you feel most fulfilled when you give of yourself, and you’re looking for some direction as to what that could look like in the coming year. No matter your work or state in life, you have a deep desire to feel that you’re contributing to the good of your world. You’re longing for peace.

 “Be still, and know that I am God.” –Psalm 46:10

Christ is goodness, love, generosity, patience, and kindness. Take some time each day to be quiet, and trust our Lord to guide you. Take each day, each moment, as it comes, and choose whatever it is that is most loving, generous, patient, and kind in that moment. Each step will bring you closer to the Peace you’re longing for. 

Keep in mind that you don’t have to see the end of the tunnel before you take the first step. You don’t have to have all the answers before starting. You don’t have to have everything in your own life figured out and straightened out before you can give to others. Just take the next loving step. 

Remember that Mary and Joseph didn’t have all the answers when baby Jesus was born. Even they had to take life one moment at a time. Jesus grew up like any other boy, learning from His parents how to get along with others, learning a trade, and learning about God. They trusted that God would guide them, one day and one step at a time, toward Him and His plan for their lives – to teach us how to find fulfillment and peace by serving others… 

…one moment at a time.

“Lord, help me choose what is most loving, one step at a time.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

 

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

Focus on Being Instead of Doing

 

“...we shall be like Him…” –1 John 3:2

Early January is as good a time as any to make a new year’s resolution. Many resolutions revolve around making some kind of change in what we do. Exercising, quitting smoking, picking up a hobby, and spending less money are a few common goals people set for the coming year.

While those goals may be healthy and valuable, how about trying a different approach?  Make a resolution that focuses more on your interior and less on your exterior. Strive to be more rather than to do more. 

We know that we were created in God’s image. If we want to ‘be more like God’ – and God is Love – then we want to be more loving. 

What does this look like?

“Love is patient and kind. It’s not jealous, it doesn't brag, it’s not arrogant, it’s not rude, it doesn’t seek its own interests, it’s not quick-tempered, it doesn’t brood over injury, it doesn’t rejoice over wrongdoing…”  (See 1 Corinthians 13:4-6)

Choose one virtue to cultivate this year. Choose the one that struck a chord with you when you read this verse from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. This will give you a starting point.

Do you want to be more kind, considerate, generous, and helpful? Do you want to be less arrogant and less self-centered? Do you want to be a better listener and break the rude habit of interrupting when someone is speaking? Making a deliberate decision to grow in a particular virtue will help you be more mindful of your actions.

Also, be sure to encourage yourself. Look in the mirror and smile! See a patient person, a kind person, an even-tempered person. It’s amazing how much we believe what we tell ourselves, and we act according to what we believe. So, remind yourself often that you’re becoming a more loving person, and let Christ fill you with His joy and His peace over this. Your desire to become more like Him is something to celebrate!

Be mindful of your goal and over time the virtue you wanted to cultivate will become a greater part of who you are. Then, at the end of the year, you will be able to look back and see that, yes, you have grown. You are more like Him: you’re more loving, more joyful, and more peaceful. 

What a wonderful way to be through the year.

“Lord, shine Your light on how I may be more like You.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome!

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

P.s.  We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:  https://www.paypal.com/donate/...