I am in this vicinity. Happy-go-lucky and riding on the fast lane is no longer a welcome treat.
Philippine school year has just opened. The easy phase of the summer streets are gone, now replaced with traffic jam.
Coming to work has become a difficult task and it is necessary to leave earlier.
I don't like the rush and if ever I wake up late, I detest having to let my husband take me to the office on the motorcycle.
Way back the younger past,
I loved speed and rode like there was no tomorrow. Where is that braver heart gone? Oh to the nervous lane, I think.
This morning, my husband told me
to wait until he is back. Meaning he will take me to the office with the offensive two-wheeler after having dropped off our oldest granddaughter to Science High. You know what I did? I walked to the nearest Jeepney stop and commuted to the office, without waiting for him to be back.
Pictures of road accidents cloud my mind. I worry about my son when he comes home late. I pray to God, yet I can't rest until I hear him safely in. At a distinct click of the door latch, I thank God and sleep comes like a switch.
Those are lies from the enemy. My peace is blocked by those lies. Why do I worry? Why, when I know my God promised me that I need not let my heart be troubled and to not be afraid? He said, "My peace I give unto you."
Pardon me, my Father, for dwelling in the abode of worry. I can hang on to your promises and believe that nothing escapes your notice. Thank you, Father, that I can trust in You. You have given us peace, peace that surpasses understanding which will be guarding our heart and our mind in Christ Jesus. Help us not to believe in the lies of the enemy. In Jesus Name. Amen.
"Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."~Phil 4:7~
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• Keep yourself in God's love that drives all fear from your life. (Jude 1:20-21)
........LOVE drives out fear.
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The word art/calligraphy is another work of Michael Podesta from the book Alleluia-words of Praise.
Notice how the dove is shown entering the heart. It signifies the peace God promised in John 14:27. It is the Holy Spirit dwelling in our heart...... giving us peace.
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Added:
I should be living in the present, for today is a gift from God. My past has been redeemed and my future is in His hands .
This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)
I should not trade JOY with worries and fears. It might become an idol replacing God at the center of my existence.
“Feed your fears and your faith will starve. Feed your faith, and your fears will.”
― Max Lucado, Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear
Oh, Lolita! I sure do love you. Isn't it something how worry creeps in undetected until it is upon us. It's funny, in certain things I'm in the slower lane at this stage of life, but in others, I like the riskier lane, which I did not like when I was younger. Maturity. I'm so glad to here - finally!
ReplyDeleteThank you for pointing us to Scripture. Timely for me this morning!
It is typical that feeling being afraid for our children. I have three in the philippines and sometimes the enemy put fear in my heart, but thanks be to GOd to remind me that thier lives is in HIs hands. Inspirational post LOlita. Just don't know if I have problems with my net, coz I couødn't see any picture in your post.
ReplyDeleteFacing many bumps in my life's journey, that was how I discovered that the Lord truly never abandons us. He is always faithful whether we are walking on a smooth road or facing bumps ahead. Now, every time worry tries to gain its ground, I think about Phil.4:6,7 knowing that it is His Word that is true. I know that there is no worry that He can't handle for us. It's just a matter of learning to trust Him 100%. God bless.
ReplyDeleteLolita-
ReplyDeleteAh a girl after my own heart! I loved to Drive Fast too!! Thank God I never had an accident, but as my Daddy would say "Now Sister, you best slow it down some, cause I think you do have a Lead Foot!" Yes, I would slow down after a warning from him.
When our son started driving, oh my Lord, I lived in constant fear and dear Lolita-he had "too many" accidents, but nobody was ever hurt!
I recall fussing with a good friend we know and he gave me some words of advice I shall never forget:
"Martha-You will get that call saying He has had a wreck! First thing you ask-Is everyone okay? Then you ask- Are you Hurt?"
After you find out everybody is okay, nothing matters after that! The vehicle can be fixed, but broken bones, well they take a LONG time to mend.
I never Forgot this lesson and it helped me so much during those awful driving years. Now all I can do is ask God to keep him safe.
Sadly I had to Let Go and give him to God. Hard, oh so hard.
I loved this piece Lolita. Truly.
bless you. martha
Diane, good for you, my friend. It is better that way because it can get you to so many places rather than be hindered by uncalled for losing of heart.
ReplyDeleteHaving those little fears brings me to my knees and lift them up to God over and over.... and at the end of my day, I have a lot to thank Him for.
thanks for your love dear, it moves me and boost my spirit a lot.
Love you back.
Joy,
ReplyDeleteMaybe it is the net because we are on the same host....blogger. Perhaps when the connection is good you can see the picture.
Bless you as you continue to trust God in all things where you are and to know that your children here are safe in His care too.
Hugs,
@Rosell,
ReplyDeleteYes, I hang on to Philippians 4:4-6 all the time. It is the top life verse for me.
Amen to that knowledge, Ros, that "there is no worry that He can't handle for us. It's just a matter of learning to trust Him 100%."
Thank you for your presence and for the wisdom.
Oh Martha, my ever daring Texan, I love you and I am relieved I found one on my nervous lane.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to weigh down if it was wise for me to give him the key to the motorcycle, got him his drivers license and all, or not.... if I have to worry all the time.
It is funny because when he was too young, I couldn't wait for him to get a drivers license (to his Dad's amusement). He thought how funny I was then, and now I know what he meant.
I love this and will hang on to it from this day forward:
"Martha-You will get that call saying He has had a wreck! First thing you ask-Is everyone okay? Then you ask- Are you Hurt?"
I will change Martha to Lolita. LOL!
I believe in the wisdom that it is hard for a driver to be in the back seat..... and for me too who is always a passenger. It is okay for me taking a back ride, than thinking of my son driving on his own.
BUT I LIFT HIS SAFETY TO GOD, ALL THE WAY!
Lolita, how endearing is this post? It makes us all want to protect you and then it makes us proud to see your strength shine through at the end! And I love the humor in this too!
ReplyDeleteLolita, this really hits home with me too. Driving to the job I've had these past few months has been hectic, through awful traffic, all the way downtown every morning and back... and I've been thinking the same thing! I need a job closer, because I hate dealing with all these in and out of lane changing trucks and me-first drivers!! And heaven forbid trying to do it in the snow. Yes, fear has been getting to me lately and I've been praying a lot and standing on His word...still hard not to at times. I heard a minister say that fear is the same as having faith in disaster. I certainly don't want to do that! Thanks for your story... it blesses me!!
ReplyDelete@Veronica-
ReplyDeleteHi, V. Thanks that the home-school mom got time to drop by.
Thanks that you found humor in my story-coming from my most admired witty and humorous artist.
Yes, the strength that comes from the Lord.
Hugs, dear V.
And Pam, that's exactly my point. Perhaps, we can control how we go about the highway, but our co-citizens of the fast lanes want to be ahead of anybody else.
ReplyDeleteSome drives like crazy and anger brews over petty road mischief mongers. I know of incidents which resulted to uncalled-for gunning. Or sometimes peril rides the high lane of chasing one another, blocking the object of ire. My husband used to be that way. He doesn't like drivers who seems to be unschooled on traffic rules, he wants to tutor them on the road..... to my terror. But lately, due perhaps to the honing of age and me always preaching, he has mellowed down.
And now, my youngest son, is driving by himself. That is where most of my misplaced fear comes.
It gives me frightful pictures because our roads is spilled with motorcycle mishaps. What with crazy fellow users.
We need to pray over this, my friend. For as you said, fear might replace our confidence in the goodness of God. How the enemy would feast on that!
I thank God daily that we could draw near Him and hide our insecurities beneath His grace.
Thank you, Pam. Hugs and I always think of you.
How similar we are in many ways - yes, I too am at that stage where the Fast Lane is not for me. Honestly, I never really liked the fast lane. It is too fast for comfort, and there are too many risks, and many possibilities of harm.
ReplyDeleteEach time my husband and my sons turned on the ignition on their cars to leave for work, I pray a prayer for protection over them.
Each time my daughter walks out of the gate to either ride with her friend on the car pool, or on a taxi, or on a train, to get to her office, I pray a prayer for protection.
It is indeed our only guarantee - prayer, and trust in the protection of our Almighty God.
I loved this post, and I know that sometime later today, I will come back to read it again, and savor your words, and also chuckle - you are a funny lady, dear Lolita.
How proud I am of you, and to be your blog friend, a fellow believer in Jesus, and a kababayan!
Blessings,
Lidia
@Lidia-
ReplyDeleteAs I am, my sister! I have indeed found a jewel. I want to be one to adore your crown....blessing you to the heavens.
thank you, and yes I thank God that he invented prayer, a life line from here to the unfathomable and the immeasurable breathe, width, height and depth of our uncontainable, untenable Creator. He reduced the www and the internet to nothingness. We don't have to pay to get connected....it is for free.
I am grabbing back my Max Lucado books, to reread and re-affirm over and over again my Father-Daughter legacy in heaven.
I need those as well as the encouragement from others, my sisters in Christ, from whom I can feel that I am not alone, for encouragement, for prayers and for building each other up for perfection.
In that, I believe that there is meaning in this innovation called the online communication.
Alleluia!
Yes, everything you said is so true here too. I think it may be even worse in your area, as I see in movies that show driving in countries other than mine (maybe not as many rules). But people here are getting more and more that way, wanting to be first at all costs, speeding excessively, cutting off and yes, in some places even shooting people in rage. Yes, let us pray God's ministering angels (Psalm 91) around us and those like your son, and His blood covering in all our comings and goings.
ReplyDeleteYes, Pam. Amen!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your prayer and I also lift you up to God each time you go out and drive and while on the streets, in the office and in going home.
We call on God for His host of angels to be always around us anywhere we are.... by His blood and His promises.