Wednesday, January 13, 2010

I've been in a mood!

I read this devotion this morning, it was what I needed to hear today... I've been in a touch of a mood myself... yep, me! hard to imagine huh. To the point I told Greg yesterday I'm just overwhelmed, I need a T-shirt that says, Stressed Mommy please stand at least 10 feet away she is about to blow! Yep, that was me. I tend to stress if I look to far ahead, I need to focus on what I need to do today and let God work the rest out.. and he will if I trust.
When I got home yesterday I was standing in the kitchen and Grace heard me talking, she came running... She yelled, Mommy-- Your home. Threw those sweet arms around me and she hugged... A long, one and looked up with those sweet, eyes ~ Mommy I missed you today...
Thank you Lord for sweet reminders, it wasn't anything more for her than Mommy was home.
Help me not to miss a minute...

Devotion:
The Colors of Emotion
Susanne Scheppmann

"This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything." 1 John 3:19-20 (NIV)
Devotion:
My feelings scoot across the emotion spectrum. Some days are happy days. Other mornings I don't want to crawl out of bed—I just want to wallow in misery and depression. I sigh and say to my husband, "I have the blues today."

I guess you could say I am a "colorful" person. Maybe you are too. Have you ever found yourself saying something like …

· I am feeling blue today.
· I am so angry; I'm seeing red.
· I am green with envy.
· I am in black despair.

Often our emotions are not based on reality, but on a temporary perception of reality. The prophet Jeremiah wrote, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, NIV). I don't always understand why I feel the way I do. My moods could result from weariness, hormones, or an unexpected surprise.

Fortunately, although our hearts are deceitful and trick us into colorful emotions, God is bigger and stronger than our weak hearts. Our key verse states, "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything (1 John 3:19-20, NIV; emphasis added). This makes me shout aloud, "Hallelujah!"
We still hold some responsibility, however, for our thoughts and emotions. Proverbs 4:23 instructs, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life" (NIV)." How do we do this? We should take care about the books, movies and television that we allow to influence our thoughts. Listening to gossip, rumors and discontent from friends can certainly stir up negative feelings as well.
Instead of infusing ourselves with emotional junk food, we need to nourish our minds with godly influences. For example, read the Bible, chat with godly friends, or listen to praise music. The more joyful and contentment-filled influences we filter our thoughts through each day, the more we'll experience a positive emotional state—in fact, we'll be tickled pink!

Dear Lord, grant me the ability to recognize my emotions are not always truth. I thank You that You are bigger and stronger than my deceitful heart. Teach me how to be most effective in guarding my heart from fickle emotions. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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