Worst Week!

I don't know if any of you have seen the comedy show "Worst Week" or not, but to me it is hilarious. The main character is such a klutz, that he even started a fire in the swimming pool on his wedding day. He reminds me a lot of Jerry Lewis. But unlike the show that is laced with laughter and at the end it somehow works out for him, when we have a Worst Week (where everything seems to go wrong) there is little humor to be found. I had one of those weeks, and that is why I used this particular picture of my middle grandchild Christina, I'm sure that's kind of how I must have looked to God for a few days.


There are seasons in our lives when we have to ask "What in the heck is going on? Where did this come from?" Especially when the unexpected happens. Sunday morning I got up feeling really good after spending Saturday at a "Kids EE" clinic at a Chinese church outside of Philadelphia. Tovah and I got to spend time with a friend that we have not seen in 4 years and the focus of preaching the Good News was just what I needed. We both came home happy and content. Tovah stayed home Sunday to do schoolwork, and I went to Sunday school. And right after Sunday school and just before service started that is when all hell broke loose. I won't go into too much detail because if you want to get over a wrong or injustice done to you, talking about it only keeps it fresh in your mind and in your heart....so lets just say that a sister-in-the-Lord, was an easy instrument for our enemy to use against me. And since she was such an easy mark, it was pretty bad. In fact when I left after service I told my pastor, "I’m not ever coming back to this place!" Of course we all know that saying, "Never or Not Ever" is the biggest setup to make you a liar. ~Smile~

It took a couple of days for me to even begin to hear God or anyone else. I needed time to lick my wounds and feel sorry for myself. I'm sure in those two days as the Holy Spirit was quietly speaking to me; I looked a lot like Tina in her picture. Whinny, cause things weren't going my way. But praise God for His great love for us, because Tuesday morning during my morning walk, He spoke gently to my heart in a way that helped me to really begin the process of forgiveness and healing. He told me to remember that no weapon formed against me shall prosper, no matter who it is. His words made me feel better not because of what I would like Him to do to that sister, but they reminded me that He was there and had seen and heard it all. The battle is not mine, but His.....if I allow Him to handle it.

Though I had taken all this to the Cross and laid it at the feet of Jesus, I still felt a cloud over me. Because of all the commotion my co-chair and I thought it was best to cancel our Women's Breakfast for this coming Saturday, and though it was the right thing to do, there was no joy in the cancellation. So, I could feel the spirit of sadness lingering, trying to make this a Worst Week for me. A week where I just can't wait for it to be over. But we serve the most awesome God, and He knew just what I needed and I would like to share with you an email I received yesterday. And this person had no idea what this week had been for me.

"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings."-Eric Hoffer
According to legend, a young man while roaming the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher. After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.

Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container. The student challenged his teacher: "Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?"The teacher replied, "You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of living-kindness and nothing could be sweeter."

Self-motivation without gratitude is impossible. Our energy is "sapped" when our entire focus is on what's wrong instead of what is right with our lives. One of our greatest challenges is to live and love in spite of pain and disappointment...to find gratitude in the midst of it all.

Reflect for a moment on this beautiful quote from Melody Beattie:
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

After reading this I could see with a clear heart that I had nothing to really be sad about, but so very much to be grateful for. So I began to speak words of Gratitude to our Father, for all that He has done for me and my family and the spirit of sadness had to leave.

Because of the Christmas hustle and bustle, we are often consumed with our own plans and agendas without realizing that maybe someone we know and love could be having a Worst Week and really needs an encouraging word from us to push them on. If you are experiencing a Worst Week, sit down and write at least 30 things you have to be grateful for. Trust me; it will take your mind off of whatever is dictating your Worst Week. And if you know someone who is in the midst of a Worst Week, encourage them as the Lord has encouraged you.

My pastor and I had a long talk, (I am blessed because he loves the Lord) and girls I just want to remind you to "Never" say, "Never”...guess where I'll be Sunday morning, God willing? Yup, in church looking at my pastor and friends. As tomorrow ends this week and Sunday starts a new one, may you find peace of heart and peace of mind in all that Jesus has done and continues to do for you at the Throne of Grace.

I would like you to feel free to share some of your "Worst Weeks" and how you got through them. Please share.....after all this is a blog.

Love and hugs.
Ponnie
A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.