Abundance > Steal, Kill, Destroy

As I write this, I have been mostly indoors for three days straight now. In July. In the UP, where summer is finest. The air in the Keweenaw is hazardous as the Canadian wildfire smoke has engulfed Michigan. This is not what I had in mind when I was looking forward to summer with knee deep snow & freezing temps this past winter.

Also as I write this, I am listening to and watching my oldest daughter orchestrate and direct my fancy little girls in a dance in the living room to Minuet playing loudly on the keyboard. It is beautiful. Juliet, Anna, and Clara are all smiling, laughing, marching in circles, and spinning around. There is pure joy in their hearts, and mine.

We had a fabulous dinner tonight. Taco bowls, preceding chocolate chip cookies made with fresh-ground flour. We had raw milk with our cookies. Our whole family ate together around the table with a candle flickering in the middle, purple wax dripping down the candle holder. We prayed, declaring God’s majesty and greatness. We counted the wins of each person over the last week. We remembered many funny moments, answered prayer in various ways, and thanked God that our freshly planted roses just bloomed.

We tossed grapes into our mouths, with hysterical laughter, as Juliet missed her mouth by three feet. Paul and I snuck in a little dance and kiss, with our children cleaning up around us. We sang a song together, bringing order to the mess, as a family, singing, “We’re gonna have a party, a speedy clean after meal party!”

We have clean water to drink today. My dryer is tossing clean clothes in hot tumbles. My dishwasher is scouring my dishes for me. I got to workout, shower, clean the bathroom, vacuum our entire house, make three from-scratch meals for hungry mouths, spend time with Jesus, do a craft with Anna, and read Beatrix Potter with Daniel and Anna today. I got to read the Bible on multiple occasions with my children today.

I have a lot of energy most days. I feel great in my body. I have the most handsome, kind, loving, wonderful husband in the entire world. My children are my absolute delight. Jesus loves me and will never leave me or forsake me. I get to live a life I could not have ever dreamed up 20 years ago.

My heart is singing for joy.

Notice this, I could easily focus on the terrible smoke, the fact that I cannot see the sun, the health threat, and how annoying it is that I can’t go the beach right now.

Or I could focus on what is good, true, lovely, excellent, and praiseworthy.

One of these things brings joy, peace, and contentment. The other brings anxiety, frustration, and anger.

I am paraphrasing Lee Warren; He says that abundance is greater than steal, kill, destroy. (The Life Changing Art of Self Brain Surgery)

Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” John 10:10

There is a lot of stealing, killing, and destroying that the enemy is constantly doing. Devastation is all around us. The smoke is surely included in this destruction that the enemy is behind. But, God is Sovereign over it and He has allowed this, and He will use it for good. God always wins.

At the same time, God is still creating beauty. There are flowers that just bloomed today. A baby just laughed for the first time today. Someone found the love of their life that they prayed for years for. A puppy is snuggled up sleeping on their owner right now, somewhere. Someone finally got pregnant after years of trying. Someone was set free from drug addiction. Someone got a blood test with positive results today. Gardens are blooming, baby birds are learning to fly, children are learning to read, families are loving each other, pianos are vibrating with glorious music, and beautiful artwork is being created.

The beauty & abundance in this world is greater than all of the brokenness, pain, and sorrow. Not just in the material things we see in creation, but also the fact that we have the presence of Jesus! His abundance is bountiful!

The devil loves to see people bitter, angry, helpless, and despairing for life itself. He loves it when people focus on problems, complain, and feel hopeless. He loves when people forget that God is caring for us, as we fret and fume about our circumstances.

Can you imagine how angry the devil would be if we all just stopped complaining and praised God right now? What if we all just sing and dance for joy? Take that, devil. The smoke cannot take me down!

Jesus gives us peace as a gift. We have to declare that it is not up for grabs. Do not let the smoke take your peace! Complaining about the weather has never done anyone any good, ever, in the history of all mankind. So do not be a victim!

Our experience is not primarily what happens, but how we perceive it. This is a paraphrased quote from someone on Lee Warren’s podcast, I cannot remember who it was.

Today, I had the attitude that, hey, I am so excited that I am going to be inside today. I have so much cleaning and organizing to do! I am going to take full advantage of this and knock some things out that I do not want to do on a beautiful sunny summer day!

The word says to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances. This is God’s will for us. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

The word also says to do all things without complaining! (Philippians 2:14) Whew!! That includes when you have to stay inside on a smoke-filled summer day. It is hard to deny our flesh that tends to focus on the negative. But it is actually harder to be a complainer and feel anxious and stressed because of the exhausting mental strain.

So, choose your hard. Rejoicing when you don’t feel like it, and therefore eventually feeling better, or complaining and feeling miserable.

Today, dear one, know… you can overcome any feelings of bitterness, anger, despair, and frustration. You are not a victim to your own thoughts. You are actually in charge of what your brain thinks. You get to choose. This choice happens in your mind, which is separate from your brain.

In Philippians 4:6-7, God tell us, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

We have the ability to, and the responsibility to pray about everything, and give thanks. We have a choice as to what we focus on. The good or the bad. How do you want to feel? What should you focus on to feel that way?

So, dear friend, choose the path of life. There are so many good ways to shift out of an anxious, sad, depressed state, and I would be happy to help you specifically, if you want to reach out.

I will give some general tips now. When you notice an untrue, unhelpful, destructive thought, the first step is to identify it. Say, “This is fear.”

Then interrupt it. There are many ways to do this. Clap your hands, raise your hands, snap your fingers, or anything else. Say, “Stop!” or “Peace!” or “Not today!”

Speak the word of God. “God has given me a spirit of power, love, and self control!”

Communicate safety to your nervous system by smiling, dancing, laughing, taking a deep breath, and or relaxing your body. This is very important, especially when you don’t feel like it.

Continually choose to find things to be grateful for and speak it out loud. Find the glimmer of goodness and beauty. Thank God. Worship Him! Remember the gospel! Declare out loud, “God loves me! I am a child of God! I am an overcomer.”

Look for beauty, dwell on it, and drink it in. Tickle your children and soak in the laughter. Watch a funny video. Serve someone. Send someone a letter. Learn a new skill. Make a new recipe. Paint. Listen to upbeat music and dance.

As we have this summer haze of smoke, find some good indoor projects to work on. Change perspective. “I am so thankful that I am forced to be inside because I have to organize.”

I think we sometimes forget that we still live in a fallen world. We will not have perfection here in this world, ever. Heaven is where perfection will dwell, forever. And those who are found in Christ will enjoy God and His incredible greatness eternally, with all traces of sin & brokenness dispelled forever!

It is okay to lament and be sad about the smoke. Maybe you have to cancel a vacation because of it. Maybe you or a loved one is struggling to breathe. Maybe you have other intense stresses in your life, and the smoke is just too much to bear on top of it all. Maybe you don’t have good air filtration in your home. I am truly sorry for this.

The Psalms show that God is not afraid of our tears, sorrow, anger, confusion, and lament. There is a whole book in the Bible called Lamentations. During the midst of Jeremiah lamenting about the horrors surrounding him, he states:

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion” says my soul, therefore I will hope in Him. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” Lamentations 3:21-26

So, dear precious one reading this, you can lament and cry about something that is hard and sad. But do not stay stuck there. Remember God’s goodness & faithfulness. His steadfast love never ceases. His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning!

The Lord is my portion. Be satisfied in the Lord. To be satisfied in Christ, you have to spend ample time with Him in His word, soaking in His love, being diligent in prayer, and worshipping all throughout the day. Take your thoughts captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ. Give thanks for as many things as you possibly can. Hope in Him. Seek Him, and wait quietly for Him. He is our deliverer.

The smoke is temporary. Any other pain you may have is temporary, if not on this earth, it is temporary in the light of eternity.

“The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”

Romans 8:6

“Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Colossians 3:1-3

“These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world!”

John 16:33