Adulthood...

Do you ever get tired of doing everything as right as you can?  I mean, come on, we are adults, we are suppose to have most things figured out and put behind us.   I read this quote and thought, yep, that is exactly how I feel at times.  "Adulthood is like looking both ways before you cross the street and then getting hit by an airplane."

In our bible study this past week three out of twelve women said things were good, no prayer request.  How often does that happen?  We all laughed a little and someone commented, just wait, that will pass. Then we begin to talk about the goodness of God, scriptures begin to be quoted and pretty soon those of us who were carrying a burden or in deep sorrow found our spirits lifted up. 

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• ”For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 100:5).
• This is such an encouraging verse because of the word, "generations" that comes at the end.  When I look at my young two year old grandson, I see him  included in those generations.  He is too young to understand God's goodness and faithfulness now.  But he sees it already lived out before him from his parents and grandparents. 
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• “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him” (Nahum 1:7).
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• I love the word "refuge" in Nahum.  It is a safe place to get out of the storm raging  outside.   Jesus led the disciples into a boat, knowing full well that a violent storm was brewing; the disciples were terrified, but Jesus, their refuge, calmed the storm. Matt. 8:27-28 Jesus will sometimes lead us into a storm to test our faith just as He did the disciples. 
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• Nine of the twelve women at the bible study testified there was a storm in their life. Yet in their storm they felt cared for by the Master of the Wind.  And how the power of God's Word kept them from losing their hope that the storm would pass.  

  

     Tempted to run away from your storm.  Don't! Look for Him right smack in the middle of it, He is waiting to be your refuge.  Maybe there is no storm in your life now, but that will pass.  When the disciples got into the boat there was no storm. Had there been they probably  would not have left shore.  I wouldn't have, and I love a good thunder storm. 

How is life for you now, got a storm, or is it calm as you get in the boat?  

The Rhythm of God

                    

Think of music as a language.  Language has phonetics, tempo, rhythm.  If you have trouble understanding someone speaking your own language who has an "accent", then subtle variations in the above properties of language throw you off.

Same is true in music.  Rhythm is one of several characteristics of music that allow us to "understand" it.  A steady, regular beat is pleasurable to most ears.  4/4 (2/4)  and 3/4 (6/8) time are quite common and listeners can follow it, tap their foot or snap their finger in time with the music.

Anything outside of these rhythm structures is quite difficult to understand and follow.  Not that they wouldn't be interesting, just different from normal conventions of music.
 
Ultimately, rhythm is the mathematics behind music.  Beautiful music is beautiful math!

See for your self:  Play a song,  your favorite song, something that you know all the lyrics and melody too. Sing the song as best you can.  At the same time tune your radio onto another song, different beat, turn the volumn up a tad higher.  It will be hard to stay on the melody of the song you are singing since the rhythm is different. Try singing any song  and tap your hands to another rhythm it just doesn't sound right.  Rhythm is  what makes the song flow.   

My rhythm has certainly changed in the last year,   I now wear a partial plate to replace some missing teeth which I do not like because I cannot chew gum.  Gum is important to me because due to new meds my mouth gets dry a lot.  These new meds are to help my heart stay healthy since it had three blocked arteries, two of which now can boast of bypasses.  I take a ton more medicine to keep blockage from happening again.   Also I  now wear hearing aids...plus a knee brace since I need a knee replacement.  On top of that I use a cane to keep me from falling till I get the knee replacement. Yep, my rhythm has changed a lot.   One thing is sure, I am appreciating the "rests" that is inserted in the rhythm  of my life much more than I ever did.

A metronome is a device that produces an audible beat—a click or other sound—at regular intervals that the user can set in beats per minute. 
When God is the metronome of my  life  His steady beat will calm my mind and there will be a peace despite whatever the rhythm of life brings my way.   I am learning to released unrealistic expectations, seize opportunities, anticipated what's next and paced myself.  Keeping eternity in view as I adjust to this new rhythm makes all the "new" worthwhile.  

This is a prayer of Solomon   

 “May God . . . keep us centered and devoted to him, following the life path he has cleared, watching the signposts, walking at the pace and rhythms he laid down”                  I Kings 8:56-61