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A favorite of mine wrote a song years ago saying "I shoulda listened to what Mama said 'Don't put your eggs in one basket' that basket was you."
I found myself humming this song today and thinking about the meaning. Let's be honest, we have all done this before, put all our eggs in one basket whether in a Relationship Career Dream
Mark Twain said
“Put all your eggs in one basket and then watch that basket."
I was thinking today about the times and situations that I put all my eggs in one basket. At times I have put all my love into one person, all my trust in one career and all my faith in the possibility of a dream.
At times, especially as women, we find ourselves looking into what seems to be an empty basket.
I said to my sister tonight, "I wish I could go through life and treat people kind and make them laugh despite how they make me feel. I wish I could make a mental note to myself for future reference but in the moment while they are around me, be as kind, encouraging and comical as possible. I just wish I wasn't so easily hurt."
It is in these moments looking down into an empty basket I realized I have been putting my eggs in the wrong basket. My mind, heart and life are not centered on Christ.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
I felt God clearly tell me today, 'come to Me, put everything on ME, I will not judge you. I will take the good and bad eggs. I will multiply the good and help you work through the bad. Put all your eggs in my basket."
What a beautiful reminder for us all. We can trust God, we can cast all our cares (eggs) on Him (into His basket) for He CARES for us.
I will be honest, I am writing this will a bit of a sore heart. Relationships I have worked hard for, dreams I have longed for as just the start of 2014 have turned out to be empty.
But in this I see God's hand, I see God telling me to keep my eyes up, waiting in expectancy for God-given relationships, God-given careers and God-given dreams. Knowing that if I continually put All my eggs in His basket, I don't have to keep watch on it like Mark Twain advised. I can rest knowing that my God has it all in control.
I will put my hope, worry, dreams, fears, relationships, heart-ache, future and my past, I will put all my eggs in His basket and allow the only one able to help, help me though all my failures and VICTORIES.
In my time in the Word this morning I found myself clinging to promises. I sat there with my arms reached high as I told myself "I am blessed!" "God is on my side!"
As I was in my room I was reminded of a song we used to sing in church growing up.
I am blessed. I am blessed.
Every day that I live, I am blessed. When I wake up in the morning Till I lay my head to rest, I am blessed. I am blessed.Psalms 1
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yield its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
verse 6- For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."
Maybe I am the only one but today I needed the comfort of knowing I am firmly planted, and when this season changes oh the fruit I will see! So thankful I have a Father who watches over me and whatever I do will prosper. I needed this reminder.
I have found myself really feeling the opposite of this promise lately. I am just being honest, I have really been doubting this whole "God is on my side" concept. I have felt 'unlucky' lately. Now admitting this I feel rather lame. I would like to share my lameness for a minute so others out there can join me in snapping out of the idea that God is not for us. God is for us! Romans 8 clearly explains this. Please take a moment and read Romans 8.
Ok here is an honest story from yours truly of a daughter forgetting the Romans 8 beautiful reminder
I went to the doctor on Monday to get checked out. My Dad has been very ill so I just wanted to make sure that I okay and get an antibiotic to help my cough and sore throat. On the way there my car is running pretty rough, automatically I am set off. I had just got my car back from being "fixed" and it is now running worse than before I dropped it off. Negativity engulf my mind immediately and I felt God quiet me by saying "I am here." I get to the doctor and the receptionist is rather rude and that sets me off more. The doctor comes in after 40 minutes of me waiting. He fills out a prescription for me and I am on my way. I dropped off my prescription and call the sisters to see if they want me to pick them up anything while I am out. Jenna asked me to pick up milk to which I reply "I bought milk yesterday" her reply "well there is no milk here" I then realized the person bagging my groceries did not bag my milk and I would have to go back. These little, no big deal things were infuriating me.
I continued in aggravation running my errands, a gentle voice was quietly whispering "I am here."
My prescription was ready at this point I was sure, they told me it would take an hour so I made sure to return two hours later to make sure I would not have to wait, didn't want any chance of more frustration.
I walk in feel exhausted and mumble under my breath "I am just so unlucky!" (enter pathetic sappy pitty party song playing in my head). Just as that thought passed me I looked down to find a dollar lying on the ground. I quickly picked it up and slid it in my pocket. I walked up the the pick up window
"Lania, you prescription will be ready in ten minutes." Luckily I remained calm and sat down to watch some siblings playing. Older brother was around 6 years old followed by sister around 5 and youngest brother around 2 years old. They all had their own family size bag of popcorn and jumped around as mom and grandma sat and talked. I couldn't help but laugh as they played and chased each other down the aisle. The grandmother noticing my admiration looked over at me and said "You have any?"
Me: "Oh, kids?"
Gma: "Yes."
Me: "OH no, maybe one day"
Gma: "One day very soon, soon you will have kids."
Me: "Yes, hopefully"
Gma: "Soon, soon you will have kids"
I awkwardly laughed, the oldest brother walked over to me, one hand deep in his popcorn bag the other hand pushing his sister away from him.
Boy: (pointing to baby brother) "He just got out of the hospital"
Me: "Oh I am sorry to hear that, is he okay?"
Boy: "Yes he is strong"
Sister: "I am strong too"
Me: "yea, I can tell"
Boy: "You know what I learned it church?"
Me: "No, what?"
Boy: "I learned about blood"
Me: "WOW"
Boy: :Jesus played in the snow and got hurt and bled and died."
Me: "Wow, why was He in the snow?"
Boy: "Well there was a car and Jesus and snow"
Me: (speechless)
The boy goes on for about 5 minutes about Jesus and the snow
Boy: "You know Jesus?"
at this point his sister comes and pushes him and the conversation soon transitioned to school but I will never get over this little kid looking me dead in the eyes asking me if I knew Jesus.
I went home and shared the story with my family. Jenna of course saw God in the entire story. My mom after I told her how I felt unlucky lately and how comical God is in that dollar being there, she said "Amber, the rain falls on the just and the unjust."
Seriously how true it that, her I am rating God's affection and toward me on how lucky or unlucky I feel. I feel ashamed to admit this.
God's love is not a see-saw, His love does not go up and down for us. His love is the only constant thing we have in this world. In God's gentle reminder of "I am here" He is saying I am with you, I am along for the ride, good or bad I am here, I am not going anywhere, you are not alone. What He is also saying is, I am Here, as in Heaven. I am here where there is no pain or frustration, I am here in the promise land, I am here in your promise. Today was a big reminder that earth is not my home. My reward is heaven.
Here I am looking for my earthly reward, looking for my earthly treasure, looking for luck, but I am already found my reward, my treasure, all the luck I need is in Christ alone. This may all seem obvious to you all, but these past few days have been a hard lesson for me to grasp. Jesus is my reward. I am blessed. I am blessed whether I have a car or not, I am blessed whether my bank account looks it or not. I am blessed beyond anything this world could offer.
I laugh writing this now because there are so many real problems in the world, my "bad" day is nothing in comparison to some real hurts and conflicts many of you are facing. I am praying for all of you out there that "Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.…" (Hebrews 13:20)
I looked up the rest of the lyrics to that song and realized that God was desiring a sing a long with me to refresh my heart. What a Great Shepherd we have! He always looks after His sheep, even those like me that need more a reminder of His heart for me. "I AM HERE" Check out the extra choruses for a great reminder.
I Am Blessed Through the sunshine and rain, Even sorrow and pain, Jesus still is my comfort and guide. And His love comforts me, And His grace has set me free, And some day I shall stand by His side.
Chorus: I am blessed. I am blessed. Every day that I live, I am blessed. When I wake up in the morning Till I lay my head to rest, I am blessed. I am blessed.
I have shoes for my feet, I have plenty to eat, and a home up in Heaven bye and bye. Brothers and Sisters on this earth; They are mine by my New Birth, and we'll share in that Home beyond the sky.
I am blessed. I am blessed. Every day that I live, I am blessed. When I wake up in the morning Till I lay my head to rest, I am blessed. I am blessed. When I wake up in the morning Till I lay my head to rest, I am blessed. I am blessed.
Extra Choruses:
He is there. He is there. Every moment I live, He is there. He walks with me through the day, And at night I'm in His care. He is there. He is there.
We are blessed. We are blessed. Every day that we live, we are blessed. When we wake up in the morning Till we lay our head to rest, We are blessed. We are blessed.
Author: Dr. Jerry Goff
Today is a beautiful day and everything is truly going my way. Love, Amberly
If anyone finds themselves like me, your twenties are not exactly looking like you had hoped. I always said I wish that they was a course at college called "What To Expect After the Diploma." You know a crash course in what to expect once you have the degree, and start planning your 'happily ever after". Class lessons would include things I wish someone older could have taught me and my friends..
"What to do when you don't land the dream job"
"How to manage your finances when rent is more than your pay"
"It's your 25 birthday and you're still single"
"Engagement is off, how to start new"
"I landed the dream job and I hate it"
Years ago I wished someone would have offered this course to me, then I wished I could be the professor to educate and warn others about the terrible twenties.
But recently I am so thankful for my twenties and all the awkwardness that came with it. I am thankful no one warned me, I am thankful I didn't land the dream job, I am even thankful for the heartbreak. I am thankful my first post grad job was making drinks at Starbucks. I am thankful my first house was with the funniest and most adventurous girls. I am thankful for failed relationships and even at times feeling I failed myself. I would never want to try tell people shortcuts for these situations for in these difficulties we realized how truly brave we can be.
I realized I lived my early twenties waiting for my own private firework show. I spent my early twenties worried of what others thought, worried about failing and constantly playing the comparison game.
I was waiting to be discovered when in reality your twenties are about discovering yourself. Discovering your inner strength, discovering your weakness, but truly about discovering your worth.
I asked several of my favorite girlfriends, those freshly in their thirties, what advice they would give the 25 year old version of themselves and here are some of my favorite answers.
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“don’t worry so much what people think does not matter.
Work hard and follow your dreams.”
“do something that your future self will thank you for..
try new things, travel, fall in love, don’t be overcome with insecurities-
you’ll only regret that. Also spiritually I would say that God's will always
stands the test of time. Don’t force things that you may regret later,
especially relationships w the opposite sex.
“my best advice would be to live your life to the
fullest. Live each day as if its last. Tomorrow is not promised. Always put God
first and always make good choices. The choices we make when we are young are
the choices that will affect the rest of our lives, if I could do it over again
I would value myself more. I have grown so much in the last several years and
now I can see what I am worthy of.. I would also say that people say your
twenties are the best years of your life I disagree your twenties are good but
your thirties are better, at thirty one years old I can say I feel a woman and
like I'mready for whatever my future
brings. The things I wanted in my twenties are not the same things I want in my
thirties. I'm proud of whoI amand what I have become.. its like a fine wine
its gets better with age"
Looking back I realize some of the best firework shows were happening all around me.
Dear Twenty something, LIVE! Dream big! Be okay with failing, there is not one successful person that has not failed at one time. LOVE! Love yourself, be proud of yourself. Then go crazy loving others. Let's take advice from other women who have something to teach us.
As women we need each other. As Christian women let's change the tide and instead of comparing ourselves with others lets begin to reach out and uplift each other. Let's break down walls that we have formed between each other. As women we need to be fans of each other, find beauty in each other and help each other succeed.
Women let's live 2014, no matter our age. Let's enjoy our beauty and the beauty around us. Let's start to enjoy ourselves and enjoy our age. We only have one year as each number what will you do with your age and what will you do with 2014? Let's live it out together.
