Nothing to offer except this mountain

I’m struggling with this post a bit because I have several heavy topics on my mind that are inter-related, and as you may know if you’ve read my previous posts, I don’t always do “heavy” well. My sarcasm and wit tend to overshadow leaving those around me with the impression that I am all funny. Well, do NOT let my “charm” deceive you (yes, I am charming, or at least I have moments of charm), I am far more serious than I let on. Sarcasm is simply a break from myself when I feel like “Geez, girl, can we just have a little humor today?” Sarcasm is something I revert to when I don’t want to weigh a conversation down with what I might really be thinking, or when I don’t have anything of importance to contribute (the latter happens more than you know!!). Of course, I am a woman so I am capable of thinking of hundreds of topics all at the same time while carrying on a conversation with you – the inanimate screen I am now typing on. (I didn’t mention that I am currently checking Facebook and paying attention to my cat while I write this post.) See what I mean?? I am a great multi-tasker (or was I just procrastinating again?)!! That, however is not what this post is about.

I am not “worth” much in worldly eyes. It’s true! I have nothing I can “offer” anyone around me. I have no wealth…. There is no 401k plan, no big savings account and no real estate to sell off. I don’t have expensive jewelry, cars, boats, or other recreational type vehicles (although I have a pretty incredible closet full of shoes and BOOTS!!!). I don’t even have a piggy bank in my house full of change I empty from my wallet every week. I live paycheck-to-paycheck and have no worldly wealth at all. In this way I truly have nothing I can offer anyone in this very materialistic “what can you give to me” society that we live in. In addition to having nothing, I am now challenged with making the nothing I have stretch even further, and I once again find myself questioning God why this is happening. I find myself telling him that I don’t see a way to make it work and yet His response to me is “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27) He then reminds me that my worth is not in the things I have here on Earth, but in the treasures I store up in Heaven –

Matthew 6:19-21 ¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

I have nothing of Earthly value to offer anyone, however I have been blessed with wisdom from God that is more valuable than all the gold one could store up in their safety deposit box. By caring for my children and teaching them to love others the way that God loves them, I am helping to build up my treasure in heaven while making Earth a nicer place to live. I have nothing of worldly value to offer those around me, but I make a pretty nice pot of spaghetti, have a peaceful home with which to entertain and allow people to unload their burdens in my living room while we raise the roof with prayer and worship to the Father who provides for our needs.

I will end with this… I was listening to a popular Marvin Gaye song this evening “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (<----click for song) and it occurred to me how much this song is like a love song to (and from) God. There really is no mountain high enough or valley low enough to keep God from getting to me. I can call Him no matter where I am, no matter how far I travel. All I have to do is call on his name and he will be here for me. Now that is love - no earthly wealth needed!!!

Proverbs 3:5-6 ⁵Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

What can I possibly write about??

Ah, yes, the affliction of writer's block has struck me. It's not necessarily that I can't write as much as it is I can't get all the thoughts out into one clear and well written post that anyone might find worth the time to read (this is assuming, of course, that anything else I wrote might have been found interesting by anyone other than me). So, here I sit past 10 o'clock in the evening thinking that if I write about writer's block, perhaps it will help all those other thoughts swirling about in my head to collide together and create some kind of sense. So, this is my writer's block post, which may or may not be about writer's block at all. Readers, beware!!!

Side note for the male readers out there: it IS possible for the thoughts in a woman's mind to come out and make complete and total sense. God DID provide you with a companion's manual... it's called the Bible. My suggestion - read it!!

In offering some encouragement to a friend today I read through the first three chapters in the book of Ecclesiastes, speaking of that manual (okay, in keeping up with being ME, I just paused to read another 6 chapters of that book). Many of you may relate this book to the popular song "Turn, Turn, Turn" by the Byrds - "To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven." What caught my attention as I read today was how the writer is clearly at a pausing point in his life. He was at a point in his life where he was asking the big "Why" questions. Why do we work so hard? What is the point? He is struck by the fact that all the hard work and toil done by people is meaningless. "A chasing after the wind." The writer concludes that it is better for man to simply decide to be happy with his work. The writer finds that tranquility is so much better than to toil day after day, and that God can and will place that happiness in our hearts if we allow it.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 states, "¹⁸ This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. ¹⁹ Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. ²⁰ They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart."

Have we as a nation of believer's forgotten to sit back, be happy with the food and drink we are provided and simply enjoy life with gladness in our hearts? Do we even allow God the ability to place gladness in our hearts? I admit I am guilty of preventing the Father from placing gladness in my heart. "How?" you might ask. By simply not looking at the treasures He has placed before my very eyes. The treasures that are in my life every day, who may bicker and fight from time to time (okay, it's a lot more than that), but who can also look at me on a morning when I am feeling down and tell me that I am beautiful on the inside because she was just reading that in her Bible the other day. <3 That wisdom came from my 6-year old daughter and it really did come at a time when I was feeling the "toilsomeness" of life.

I am going to end this post here by simply asking you a question: Do you appreciate the work, food and rest God provides for you, or do you find it a burden? Do you allow God to place happiness in your heart? Perhaps it's time for you to TURN TURN TURN to God's word for the encouragement He gave me today.