Friday, April 26, 2013

In His Presence is Your Peace!


Decorating cakes is one of my favorite things to do, especially for my grandkids. Although I’m not really an artist, I do get artistic pleasure from creating a “masterpiece” of icing and cake mix. I admit sometimes I am “under the gun” as to time for getting this done.

Getting ready for Stella’s birthday party was an under the gun time in my life. Danny’s aunt was sick and we were preparing for a secular event to work. We were juggling our schedule, thinking ahead and hoping everything would land together in a good way.

Turns out of course that our plans don’t always go so smoothly. I baked the cake one night and finished decorating it the afternoon before Stella’s party, the same afternoon we left for West Texas and a family funeral. I was definitely under the gun!

The finishing touch on Peppa Pig (the cake) were her eyes. Danny got off work and ran by the store to pick up the tubed black icing.  They were out! I knew I had seen some candy eyes so I asked him to just pick a package of those up. They’d have to do.  I was also playing with grandkids, sweeping the kitchen floor (long overdue) and packing our clothes.  Are you starting to get the feeling that I was stressed?

As Danny ran in, handing me the eyes, I opened them and saw that they weren’t the candy eyes but rather plastic ones! I knew it was too late to do anything about it, so I told Stella’s mom to make sure nobody ate them! LOL   The jitter of juggling everything was starting to show and I could NOT get those plastic eyes in the right place on Peppa’s face! Danny got the tweezers for me and picked up Stella, who was now crying and wanting “cake, cake, cake”.  One little boy was climbing on the bar to look at the cake, another little boy had fever and was sitting in the recliner, one daughter was watching and Danny and Stella were right next to me.  Now as I look back at it all, I am laughing, but right then it was anything but funny.

I exclaimed to Danny, holding the crying granddaughter, “please take her somewhere else for a moment! I can’t get these eyes on the cake!” I had made everything on that cake just right, but those little eyes were going to be my undoing. I was worn slap out! I had had enough noise and help and attention and company.  I just needed a quiet moment to finish the embellishment. I just needed a little silence to concentrate. It wasn’t about the clatter – no one was doing anything wrong. I just needed a moment. A moment to block out the noise and concentrate so I could finish things up right.

Ever feel like that? Ever wonder how you started out a simple faith seeker and ended up a juggler in life’s circus? Is the noise of even the fun things becoming deafening to you as you try to concentrate on both your physical life and your spiritual life? Do you ever wonder if you’ll get things done right and make everyone happy and get to enjoy life again? Do you long for just a moment of quiet so you can think about what you’re doing and get it right?  

Oh beloved, maybe it’s time to get away with Jesus! God knows how stressful your life can be. He knows the demands of your work, your home, your family and your faith. He knows that you may wear 10 different hats and juggle 10 different tasks. He also knows the solution for stress is to let Him bless! Bless you with time alone with Him. Bless you with spiritual delights in your quiet time. Bless you with His help to get everything done.  Bless you with His joy and peace. Bless you with the knowledge that - while it’s impossible to have it all, make everyone happy and hold it all up by yourself – He will hold it all up for you as you let Him be there for you! Slip away into His loving arms. Rest in His loving Word. At the Name of Jesus, and in His presence, weariness must flee, worry must vanish and peace will reign.

He loves you, precious child, and He’s for you, beloved believer. And that’s all that really matters!

Luke 10:41 But the Lord said to her, "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details!

I Chronicles 16:27 Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [found] in His sanctuary. (Amplified)

Psalm 89:15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

No comments: