A few months ago we got a QT Gas Station & Convenience Store.  As an opening promotion they had all 32 Oz. Fountain Drinks, Slushies, Cold Beverages and Ice Cream Cones on sale everyday for 49 cents.  This special deal was only supposed to last a few weeks, but they continued the deal throughout the summer.  While the “Red Solo Cup” has become Toby Keith’s best friend, for many of us the 32 Oz. QT Cup became our friend.  There was just something about walking in and getting a big ole cup of refreshment for 49 cents that put a smile on your face.

Yesterday was the end of the 49 cents smiles.  Fountain drinks are now 69 cents and slushies are 79 cents for a regular cup and 89 cents for a styrofoam cup.  When I stepped up to the counter with change in hand to pay for a couple of slushies last night, I was taken back just a bit when the clerk said with a sly smile:  “That’ll be $2.10!”

We all knew the day was coming.  In fact there had been some warning earlier in the week, but how do you prepare?  Things change and life moves on.  I did not run out this morning and begin my day with a QT Slushie and I am not really sure why?  It’s not the extra 20 cents.  It’s not that I am mad or upset.  It’s just that things in life have a beginning and an ending and that is part of life and when we get that, we start to get life.

It reminds me of what a wise man named Solomon once said in Ecclesiastes 3: 1-14 – “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:  2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal,a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.  9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.”

Things begin and things end.  People come and people go.  The time that we have right now, is the time that our Creator has given us and we should do everything we can to make the most of it for His glory.

I think a good way for me to do that right now is by checking the cushions on the couch for that extra 20 cents and going to get me a QT Slushie – hope to see ya there???  😉

God speaks to us from the depth of who we are and this is why it is so important to become comfortable with who He has created us to be.  This is why we cannot allow ourselves to get caught up in the conforming power of the world around us, but must seek to be transformed by the continual renewing of our mind through His Word and Spirit.

God speaks blessing, peace, love and grace into our lives all the time, but we often fail to hear it, because we have allowed so many other sources of noise to become a part of who we are and what we do.

Do not listen to the other voices.  Our listening only empowers them and instead of lifting us up, it tends to press us down.  God’s Spirit will often speak conviction, but not with the purpose of crushing us, but of convicting us, so that we might get free of the restraints of sin that so often hold us down and keep us back.

God does not just hang around the one who has received Him.  God is around and in those of us that have received Him and this should always lead, grow and empower transformation in our lives.  The holy life is the life that allows God to live in and through it.

I Corinthians 6:19-20 ask the important question and then commands the right direction when it says:  “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

 Lord, Help me to live in You, because you live in me.  Give me understanding and belief of Your equipping power in me.  Help me when I respond to the world around me, to respond according to Your will and not according to my plans.  Please inhabit my life and all the moments of my life.  Let Your grace influence my thoughts, Your love control my words and Your Spirit guide my behavior in all that I do.

Why are you so worried about what other people think?  The people that we call our friends will prove with their reactions and actions what they really are.  We will most likely find out that some are in deed true friends, friends who want what is best for us.  And we will find that there are some others with their own agendas.  Don’t allow what others think to get in the way of what our Creator knows about who we are and what we are supposed to do.

There is only ONE that we need to be concerned about and HE is the ONE that created us, protects us has an amazing plan for our lives.  It is a shame to think that we could miss out on His amazing plan because we are so wrapped up in what other people “might” think.

Our Creator simply asks for one thing – that we trust Him.  We can’t truly trust Him and fear what others think.  Romans 8:1&2 says:  “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” 

It just does not make any sense that we would trade in the freedom that Christ has given, for the fear of what a friend might think.  We play all kinds of “justification” games, but they just take us farther away from what God has for us.  I mean come on think about it!  God has created us on purpose and for a purpose – don’t miss it!

It really is simple!  God created us.  God loves us.  God has a plan for our life.  God wants to use us right not, but we often get in the way of His plans.  We need God’s help and He is waiting for us to ask and be ready for His answer!

Here are a few steps to help us stop worrying about what others think and start focusing on what God has planned for our lives.

1.  Pray!  Simple, but very effective!  Take time to talk to Your Creator.  Tell Him what you are thinking and feeling and ask for His help!  It really is amazing what we can hear, see and feel – just by spending a little time in His presence.

2.  Perspective!  Don’t over think it, but make sure that you are seeing things as they really are.  We are great at clouding our own vision.  What really matters at the end of the day is this:  Am I living and growing in the will and plan of my Creator?

3.  Passion!  Control your emotions or they will control you!  Emotions are powerful and they can be used to accomplish very good things or very bad things.  We have to learn to control our emotions in a positive way by looking past everything else to the Spiritual, because at the end of the day, this is what really matters!

My Prayer:  God help me to take my eyes off of others.  Help me to take my eyes off of myself.   Help me to focus my eyes, heart and life totally and completely on You.  I don’t want to miss Your amazing plan for my life.  I do want to live in the freedom, You created me for and I want my life to bring You great glory.  Help me, help myself by being obedient to Your ways!